Nallapillai's version of Mahabharata
PREMA NANDAKUMAR
NALLAPILLAI BHARATHAM — Part II: Edited by R. Srinivasan; Kalaikottam, 12 Puthu Theru, Vinayakapuram, Ambattur, Chennai-600053. Rs. 650.
Yet another instance of silent service to the Tamil language comes from Srinivasan, who has bravely undertaken the task of bringing out a standard edition of the Mahabharata (Tamil) written by Nallapillai in the 19th century. This proves once again that Indian culture is one and indivisible and any talk of an Aryan-Dravidian divide is disruptive. The second part of the work — the first appeared three years ago — covers Santhi, Anusasana, Asramavasa, Mausala, Mahaprasthanika and Swargarohana Parvas. Excellently produced, the book is a joy to handle for the lover of Tamil literature.
The detailed introduction gives us an idea of how Srinivasan has mastered the available Mahabharata literature in Tamil and his discovery of a Tamil version of Jaimini Bharatha by Muhammad Annavi, who is also the author of Bharata Ammanai. What is passed off briefly as the guardianship by Krishna, who came in his “subtle form as Dharma” to robe Draupadi, is embellished by Tamil writers like Villipputturar and Nallapillai to project the incarnational aspect of the Prince of Dwaraka. He has also made a reference to the work of Manalur Ramanujachariar, who spent his life and assets for bringing out the Tamil version of the Mahabharata.
Nallapillai retold the entire epic of Vyasa in 13,949 verses divided into 131 sargas. He has also included a good deal of the material found in Villipputturar's version. Unlike Villipputturar, he has chosen to retell the sub-stories of the epic in a big way. Hence, his version has found favour with scholars who give serial lectures on the epic. Surprisingly, for a work so popular, a good edition — with brief notes on important names and an index of the first line of the verses by way of value addition — should have been published only now.
The intellectual riches yielded by it are innumerable. In Shanti Parva, we get distilled wisdom regarding the way in which a ruler should conduct himself. What a pity we have ceased to give importance to such Tamil writings! The stories of the good hunter Kappavya, the mouse Balitha, the evil ministers of King Kshemasari, and the good king Virupaksha need to be studied seriously by the present generation. Bhishma assures Yudhishtira that caste should not be taken into consideration while dealing with a person.
Ingenious are the ways in which acts of Dharma are conveyed through varied tales, such as Seerkari (need for patience), Meybhodha (evil of amassing wealth), and the housewife Gautami (to avoid vengefulness). In the course of these arresting narratives, we have the Shiva-related stories as well. The Anusasanika Parva concludes with the tragic personification of Ganga, who mourns her son as the Pandavas perform the last rites for Bhishma.
Miracles
The Asvamedha Parva is action unparalleled, with miracles a dime a dozen. We get introduced to Jayatratha's son Supradhipa, Trigartha's son Suryavarma, and Arjuna's son Babhruvahana. After the completion of the Aswamedha Yaga (horse sacrifice), we have Dhritarashtra's vanaprastha, the crowning of Parikshit, and the grand finale in heaven. The simple Tamil style of Nallapillai keeps us riveted to the story line and occasionally we go into a reverie. On a householder's life, for instance, as detailed by Shiva to Parvati:
“He removes the ills suffered by others/He brings joy to gods and manes/He furthers the creation of Brahma/He, the householder intent on charity.
His vrata is kindliness, dharma, duty/The performance of the five yagnas/Not desiring the wealth or wife of others/Is the householder's ideal, O Uma.”
One hopes that such a sincere work of in-depth scholarship will gain due recognition from the public and the academia in a big way. While the grand spectacle of a Tamil conference has its own use, it is works like Srinivasan's edition of Nallapillai Bharatham that give a healthy impetus for the growth of the Tamil language and sustain its status as a classical language.
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