Elathi is a
Tamil poetic work of
didactic nature belonging to the
Eighteen Lesser Texts
The Eighteen Lesser Texts, known as the Patiṉeṇkīḻkaṇakku () in the literature, is a collection of eighteen poetic works mostly created during the 'post Sangam period' (between 100 and 500 CE). The poems of this collection differ from t ...
(''Pathinenkilkanakku'') anthology of
Tamil literature
Tamil literature includes a collection of literary works that have come from a tradition spanning more than two thousand years. The oldest extant works show signs of maturity indicating an even longer period of evolution. Contributors to the T ...
. This belongs to the 'post
Sangam period
The Sangam literature ( Tamil: சங்க இலக்கியம், ''caṅka ilakkiyam''), historically known as 'the poetry of the noble ones' ( Tamil: சான்றோர் செய்யுள், ''Cāṉṟōr ceyyuḷ''), connote ...
' corresponding to between 100 and 500 CE. ''Elathi'' contains 80 poems written by the poet Kani Methaviyar. The poems of ''Elathi'' are written in the
Venpa meter.
''Elathi'' uses the analogy of the traditional herbal medicine known as ''elathi'' which uses six herbs such as ''elam'' (
cardamom), ''ilavanka pattai'' (
cinnamon
Cinnamon is a spice obtained from the inner bark of several tree species from the genus ''Cinnamomum''. Cinnamon is used mainly as an aromatic condiment and flavouring additive in a wide variety of cuisines, sweet and savoury dishes, biscuits, b ...
), ''naagakesaram'' (made from the
stamens of the
Ceylon ironwood), ''milagu'' (
black pepper
Black pepper (''Piper nigrum'') is a flowering vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit (the peppercorn), which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. The fruit is a drupe (stonefruit) which is about in diameter ...
), ''thippili'' (
long pepper), and ''sukku'' (dried
ginger
Ginger (''Zingiber officinale'') is a flowering plant whose rhizome, ginger root or ginger, is widely used as a spice and a folk medicine. It is an herbaceous perennial that grows annual pseudostems (false stems made of the rolled bases of l ...
). ''Elathi'' similarly uses six different
maxims to illustrate correct behaviour. It tells about six values of every aspect of life in every poem in four lines.
The following poem lists the six things, namely, fame, wealth, praise, courage, education and philanthropy that add beauty to those who follow the scriptures.
References
* Mudaliyar, Singaravelu A., Apithana Cintamani, An encyclopaedia of Tamil Literature, (1931) - Reprinted by Asian Educational Services, New Delhi (1983)
Sangam literature
{{India-lit-stub