Exactly 134 years after they were first published, the first four-volume commentaries on Periyapuranam , the poetic history of 63 Shaivite saints, will be released in Chennai on Saturday at the Sekkizhar festival.
The commentaries, penned by Arumuga Thambiran, who was the head of the Tiruvannamalai Kundrakudi Adheenam, was first published in April 1885.
“It took another five years to bring out all the four volumes. Arumuga Thambiran was not alive to see their release. He had completed work up to the life history of Kalikama Nayanar and it was left to Ramalinga Thambiram of the Mayilam Mutt at Nattu Pillaiyar Street in Ezhukinaru in Chennai to finish the work,” J. Mohan, secretary, Sekkizhar Research Centre said.
First on print
The four volumes are actually the first commentaries on Periyapuranam to go to print. But the volumes carry only the name of Arumuga Thambiran, although published in a period of five years by four individuals. The books also have line drawings explaining the stories. Ramalinga Thambiran later became the head of the Chidambaram Isanya Mutt.
While commentaries on the works of Vaishanvite minstrels, Azhwars, have a special place in the Bhakti literary tradition, Shaivites normally stayed away from writing commentaries, arguing that the meaning of hymns should be experienced by individuals who read them. Even when commentaries on the works of four Shaivite saints — Appar, Sambandar, Sundarar and Manickavasagar — appeared, Periyapuranam, written by Sekkizhar, the prime minister of Chola king, remained untouched. “To write commentaries on Periyapuranam , one should have a strong knowledge in Tamil grammar, the social history of the land, since it deals with caste backgrounds of all the 63 Shaivite saints,” said Mr. Mohan, who had already published commentaries by Choolai Subbarayanaygar.
