In this poem, the male elephant destroying gentle shoots for his female to eat is compared to "Maal who trampled (mitittu) walking upon [the branches of ] the trees (i.e. Kuruntamaram, the wild lime felled by Kannan) in order to dress into the cooling foliage the young women(makalir) of the cowherds(antar) community,[on the banks ] of broad ford with wide spread sands, of Tolunai river full of water".
This version of legend is not known to any Sanskrit source. The earliest Sanskrit source seems to be either Bhagavathapurana or the Vishnupurana. Hence this Akam 59 poem by Maturai Marutanilanakan seems to be the earliest in India to mention the Motif of Krishna and the cowherds on the banks of the Yamuna river.
This poem also attests Thiruparankundram as one of the earliest sacred sites of Murugan. The high mountain(netuvarai) with copius sandal trees is mentioned which was sung about by Anutuvan, which is called 'cool' Parankunram and which is the seat of "Murukan of great anger with the long spear with a shining leaf like point that had cut in two the body of cur(curan)" .
Incidentaly the poet sings about two most popular gods during the Sangam period. Ceyon(Murukan) and Mayon(Mal).
Reference:
Tamil Traditions on Subramanya Murugan, Kamil V.Zvelebil,Institute of Asian Studies
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Fire Cult of the Ancient Tamils
K. V. Ramakrishna Rao
The paper was presented at the 55th session of Indian History Congress, held at AligarhMuslimUniversity, Aligarh from December 20 to 22, 1994.
1.1. Introduction: Much has been written about the Religion, Gods, Goddesses and rituals of the ancient Tamils, but, there are few studies about different cults existed during the earliest times. It may be interesting to know about the existence of the cult of the Sun, Moon, Fire, Mountain, Tree, Water etc as natural elements; Sur, Anangu, Pavai, Surara Magalir, Varaiyara Magalir, Vanara Magalir, Oru mulai arutta Tiruma Unii, Salini, Pattini etc in anthromorphic forms; Ram, cattle, Cock, wall-lizard, snake etc in theriomorphic forms and so on. However, as the fire-cult is one of the earliest forms of religion of any society, a study of it reveals many interesting details in historical perspective. How the cult originated, developed, established, associated with other cults and worship, incorporated and finally converted to other forms are analyzed and discussed based on the ancient Tamil literature, popularly known as "Sangam literature". Only Tolkappiyam (not falling under the category of Sangam literature), Pattuppattu and Ettuttogai (generally accepted by all as Sangam literature) are taken for study as it covers the history of Tamils up to few centuries of the current era1. The anthropological evidence about fire goes back to megalithic and Neolithic periods (c. 2500 BCE and before). Epigraphical and Iconographic evidences belong to later period after first few centuries.
1.2. Importance of fire: Fire has been an important factor, occupying almost all aspects of life, perhaps, from birth to death of man and even beyond. For man, fire is fear, all-pervading, adorable, effulgent, purifying, affecting, curing, life-producing, creator and destroyer. Man must have experienced, enjoyed, suffered and understood these characters of fire, as his immediate encounter has been the forms of Sun, Moon, lightning, volcano, forest fire and of course, his own produced fire. All such experiences with the psychological processes with fire must have led him to start respecting, venerating and worshipping. The wide usage of fire for domestic, technical, religious and other secular purposes shows its ready availability i.e., instant production of it by any mechanical, or chemical process as found in the case of fire-stick, fire-stone or match-stock.
2. The expressions used for fire in the ancient Tamil literature: Ti (general term), Eri (burning fire), Teral (fire, heat), Tanal (live coal), Kolli (fire-brand), Kanal (live-coal, heat), Kanali (of that type), Neruppu (general term), Sudar (single uniform flame), Tazhal (ember), Azhal, Gneli (produced by bamboo), Gnezhili (fire-brand), Imam (pyre), Vilakku (lamp), Alar (of spreading nature), Kadir (rays), are the words used to indicate fire of different nature. Alari, Kanthal, Vengai, Ambal, Kuvalai (all flowers), Vanni, Kuvilam, Vengai (trees); Erikkodi, Valli (creepers); Gnayiru (Moon), Kodi (Flaming); Ahuti (sacred fire of yagna), Sudu (heat, fire), Velvi (yagna), Kalavelvi (yagna of battle-field), Vettu (perform yagna) are used to denote indirectly, because of their nature, property, appearance, clour, form and association with fire. Another important fact is that each of the above expressions has an alternative meaning denoting a red or bright star (semmeen) and the Red planet (Mars-Sevvai) proving not only the origin of Solar system, but also the knowledge of man relating them.
3. Fire and Domestic use: The significance of domestic application of fire is noted in the different expressions used. The cooking fire is characteristically mentioned by the usual words (as noted above Puram.20:7-9; Agam.172:13; 237:9). Vayitrutti is used to signify the stomach fire; Kavalti for protection; Kamatti to denote lust and so on. Fire used for lightning is known with different names. Even lamps used for such purpose are known characteristically depending upon the size, shape and use Vilakku (lamp), Vilakkam (bigger size lamp), Tipam (lamp used for other purposes), Nantha vilakku (continuously burning lamp),Madattolleri (fire kept at the place of chief or king), Ima vilakku (lamps or fire kept at crematory grounds), Tundu (lamps requires trimming), Sudar (lamp with uniform- single flame), Kadir (lam with rays), Agal (earthern lamp), Tagazhi (the bowl of a lamp), Pandali (made of metal), Pavai vilakku ( metal lamp in the form of woman carrying a lamp in hands). Fire is produced by the fire-drill and kept blowing through a tube (Perum.178-79). Fire is also kept by Parppar, Andanar and the like for sacrificial purposes (Puram.2:23; Pari.5:42; Kali.69:5).
4. Fire and Technology: For the manufacture of different types of ceramic ware, big kilns were arranged and fired (Puram.228:2-4); Agam.308:6). Different burial and crematory urns were manufactured. Kaveripumpattinam excavations prove the usage of bricks supported by literary evidences. The excellent ferrous and non-ferrous implements found at different sites prove the knowledge of material science and processes like smelting, casting, wire-drawing and treat treatment (Puram.21:7-8). Other metal work and jewelry manufacture also support the fact. The occurrence of quartz, glass and other beads with fine holes and colours prove the usage of temperature of the order of 1350-15000C. The ferrous and non-ferrous technology also requires the same range of temperature. All these literary and archaeological evidences prove the metallurgical skill of the ancient Tamils with the appropriate usage of fire in the applied technology.
5. Fire and Fire-god: Tolkappiyam gives direct reference to fire- worship. The specific expressions used are Kodinilai, Kandazhi and Valli (Porul.Purattitai.88) to denote the existence of worship in thr