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Middle Tamil
Middle Tamil is the form of the Tamil language that existed from the 8th to the 15th century. The development of Old Tamil into Middle Tamil, which is generally taken to have been completed by the 8th century, was characterised by a number of phonological and grammatical changes despite maintaining grammatical and structural continuity with the previous form of the language. In phonological terms, the most important shifts were the virtual disappearance of the aytam (ஃ), an old phoneme, the coalescence of the alveolar and dental nasals, and the transformation of the alveolar plosive into a rhotic. In grammar, the most important change was the emergence of the present tense. The present tense evolved out of the verb ' (), meaning "to be possible" or "to befall". In Old Tamil, this verb was used as an aspect marker to indicate that an action was micro-durative, non-sustained or non-lasting, usually in combination with a time marker such as ' (). In Middle Tamil, this us ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Old Malayalam
Old Malayalam, or Early Malayalam, the inscriptional variety found in Kerala from ''c.'' mid-9th to ''c.'' 13th century CE, is the earliest attested form of Malayalam language. The language was employed in several administrative records and transactions (at the level of the medieval Chera kings as well as the upper-caste village temples). Old Malayalam was mostly written in Vatteluttu script (with additional Pallava/Southern Grantha characters). Old Malayalam was called "Tamil" by the people of south India for many centuries. The existence of Old Malayalam is sometimes disputed by scholars. They regard the medieval Chera inscriptional variety f the vernacularas a diverging dialect or variety of medieval Tamil. Thus Old Malayalam was also described by as "Tamil", or as "the western dialect of Tamil" or as the "mala-nattu Tamil" (a "desya-bhasa"). History The start of the development of Old Malayalam from a dialect of contemporary edieval Tamil can be dated to c. 7th - ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vaṭṭeḻuttu
''Vatteluttu'' (, ' and , ', ), also transliterated as ''Vattezhuthu'', was an alphasyllabic or syllabic writing system of south India (Tamil Nadu and Kerala) and Sri Lanka formerly employed for writing the Tamil language, Tamil and Malayalam, Malayalam languages. The script is a sister system of the Pallava script, Pallava-Chola alphabet. The script was patronized by the Pallava dynasty, Pallava, Pandya dynasty, Pandya and Chera rulers of southern India. belonged to the "southern group" of Brahmi script, Brahmi derivatives (Brahmi script, Southern Brahmi, generally associated with Dravidian languages of south India). The script was used in inscriptions and manuscripts of south India for centuries. It is closely related to the Tamil script (although it is more cursive than the Tamil script, with letters with a single curvilinear stroke). The direction of writing in is from left to right. It notably omits the virama vowel muting device. Etymology Three possible suggestions ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Manikkavasagar
Manikkavacakar was a 3rd-century Tamil saint and poet who wrote ''Thiruvasagam and Thirukkovaiyar'', books of Shaiva hymns. Tamil scholars and researchers share that he was a minister to the Pandya king Nedunjeliyan II (3rd Century CE) and lived in Madurai (or) he was a minister to the Pandya king Arikesari (6th Century CE ). He is revered as one of the Nalvar (''"group of four"'' in Tamil), a set of four prominent Tamil saints alongside Appar, Sundarar and Sambandar. The other three contributed to the first seven volumes (Tevaram) of the twelve-volume Saivite work Tirumurai, the key devotional text of Shaiva Siddhanta. Manikkavacakar's ''Thiruvasagam'' and Thirukkovaiyar form the eighth volume. These eight volumes are considered to be the ''Tamil Vedas'' by the Shaivites, and the four saints are revered as ''Samaya Kuravar'' (''religious preceptors'') His works are celebrated for their poetic expression of the anguish of being separated from God, and the joy of God-experien ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Thiruvasagam
''Thiruvasagam'' () is a volume of Tamil language, Tamil hymns composed by the 3rd century Shaivite ''bhakti'' poet Manikkavasagar. It contains 51 compositions and constitutes the eighth volume of the Tirumurai, the sacred anthology of the Tamil Shaiva Siddhanta. Legend has it that Manikkavasakar was appointed as minister by king Arimarttanar and sent to purchase 10,000 horses from horse traders but spent the money building a temple in Tirupperunturai. As the legend goes, ''Thiruvasagam'' is the only work which is signed as well as written by Shiva in guise of a Tamil man when narrated by Manikkavasagar. The poet chased the writer but without success but the palm leaf manuscript had been seen inside the locked sanctum sanctorum of Thillai Nataraja with the Lord's signature. Poet Manikkavasagar's ''Thiruvasagam'' and ''Thirukovayar'' are compiled as the eighth ''Thirumurai'' and is full of visionary experience, divine love and urgent striving for truth.Subramaniyaswami 2003, p. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Naṉṉūl
Naṉṉūl () is a work on Tamil grammar written by a Jain ascetic Pavananthi Munivar around 13th century CE. It is the most significant work on Tamil grammar after Tolkāppiyam. The work credits Western Ganga vassal king Seeya Gangan of Kolar with patronising it. About 20 commentaries have been written on Nannūl up to 19th century CE. Nannūl was divided into five sections: written language, spoken language, semantics, poetic language and rhetorical device In rhetoric, a rhetorical device, persuasive device, or stylistic device is a technique that an author or speaker uses to convey to the listener or reader a meaning with the goal of persuading them towards considering a topic from a perspective, ...s. The latter three sections have been lost, so only the parts on written and spoken language are extant today. In Tamil, ''nal'' means good and ''nūl'' means ''book'', so ''Nannūl'' means ''good book''. See also * Karanthai Pavananthi munivar References External ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Iraiyaṉār Akapporuḷ
''Iraiyaṉār Akapporuḷ'', or ''Kaḷaviyal eṉṟa Iraiyaṉār Akapporuḷ'', literally "Iraiyanar's treatise on the love-theme, called 'The study of stolen love () is an early mediaeval work on Tamil poetics, specifically, on the literary conventions associated with the akam tradition of Tamil love poetry. The date of the work is uncertain, but it is generally taken to have been composed between the fifth and eighth centuries. The Akapporul consists of a set of sixty nūṟpās – terse epigrams written in Verse (poetry), verse which codify rules – attributed to Iraiyanar. The received text of the accompanied by a long prose treatise on akam poetics attributed to Nakkiraṉār, which is structured as a commentary on the nūṟpās, but significantly expands on them and introduces several new ideas. The work as a whole occupies an important place in the history of Tamil literature for several reasons. The poetical argument of the work, and in particular Nakkiranar's ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nayanmars
The Nayanars (or Nayanmars; , and later 'teachers of Shiva') were a group of 63 Tamil Hindu saints living during the 6th to 8th centuries CE who were devoted to the Hindu god Shiva. Along with the Alvars, their contemporaries who were devoted to Vishnu, they influenced the Bhakti movement in early medieval South India. The names of the Nayanars were first compiled by Sundarar. The list was expanded by Nambiyandar Nambi during his compilation of material by the poets for the ''Tirumurai'' collection, and would include Sundarar himself and Sundarar's parents. The Nalvar () are the three foremost Nayanars Appar, Sundarar, Sambandar along with Manikkavacakar. History The list of the Nayanars was initially compiled by Sundarar (Sundararmurthi). In his poem ''Tiruthonda Thogai'' he sings, in eleven verses, the names of the Nayanar saints up to Karaikkal Ammaiyar, and refers to himself as "the servant of servants". The list did not go into the detail of the lives of the sain ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kambar (poet)
Kambar, or Kavichakravarthy Kamban (1180 CE–1250 CE), was an Indian poet and the author of the Ramavataram, popularly known as ''Kambaramayanam'', the Tamil version of the epic Ramayana.The Cyclopaedia of India and of Eastern and Southern Asia By Edward Balfour Kambar also authored other literary works in Tamil, such as Tirukkai Valakkam, ''Erelupatu'', Silai Elupatu, ''Kangai Puranam'', ''Sadagopar Antati'' and ''Saraswati Antati''. Life Kambar was born in Therazhundur. He was supported by a close friend named Sadaiyepa Vallal. He grew up in the Chola Empire under the reign of Kulothunga III. Having heard of this talented bard, Kulothunga summoned him to his court and honoured him with the title ''Kavi Chakravarty'' (''The Emperor of Poets''). Kambar flourished in Therazhundur, a village in the culturally rich Mayiladuthurai district in the modern state of Tamil Nadu in South India. Kambar is generally dated after the Vaishnavite philosopher, Ramanuja, as the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ramavataram
The ''Ramavataram'', popularly referred to as ''Kamba Ramayanam'', is a Tamil epic that was written by the Tamil poet Kambar during the 12th century. Based on Valmiki's ''Ramayana'' (which is in Sanskrit), the story describes the legend of King Rama of Ayodhya. However, the ''Ramavataram'' is different from the Sanskrit version in many aspects – both in spiritual concepts and in the specifics of the storyline. This historic work is considered by both Tamil scholars and the general public as one of the greatest literary works in Tamil literature. Kambar wrote this epic with the patronage of Thiruvennai Nallur Sadayappa Vallal, a chieftain of the Pannai lineage. In gratitude to his patron, Kamban references his name once in every 1,000 verses. Early references in Tamil literature Even before Kambar wrote the Ramavataram in Tamil in the 12 century CE, there are many ancient references to the story of Ramayana, implying that the story was familiar in the Tamil lands e ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Vaishnavism
Vaishnavism () ), also called Vishnuism, is one of the major Hindu denominations, Hindu traditions, that considers Vishnu as the sole Para Brahman, supreme being leading all other Hindu deities, that is, ''Mahavishnu''. It is one of the major Hindu denominations along with Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism. Its followers are called Vaishnavites or ''Vaishnava''s (), and it includes sub-sects like Krishnaism and Ramanandi Sampradaya, Ramaism, which consider Krishna and Rama as the supreme beings respectively. According to a 2020 estimate by The World Religion Database (WRD), hosted at Boston University’s Institute on Culture, Religion and World Affairs (CURA), Vaishnavism is the largest Hindu sect, constituting about 399 million Hindus. The ancient emergence of Vaishnavism is unclear, and broadly hypothesized as a History of Hinduism, fusion of various regional non-Vedic religions with worship of Vishnu. It is considered a merger of several popular non-Vedic theistic traditio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Nālāyira Tivya Pirapantam
The Naalayira Divya Prabandham () is a collection of 4,000 Tamil verses composed by the 12 Alvars. It was compiled in its present form by Nāthamuni during the 9th–10th centuries. The work, an important liturgical compilation of the Tamil Alvars who lived between 5th and 8th Century CE, marks the beginning of the canonisation of 12 '' Vaishnava'' poet saints, and these hymns are still sung extensively today. Description The ''Divya Prabandham'' sings the praises of Narayana (Vishnu) and his many forms. The Alvars sang these songs at various sacred shrines known as the Divya Desams. The Tamil '' Vaishnavites'', also known as ''Ubhaya Vedanti'' follow both the Sanskrit Vedas as well as the Tamil-language '' Tiruvaymoli,'' a work which devotees of Sri Vaishnavism regard as the Tamil Veda. In many temples — Srirangam, for example — the chanting of the Divya Prabandham forms a major part of the daily service. It is also recited in some North Indian Vaishnavite templ ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shaivism
Shaivism (, , ) is one of the major Hindu denominations, Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the Para Brahman, supreme being. It is the Hinduism#Demographics, second-largest Hindu sect after Vaishnavism, constituting about 385 million Hindus, found widely across South Asia (predominantly in South India, Southern India), Sri Lanka, and Nepal.Keay, p.xxvii. The followers of Shaivism are called Shaivas or Shaivites. According to Chakravarti, Shaivism developed as an amalgam of pre-Aryan religions and traditions, Vedic Rudra, and post-Vedic traditions, accommodating local traditions and Yoga, puja and bhakti. According to Bisschop, early shaivism is rooted in the worship of vedic deity Rudra. The earliest evidence for sectarian Rudra-Shiva worship appears with the Pasupata (early CE), possibly owing to the Origins of Hinduism, Hindu synthesis, when many local traditions were aligned with the Brahmanism, Vedic-Brahmanical fold. The Pāśupata movement rapidly expanded through ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
