There are so many technical terms used in Sangham literature of Tamil. Some of the terms are understood in the light of commentaries only. Some of such terms are Sūta, Māgadha and Vē(ai)tālika. Madhurai Kāñcī refers them as follows. cūtar vāḻtta mākatar nuvala vetāḽikarŏṭu nāḻikai icaippa imiḻmuracu iraṅka eṟumāṟu cilaippa (maturaikkāñci : 671-672) …
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DAŚĀVATĀRA INSCRIPTION FROM RAṄGANĀTHA SVĀMI TEMPLE, ŚRĪ RAṄGAM
The following inscription is inscribed on the west wall of the Pakal pattu Maṇḍapam and published in South Indian Inscriptions – Vol XXIV with the number No 488. The record is damaged. Describes the ten avatāras in verses and records gifts of lamps for Raṅganātha, Lakṣmī, Viṣvaksena, Garutmān etc. and gold for conducting festivals and…
Continue readingDEVĀRA TRIO FROM SANSKRIT INSCRIPTION
Appar, Sambandhar and Sundara Mūrti are called as Devāra Trio since they composed the Tamil hymns “Devāram”. They are considered as the important amongst the 63 śiva bhaktas. The images of these three along with Māṇikya vācaka are installed and being worshipped in almost all the śiva temples of Tamilnadu. An interesting inscription from…
Continue readingWRITING IN ANCIENT INDIA – EVIDENCES FROM SANSKRIT DRAMAS
The Dramas in Sanskrit are called as “śravya Kāvyas”. They too possess evidences on ancient writing. Bhāsa, the earliest dramatist known, is dated as 4th BCE. He gives so many references on writing. Avimāraka, the play written by him, mentions “Pustaka” – book. विदूषकः भवति, इदमक्षरं नाम पुस्तके नास्ति। The vidūṣaka answers…
Continue readingTIRUVAṆṆĀMALAI INSCRIPTION OF RĀJARĀJA VĀṆAKOVARAIYA
The following inscription is in the gopura called Kiḷigopuram in the Tiruvaṇṇāmalai temple. The inscription eulogies the fame of Rājarāja vāṇakovaraiyan who gilded temple with gold. Some great port called Kavirāja wrote the poem. The period of the inscription can be calculated from another inscription from the temple which informs that Rājarāja vāṇakovaraiya who gilded…
Continue readingSANSKRITISATION OF THE NAME MOHAMMAD
We know that the people of Europe and Arab countries were referred with the word “Yavana” in the ancient Tamil and Sanskrit literature. Kālidāsa specially refers the Persians as “Pāraśikas” with mustaches. In his work, Raguvaṃśa, while explaining the digvijaya of Raghu, he made the reference. पारशीकांस्ततो जेतुं प्रतस्थे स्थलवर्त्मना।(Raghuvaṃśa 4.59) pāraśīkāṁstato jetuṁ pratasthe sthalavartmanā| …
Continue readingWAS TAMIL TAUGHT IN GHAṬIKĀ?
Ghaṭikā of Kāñcīpuram We know that Ghaṭikās were the educational institutions that were functional since the 3rd CE at Kāñcīpuram. The earliest epigraphic reference on these Ghaṭikās can be seen in Tāḷḷaguṇḍā pillar inscription from Shimoga district, Karnataka. The inscription belongs to Kakusthavarmā of Kadamba dynasty and it mentions about one of his ancestor, two…
Continue readingTWO NEW SANSKRIT INSCRIPTIONS FROM KĀMĀKṢI AMMAN TEMPLE
The presiding deity of Kāñcīpuram and one of the Śaktipīṭhas is situated at the centre of the city. The deity of the temple is Kāmākṣī and the temple is named as “Kāmakoṣṭha” (Kāmakoṭṭa in tamil). The shrine for Dharma Śāstā at this temple is known in connection with Karikāla legend. Aḍiyārkku nallār commentary written in…
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