Life of Brahmins in ancient Tamizhaham

[saidevo]

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pArppAr vAzhkkai: life of brahmins in Sangha kAlam

This is a comprehensive if not exhaustive compilation of textual evidences from the Sangham Tamizh texts that speak about the religious, cultural, social and personal life led by the Sangha kAla brahmins.

This thread is intended to serve as a quick reference about our Tamizh brahmin ancestors, so I request members NOT to digress the topic here and hence discuss their opinions in a separate thread created for the purpose, considering the time and efforts involved in this task of mine. The Discussions thread is here:
http://www.tamilbrahmins.com/philos...-brahmins-ancient-tamizhaham-discussions.html

• Brahmins were among the twelve people ('thresholds') who had the distinction of being intimately connected with the domestic life events of a talaivan and talaivi--husband and wife.

தொல்காப்பியம், பொருள்-கற்பு-191

தோழி தாயே பார்ப்பான் பாங்கன்
பாணன் பாடினி இளையர் விருந்தினர்
கூத்தர் விறலியர் அறிவர் கண்டோர்
யாத்த சிறப்பின் வாயில்கள் என்ப

tolkAppiyam, poruL-kaRpu-191

thOzhi thAyE pArppAn pA~ggan
pANan pADini iLaiyar viru~ndinar
kUtthar viRaliyar aRivar kaNDOr
yAttha siRappin vAyilgaL enba

The twelve thresholds that have the distinction of intimate connection with the domestic life events of a talaivan and talaivi are: thOzhi--female friend, thAy--mother, pArppAn--brahmin, pAnggan--husband/male friend, pANan and pADini/pATTi--musicians, iLaiyar--younger people, virundinar--guests, kUtthar and viRali--male and female dancers, aRivar--wise men/sages, kaNDOr--the person eloped with, without parental consent.

It seems that these important persons are arranged in their order of importance, brahmins coming as the third influential force in domestic life.

*****

• In addition, a brahmin might help, if he chooses, to help the love life prior to marriage of a talaivan and talaivi. The other five people who might help in this way are: pAnggan--male friend, thOzhi--female friend, sevili--foster mother and kizhavan-kizhatthi--husband and wife.--tolkAppiyam, cheyyuLiyal, 490:1

• A brahmin, among others, also helps a talaivan and talaivi during their married life, after they are married according to their tradition and lineage.--tolkAppiyam, cheyyuLiyal, 491:3

*****

• TolkAppiyam also describes the various tasks that brahmins undertook when there is a separation between the talaivan and talaivi. These tasks include:

‣ to advise talaivan about the lovelorn sufferings of his talaivi;
‣ to advise what the talaivan could do in such circumstances;
‣ to convey talaivan's message to talaivi;
‣ to guide talaivi about the nimitthams--signs/omens, such as the cows returning;
‣ to convey the message of talaivan having gone, to talalvi;
‣ to advise talaivan against the separation;

all such tasks related to act as a messenger between talaivan and talaivi.

தொல்காப்பியம், பொருள்-கற்பு-175

காம நிலை உரைத்தலும் தேர் நிலை உரைத்தலும்
கிழவோன் குறிப்பினை எடுத்துக் கூறலும்
ஆவொடு பட்ட நிமித்தம் கூறலும்
செலவு உறு கிளவியும் செலவு அழுங்கு கிளவியும்
அன்னவை பிறவும் பார்ப்பார்க்கு உரிய

tolkAppiyam, poruL-kaRpu-175

kAma ~nilai uraitthalum thEr ~nilai uraitthalum
kizhavOn kuRippinai eDutthuk kURalum
AvoDu paTTa ~nimittham kURalum
chelavu uRu kiLaviyum chelavu azhu~ggu kiLaviyum
annavai piRavum pArppArkku uriya

*****

 

[saidevo]

• A brahmin and an aRivOr--wise man/sage also talks to all the people concerned with the life of talaivan and talaivi..--tolkAppiyam, cheyyuLiyal, 498

• The six tasks of the brahmins are mentioned in tolkAppiyam, puRatthiNai iyal, vAgaitthiNai, 498--'aRuvakappaTTa pArppanap pakkamum' with an additional reference to the six tasks as a messenger noted above.

*****

• Brahmins too acted as an envoy for the king, carrying the message to the enemy king, who, sometimes listening to the advice, gave up waging a war. PuRanAnURu has a beautiful verse about the capabilities of a young man who went as the king's envoy:

மதுரைவேளாசான், புறநானூறு 305

வயலைக் கொடியின் வாடிய மருங்குல்
உயவல் ஊர்திப் பயலைப் பார்ப்பான்
எவ்வி வந்து நில்லாது புக்குச்
சொல்லிய சொல்லோ சிலவே அதற்கே
ஏணியுஞ் சீப்பு மாற்றி
மாண்வினை யானையு மணிகளைந் தனவே

madurai vELAsAn, puRa~nAnURu--305

vayalaik koDiyin vADiya maru~ggul
uyaval Urdip payalaip pArppAn
evvi va~ndu ~nillAdu pukkuch
solliya sollO silavE adaRkE
ENiyu~j chIppu mARRi
mANvinai yAnaiyu maNikaLai~n danavE

A young pArppAn--brahmin, with his hip shrunken like a vayalaikkoDi--purslane creeper, and a gait indicating sorrow and slowness (because of his observance of a paDivam--nOnbu-vratam--vow), came at late night. He entered the (enemy) king's palace straight, without stopping outside. The words he uttered when he met the king were only a few. Even for that, the enemy king feeling apprehensive, ordered the ladders and logs arranged for scaling the wall to be withdrawn, and the ornaments worn by his elephants to be dismantled.

*****

 

[saidevo]

• PuRanAnURu has a verse composed by AvUr mUlangkizhAr on chONARRup pUnjchARRup pArppAn kauNiyan ViNNatthAyan, admiring his knowledge of the Veda yajnas and the skill with which he performed them.

This beautiful verse gives many details about the brahmins, their learning, and the veda yajnas.

ஆவூர் மூலங்கிழார், புறநானூறு 166

நன்று ஆய்ந்த நீள் நிமிர் சடை
முது முதல்வன் வாய் போகாது
ஒன்று புருந்த ஈர் இரண்டின்
ஆறு உணர்ந்த ஒரு முதுநூல்
இகல் கண்டொர் மிகல் சாய்மார்
மெய் அன்ன பொய் உணர்ந்து
பொய் ஓராது மெய் கொளீஇ
மூ ஏழ் துறையும் முட்டு இன்று போக்கிய
உரைசால் சிறப்பின் உரவோர் மருக!
வினைக்கு வேண்டி நீ பூண்ட
பலப் புல்வாய்க் கலைப் பச்சை
சுவல் பூண் ஞாண்மிசைப் பொலிய
மறம் கடிந்த அறம் கற்பின்
அறம் புகழ்ந்த வலை சூடி
சிறு நுதல் பேர் அகல் அல்குல்
சில சொல்லின் பல கூந்தல் நின்
நிலைக்கு ஒத்த நின்துணைத் துணைவியர்
தமக்கு அமைந்த தொழில் கேட்ப
காடு என்றா னாடு என்று ஆங்கு
ஈர் ஏழின் இடம் முட்டாது
நீர் நாண நெய் வழங்கியும்
எண் நாணப் பல வேட்டும்
மண் நாணப் புகழ் பரப்பியும்
அருங் கடிப் பெருங் காலை
விருந்துற்ற நின் திருந்து ஏந்து நிலை
என்றும் காண்கதில் அம்ம யாமே! குடாஅது
பொன் படு நெடு வரைப் புயலேறு சிலைப்பின்
பூ விரி புது நீர்க் காவிரி புரக்கும்
தண் புனல் படப்பை எம் ஊர் ஆங்கன்
உண்டும் தின்றும் ஊர்ந்தும் ஆடுகம்
செல்வல் அத்தை யானே செல்லாது
மழை அண்ணாப்ப நீடிய நெடுவர்க்
கழை வளர் இமயம் போல
நீலீஇயர் அத்தை நீ நிலம்மிசையானே?

AvUr mUla~gkizhAr, puRa~nAnURu 166

~nanRu Ay~nda ~nIL ~nimir saDai
mudu mudalvan vAy pOgAdu
onRu puru~nda Ir iraNDin
ARu uNar~nda oru mudu~nUl
igal kaNDor migal sAymAr .............. 05
mey anna poy uNar~ndu
poy OrAdu mey koLIi
mU Ezh tuRaiyum muTTu inRu pOkkiya
uraisAl siRappin uravOr maruga!
vinaikku vENDi ~nI pUNDa .............. 10
palap pulvAyk kalaip pachchai
chuval pUN ~jANmisaip poliya
maRam kaDi~nda aRam kaRpin
aRam pugazh~nda valai sUDi
chiRu ~nudal pEr agal alkul ........... 15
sila sollin pala kU~ndal ~nin
~nilaikku ottha ~ninthuNait thuNaiviyar
thamakku amai~nda tozhil kETpa
kADu enRA nADu enRu A~ggu
Ir Ezhin iDam muTTAdu ................. 20
~nIr ~nANa ~ney vazha~ggiyum
eN ~nANap pala vETTum
maN ~nANap pugazh parappiyum
aru~g kaDip peru~g kAlai
viru~nduRRa ~nin thiru~ndu E~ndu ~nilai 25
enRum kANkadil amma yAmE! kuDAadu
pon paDu ~neDu varaip puyalERu silaippin
pU viri pudu ~nIrk kAviri purakkum
thaN punal paDappai em Ur A~ggan
uNDum tinRum Ur~ndum ADukam ........... 30
selval atthai yAnE sellAdu
mazhai aNNAppa ~nIDiya ~neDuvark
kazhai vaLar imayam pOla
~nIlIiyar atthai ~nI ~nilammisaiyAnE?

Meaning: From the commentaries of Dr.U.VE.SA. and Avvai Su.DuraisAmip piLLai
Note:
01. This verse is in pArppana vAgai which describes the yajna skills of brahmins who excelled in their kELvi--shruti, learning.

02. PUnjchARRUr is the ThOrUr on the banks of the MuDikoNDAn river in Chozha nADu.

03. kauNiyan is one born in the kauNDinya gotra. Avvai Su.DuraisAmip piLLai in his commentary on the verse says:

• TirujnAna Sambandar belonged to the kaUNDinya gotra.
• It is remarkable that all the kauNiya pArppArs were learned and skilful in Tamizh.

• ThAyan was the name of the brahmin of this verse and his name was ViNNan. This man's ancestors were skilled in Sanskrit and performed many yajnas.

• This verse was sung by the poet AvUr MUlangkizhAr in the context of the great yajna performed by the brahmin which was followed by a feast. The poet attended the event and was happy at the reception he was given by the brahmin and his wives, and the gifts that were given to him.

Lines 1-4:
refers to the Vedas originated from the vAk of ShivaperumAn who was the most ancient of the gods, and had long and upright matted hair.

• Ir iraNDu--twice two, refers to the four puruShArthas of the Vedas;
• ARu uNarnda--studied all the six, refers to the six VedAngas: vyAkaraNam, jyotiSham, niruktam, Chandas, shikShA, and kalpam.

Lines 5-9:
refers to the puRachchamayam--religions of sages like Buddha who had texts contrary to the Vedas, how the brahmin ascertained their mey anna poy--real-looking fase teachings, and taught them the uNmaipporuL--reality of the truth, and how he completed all the mUvEzh-thuRais--21 veda yajnas; such a man you are, coming in the tradition of the learned and the famed!

Dr.U.VE.SA. gives the details of these 21 yajnas in his commentary on the verse:

• the seven somayajnas: agniShThomam, atagniShThomam, uktyam, ShoDasi, vAjapeyam, atirAtram, and aptoryAmam.

• the seven haviryajnas: agniyAdeyam, agnihotram, darsha-pUrNamAsam, chAturmAsyam, nirUdha-pashubandham, sautrAmaNI.

• the seven pAkayajnas: aShTaka, ApArvaNam, shrAddham, shrAvaNI, AgrahAyaNI, chaitrI, AshvAyuji.

Lines 10-18:
The piece of the deer skin looks prominent on the pUN-jnAN--pUNu-nUl--sacred thread, that hangs from your chuval--upper shoulder. Your faithful wives wearing the jAlakam--textural cloth worn by a wife during the performance of a veda yajna, with their small foreheads and wide hips and outspread locks of hair, wait on you to do the errands required of them.

Lines 19-26:
Let us keep seeing people like you, performing countless yajnas pouring ghee from fourteen cows of the country--grAmapashu, and forest--AraNyapashu, sides, spreading fame that the land would envy, hosting a great feast marking the end of the yajnas and honouring the guests.

Lines 26-34:
I will now reach my place located in the fertile regions of the KAvEri river that has its origin in the West in the KuDagu hills and spreads its waters all along, fed by thunder-driven rainy clouds. I will reach the place fast, eating and drinking what is available and by going by whatever vehicle I can get on the way. May you live long like the rainy Himalayan hills where bamboo trees grow.

*****

 

[saidevo]

• MullaippADal 37, refers to
கல் தோய்த்து உடுத்த படிவப் பார்ப்பான்

kal thOytthu uDuttha paDivap pArppAn
Brahmin, who is under paDivam--vratam--vow, wearing his clothes after washing them in water colored by dissolving a piece of saffron rock. He carried a mukkOl--tridaNDam in his hand.

• The brahmin who gave up his Veda dharma, earned his living by making bangles carved out of conch shells. Selling these bangles became an opportunity for him to act as a messenger between talaivan and talaivi. Such brahmins lived in the puRam chEri located on the suburbs of the Madurai city.

வேளாப் பார்ப்பான் வாள் அரம் துமித்த வளை

vELAp pArppAn vAL aram tumittha vaLai--ahanAnURu 24:1-2
"The bangle made by the brahmin who did not perform any yajnas, by sawing conches with is file."

வரிநவில் கொள்கை மறைநூல் வழுக்கத்துப்
புரிநூல் மார்பர் உறைபதி சேர்ந்து

vari~navil koLgai maRai~nUl vazhukkatthup
puri~nUl mArbar uRaipadi sEr~ndhu--SillappadhikAram, 3:38

Reaching the residential areas of brahmins who wore muppurinUl--three-threaded pUNUl, on their chest, but gave up their Veda yajnas with an intention to learn the varippATTu--musically sung love songs (could help in his role of messenger between talaivan-talaivi).

*****

• That cows, brahmins, women and the diseased were moved to places of safety during a war is the message of the following verse:

ஆவு மானியற் பார்ப்பன மாக்களும்
பெண்டிரும் பிணியுடை யீரும் பேணித்
தென்புல வாழ்நர்க் கருங்கட னிறுக்கும்
பொன்போற் புதல்வர்ப் பெறாஅ தீரும்

Avu mAniyaR pArppana mAkkaLum
peNDirum piNiyuDai yIrum pENith
thenpula vAzh~nark karu~gkaDa niRukkum
ponpOR pudalvarp peRAa dIrum --puRanAnURu9:1-4

This verse also highlights having sons (who are like gold) so they can perform the piNDodaka-kriyA--offering cooked rice balls and water, to tenpula vAzhnar--the deceased ancesors supposed to living in the South.

*****

• In general, the kings won't do acts that pArppAr--brahmins, would despise.

ஆர் புனை தெரியல் நின் முன்னோர் எல்லாம்
பார்ப்பார் நோவன செய்யலர்

Ar punai teriyal ~nin munnOr ellAm
pArppAr ~nOvana seyyalar--puRanAnURu 43:13-14

In this verse, the poet thAmappal kaNNanAr chides the King that his ancestors belonged to the lineage of Shibi chakravarti who honoured ascetics, and would not do acts that the pArppAr--brahmins, would despise.

*****

• It was customary for the king to give his dAnam to pArppAr--brahmins, pouring water over their hands symbolically.

ஏற்ற பார்ப்பார்க்கு ஈர்ங் கை நிறையப்
பூவும் பொன்னும் புனல் படச் சொரிந்து
...
ஒன்று புரிந்து அடங்கிய இருபிறப்பாளர்
முத்தீ புரையக் காண்தக இருந்த

ERRa pArppArkku Ir~g kai ~niRaiyap
pUvum ponnum punal paDach chori~ndu
...
onRu puri~ndu aDa~gkiya irupiRappALar
mutthI puraiyak kANthaga iru~nda--puRanAnURu367:4-5,12-13

In this verse, avvaiyAr admires the king as one who gave the brahmins their handsful of flowers and gold, pouring water over the hands, when the brahmins stood seeking alms for the yajnas they performed.
...
The poet also blesses the king of his tejas--shine, which was like the mutthI--three fires, that was grown by the dvIjas who performed their yajnas with the only aim of mokSha.

• mutthI--three fires, refer to the three types of vedAgni: gArhapadyam, AhavanIyam, and dakShiNAgni. These fires are also referred to in puRanAnURu 2:22-3, and SilappadhikAram 2.13:67-68.

• The symbolic offering of gifts to brahmins is also referred to in puRanAnURu 391:4-5 and padiTRuppatthu 4:3.

*****

 

[saidevo]

• That the pArppana magaLir--brahmin women, wore the flowers mullai--a kind of jasmine, in the evening is indicated here:

கான முல்லைக் கயவாய் அலரி
பார்ப்பன மகளிர் சாரற்புறத்து அணிய

kAna mullaik kayavAy alari
pArppana magaLir sAraRpuRatthu aNiya--naRRiNai 321:3-4

This verse is about what a home-coming messenger witnesses and describes to his chariotter, as he nears the surroundings of his home. The messenger himself is a brahmin wo went on a dhUtu--mission.

*****

• This is what a talaivan says to his pArppanap pAnggan--brahmin friend:

"O brahmin boy! You advise me of how to overcome my depression caused by love. You, who hold a daNDam--stalk, of the murukka--purasa, tree, and a low kamaNDalam--water jar, tell me, if there is any medicine in the Vedas you learned by the oral tradition, to unite the separated lovers?"

This verse confirms that being a friend and adviser and going on mission for a talaivan and talaivi are among the tasks performed by even orthodox brahmins.

பாண்டியன் ஏனாதி நெடுங்கண்ணன், குறுந்தொகை 156

பார்ப்பன மகனே, பார்ப்பன மகனே
செம்பூ முருக்கின் அன்னார் களைந்து
தண்டொடு பிடித்த தாழ்கமண் டலத்துப்
படிவ உண்டிப் பார்ப்பன மகனே
எழுதாக் கற்பி னின்சொ லுள்ளும்
பிரிந்தோர்ப் புணர்க்கும் பண்பின்
மருந்து முண்டோ மயலோ விதுவே

pANDiyan EnAdi ~neDu~gkaNNan, kuRu~ntogai 156

pArppana maganE, pArppana maganE
chembU murukkin annAr kaLai~ndu
thaNDoDu piDittha thAzhkamaN Dalatthup
paDiva uNDip pArppana maganE
ezhudAk kaRpi ninso luLLum
piri~ndOrp puNarkkum paNbin
maru~ndu muNDO mayalO viduvE

*****

• When the nAnmaRai munivar--Vedic brahmins, stood before him stretching their hands for alms, the king was advised to bow his head to them.

இறைஞ்சுக பெரும நின் சென்னி! சிறந்த
நான்மறை முனிவர் ஏந்து கை எதிரே!

iRai~jchuka peruma ~nin chenni! siRa~nda
~nAnmaRai munivar E~ndu kai edirE!--puRanAnURu 6:17-20

• Although the term munivar stands for an ascetic, because of the association with nAnmaRai--four Vedas, the term here refers to Vedic brahmins, as interpreted by the commentators and the author of this essay. Further, it should be noted that a king is expected to serve a munivar--ascetic, even before the latter stretches his hands for alms.

• puRanAnURu 26:13 states that for a king who performs the yajna, the nAnmaRai mudalvar--Vedic brahmins, who perform the yajna become his relatives. Note how the term mudalvar refers to brahmins here.

நான் மறை முதல்வர் சுற்றம் ஆக

~nAn maRai mudalvar chuRRam Aga

ILampUraNAr in his tolkAppiya urai--commentary, explains that

அந்தணன் வேட்பித்தலும் அரசன் வேட்டலும்

a~ndaNan vETpitthalum arasan vETTalum

--the brahmins performing the yajnas and the king desiring it, is indicated in puRappATTu, in his commentary on tolkAppiyam, puRatthiNai sUtthiram 16.

• A king bowing to brahmins is also indicated in padiTRuppatthu 63:1:

பார்ப்பார்க்கல்லது பணியறி யலையே

pArppArkkalladu paNiyaRi yalaiyE

"You don't know of bowing your head, except to the brahmins.

*****

• puRanAnURu 93:7, refers to how a king when he dies of disease, his body is kept on a bed of green grasses laid by Veda brahmins, a symbolic mark is made on it with a vAL--sword, to indicate vizhuppuN--injury in a war, so the king would enter the heavens reserved for the soldiers who died in war.

• padiTRuppatthu, pathikam 3 refers to the belief that when an elderly pArppAn--brahmin, and his wife sought help from the king, according to their wish, the king performed ten yajnas at the end of which the elderly couple went to the heavens.

• Maduraik kAnjchi 494-5 too refers to this belief in these words:

யாகங்களைப் பண்ணிப் பெரிய சுவர்க்கத்து ஏறப்போம் அந்தணர்

yAga~gkaLaip paNNip periya suvarggatthu ERappOm a~ndaNar

"Brahmins who enter the greater heavens doing many yajnas."

*****

 

[saidevo]

• SilappadhikAram describes the brahmins thus:

‣ Brahmins sitting under a pipal tree:

தண்டே குண்டிகை வெண்குடை காட்டம் பண்டச் சிறுபொதி பாதக்காப்பொடு

dhaNDE kuNDikai veNkuDai kATTam paNDach chiRupodi pAdakkAppoDu--2.13:77

The maRaiyavar--brahmins, sitting on the raised platform under the arasu--pipal tree, had with them a daNDam--staff, kuNDikai--kamaNDalu--water jar, veNkuDai--white umbrella, kATTam--samidh--pieces of firewood, and paNDach chiRupodi--a small bag of articles, and wore pAdakkAppu--sandals, on their feet.

‣ When the valavaip pArppAn--much learned ParAsharan reached that place, he was surrounded by:

குழலும் குடுமியும் மழலைச் செவ் வாய்
தளர நடை ஆயத்து தமர் முதல் நீங்கி
விளையாடு சிறாஅர் எல்லாம் சூழ்தர
"குண்டப் பார்ப்பீர்! என்னொடு ஓதி என்
பண்டச் சிறுபொதி கொண்டு போமின்" என
சீர்த்தகு சிறப்பின் வார்த்திகன் புதல்வன்
ஆல் அமர் செல்வன் பெயர் கொண்டு வளர்ந்தோன்
பால் நாறு செவ் வாய்ப் படியோர் முன்னர்
தளர நா ஆயினும் மறைவிளி வழா அது
உளம் ஒலி உவகையோடு ஒப்ப ஓத
தக்கினன் தன்னை மிக்கோன் வியந்து
முத்தப் பூணூல் அதற்கு பனை கலம்
கடகம் தோட்டொடு கையுறை ஈத்து
தன் பதிப் பெயர்ந்தனன்...

kuzhalum kuDumiyum mazhalaich chev vAy ........ 85
thaLara ~naDai Ayatthu thamar mudal ~nI~ggi
viLaiyADu chiRAar ellAm sUzhtara
"kuNDap pArppIr! ennoDu Odhi en
paNDach chiRupodhi koNDu pOmin" ena
sIrtthagu siRappin vArtthigan pudhalvan ....... 90
Al amar selvan peyar koNDu vaLar~ndOn
pAl ~nARu chev vAyp paDiyOr munnar
thaLara ~nA Ayinum maRaiviLi vazhA adu
uLam oli uvakaiyODu oppa Odha
thakkinan thannai mikkOn viya~ndu ............. 95
mutthap pUNUl adaRku panai kalam
kaTakam thOTToDu kaiyuRai Itthu
than padip peyar~ndanan...

‣ children sporting tufts of hair (boys) and locks of hair (girls), lisping and walking and swaying. (85-87)

‣ He told the boys: "O young brahmin bachelors! Come on, chant the Vedas with me and take away my small bundle of articles..." (88-89)

‣ When they obeyed and chanted with him, he noticed how a small boy having the name of All amar selvan--DakShiNAmUrti, although his tongue soon grew tired, chanted the Vedas better than the other boys, with faultless accent and heart-filled happiness. (90-94)

‣ ParAsharan admired the skill of the boy DakShiNAmUrti, presented him with a lovely pUNUl--sacred thread, ornaments that suited the child, that included bangles and ear studs (also gifted the other boys suitably) and left for his place. (95-97)

*****

• In a humorous note, this thOzhi--female friend, compares a horse's tail to the kuDumi--tuft, of a pArppana magan--brahmin boy!

அன்னாய் வாழி! வேண்டு அன்னை! நம் ஊர்ப்
பார்ப்பனக் குறுமகப் போலத் தாமும்
குடுமித் தலய மன்ற
நெடு மலை னாடன் ஊர்ந்த மாவே

annAy vAzhi! vENDu annai! ~nam Urp
pArppanak kuRumagap pOlat thAmum
kuDumit thalaya manRa
~neDu malai nADan Ur~nda mAvE

O dear, look here! Just like the kuDumi--tuft of hair, of the brahmin boy of our Ur--place, this horse, on which our king malai-nADan, rides, has its tail!

*****

• When kaNNagi ignited the Madurai city with the agni of her chastity, she ordered the agni-deva to destroy only the wicked, and leave aside pArppOr--brahmins, aRavOr--righteous people, patthip peNDir--chaste wives, mUtthOr--elderly, kuzhavi--children.

பார்ப்பனர் அறவோர் பசு பத்தினிப் பெண்டிர்
மூத்தோர் குழவி எனும் இவரைக் கைவிட்டுத்
தீத்திறத்தோர் பக்கமே சேர்

pArppanar aRavOr pasu patthinip peNDir
mUtthOr kuzhavi enum ivaraik kaiviTTut
thItthiRatthOr pakkamE sEr

*****

• Life stories of chaste brahmin women who lived their life faithful to their husband are narrated in Sangham texts: MAlatI--SilappadhikAram9:5-32, 30:74-80; DevantI--SilappadhikAram 9:34-40; Mariti--maNimEgalai22:40-79.

• Life stories of unchaste brahmin women too are narrated: SAli--maNimEgalai 13:3-10; SudamatI--manimEgalai 3:27-41

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The amazing beauty of this comprehensive compilation (which I have paraphrased and expanded with actual verses instead of just references), is that it is from a book published by the TamilnADu Text Book Society, with this essay written by Dr.KA.MeenATchi Sundaram, in the samudAyam section of their book TamizhnATTu varalARu: sangha kAlam: vAzhviyal, published in the year 1993, for the Tamizh VaLarchchi Iyakkam.

The essay is quoted in the book Tamizha andhaNar varalARu authored by the senior journalist K.C.Lakshminarayanan, and published by the LKM Publication, T.Nagar, Chennai-600017.


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