EAP810/14/1

Titles in original script:

நூல் 1: சௌமிய சாகரம்நூல் 2: போகர் கற்பம் - 340நூல் 3: ரோம ரிஷி - 50நூல் 4: பிரம்ம கீதை;

The manuscript is composed of four texts written in verses by diverse authors on palm leaves numbered from 1 to 98. It deals with esotericism, notably meditation and rejuvenation. The first eleven palm leaves of the manuscript are very damaged by rodent and the other are in good condition, sometimes slightly damaged by larvae.

Text 1 – The text, entitled Caumiya Cākaram and written by Akattiyar is composed of 35 palm leaves. It deals with yoga and meditation. The text gives instruction for practicing meditation by focusing on the mind considered as essential, and by way of chanting repeatedly the mantiram (sk mantra) "Om krīn maci, maci". This kind of meditation using the word based on five syllables (pañcātcaram) “Namacivāya” is highly recommended to obtain the god’s blessing and all kinds of wealth during the life.

Text 2- The text, entitled Pōkar kaṟpam- 340, contains 48 palm leaves distributed in the manuscript at various places (leaves 1 to 15, 154 to 158, 287 to 290, 308 to 322, 229 to 230 and 327 to 333). Each leaf contains a verse. This text explains in detail the benefits acquired from the consumption of kaṟpam medicines. It presents the following example: if a person desires to live eighty years, he/she has to eat kaṭukkāy (Terminalia chebula) for 20 days when he/she is 20 years, 35 days when he/she is 30 years, 30 days when he/she is 40 years and 35 days when he/she is 80 years, as kaṭukkāy makes the body as strong as a stone.

Text 3- The text, entitled Rōma Riṣi- 50, is composed of 8 palm leaves numbered from 84 to 96. It deals with yoga. The text informs that to attain salvation, individuals have to meditate by concentrating on the mind, to perform the pūja to the goddess Maṉōṉmaṇi, and to control the flux of vāta in their body. To make body as hard as diamond (vajjiram), individuals have to consume Vajjirāti lēkiyam, an electuary based on diamond. The formulation of this lēkiyam is described, as well as that of Cantaṉāti tailam used for the rejuvenation of the body.

Text 4- This text, entitled Piramma Kītai, is composed of only two palm leaves numbered 97 and 98. It is anonymous. It deals with the practice of yoga (yōka muṟai). It explains notably the postures cūriya kalai-12 and cantira kalai-16 which have to be practised with the posture of Civa Civa Civa kalai for optimizing the result. This yogic performance looks like the combination of iḷampiṟai, a posture in the form of lunar arc, and of cakti tiru uruvam, a posture imitating the sitting posture of the goddess Cakti.

Size of the manuscript: 12.7cm x 2.6cm. The texts are numbered from 1 to 98; two first leaves introduce the texts and 5 blanck leaves end the manuscript. The first eleven leaves are very damaged by rodent and the other leaves are in good condition, sometimes slightly damaged by larvae.