EAP810/23/35

Titles in original script:

நூல் 1: கவி வெண்பாநூல் 2: வைராக்கிய சதகம்நூல் 3:பஞ்சீகரணம்நூல் 4: சிவப்பிரகாச கட்டளைநூல் 5: மகா வாக்கியம் - திசை காரியம்நூல் 6: உபநிஷ தத்துவம்நூல் 7: அதிகார லட்சணம்;

The manuscript comprises 7 texts dealing mainly with philosophy of Śaiva Siddhanta and 5 additional leaves whose the topic is not identifiable due to the fact they are partly damaged. The manuscript is in good condition, some leaves have been bitten by rodents.

Text 1- The text, entitled Kavi Veṇpā, is written in verses. Formed by palm leaves numbered from 1 to 11. The text is attributed to Karapāttira Cuvāmi, considered as a cittar and a great yōgi, recognised by pandit-s who praise him as Kañci Māka Cuvāmikaḷ. He lived from alms. The text concerns the philosophy of non-dualism (Civa ātvaita; Sanskrit. Śiva advaita) which considers that all the souls are part of the universal soul, and designates Civaṉ as the ultimate god of the universe. Creation (ākkal), protection (kāttal), destruction (aḻittal), concealing (maṟaittal) and blessing (aruḷal) are believed to be the five duties of Civaṉ, and thus, praying him is a way to attaining salvation.

Text 2- The text is entitled Vairākkiya Catakam. Containing 14 leaves numbered from 1 to 14 on which the verses from 1 to 50 are written, the text is incomplete. It refers to the inner consciousness and teaches that all the desires and happy things in the world are temporary. According to this philosophy, permanent happiness may be attained only by a complete surrender to the god Civaṉ.

Text 3- The text, entitled Pañcīkaraṇam, is written in both prose and verses. It is made of leaves numbered from 1 to 8; it is incomplete. The text is based on the theory of pañcīkaraṇam or pañcapūtam by which all the things of the universe are constituted of five elements (earth, water, fire, air and space), explains that the things distinguish each other by four states of mind or antakkaraṇam, i.e. the mind (cittam), intellect (putti), faculty of reasoning (maṉam) and achievement (akaṅkāram).

Text 4- The text, entitled Civappirakāca Kaṭṭaḷai, contains palm leaves numbered from 1 to 15; it is complete. Written in prose, the text exposes the theory of twenty-four tattuvam constituted of the five elements, the five motor organs, the five sense organs, the five senses and four states of mind (antakkaraṇam), to which it adds a 25th tattuvam, the knowledge of the god Civaṉ (Civaparam poruḷ).

Text 5- The text, entitled Makā Vākkiyam -Ticai Kāriyam which means ‘important sentence – ten essential deeds to attain salvation’ is formed of palm leaves numbered from 1 to 12 on which 52 verses are written; it is complete. The text explains that the human soul is the manifestation of Civaṉ (jīvanē civam)

Text 6- The text, entitled Upaniṣa Tattuvam, is composed of two palm leaves. It is written in verses. The text presents some clarification of Upaniṣad-s, notably the terminology of akam prammāsmi which means that the power of the creator Brahma is in everyone so as it is not necessary to worship the gods.

Text 7- The text, entitled Atikāra Laṭcaṇam, has 20 palm leaves numbered from 1 to 25; it is incomplete and written in both prose and verses. The text concerns the philosophy of advaita exposing that the state of rebirth based on the acts, duties, good deeds and prayers whose the quality and constancy are essential to attain salvation, and then, the eternal salvation (mutti nilai), when the soul (jīvaṉ) merges into the eternal power (pirammam; sk. brahma). The title of the text indicates that by writing the text, the author commit him/herself to observe the rules.

Size of the manuscript: 19,0cm x 4,0cm. The text 1 is composed of palm leaves numbered from 1 to 11; the text 2 from 1 to 14; the text 3 from 1 to 8; the text 4 from 1 to 15; the text 5 from 1 to 12; the text 6 has two leaves 7 and 9; and the text of 20 leaves are numbered from 1 to 25 (leaves 18, 19, 22-24 are missing). The manuscript is in good condition, some leaves have been bitten by rodents.