This lesson deals with 18 works called Pathinen Keelkanakku that came out during the period from 300 - 600 AD.

Just as the eight great works of Sangam literature dealt with Agam and Puram, these eighteen works can be classified as Neethinoolkal or Aranoolkal, i.e. books dealing with ethics. Kalavazhi Narpathu, a war literature, is one of them.

The group of didactic poems called Neethinoolkal include the well-known Thirukural, referred to in the poem as Muppal. This book consists of 1330 couplets grouped in three sections Aram, Porul and Kaamam. Many scholars have written commentaries on Thirukural. Five of the commentators namely Manakkudavar, Kalinkar, Pariperumal, Parithiyar and Parimelazhkar are known by their works available now. However, the commentary of Parimelazhkar is the most popularly followed. Naladiyar is the next well known and well-admired work among Tamil readers. Six works of Aganoolkal from Kaarnaarpathu to Kainilai deal with the ideal love-life of Tamil people.

The events on battle grounds are graphically described in forty poems in the work Kalavazhi Naarpathu. This is the only work belonging to Purathinai. The author Poykaiyar describes the war between two Tamil kings Cholan Chenkannan and Cheraman Kanaikkal Irumporai. Most of the poems describe the role of elephants used in this battle.

On learning this lesson you will understand the post - sangam era in the history of Tamil Land, the anthology of eighteen works and their authors, the structure of each of these works and the reason for calling them collectively as Pathinenkeelkanakku, The contents, the greatness of imagination, similes and the style used in these works will be well appreciated.