பக்தி இலக்கியங்களில் அகப்பொருளின் தாக்கங்கள்: சங்க இலக்கிய மரபுகள் முதல் மெய்யியல் தேடல் வரை - ஒரு விரிவான ஆய்வு

Impact of Akapporul (Interior Ethics) in Bhakti Literature: From Sangam Literary Traditions to Philosophical Quests – A Comprehensive Study

Abstract

In the history of Tamil literature, the Sangam era is considered the pinnacle of human emotional expression. In particular, the concept of 'Akam' (Interior) created a sublime aesthetic by intertwining the love between a hero and a heroine with a natural backdrop. The Bhakti movement, which emerged during the medieval period, utilized these Akapporul traditions as a tool and elevated them to a divine plane.

This research paper provides a detailed analysis of how Sangam-era Akattinai rules were transformed within Bhakti literature. It engages in a deep discussion regarding the philosophical concept of 'Nayaka-Nayaki Bhava' (Hero-Heroine Sentiment), where the nameless human hero is replaced by the Supreme Being as the Hero, and the devotee assumes the role of the Heroine.

The study explains extensively how Akathurai (thematic modes) such as Thoodhu (Sending a messenger), Madal (A public declaration of love/protest), and Valai Negilvu (The slipping of bangles due to pining), which appear in the hymns of the Alwars and Nayanmars, express the longing of the soul. Furthermore, it explores the philosophical reasoning behind why the soul is identified with feminine characteristics. Through comparative tables and song analysis, this study establishes how Bhakti literature preserved the external structure of Sangam literature while theoretically reshaping its internal meaning.