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Book Review
Tamil epic in drama form
IRAASA-MAADEVI — Naataka Vadivil Sivaka-Sintamani: Story, dialogue by Seeni Krishnaswami; Jaya Dhaarini Pathippagam, 15, V.S. Mudali Street, Shanmuga Flats, G-2, Saidapet, Chennai-600015. Rs. 250.
OF THE five epics in Tamil only three are fully extant — Silappadikaram, Manimekalai and Sivaka-Cintamani.
Of these the last mentioned is the first poem composed in the "viruttam" form, setting the model for later compositions, particularly for Kamban's famous work, the Ramayana. The work has also great distinctions as a poem, rich in diction, narrating its story with striking images and happy manipulations of the verse-style.
The author of the epic was a Jain sage who disproved the criticism that persons like him could not do justice to the portrait of man-woman relationships. The literary excellences of the work go with its Jaina theological exposition of the instability of life and the working of fate in its many contexts. The Jaina colouring has not stood in the way of its being a favourite study of serious Tamil scholars at an advanced level for its admirable poetic art.
It is said that the Chola royal court was excited with the beauties of the poem and Sekkizhar, the great Saiva devotional poet, vowed to compose a more attractive epic on the lives of the 63 Saiva saints to wean people away from the Jaina work and did it splendidly in his Periya Puranam.
The story of the epic in its bare essentials is that of an exemplary hero, matchless in the arts of peace and war, born in adversity caused by the killing of his kingly father by his trusted minister, regaining his allotted high destiny by his innate gifts (and supernatural help as well) excelling all rivals.
He wins the hands of eight damsels by his exploits and invincible personal charms. He regains his father's kingdom and rules justly and wisely enjoying pleasures to the full for 30 years only to renounce the world altogether in true Jaina fashion for doing penance according to teachings of preceptors of the religion.
The author says in the preface that he has endeavoured to popularise this work with its many excellences of picturesque narration among Tamil readers, who need to know more about it, through abridgements and stage versions.
He has concentrated on the story element and made some changes to invest it with the tempo of a dramatic version; the didactic elements have been left out. His stage-directions are themselves poetic descriptions. He has successfully combined the requirements of a play meant to be acted both on the stage and for reading.
The volume will be welcomed by all interested in furthering the popularity of Tamil classics.
J. PARTHASARATHI
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