Kundalakesi
Kundalakesi (Template:Lang-ta) is a fragmentary Tamil Buddhist epic written by Nagakuthanaar.[1] It is one of the The Five Great Epics of Tamil Literature according to later Tamil literary tradition, with the other four being Silappadikaram, Manimegalai, Civaka Cintamani and Valayapathi.[2] The first mention of the "Aimperumkappiyam" (lit. Five large epics) occurs in Mayilainathar's commentary of Nannūl. However, Mayilainathar does not mention the names of the five epics. The names of the epics are first mentioned in the late 18th century - early 19th century work Thiruthanikaiula. Earlier works like the 17th century poem Tamil vidu thoothu mention the great epics as Panchkavyams.[3][4]. Its time period has been estimated to be before fifth century C.E.
Sources and content
Of the five great epics, Valayapathi and Kundalakesi are not available in full. Only fragments quoted in other literary works and commentaries have survived. Only 19 of the original 99 verses of Kundalakesi have been recovered. An additional five have been recovered, but whether they were part of Kundalakesi has not been proven conclusively. Tamil linguist Kamil Zvelebil has speculated that the epic was destroyed due to its Buddhist content by anti-Buddhist fanatics. The 19 verses recovered have been found in the commentaries for Tolkāppiyam, Veera Sozhiyam, Yapperungalam , Thakkayagaparani, Sivagnana Siddhiyar Parapakkam (Thirvorriyur Gnanaprakasar's commentary), the epic Neelakesi and the poem Vaisyapuranam. Neelakesi – one of the five lesser Tamil epics, was a jain religious work about the life of the female jain monk of the same name, who was a rival preacher of the Buddhist protagonist of Kundalakesi (It was written as a Jain rebuttal to the Buddhist criticism in Kundalakesi[5][3]). The first lines of the 99 verses of Kundalakesi are available in the Jain saint Vamanar's commentary on Neelakesi. The 19 recovered verses do not reveal the plot of the epic and are advisory in nature. The introductory and 15th Verses contain references to Buddhism.[5][3][6][7][8][9] The Vinaya sub commentary Vimativinodani refers to the epic as follows:
Formerly in Tamil country an elder named Nagasena [Nagakuthanaar] compiled a work in Tamil containing the story of Kundalakesi, foe refuting heretical doctrines, adducing arguments for demolishing the views advanced by non-Buddhists.[5]
Yapperungalam, which also quotes the epic's Kadavul Vazhthu (lit. invocation to God) describes it as a tharkavadham – a book of controversy and polemics.Veera Sozhiyam's commentator Perunthevanar and the 14th century anthology Purathirattu both describe it as a akalakavi – a large poem.[3]
Story
Kundalakesi is an adaptation of the story of the Buddhist Bhikṣuni (lit. female monk) Kunḍalakeśi from the Dhammapada.[10] The protagonist Kundalakesi (lit. The woman with curls) was born in a merchant family in the city of Puhar. Her birth name is "Bhadra". She loses her mother during childhood and lives a sheltered life. One day she sees a thief being paraded in the streets of Puhar and falls in love with him. The thief, Kaalan has been sentenced to death for banditry. Besotted with Kaalan, Kundalakesi implores her father to save him. Her father petitions the king for the thief's release. He pays Kaalan's weight in gold and 81 elephants to the treasury to secure Kaalan's release. Kundalakesi and Kaalan are married and live happily for some time.[11] One day, she playfully refers to him as a thief. This enrages the mercurial Kaalan and he decides to kill his wife in revenge. He tricks her into visiting the summit of the nearby hill. Once they reach the summit, he announces his intention to kill her by pushing her off the hill. Kundalakesi is shocked and asks him to grant a final wish – she wishes to worship him by going around him three times before she dies. He agrees and when she gets behind him, Kundalakesi pushes him off the summit, killing him.[11] Repenting her actions, she becomes a Buddhist monk and spends the rest of her life spreading the teachings of Buddha.[5][6][7][8][12] She carries out theological battles with Jains and Hindus, defeating them in debates. She finally attains superior liberation. In one of the versions, it is believed that she was a Jain in her initial life and she shattered conventions by becoming a nigrantha or naked monk.[11]
Religious Treatise
Quotations from the work are found from references used by authors who had access to the classic.[5] The poem was used for showing the purpose of showing the advantage of Buddhist philosophy over Vedic and Jain philosiphies.[5] The Jain in reply wrote Nilakesi which has opposing views to the idealogies in Kundalakesi. Kundalakesi was a Jain nun who moved around India, expounding Jainism and challenged anyone who had alternate views. Sariputra, a disciple of Buddha, took up the challenge one day and defeated Kundalakesi in debates. She renounced Jainism and became a Buddhist.[5] The record of culture and Buddhist views during the era were lost with the book.[5]
Sample verses
Verse 19:
வேரிக் கமழ்தார் அரசன் விடுக என்ற போழ்தும்
தாரித்தல் ஆகா வகையால் கொலை சூழ்ந்த பின்னும்
பூரிட்தல் வாடுதல் இவற்றால் பொலிவு இன்றி நின்றான்
பாரித்ததெல்லாம் வினையின் பயன் என்ன வல்லான்[6]
Verse 9:
பாளையாம் தன்மை செத்தும்
பாலனாம் தன்மை செத்தும்
காளையாம் தன்மை செத்தும்
காமுறும் இளமை செத்தும்
மீளுமிவ் வியல்பும் இன்னே
மேல்வரும் மூப்பும் ஆகி
நாளும்நாள் சாகின் றாமால்
நமக்குநாம் அழாதது என்னோ[6][8]
In popular culture
The story of Kundalakesi killing her husband has been used as a sub-plot in the 1951 Tamil film Manthiri Kumari.[13]
See also
Notes
- ^ Aiyangar 2004, p. 360
- ^ Mukherjee 1999, p. 277
- ^ a b c d Zvelebil 1992, p. 73 Cite error: The named reference "zvelebil" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
- ^ M.S. 1994, p. 115
- ^ a b c d e f g h K. 1987, p. 102
- ^ a b c d vanava. Thurayan (27 May 2004). "Kundalakesi: Some notes". thinnai.com (in Tamil).
- ^ a b "Kundalakesi". tamilreader.com (in Tamil).
- ^ a b c "Kundalakesi Lesson 1". Tamil Virtual University (in Tamil).
- ^ Ramaswamy 2003, pp. 164-165
- ^ Story of Kundalakesi
- ^ a b c Ramaswamy 2007, pp. 123-124
- ^ Singh 2008, p. 102
- ^ Manthiri Kumari – A Grand Success (in Tamil), Maalai Malar 27 October 2009
References
- Aiyangar, Krishnaswami S. (2004), Ancient India: collected essays on the literary and political history of southern India, New Delhi: Asian Educational Services, ISBN 81-206-1850-5
{{citation}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help). - Krishna Murthy, K. (1987). Glimpses of art, architecture, and Buddhist literature in ancient India. Abhinav Publications. p. 102. ISBN 8170172268, ISBN 9788170172260.
- Mukherjee, Sujit (1999). A Dictionary of Indian Literature: Beginnings-1850. New Delhi: Orient Longman Limited. ISBN 81-250-1453-5.
{{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - Pillai, M. S. Purnalingam (1994). Tamil Literature. Asian Educational Services. p. 115. ISBN 8120609557, ISBN 9788120609556.
{{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - Ramaswamy, Vijaya (2007), Historical dictionary of the Tamils, United States: Scarecrow Press, INC., ISBN 978-0470-82958-5
{{citation}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - Ramaswamy, Vijaya (2003). Re-searching Indian women. Manohar Publications. pp. 164–65. ISBN 8173044961, ISBN 9788173044960.
- Singh, Surinder (2008). Popular literature and pre-modern societies in South Asia. Pearson Education India. p. 102. ISBN 813171358X, ISBN 9788131713587.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - Zvelebil, Kamil (1992). Companion studies to the history of Tamil literature. BRILL. pp. 69–70. ISBN 9004093656, ISBN 9789004093652.