சங்க இலக்கியங்களில் மகாபாரதத் தாக்கங்கள்: ஒரு விரிவான வரலாற்று மற்றும் இலக்கிய ஆய்வு: Mahabharata Influences in Sangam Literature: A Comprehensive Historical and Literary Study

Abstract

The two epics, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, have exerted a profound influence on the cultural and literary history of the Indian subcontinent. In particular, the impact of Mahabharata narratives is prevalent across all Indian regional languages. This research article provides a detailed analysis of how these epic stories were integrated into Sangam Literature (Ettuthokai and Pattupattu), the most ancient classical literary collection of the Tamil language.

The Tamils of the Sangam era did not view the Mahabharata stories merely as mythologies; instead, they utilized them as metaphors and life principles to explain Aram (righteousness), Maram (valor), Kodai (charity), and social values. This study offers meticulous insights into the references to Mahabharata characters, events, and the manner in which they were "Tamilized" within texts such as Kalithokai, Purananuru, Akananuru, Pathitrupathu, and the Aatruppadai books of Pattupattu.

Furthermore, this paper discusses:

• The Methodology employed by Sangam poets, who often referred to Mahabharata characters by their attributes or group names rather than their proper names.
• The cultural impact of the epics on Tamil society.
• The history of the Mahabharata being translated into/adapted for Tamil as evidenced by the Chinnamanur Copper Plates.

Based on literary evidence and historical proofs, this article establishes the deep cultural connection between Sangam-era Tamil Nadu and Northern Indian epic traditions.

Keywords

• Sangam Literature
• Mahabharata
• Ettuthokai
• Pattupattu
• The Five (Pandavas)
• The Hundred (Kauravas)
• Uthiyan Cheralathan
• Perunchoru (The Great Feast)
• Bhima’s Cookbook (Madainool)
• Chinnamanur Copper Plates
• Bharatam Paadiya Perundevanar
• Tamil Epic Tradition