Tamil Hindu Encyclopaedia

By London Swaminathan

Here in this book, I have dealt with Tamil belief in tree nymphs, water nymphs and ghost and ghouls. We must understand that we are reading about a civilization that lived 2000 years before our time. But the amazing virtues of hospitality, helping the poor, equality in delivering justice and respect for truth and honesty are seen. Like every ancient society there were brutal wars; and Tamils were the only society in the world where we see internal fights between Chera, Choza and Pandyas for over 1500 years. But they united when Rajasuya Yajnam was performed by a Choza king. That shows their respect for Hinduism. All the three parts written by me show the Hindu religion or Sanatan Dharma was practised at that time in the southernmost part of India.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pustaka Digital Media
• Release date: Jan 6, 2024
• ISBN: 6580553510373

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Tamil Hindu Encyclopaedia

Author:

London Swaminathan

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Table of Contents

FOREWORD

1.Tamil Hindu Encyclopaedia -Part 26: Vishnu/ Maal/மால்

2. Mr Blue, Mr Tall/ Vishnu, நீல நிற வண்ணன், நெடியோன்

3. Garuda Flag, Lotus from Belly with Brahma, Source of Universe/Vishnu

4. Garuda Purana in Sangam Tamil Books

5. Lakshmi and 1000 headed Snake in Sangam Tamil Books

6. Brahma/பிரம்மா in Sangam Literature

7. Vishnu’s incarnations தசாவதாரம் in Sangam Corpus

8. Avatars in Sangam Tamil Books அவதாரங்கள்

9. Siva, ருத்ர Rudra, Tryambaka In Sangam Tamil Corpus

10. Tamil Hindu Encyclopaedia 35: திரிபுரம் எரித்தவன்- Tripurantaka in Sangam Tamil Corpus

11. Uma/உமா /உமை in Tamil Books

12. Durga/கொற்றவை, துர்கா in Sangam Tamil Corpus

13. Murugan/முருகன் Skanda in Sangam Tamil Corpus

14. Skanda, Velan கந்தன், வேலன் in Sangam Tamil Books

15.Tamil Hindu Encyclopaedia – 40; மயிலூர்தி Peacock Rider /Skanda in Sangam Tamil Books

16. Velan Dance by the Possessed man வேலன் வெறியாடல் Sangam Tamil Books

17. Nymphs, Ghosts, and Local Gods in Sangam Tamil Corpus

18. Tamil Ghost and Nymph and Spirits பேய், பிசாசு, அணங்கு

19. Nereids of Greeks நீர்த்துறைக்‌ கடவுள்‌

20.Tamil Spirits and Ghosts வருத்தும் தெய்வம் contd

21. Dance by the Possessed woman சூரர மகளிர்‌

22. Tamil Hindu Encyclopaedia- 47; Tamil Phantoms, Spectres, Apparitions தமிழ் பூதம், பிசாசு (11,688)

23. Tamil Hindu Encyclopaedia- 48; Tamil Phantoms, Spectres, Apparitions கழுது கூளி. (Post No.11,742)

24. Hindu Gods in Tamil Bible!

25. Sangam Tamil Verse throws more Light on Rig Veda

26. Strange Link between Lord Shiva, Socrates and Thiruvalluvar

27. Why did a Tamil King Kill 1000 Goldsmiths?

28. Contents of First Two Books of Tamil Hindu Encyclopaedia

FOREWORD

Sangam Tamil Literature is 2000 year old. It has got nearly 30,000 lines spreading over 18 books. They are called Pathu Paattu (10 books) and Ettuth Thokai (8 books). They are full of Hindu thoughts. Hindu Gods are referred to and no where Buddha or Mahavira are referred to. Many of the poets have Sanskrit names such as Damodaran, Kesavan, Valmiki, Brahmachari, Mahadevan (maathevan) Kamakshi (kaamak kanni). Gotra names of Brahmin poets are also shown. There are about 20 poets with Nagan suffix in ancient Tamil Nadu. They may not be Tamils. Rahjasuya Yajnam performed by Tamil king and Eagle shaped Yaga Kunda of Karikal Choza are mentioned. Dharma, Artha and Kama are mentioned in poems. Sanskrit words like Yupa are used without translation. We see Sanatan Dharma in glorious light. This is my third book dealing with the Hindu thoughts in Sangam corpus. I have given here all the topics covered in the previous two books titled Hinduism in Sangam Tamil Literature and Tamil Hindus 2000 Years Ago.

Here in this book, I have dealt with Tamil belief in tree nymphs, water nymphs and ghost and ghouls. We must understand that we are reading about a civilization that lived 2000 years before our time. But the amazing virtues of hospitality, helping the poor, equality in delivering justice and respect for truth and honesty are seen. Like every ancient society there were brutal wars; and Tamils were the only society in the world where we see internal fights between Chera, Choza and Pandyas for over 1500 years. But they united when Rajasuya Yajnam was performed by a Choza king. That shows their respect for Hinduism. All the three parts written by me show the Hindu religion or Sanatan Dharma was practised at that time in the southernmost part of India.

London Swaminathan

October 2023

[e-mail]

1.Tamil Hindu Encyclopaedia -Part 26: Vishnu/ Maal/மால்

Post No. 11,458

Vishnu is worshipped from very early days in Tamil Nadu. Tamil’s oldest book Tolkappiam referred to him as Maayon (மாயோன் and Sangam books praised him as Maal. We find Him in scores of places. Many Sangam Tamil poets have his name as Kesavan, Kannan/Krishna, Vinnan/Vishnu, Damodaran etc

Tolkappiam depicted him as the God of Forest Lands (Mullai) Skanda/Murugan is also allocated the hilly forests. We see the temples of these two Gods in high or raised places. The most famous Hill temple of Balaji/Venkatachalapathy / Vishnu is the northern border of Tamil Nadu. Everyday thousands of people visit Tirupati/ Tirumalai to see Balaji, a form of Vishnu.

In English, Bible is called The Book. In Tamil if someone says The Temple it means Chidambaram Siva Tempe for Saivite Tamils and Sri Rangam Vishnu Temple for Vaishnavite Tamils. Tamils attach the epithet Tiru (Sri) for two stars only (out of 27 stars). They are Tiu Onam and Tiru Aathirai (Arudra) of Vishnu and Siva respectively. They are exactly six months apart in a year. The Tamils have divided the Hindu year equally into two parts and allocated them to Lord Vishnu and Lord Siva.

Tiru = Sri= SIR/English title= Sacred prefix

***

Now to Sangam Tamil Literature:

Maal- Mullai; Kali.107-32; 123-4; Pari.1-31; 13-6

Maayon in a few places :Puram.57; 291-2; Kali.103-55;

Madu. Line 591; Pari.Thirattu 8-1

Kalittokai and Paripatal (paatal) have most of Vishnu references.

There are 17 verses in Kalittokai for Mullai (forest areas) where we see lot of festivals and dances in praise of Vishnu/Maal

(Linguistic Point: Maal means Black; words like Melanesia, Melancholy are derived from it. In Tamil also Tiru Maal is portrayed as Black)

Kuravai type of folk dance in praise Maal/Vishnu is found in many verses Kali.103 to 108. Vishnu’s attributes clearly show that Tamils were familiar with Bhagavata and Vishnu Purana.

Following epithets are some examples:

God of undiminishing fame- Kali.103-75

One who holds Shining wheel – Kali.104-78; 105-72

Divine Black/ Maal- Kali.107-22

Chest as wide as mountain or as strong as hill- - Kali.108-55

Mullai land was occupied by Yadavas (Aayar in Tamil). Their main work was raising cattle. They organised Bull Fighting occasionally or once a year. Now it is done during Makara Sankaranti which Tamils celebrate as Pongal on 14th January every year.

The Bull Fighting was done only by Yadava caste (Aayar) for the Yadava youths. Yadava women raised strong and powerful bulls and let them into Bull Rings. Yadava youths tackled them. These scenes are described elaborately in Kalittokai.

***

Here is One interesting Scene from Kali.107-22

Tamils are famous for wearing flowers in their heads. Men also did wear In the Sangam period, one lady sent her bull into the Bull ring. One of the bulls was tackled by a youth and his flower was entangled in the horn of that bull. When it jumped violently the flower fell into the lady who raised the bull. Immediately she and her friends and relatives felt that God Maal/Vishnu himself shown him as her future husband; her brothers and father praised the incident as தெய்வ மால் காட்டிற்று (Divine Vishnu himself showed it to us)

‘Divine Maal Shown’ (action)-- Kali.107-22

***

Tamil Reference

தேயா விழுப்புகழ்த் தெய்வம்;

தொல் கதிர்த் திகிரியான்;

ஆடுகொள் நேமியான்;

தெய்வ மால்;

மலையொடு மார்பு அமைந்த செல்வன்;

2. Mr Blue, Mr Tall/ Vishnu, நீல நிற வண்ணன், நெடியோன்

Post No. 11,460

Date uploaded in London – 21 November 2022

This is the second part of Vishnu in Sangam Tamil Literature

Vishnu is praised as Mr Blue Colour நீல நிற வண்ணன் (Kali.104-38),and Mr Tall நெடியோன் (Madu.line 763, Perum.line 402, Pathitr.15-39, Kali.104-8).

Tamils and Sanskrit scholars always use blue and black as interchangeable colours. Even when Tamils described the bird cuckoo/Koel, they praised it as Blue