treatises on this single point. Numerous rules are laid down, which Beschi says, have their origin in the grossest superstition. There are 23 fortunate words with which, or their synonyms, the poem and invocation should commence. Certain letters are allotted to the 27 constellations; each caste has its appropriate letters; certain feet are fortunate, others the reverse. When a poet wishes to injure an enemy, he begins with inauspicious letters. Kamban is reported to have caused the death of a king but combinations of this character. The Shen Tamil, or high dialect in which Tamil classical poetry is written, differs considerably from what is termed Kodum Tamil, common Tamil, the spoken language of the people. The difficulty in understanding Tamil poetry is much increased by the very complicated rules for euphonic changes. In English we write accept, not adcept; gladden, not gladen, ascend, not adscend. In Tamil, however, similar changes are made, not only in syllables of words, but in the beginnings and endings of words themselves; so that a whole line may be considered as forming a polysyllabic word of immense length. Dr. Caldwell remarks, "Dravidian Grammarians have bestowed more attention and care on euphonic permutations than on any other subject, and the permutations which the grammar of the Tamil requires or allows are at least twice as numerous, and more than twice as perplexing to beginners as those of the Sanscrit."* In native manuscripts, words are not divided. The following is a simple English sentence, with euphonic changes required in Tamil poetry, and written in the ordinary way :— Onassunnydayararsawaccoorstream, On a sunny day a ram saw a cool stream. The difficulty of making out the sense of Tamil poetry is increased by the use of peculiar or obsolete words. * Dravidian Comparative Grammar, p. 124. C A Tamil, of average intelligence, who can read and write with ease the language as spoken, cannot understand classic poetry unless he has made it a special study-he cannot even divide the lines into their component words. It would be nearly as difficult to him. as the following to an Englishman : Arthurmidhissweordefæie-scripewarhte :* Arthur with his sword death-work wrought. Hence the Tamil classics have most elaborate commentaries. Each word presenting any difficulty is explained separately, and the general sense is given, with any grammatical remarks which may be required. It is an old proverb, "There is no disputing about tastes." A Tamil scholar seems to prefer compositions which resemble poetical problems for solution. Again and again the remark has been made to the compiler respecting certain poetry, "common language;""no deep sense." Indeed, Velaya Desiker boasts as follows: "Born as I am second of three brothers, whose poetry, even the god enthroned on the lotus-flower could not easily understand."+ more The Tamil poets seemed to have cared for the sound than the sense. The following remarks by the Rev. W. Taylor, should, however, be borne in mind: "One important distinction between modern European poetry, and ancient Eastern poetry must not be omitted; which is, that the latter was not intended for quiet perusal in the cabinet, but for public recitation, as minstrelsy. Hence the great attention paid to classes of letters, and to the flowing of sounds, one into the other, without any interval, or hiatus between.”‡ Versification.-Specimens of the principal kinds of verse are given below. The two great classes are the Ven, or pure, and Viruttam or expanded. *Layamon's Metrical Chronicle. End of 12th cent. Quoted in Spalding's English Literature. + Stanza quoted in Tamil Plutarch, p. 114. Catalogue of Oriental Manuscripts, Vol. I. p. V. The remarks under this head are chiefly abridged from Beschi's Grammar of the Poetical Dialect. VENPA.--One kind, used in the Kural, resembles the distich, since it consists of two lines. Of these the first must contain four feet, and the second three. Example. கண்ணுடைய ரென்பவர்-கற்றோர்-முகத்திரண்டு புண்ணுடையர்- கல்லா-தவர். "They may be said to have eyes who acquire knowledge,They who learn not, have (as it were) only two ulcers in their face." Kural. But the following kind of venpa is most in use. வெய்ய-குரற்றோன்றி-வெஞ்சினவே - றுட்கொளினும் பெய்யு-மழைமுகிலைப்-பேணுவரால் - வையத் திருள்பொழியுங் - குற்றம் - பலவெனினும் - யார்க்கும் பொருள் பொழிவார்-மேற்றே-புகழ். Veyya kurarronri- vensinave - rudkolinum Tirulpoliyum kurram palaveninum - yarkkum "As the clouds which send forth a fearful sound, and are big with the angry thunder-bolt are yet cherished for the rain they pour down; so in the world, he who liberally distributes his wealth is praised, though his many crimes spread darkness around him." The Naladiyar and most of the ethical works are in the above metre. ASIRIYAPPA OR AKAVAL.-The number of line in each stanza is not defined; nor is there any settled rule for the number of feet requisite to each line. சூரல் - பம்பிய சிறுகான் யாரே சூரா - மகளீ - ராரணங்-கினரே சார யானஞ் - சுவலே னாட - நீவர லாறே. "Oh thou who dwellest on the mountain's side, come not by the road where the tangled rattan skirts the silvan stream, and where the nymphs (who devise) mischief and inflict evil abound. I dread thy journey on that road." The Nannul is in this metre. TURAI. This kind of stanza consists of four lines, each of five feet, and always takes at its close. இடையேநேர்- வெண்சீ-ரியற்சீர்- வருமுத-லீரிருசீர் கடையே-யிடை நிரை - வெண்சீராய் - வெண்டளைக் காத்தடி நான் டையே - கடையாய்க் கடைமோனை - நான் கடி - யோரெது கை. நடையே - கலித்துறை-யாமெனக்-கற்றோர்-நவின்றனரே. Idaiyener - vensi - riyarsir - varumuta - lirirusir Kadaiye - yidainirai - vensiray - vendalaik - katta dinan The grammar Karikai, treating of Poetry, is in this metre. VIRUTTAM. This is the metre in which all the great poetical narrations are composed. It is distinguished into several kinds, all of which contain four lines. The first example is taken from the Chintamani. Teni - raittuyar - moyvarais senniyin "On the top of the high and clustering mountains, covered with honey-combs, when the clouds had gathered together, their abundant streams, resembling lucid rods of silver, uniting filled the whole heavens and poured down in torrents." Ellis. The following is from Kamban's Ramayana : புள்ளி - மால்வரைப் - பொன்னென - நோக்கிவான் வெள்ளி - வீழிடை - வீழ்வன - தாரைய வுள்ளி-யுள்ளவெ -லாமுவந்-தீயுமவ் Pulli - malvaraip - ponnena - nokkivan Vulli yullave lamuvan tiyumav. Valli - yorina - valangkina - mekame. "Beholding the renowned and mighty mountain shining like gold, the clouds poured down their streams like pensile threads of silver, bounteous as the generous, who, from the impulse of their own minds, dispense their gifts with delight." Ellis. The Tamils have a kind of elegy which they denominate Ula or Malai, consisting of couplets. The Parani also consists of a succession of couplets; but has its lines of equal length. The Kalampakam is a sort of poetry in which the author mixes at pleasure all kinds of verse. The Ammanai consists of couplets, composed of lines of four feet. The diction ought to be perfectly familiar. This kind of poetry is used in recounting the lives of princes, &c. The following is an example from Tayumanavar :— பேச்சுமூச் - சில்லாத - பேரின்ப - வெள்ளமுற்று நீச்சுநிலை-காணாம-னிற்குநா-ளெந்நாளோ. சித்தந் - தெளிந்தோர் - தெளிவிற் - றெளிவான சுத்த - சுகக்கடலுட் - டோயுநா -ளெந்நாளோ. Pessumus sillata - perinpa - vellamurru Nissunilai kanama - nirkuna - lennalo. Sittam telintor - telivir - telivana Sutta sukakkadalud - doyuna - lennalo. “When shall I find myself in the ocean of boundless pleasure, never reaching its depths? When shall those who have attained purity of heart find themselves in the ocean of clear healthful water ?" The Vannam consists of eight equal stanzas. The following example is from Arunakiri Ñatar. To enable the verses to be read, the measure is given at the commencement. Tanetana Tanana tanatana tanana tanatana tanatana. |