Tamil litrature a rich source - article 1

[Guest guest]

Dear all

 

Let me start with a sangam litreature which speaks about Mahabharatha and Vedas

Purananooru - 2

 

Like Land, fertile in its content

Sky that lies high above the Land

Wind that brushes the Sky

Fire that is fed by the Wind

And Water that is opposite to the Fire

You possess the qualities of the five elements

Patience to forgive the mistakes of your foes, if they cross the line the

Expanse,

Power and Fury to crush them and Benevolence to grace him if he relents

Your greatness has grown to such extent

Your noble head is held in such esteem that even the ocean will sink

In your land which houses so many cities, Oh ruler of this prosperous nation!

The sky is the limit of your fame

The Five men, sitting on horses with shaking heads, whose

Land was taken by those with the thumbai flower -

The Hundred men, when both were exhausted at the battlefield

You gave them sumptuous food without any limit!

Milk, which turned sour and day which turned night

In contrast to the principles of the four Vedas

Without change (of loyalty) with your trusted people, remain powerful all your

life

May you live long, without (military) tremor, piling on your success!

Like wide-eyed deer, and its children,

Of the saints of past who did their duty,

Sleep in the protection of the three-headed lamp

So shall we live in the protection given by You, like the Himalayas and Podhiyam

hills

 

Sung by Mudinagarayar of Muranjiyur, in praise of Cheran Udayan Cheraladhan who

provided sumptuous food

 

 

Points of interest:

1. There was a war between a group of five people and a group of 100 people

2. This war was caused because the 100 people took away land which rightfully

belonged to the five people

3. The magnitude of this war was such that it lasted several days and it flouted

the principles of the four Vedas

4. Cheran Udayan Cheraladhan sumptuously fed both the warring armies.

5. This war occurred sometime before the period of the third Tamil Sangam –

Song is available but time is before 2nd BC.

6. The existence of the four Vedas was known to the Tamil people of the time.

 

regards

 

sankar