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Sangam texts and ancient coins trace 1. Vedic culture continuum, 2. Indus Script hieroglyphs, it is posited that the Indian sprachbund is exemplified by Meluhha lexis with a vocabulary set consistent with hieroglyph-multiplexes read rebus on Indus Script Corpora to signify catalogus catlogorum of metalwork.
வேதை² vētai , n. < bhēda. 1. Alchemy, transmutation of metals; இரசவாதம். (W .) 2. Line, as on palm of hand; இரேகை. (யாழ். அக.)bhēdá n. ʻ cleft, fissure ʼ RV., ʻ division, separation, distinction ʼ ŚrS. [√bhid ]
Pa. bhēda -- m. ʻ break, disunion, dissension ʼ; Pk. bhēa -- m. ʻ separation, sort, kind ʼ; N. bheu ʻ nature, condition ʼ; Or. bheu ʻ a secret ʼ (whence bheuā ʻ spy ʼ), OAw. bheū˘, H. bheu, bhewā m.; OG. bhev ʻ way, means ʼ, G. bhev m. ʻ secret ʼ; Si. beya, bē ʻ part, division, distinction ʼ; -- P. abheu ʻ indistinguishable ʼ; H. abhew m. ʻ similarity ʼ; -- ext. -- kk -- : N. bhek ʻ locality ʼ; M. bhek n. ʻ slice, division ʼ, bhekṇẽ ʻ to split, slice ʼ. -- Ku. bhiyõ m. ʻ share of the meat of an animal killed for sale ʼ?bhēdakara -- .Addenda: bhēdá -- : WPah.kṭg. bhèu m. ʻ information, secret ʼ.(CDIAL 9610)
Sangam texts and ancient coins trace 1. Vedic culture continuum, 2. Indus Script hieroglyphs, it is posited that the Indian sprachbund is exemplified by Meluhha lexis with a vocabulary set consistent with hieroglyph-multiplexes read rebus on Indus Script Corpora to signify catalogus catlogorum of metalwork.
Pa. bhēda -- m. ʻ break, disunion, dissension ʼ; Pk. bhēa -- m. ʻ separation, sort, kind ʼ; N. bheu ʻ nature, condition ʼ; Or. bheu ʻ a secret ʼ (whence bheuā ʻ spy ʼ), OAw. bheū˘, H. bheu, bhewā m.; OG. bhev ʻ way, means ʼ, G. bhev m. ʻ secret ʼ; Si. beya, bē ʻ part, division, distinction ʼ; -- P. abheu ʻ indistinguishable ʼ; H. abhew m. ʻ similarity ʼ; -- ext. -- kk -- : N. bhek ʻ locality ʼ; M. bhek n. ʻ slice, division ʼ, bhekṇẽ ʻ to split, slice ʼ. -- Ku. bhiyõ m. ʻ share of the meat of an animal killed for sale ʼ?
Pa. vēdha -- m. ʻ prick, wound ʼ; Pk. vēha -- m. ʻ boring, hole ʼ, P. veh, beh m., H. beh m., G. veh m.(CDIAL 12108)
This puts the distortions about Aryan-Dravidian divide to rest. The veneration of Rudra-Siva as an aniconic linga and fire-worship are central to the religious fervor of all Bharatam Janam, of Indian sprachbund. Those who posited a linguistic divide within Bharatam have to re-visit their arguments laden with bizarre, untenable linguistic propositions of arbitrarily conceived 'language families'. The sprachbund was in tune with the cultural milieu where all languages and dialects absorbed features from one another and made them their own; this defines a linguistic area.
Many Sangam text references to yajna tradition are in the context of wealth creation and distribution. The Sangam corpus of texts is a celebration of the Sarasvati-Sindhu civilization traditions of work with fire-altars and documentation of metalwork on Indus Script inscriptions.
The priest seen on a statue of Mohenjodaro is celebrated as Potti 'temple priest' in Kerala and Tamil Nadu traditions. पोतृ प्/ओतृ or पोतृ, m. "Purifier" in a fire-altar working with metals in smelters/furnaces/fire-altars. He is a dhā̆vaḍ'smelter' as deciphered from the single, double and three dotted circles adorning his shawl and fillets on forehead and right shoulder. Hieroglyph of dotted circle: dhā̆v'strand of rope'. Rebus: dhamaka'blacksmith' (blower of wind-pipe)
The process of transmuting minerals into metal is a 'purification' proces in alchemical terms. पोतृ is one of 16 priests from Vedic times. A cognate word is Potti, 'temple priest'.
The process of transmuting minerals into metal is a 'purification' proces in alchemical terms. पोतृ is one of 16 priests from Vedic times. A cognate word is Potti, 'temple priest'.
"There are Pottis of Kerala origin and Tulu origin, who came to Malabar region as temple priest in the 16th-century. Those who migrated from South Kanara to the Malabar are known as Embrandiri or Embranthiri, while those who settled in Shivalli were known as "Shivalli Brahmins", they continue to be based in Udupi or Sivalli in South Kanara."(A Sreedhara Menon (1 January 2007). A Survey Of Kerala HistoryDC Books Kerala (India); C. K. Kareem (1976). Kerala District Gazetteers: Palghat, Superintendent of Govt. Presses).
போற்றி pōṟṟi , < id. n. 1. Praise, applause, commendation; புகழ்மொழி. (W .) போத்தி pōtti , n. < போற்றி. 1. Grandfather; பாட்டன். Tinn. 2. Brahman temple- priest in Malabar; மலையாளத்திலுள்ள கோயிலருச்சகன். पोतृ [p= 650,1] प्/ओतृ or पोतृ, m. "Purifier" , N. of one of the 16 officiating priests at a sacrifice (the assistant of the Brahman ; = यज्ञस्य शोधयिट्रि Sa1y.)RV. Br. S3rS. Hariv.
The veneration is of pottha-kara 'modellers in clay' and pō̃ta artisans casting in metal.
The veneration is of pottha-kara 'modellers in clay' and pō̃ta artisans casting in metal.
The trefoil hieroglyph is a semantic rendering of pot 'to perforate'. Three perforations are shown on the shawl of the Mohenjo-daro statuette, since the perforations occur in a smithy. kolom 'three' Rebus: kolimi 'smithy, forge'. Thus, together, the phrase is: Hieroglyph: kolom pota 'three perforated beads' Rebus: kolimi pottha-kara pō̃ta 'smithy-forge modeller in clay (metalcaster), casting in metal'.
On the hammered gold fillet shown on the forehead of the statuette: Fillet with hanging ribbons falling down the back. పట్టము [ paṭṭamu ] paṭṭamu. [Skt.] n. A gold band or fillet tied on the forehead of one at the time of coronation. See powerpoint slide embedded. பட்டன் paṭṭaṉ, n. < bhaṭṭa. 1. Learned man, scholar; priest. cf. bhaṭa 'furnace'.
Hieroglyph multiplex of trefoil occurs on the following contexts as semantic determinatives of the phoneme: pō̃ta 'casting in metal'.
The 'endless knot' hieroglyph can be interpreted as composed of two related semantics: 1. strand of rope or string; 2. twist or curl
Twisted rope as hieroglyph:
dhāˊtu *strand of rope ʼ (cf. tridhāˊtu -- ʻ threefold ʼ RV., ayugdhātu -- ʻ having an uneven number of strands ʼ KātyŚr.) S. dhāī f. ʻ wisp of fibres added from time to time to a rope that is being twisted ʼ, L. dhāī˜ f.(CDIAL 6773 ) Rebus: dhāˊtu n. ʻ substance ʼ RV., m. ʻ element ʼ MBh., ʻ metal, mineral, ore (esp. of a red colour) ʼ Mn.Pk. dhāu -- m. ʻ metal, red chalk ʼ; N. dhāu ʻ ore (esp. of copper) ʼ; Or. ḍhāu ʻ red chalk, red ochre ʼ (whence ḍhāuā ʻ reddish ʼ; M. dhāū, dhāv m.f. ʻ a partic. soft red stone ʼ (whence dhā̆vaḍ m. ʻ a caste of iron -- smelters ʼ, dhāvḍī ʻ composed of or relating to iron ʼ)(CDIAL 6773).
A prime example of such a lexis is Hemacandra's Deśi NAmamAlA with Deśi or Prakritam vocabulary. See full text at
(Clockwise from top) The coin found by numismatist R Krishnamurthy; and the impression of the front and the back of the coin. Rebus readings of Indus Script hieroglyphs: karibha 'elephant trunk' ibha 'elephant' Rebus: ib 'iron' karb 'iron' (Kannada) bhaTa 'warrior' Rebus: bhaTa 'furnace'. jasta 'svastika hierogypy' rebus: sattva 'zinc, spelter'. karNaka 'rim of jar' Rebus: karNI 'supercargo' karNika 'scribe, account'. khaNDa 'sword' Rebus: khANDA 'metal implements'. Comparable to the Adhiyaman Sangam coin are hundreds of coins with Indus Script hieroglyphs found in Sri Lanka categorised as Punch-marked coins, Tree and Swastika coins, Elephant and Swastika coins and Lakshmi plaques.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pre-modern_coinage_in_Sri_Lanka
"Some of the more popular symbols are Sun, Moon (crucible), elephant, bull, nandipada (twist), fish and peacock."arka 'sun' rebus: arka, eraka 'copper, moltencast'; kuThAra 'crucible' rebus: kuThAru 'armourer'; karibha 'elephant trunk' ibha 'elephant' rebus: karba 'iron'; ib 'iron'; barad, balad 'bull' rebus: bharata 'alloy of copper, pewter, tin'; meDha 'twist' rebus: meD 'iron', med 'copper'; ayo 'fish' rebus: aya 'alloy metal'; mora 'peacock' rebus: morakkaka loha 'a kind of steel'.
Obverse, reverse. Lakshmi. svastika. Coins of the Chera Dynasty from about 500 BCE found in Kandarodai. kola 'woman' rebus: kol 'working in iron' kolle 'blacksmith' kolhe 'smelter'.jasta 'svastika hieroglyph' rebus: sattva 'zinc, spelter'.
Obverse, reverse. karibha 'elephant trunk' ibha 'elephant' rebus: karba 'iron'; ib 'iron'; jasta 'svastika hieroglyph' rebus: sattva 'zinc, spelter'.
Obverse, reverse. kuTi 'tree' rebus: kuThi 'smelter' jasta 'svastika hieroglyph' rebus: sattva 'zinc, spelter'.
This Sarasvati_, firm as a city made of metal, flows rapidly with all sustaining water, sweeping away in its might all other waters, as a charioteer (clears the road). [Firm as a city: dharuṇam a_yasi pu_h = ayasa nirmita puri_va; dharuṇam = dharuṇa, dha_rayitri_, supporter].
"After all the people had set out, the ocean flooded Dvaraka, which still teemed with wealth of every kind. Whatever portion of land was passed over, the ocean immediately flooded over with its waters."
Krishna foresees the upheaval in Dwaraka and advises Yadu-s to start on a pilgrimage, beyond Prabhasa (Somnath)
After Krishna’s atman departs the mortal body---
विवृद्ध मूशिकारथ्या विभिन्नमणिकास्तथा केशानखाश्च सुप्तानामद्यन्ते मूशिकैर्निशी (MBh., Mausala, 2.5)
चीचीकूचीति वाशन्ति सारिका वृष्णिवेश्मसु नोपशाम्यति शब्दश्च स दिवारात्रमेव हि (MBh., Mausala, 2.6)
अन्वकुर्वन्नुलूकानाम् सारसा विरुतं तथा अजाः शिवानाम् विरुतमन्वकुर्वत भारत (MBh., Mausala, 2.7)
Streets swarmed with rats and mice, earthen pots showwed cracks or were broken from no apparent cause, sarika_s chirped ceaselessly day and night, sa_ras hooted like owls, goats cried like jackals, pigeons departed from their homes, and asses brayed aloud in disconsonant and awful voices (Ganguly, 1998).
निर्याते तु जने तस्मिन् सागरो मकरालयः द्वारकां रत्नसंपूर्णं जलेन प्लावयत् तदा (MBh., Mausala, 7.41)
तदद्भुतमभिप्रेक्ष्य द्वारकावासिनो जनाः तूर्णात् तूर्णतरम् जग्मुरहो दैवकितिब्रुवन् (MBh., Mausala, 7.43)
The sea, the abode of monsters, engulfed the gem-filled Dwraka with waves soon after the people departed the place. Seeing this astounding incident, the citizens of Dwaraka ran away, exclaiming, ‘O, our fate’. (Ganguly, 1998).•Migration from Tuvarai (Dwaraka) in 12th century inscription (Pudukottai State inscriptions, No. 120) cited by Avvai S. Turaicaami in Puṟanāṉūṟu, II (SISSW Publishing Soc., Madras, 1951).
•துவரை மாநகர் நின்ருபொந்த தொன்மை பார்த்துக்கிள்ளிவேந்தன் நிகரில் தென் கவரி நாடு தன்னில் நிகழ்வித்த நிதிவாளர்
Ancestors of Chief VeLir called IrunkOvEL was tuvarApati (King of Dwaraka) were of 49 generations ago notes this Puṟanāṉūṟu Sangam Age poem 201:
An important article on the antiquity of relation between Tamil and Sanskrit is: Sharma, K.V. 1983, Spread of Vedic culture in ancient South India, Adyar Library Bulletin 47:1-1.
| Akanaṉūṟu | |
| Kalittokai | |
| Naṟṟiṇai | |
| Patiṟṟuppattu | |
| Kuṟiñcippāṭṭu | |
| Maturaikkāñci | |
| Neṭunalvāṭai | |
| Perumpāṇāṟṟuppaṭai | |
| Ciṟupāṇāṟṟuppaṭai | |
| Nāṉmaṇikkaṭikai | |
| Iṉiyavai Nāṟpatu | |
| Kaḷavaḻi Nāṟpatu | |
| Tiṉaimoḻi Aimpatu | |
| Tiṉaimalai Nūṟṟu Aimpatu | |
| Tirikaṭukam | |
| Paḻamoḻi Nāṉūṟu | |
| Mutumoḻikkānci | |
| Kainnilai |
[quote]Among the interesting facts that emerge from a study of the progressive spread of vedic culture from the North-West to the other parts of India, is its infusion, with noticeable intensity, in the extreme south of India where, unlike in other parts, a well-developed Dravidian culture was already in vogue… Tolka_ppiyam which is the earliest available work of the sangam classics, is a technical text in 1610 aphorisms, divided into three sections, dealing respectively, with phonetics, grammar and poetics… The other available sangam works are three sets of collected poems, being, pattu-ppAṭṭu (Ten idylls), eṭṭu-ttokai (Eight collections) and patineki_r̤kaṇakku (eighteen secondary texts), which last appears to pertain to the late period of the saμgam age.
The ten poems are:
Tirumurukāṟṟuppaṭai,
Poruṇarāṟṟuppaṭai,
Ciṟupāṇāṟṟuppaṭai,
Perumpāṇāṟṟuppa,
Mullaippāṭṭu,
Maturaikkāñci,
Neṭunalvāṭai,
Kuṟiñcippāṭṭu,
Paṭṭiṉappālai and
Malaipaṭukaṭām.
All the above idylls are compositions of individual poets, and, except for the first, which is devotional and possibly, pertains to late sangam age, are centred round the royal courts of the Cera, Cola and Pāṇḍya kings, depicting the contemporary elite scholarly society and youthful life.
The second category consists of Eight collections:
Naṟṟiṇai, Kuṟuntokai, Aiṅkurunūṟu,
Patiṟṟuppattu, Paripāṭal, Kalittokai,
Akanaṉūṟu, Puṟanāṉūṟu
All these collections are highly poetic and self-contained stray verses of different poets put together in consideration of their contents. The third category consists of eighteen miscellaneous texts, some of them being collections of stray verses of different poets and some composed by individual authors.
ASCII Indic diacritics:
ASCII Indic diacritics:
ñḍḷṇṭśṣṛ ṉ ṟ r̤ ī˜ ū̃ã̄ũẽãāēīōū ṣṇ āṇḍ ṟṟ ṇṇ ēḷ
They are: tirukkuṟaḷ, nālaṭiyār, paṟamoṟi, tirikaṭukam, nāṉmaṇikkatṭikai, cirṟupañcamūlam, elāti, ācārakōvai, mutumor̤ikkāñci, kalavar̤i-nāṟpatu, initu-nāṟpatu, tiṇaimālainūṟṟaimpatu, aintiṇai-y-er̤upatu, kainnilai, aintiṇai-yanpatu, tiṇaimor̤i-y-aimpatu and kāṟnāṟpatu.
The verses in these works also refer to social customs and local sovereigns. The above works picture a well-knit and well-developed society having a distinct identity of its own. The frequent mention, in sangam poems, of the Cera, Cola and Pāṇḍya kings as the munificent patrons of the poets… and the archaeological evidence provided by 76 rock inscriptions in Tamil-Brāhmi script which corrobate the contents of the sangam works, in 26 sites in Tamilnadu (Mahadevan, I., Tamil Brāhmi inscriptions of the Sangam age, Proc. Second International Conference Seminar of Tamil Studies, I, Madras, 1971, pp. 73-106) help to fix the date of the classical sangam classics in their present form to between 100 B.C. and 250 CE… reference to the Pāṇḍyan kingdom by Megasthenes, Greek ambassador to the court of Candragupta Maurya (c. 324-300 B.C.?) are also in point. On these and allied grounds, the sangam period of Tamil literature might be taken to have extended from about the 5th century B.C. to the 3rd century CE… It is highly interesting that sangam literature is replete with references to the vedas and different facets of vedic literature and culture, pointing to considerable appreciation, and literary, linguistic and cultural fusion of vedic-sanskrit culture of the north with the social and religious pattern of life in south India when the sangam classics were in the making… The vedas and their preservers, the brāhmans, are frequently referred to with reverence (Puṟanān u_ṟu 6, 15 and 166; Maturaikkāñci 468; tirukaṭukam 70, nāṉmaṇikkaṭikai 89, initu-nāṟpatu 8). The vedic mantra is stated as the exalted expressions of great sages (Tolka_ppiyam, Porul. 166, 176). While the great God śiva is referred as the source of the four vedas (Puṟa. 166), it is added that the twice-born (brāhman) learnt the four vedas and the six vedāngas in the course of 48 years (Tiru-murukāṟṟuppaṭai, 179-82). The vedas were not written down but were handed down by word of mouth from teacher to pupil (Kuṟuntokai 156), and so was called kel.vi (lit. what is heard, šruti)(Patiṟṟuppattu 64.4-5; 70.18-19; 74, 1-2; Puṟa. 361. 3-4). The brāhmans realized God through the Vedas (Paripāṭal 9. 12-13) and recited loftily in vedic schools (Maturaikkāñci 468- 76; 656)… the danger to the world if the brāhman discontinued the study of the veda is stressed in tirukkuṟal. 560. If the sangam classics are any criteria, the knowledge and practice of vedic sacrifices were very much in vogue in early south India. The sacrifices were performed by brāhmans strictly according to the injunctions of the vedic mantras (tirumurukāṟṟuppaṭai 94-96; kalittokai 36). The three sacred fires (gārhapatya, a_havani_ya and daks.ināgni) were fed at dawn and dusk by bràhmans in order to propitiate the gods (Kalittokai 119l Puṟa. 2; 99; 122; Kuṟiñcippāṭṭu 225). Paripāṭal 2. 60-70 stipulates, in line with vedic sacrificial texts, that each sacrifice had a specific presiding deity, that paśus (sacrificial animals) were required for the sacrifice and that the sacrificial fire rose to a great height. The vedic practice of placing a tortoise at the bottom of the sacrificial pit is referred to in Akanāṉu_ṟu 361… Patiṟṟuppattu 64 and 70 glorify the Cera king Celvakkaṭunkovar̤iyātaṉ who propitiated the gods through a sacrifice performed by learned vedic scholars and distributed profuse wealth amongst them. Another Cera king, Perum-ceral Irumpoṟai is indicated in Patiṟṟuppattu 74 to have performed the Putrakāmes.ṭhi_ sacrifice for the birth of his son il.amceral irumpoṟai. The Cola ruler Peru-naṟkil.l.i was renowned as Rājasu_yam ve_ṭṭa co_r̤aṉ for his having performed the rājasu_ya sacrifice; another Cola ruler Naṟkil.l.i, too, was celebrated as a sacrificer (Puṟa. 363; 400). The Cola kings were also considered to have descended from the north Indian king śibi the munificent of Mahābhārata fame (Puṟa. 39; 43). The patronage accorded to vedic studies and sacrifices is illustrated also by the descriptive mention, in Puṟa. 166, of a great vedic scholar Viṇṇantāyaṉ of the Kauṇḍinya-gotra who lived at Pu_ñja_ṟṟu_r in the Co_r̤a realm under royal patronage. It is stated that Viṇṇantāyaṉ had mastered the four vedas and six vedāngas, denounced non-vedic schools, and performed the seven pākayajñas, seven Soma-yajñas and seven havir-yajñas as prescribed in vedic texts. The Pāṇḍyan kings equalled the Colas in the promotion of Vedic studies and rituals. One of the greatest of Pāṇḍya rulers, Mudukuṭumi Peruvar̤uti is described to have carefully collected the sacrificial materials prescribed in vedic and dharmašàstra texts and performed several sacrifices and also set up sacrificial posts where the sacrifices were performed (Puṟa. 2; 15). Maturaikkāñci (759- 63) mentions him with the appellation pal-śa_lai (pal-yāga-śālai of later Vēḷvikkuḍi and other inscriptions), ‘one who set up several sacrificial halls’. The Pāṇḍya rulers prided themselves as to have descended from the Pāṇḍavas, the heroes of Mahābhārata (Puṟa. 3; 58; Akanān-u_ṟu 70; 342)… God Brahmà is mentioned to have arisen, in the beginning of creation, with four faces, from the lotus navel of God Viṣṇu (Paripāṭal 8.3; Kalittokai 2; Perumpāṇāṟṟuppat.ai 402-04; Tirumurukāṟṟuppat.ai 164-65; Iniyavainārpatu 1). It is also stated that Brahma_ had the swan as vehicle (Innā-nārpatu 1). Viṣṇu is profusely referred to. He is the lord of the Mullai region (Tol. Akattiṇai 5) and encompasses all the Trinity (Paripāṭal 13.37). He is blue-eyed (Puṟa. 174), lotus-eyed (Paripāṭal 15.49), yellow-clothed (Paripāt.al 13.1-2), holds the conch and the discus in his two hands and bears goddess Laks.mì on his breast (Mullaippāṭṭu 1-3; Perumpāṇ 29-30; Kali. 104; 105; 145), was born under the asterism Tiru-o_ṇam (Maturai. 591), and Garuḍa-bannered (Puṟa. 56.6; Paripāṭal 13.4). Of Viṣṇuite episodes are mentioned his measuring the earth in three steps (Kali. 124.1), protecting his devotee Prahlāda by killing his father (Pari. 4. 12-21) and destroying the demon Keśin (Kali. 103.53-55). śiva has been one of the most popular vedic-purāṇic gods of the South. According to Akanāṉu_ṟu 360.6, śiva and Viṣṇu are the greatest gods. He is three-eyed (Puṟa. 6.18; Kali. 2.4), wears a crescent moon on his forehead (Puṟa. 91.5; Kali. 103.15), and holds the axe as weapon (Aka. 220.5; Puṟa. 56.2). He bears river Ganga_ in his locks (Kali. 38.1; 150.9) and is blue-necked (Puṟa. 91.6; Kali. 142). He is born under the asterism a_tirai (Skt. ārdra) (Kali. 150.20), has the bull for his vehicle (Paripāṭal 8.2) and is seated under the banyan tree (Aka. 181). Once, while sitting in Kaila_sa with Umā (Pārvati), his consort (Pari. 5.27-28; Par̤amor̤i 124), Rāvaṇa, the rāks.asa king shook the Kailāsa and śiva pressed the mountain down with his toe, crushing Ra_vaṇa and making him cry for mercy (Kali. 38). When the demon Tripura infested the gods, śiva shot through the enemy cities with a single arrow and saved the gods (Kali. 2; Puṟa. 55; Paripāṭal 5. 22-28). Puṟanān –u_ṟu (6. 16-17) refers also to śiva temples in the land and devotees walking round the temple in worship. God Skanda finds very prominent mention in saμgam classics, but as coalesced with the local deity Murukaṉ, with most of the purāṇic details of his birth and exploits against demons incorporated into the local tradition (Paripāṭal 5. 26-70; Tirumurukāṟṟuppaṭai, the whole work). Mention is also made of Indra. (Balarāma) is mentioned as the elder brother of Lord Kṟṣṇa, as fair in colour, wearing blue clothes, having the palmyra tree as his emblem and holding the ;lough as his weapon, all in line with the purāṇas (Paripāṭal 2. 20-23; Puṟa. 56. 3-4; 58.14; Kali. 104, 7-8). Tolkāppiyam (Akattiṇai iyal 5) divides the entire Tamil country into five, namely, Mullai (jungle) with Viṣṇu as its presiding deity, Kuṟiñji (hilly) with Murukaṉ as deity, Marutam (plains: cf. marusthali_ Skt.) with Indra as deity, Neytal (seashore) with Varuṇa as deity and Pālai (wasteland) with Koṟṟavai (Durgā) as deity… The sangam works are replete with references to the four castes into which the society was divided, namely, bra_hmanṇa, ks.atriya, vaiśya, and su_dra… brāhman antaṇa primarily concerned with books (Tol. Mara. 71), the ks.atriya (a-raśa, rāja) with the administration (Tol. Mara. 78) and śu_dra with cultivation (Tol. Mara. 81)… It is also stated that marriage before the sacred fire was prescribed only for the first three castes; but the author adds that the custom was adopted by the fourth caste also in due course (Tol. Kaṟpiyal 3)… one cannot fail to identify in sangam poetry the solid substratum of the distinct style, vocabulary and versification, on the one hand, and the equally distinct subject-matter, social setting and cultural traits, on the other, both of the Tamil genius and of vedic poetry. As far as the grammar of Dravidian is concerned, a detailed analytical study of Old Tamil as represented in Tolkāppiyam, with the vedic śiks.ās and prātiśākhyas, has shown that, ‘Tolkāppiyaṉār clearly realized that Tamil was not related to Sanskrit either morphologically or genealogically… that he deftly exploited the ideas contained in the earlier grammatical literature, particularly in those works which dealt with vedic etymology, without doing the least violence to the genius of the Tamil language’. (Sastri, P.S.S., History of Grammatical Theories in Tamil and their relation to the Grammatical literature in Sanskrit, Madras, 1934, p. 231)… It would be clear from the foregoing that during the sangam age there had already been intensive infusion of vedic culture in south India… Both the cultures coexisted, the additions often affecting only the upper layers of society… For novel names, concepts and ideas, the Sanskrit names were used as such, with minor changes to suit the Tamil alphabet (e.g. akiṉi for agni, vaicikaṉ for vaiśya, veta for veda, or translated (e.g. pāpāṉ for darśaka, kēḷvi for śruti). When, however, the concept already existed, in some form or other, the same word was used with extended sense (e.g. vēḷvi for yāga; māl or māyaṉ for Viṣṇu). Sometimes both the new vedic and extant Tamil words were used (e.g. ti_ for agni)… It is, however, important to note that the coming together of the two cultures, vedic and dravidian, was smooth, non-agressive and appreciative, as vouched for by the unobtrusive but pervasive presence of vedicism in the sangam works. The advent of vedic culture into South India was, thus, a case of supplementation and not supplantation… it is a moot question as to when vedic culture first began to have its impact on dravidian culture which already existed in south India… the age of this spread (of vedic culture) has to be much earlier than the times of the Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata, both of which speak of vedic sages and vedic practices prevailing in the sub-continent. Literary and other traditions preserved both in north and south India attest to the part played by sage Agastya and Paraśurāma in carrying vedic culture to the south. On the basis of analytical studies of these traditions the identification of geographical situations and a survey of the large number of Agastya temples in the Tamil country, G.S. Ghurye points to the firm establishment of the Agastya cult in South India by the early centuries before the Christian era (Ghurye, G.S., Indian acculturation: Agastya and Skanda, Bombay, Popular Prakashan, 1977)… the considerable linguistic assimilation, in dravidian, of material of a pre-classical Sanskrit nature, it would be necessary to date the north-south acculturation in India to much earlier times.[unquote]
Yupa tradition together with the performance of yaga-s links Sangam age with Sarasvati-Sindhu civilization.
http://www.projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0057.pdf Puṟanāṉūṟu (Tamil) Poem nine is by a woman poet called Nettimaiyar, on king Palyaagasaalai Mudhukudumi Peruvazhuthi
Āṟṟumaṇalum vāḻnāḷum!
Pāṭiyavar: Neṭṭimaiyār.
Pāṭappaṭṭōṉ: Pāṇṭiyaṉ palyākacālai mutukuṭumip peruvaḻuti.
Āvum, āṉiyaṟ pārppaṉa mākkaḷum,
peṇṭirum, piṇiyuṭai yīrum pēṇit
teṉpulam vāḻnarkku aruṅkaṭaṉ iṟukkum
poṉpōṟ putalvarp peṟā'a tīrum,
emampu kaṭiviṭutum, nuṉaraṇ cērmiṉ’ eṉa
aṟattu'āṟu nuvalum pūṭkai, maṟattiṉ
kolkaḷiṟṟu mīmicaik koṭivicumpu niḻaṟṟum
eṅkō, vāḻiya kuṭumi! Taṅ kōc
cennīrp pacumpoṉ vayiriyarkku ītta,
munnīr viḻaviṉ, neṭiyōṉ
naṉṉīrp pa·ṟuḷi maṇaliṉum palavē!
Pāṭiyavar: Neṭṭimaiyār.
Pāṭappaṭṭōṉ: Pāṇṭiyaṉ palyākacālai mutukuṭumip peruvaḻuti.
Āvum, āṉiyaṟ pārppaṉa mākkaḷum,
peṇṭirum, piṇiyuṭai yīrum pēṇit
teṉpulam vāḻnarkku aruṅkaṭaṉ iṟukkum
poṉpōṟ putalvarp peṟā'a tīrum,
emampu kaṭiviṭutum, nuṉaraṇ cērmiṉ’ eṉa
aṟattu'āṟu nuvalum pūṭkai, maṟattiṉ
kolkaḷiṟṟu mīmicaik koṭivicumpu niḻaṟṟum
eṅkō, vāḻiya kuṭumi! Taṅ kōc
cennīrp pacumpoṉ vayiriyarkku ītta,
munnīr viḻaviṉ, neṭiyōṉ
naṉṉīrp pa·ṟuḷi maṇaliṉum palavē!
ஆற்றுமணலும் வாழ்நாளும்!
பாடியவர் : நெட்டிமையார்.
பாடப்பட்டோன் : பாண்டியன் பல்யாகசாலை முதுகுடுமிப் பெருவழுதி.
ஆவும், ஆனியற் பார்ப்பன மாக்களும்,
பெண்டிரும், பிணியுடை யீரும் பேணித்
தென்புலம் வாழ்நர்க்கு அருங்கடன் இறுக்கும்
பொன்போற் புதல்வர்ப் பெறாஅ தீரும்,
எம்அம்பு கடிவிடுதும், நுன்அரண் சேர்மின்’ என
அறத்துஆறு நுவலும் பூட்கை, மறத்தின்
கொல்களிற்று மீமிசைக் கொடிவிசும்பு நிழற்றும்
எங்கோ, வாழிய குடுமி! தங் கோச்
செந்நீர்ப் பசும்பொன் வயிரியர்க்கு ஈத்த,
முந்நீர் விழவின், நெடியோன்
நன்னீர்ப் ப·றுளி மணலினும் பலவே!
Aṟam itutāṉō?
Pāṭiyavar: Neṭṭimaiyār.
Pāṭappaṭṭōṉ: Pāṇṭiyaṉ palyākacālai mutukuṭumip peruvaḻuti.
Tiṇai: Pāṭāṇ. Tuṟai: Iyaṉmoḻi.
Pāṇar tāmarai malaiyavum, pulavar
pūnutal yāṉaiyōṭu puṉaitēr paṇṇavum,
aṟaṉō maṟṟa'itu viṟalmāṇ kuṭumi!
Iṉṉā ākap piṟar maṇ koṇṭu,
iṉiya ceyti niṉ ārvalar mukattē?
Pāṭiyavar: Neṭṭimaiyār.
Pāṭappaṭṭōṉ: Pāṇṭiyaṉ palyākacālai mutukuṭumip peruvaḻuti.
Tiṇai: Pāṭāṇ. Tuṟai: Iyaṉmoḻi.
Pāṇar tāmarai malaiyavum, pulavar
pūnutal yāṉaiyōṭu puṉaitēr paṇṇavum,
aṟaṉō maṟṟa'itu viṟalmāṇ kuṭumi!
Iṉṉā ākap piṟar maṇ koṇṭu,
iṉiya ceyti niṉ ārvalar mukattē?
அறம் இதுதானோ?
பாடியவர் : நெட்டிமையார்.
பாடப்பட்டோன் : பாண்டியன் பல்யாகசாலை முதுகுடுமிப் பெருவழுதி.
திணை : பாடாண். துறை : இயன்மொழி.
பாணர் தாமரை மலையவும், புலவர்
பூநுதல் யானையோடு புனைதேர் பண்ணவும்,
அறனோ மற்றஇது விறல்மாண் குடுமி!
இன்னா ஆகப் பிறர் மண் கொண்டு,
இனிய செய்தி நின் ஆர்வலர் முகத்தே?
பாடியவர் : நெட்டிமையார்.
பாடப்பட்டோன் : பாண்டியன் பல்யாகசாலை முதுகுடுமிப் பெருவழுதி.
திணை : பாடாண். துறை : இயன்மொழி.
பாணர் தாமரை மலையவும், புலவர்
பூநுதல் யானையோடு புனைதேர் பண்ணவும்,
அறனோ மற்றஇது விறல்மாண் குடுமி!
இன்னா ஆகப் பிறர் மண் கொண்டு,
இனிய செய்தி நின் ஆர்வலர் முகத்தே?
Nettimaiyar, one of the oldest poets of Sangam period, wonders ,“Oh! Pandya! please tell me whether the number of Yupa posts you installed more? Or the number of enemies you defeated more? Or the praises by the poets more?”
Verse 224 parised the greatest of the Chola kings Karikalan for installing the tall Yupa post. Other Sangam texts also refer to Karikalan, Perunarkilli and Mudukudumi Peruvazuthi who performed many yaga-s and used yupa: Puṟanāṉūṟu verses 15 and 224;
Maturaikkāñci line 27; Patiṟṟuppattu 67-10.
224. Iṟantōṉ avaṉē!
Pāṭiyavar: Karuṅkuḻal ātaṉār.
Pāṭappaṭṭōṉ: Cōḻaṉ karikāṟ peruvaḷattāṉ.
Tiṇai: Potuviyal. Tuṟai: Kaiyaṟunilai.
Aruppam pēṇātu amarkaṭan tatū'um;
tuṇaipuṇar āyamoṭu tacumpuṭaṉ tolaicci,
irumpāṇ okkal kaṭumpu purantatū'um;
aṟamaṟak kaṇaṭa neṟimāṇ avaiyattu,
muṟainaṟku aṟiyunar muṉṉuṟap pukaḻnta
paviyaṟ koḷkait tukaḷaṟu makaḷiroṭu,
paruti uruviṉ palpaṭaip puricai,
eruvai nukarcci, yūpa neṭuntūṇ,
vēta vēḷvit toḻilmuṭit tatū'um;
aṟintōṉ maṉṟa aṟivuṭaiyāḷaṉ;
iṟantōṉ tāṉē; aḷittu'iv vulakam
aruvi māṟi, añcuvarak karukip,
peruvaṟam kūrnta vēṉiṟ kālaip,
pacitta āyattup payaṉnirai tarumār,
pūvāṭ kōvalar pūvuṭaṉ utirak
koytukaṭṭu aḻitta vēṅkaiyiṉ,
melliyal makaḷirum iḻaikaḷain taṉa
Pāṭiyavar: Karuṅkuḻal ātaṉār.
Pāṭappaṭṭōṉ: Cōḻaṉ karikāṟ peruvaḷattāṉ.
Tiṇai: Potuviyal. Tuṟai: Kaiyaṟunilai.
Aruppam pēṇātu amarkaṭan tatū'um;
tuṇaipuṇar āyamoṭu tacumpuṭaṉ tolaicci,
irumpāṇ okkal kaṭumpu purantatū'um;
aṟamaṟak kaṇaṭa neṟimāṇ avaiyattu,
muṟainaṟku aṟiyunar muṉṉuṟap pukaḻnta
paviyaṟ koḷkait tukaḷaṟu makaḷiroṭu,
paruti uruviṉ palpaṭaip puricai,
eruvai nukarcci, yūpa neṭuntūṇ,
vēta vēḷvit toḻilmuṭit tatū'um;
aṟintōṉ maṉṟa aṟivuṭaiyāḷaṉ;
iṟantōṉ tāṉē; aḷittu'iv vulakam
aruvi māṟi, añcuvarak karukip,
peruvaṟam kūrnta vēṉiṟ kālaip,
pacitta āyattup payaṉnirai tarumār,
pūvāṭ kōvalar pūvuṭaṉ utirak
koytukaṭṭu aḻitta vēṅkaiyiṉ,
melliyal makaḷirum iḻaikaḷain taṉa
224. இறந்தோன் அவனே!
பாடியவர்: கருங்குழல் ஆதனார்.
பாடப்பட்டோன்: சோழன் கரிகாற் பெருவளத்தான்.
திணை: பொதுவியல். துறை: கையறுநிலை.
அருப்பம் பேணாது அமர்கடந் ததூஉம்;
துணைபுணர் ஆயமொடு தசும்புடன் தொலைச்சி,
இரும்பாண் ஒக்கல் கடும்பு புரந்ததூஉம்;
அறம்அறக் கணட நெறிமாண் அவையத்து,
முறைநற்கு அறியுநர் முன்னுறப் புகழ்ந்த
பவியற் கொள்கைத் துகளறு மகளிரொடு,
பருதி உருவின் பல்படைப் புரிசை,
எருவை நுகர்ச்சி, யூப நெடுந்தூண்,
வேத வேள்வித் தொழில்முடித் ததூஉம்;
அறிந்தோன் மன்ற அறிவுடையாளன்;
இறந்தோன் தானே; அளித்துஇவ் வுலகம்
அருவி மாறி, அஞ்சுவரக் கருகிப்,
பெருவறம் கூர்ந்த வேனிற் காலைப்,
பசித்த ஆயத்துப் பயன்நிரை தருமார்,
பூவாட் கோவலர் பூவுடன் உதிரக்
கொய்துகட்டு அழித்த வேங்கையின்,
மெல்லியல் மகளிரும் இழைகளைந் தனரே.
பாடியவர்: கருங்குழல் ஆதனார்.
பாடப்பட்டோன்: சோழன் கரிகாற் பெருவளத்தான்.
திணை: பொதுவியல். துறை: கையறுநிலை.
அருப்பம் பேணாது அமர்கடந் ததூஉம்;
துணைபுணர் ஆயமொடு தசும்புடன் தொலைச்சி,
இரும்பாண் ஒக்கல் கடும்பு புரந்ததூஉம்;
அறம்அறக் கணட நெறிமாண் அவையத்து,
முறைநற்கு அறியுநர் முன்னுறப் புகழ்ந்த
பவியற் கொள்கைத் துகளறு மகளிரொடு,
பருதி உருவின் பல்படைப் புரிசை,
எருவை நுகர்ச்சி, யூப நெடுந்தூண்,
வேத வேள்வித் தொழில்முடித் ததூஉம்;
அறிந்தோன் மன்ற அறிவுடையாளன்;
இறந்தோன் தானே; அளித்துஇவ் வுலகம்
அருவி மாறி, அஞ்சுவரக் கருகிப்,
பெருவறம் கூர்ந்த வேனிற் காலைப்,
பசித்த ஆயத்துப் பயன்நிரை தருமார்,
பூவாட் கோவலர் பூவுடன் உதிரக்
கொய்துகட்டு அழித்த வேங்கையின்,
மெல்லியல் மகளிரும் இழைகளைந் தனரே.
See: http://swamiindology.blogspot.in/2012/03/madagascar-india-link-via-indonesia.html
S. Kalyanaraman
Sarasvati Research Center
December 26, 2015