LESSON - 4 History of Literature - 13th century
A0 4134 பதின்மூன்றாம் நூற்றாண்டு
The
growth of literature in the thirteenth century is the focus in this lesson.
Literary works and their commentaries, grammatical works and their commentaries
and the Saivite and Vaishnavite literature, besides
பிரபந்தங்கள் are the significant works of this century. The
end of Chola reign in this century witnessed a fall in literary contribution
of merit. However, one cannot but remember the singular status of
நளவெண்பா. The
first unit mentions about சிவஞான போதம் and
சிவஞான சித்தியார் under Saivite literature and
நளவெண்பா under secular category. A beautiful
commentary like பரிமேலழகர் உரை projected the
great Thirukkural in all its hues of human life and its principles and
precepts. The
second unit brings out
the famous Tamil grammar நன்னூல்,
besides அகப்பொருள் விளக்கம்,
another grammatical treatise. Thus Tamil grammar is presented
again in a new format for better understanding. The
third unit on religious literature deals with Vaishnavite contributors
like பெரியவாச்சான் பிள்ளை and
பின்பழகிய பெருமாள் ஜீயர். Jain works like அறநெறிச்சாரம்
and யசோதர காவியம் came up during this
period. The
fourth unit on Prabhanda literature deals with குலோத்துங்க
சோழன் கோவை, தஞ்சைவாணன் கோவை and other works. Puranas and Vedanta
writings include நம்பி திருவிளையாடல் and
பரமார்த்த தரிசனம். Buddhist
literature is obvious by its absence in the literary output of this century. You
will be happy to know something of the Saiva siddhantha philosopy in this
lesson, through சிவஞான சிந்தியார் and சிவஞான
போதம். Only during this era, such philosophical treatises appeared
in Tamil for the first time. The evils of gambling are exposed in the
great நளவெண்பா of this period. How a change
of reigns affected literary growth can best be learnt through this lesson.
