logic.3 It does not seem to be a part of the epic. The principles of Cānkya philosophy and others, also seem to belong to an earlier age than the Cānkya Kārika and other books now available. This epic may be assigned to an age following Cilappatikāram, in the period preceding the Pallava supremacy. Kavunti and Māṭalan in Cilappatikāram and Aravaṇa Aṭikaḷ in Maṇimekalai, are important characters in the structure of these two epics. The chorus plays an important part in Greek drama, as giving an expression of opinion on the action of the drama, even as it is taking place. Apart from this critical function, the chorus represents an agency which knows more than the actors. In Cilappatikāram, without the nun Kavunti who accompanies Kovalan and Kaṇṇaki on their way to Maturai, the author could not so effectively have created an ethically perfect portrait of Kovalan and Kaṇṇaki. Māṭalan who narrates the previous achievements of Kovalan is equally important. But he is important from a different point of view. He knows almost all the characters as an elder, and outlives most of them. He knows more than any of the characters. He has travelled all over India. His sympathy, his piety, his life of pilgrimage, his power of beautiful expression (e.g. "the song of Mātavi crushes down the Northern kings"), his saintly advice, his communication with spiritual powers, and, above all, the reverence shown by all the characters including the spiritual power, Cāttan, make it easy for us to believe that all turn to him for explaining the past, the present and the future, not of course like an astrologer, but as the man of great experience. He may be called a choric spectator (sākṣin) in the drama. In Maṇimekalai this kind of character comes in the form of Aravaṇa Aṭikaḷ. He has a moral and saintly stature greater than that of Māṭalan. He knows all the characters and their previous births as well personally. Like Māṭalan he is there from the beginning to the end of the story with a suggestion that he lives thereafter as well. To him all come for an explanation of past, present and future. He is not merely worldly-wise like Māṭalan; he is blessed with a spiritual vision and therefore foretells what is going to happen, but only when the listener has spiritually attuned to listen to that prophecy. The introduction of this kind of character, who may be called the spectator, probably helps to infuse confidence in our mind and to effect economy in composition. His statement carries weight and what otherwise would require many scenes comes to be stated succinctly by him in a narrative speech. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 Ibid., 27. |