தேவாரத்தில் புறப்பொருளின் செல்வாக்கு

The Influence of Purapporul in Thevaram

Abstract

In the history of Tamil literature, the age of Devotional Literature is considered a golden era where language, art, and spirituality converged. Specifically, the Thevaram—comprising the first seven volumes of the Panniru Thirumurai—absorbed the Akam (interior/subjective) and Puram (exterior/objective) traditions of the Sangam era and successfully elevated them to a spiritual plane. This article provides a detailed exploration of how the elements of Sangam Purathinai, such as heroism, fame, and philanthropy, gained prominence within the Thevaram hymns.

This study reveals how the Purathinais defined by Tolkappiyar (from Vetchi to Paadaan) evolved during the Bhakti movement into 'Deva Paadaan' (praising the Divine) and into the Thumbai and Vaagai conventions to celebrate the heroic deeds of the Almighty. The article presents a nuanced perspective on how the Karupporul (thematic elements) of the holy shrines are used as symbols of divine grace and how the Kanchi Thinai (the theme of transience) underwent a spiritual transformation. Furthermore, it analyzes how Sangam Purapporul traditions acquired new dimensions in religious literature and the moral values they offered to later generations.