Kaniyan Pungundranar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kaniyan Pungundranar
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| Born | Uncertain; probably around 6th century BCE. Mahibalanpatti, Sivaganga district, Tamil Nadu, India
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Notable work
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Purananuru Naṟṟiṇai |
| Region | Mahibalanpatti, Sivaganga district, Tamil Nadu, India |
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Main interests
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Ethics, ahimsa, justice, virtue, politics, education, family, friendship, love |
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Notable ideas
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Common ethics and morality |
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Influences
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Influenced
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Kaniyan Poongunranar (also known as Poongundranar or Pungundranar) was an important Tamil thinker from a long time ago. He lived during the Sangam age, probably around 600 years before Christ. His name "Kaniyan" means he was likely an astronomer, someone who studied stars and time.
Kaniyan Poongunranar was born and grew up in a village called Mahibalanpatti. This village is in the Sivaganga district of Tamil Nadu, India. He wrote two famous poems that are still read today. These poems are found in ancient collections called Puṟanāṉūṟu and Natrinai.
Contents
Kaniyan Poongunranar's Famous Poem
Kaniyan Poongunranar's most well-known poem is from the collection called Purananuru (Verse 192). This poem shares deep ideas about how we should live and see the world.
| Tamil | Tamil Romanization | What it Means |
|---|---|---|
| "யாதும் ஊரே யாவரும் கேளிர்
தீதும் நன்றும் பிறர்தர வாரா நோதலும் தணிதலும் அவற்றோ ரன்ன சாதலும் புதுவது அன்றே, வாழ்தல் இனிதென மகிழ்ந்தன்றும் இலமே முனிவின் இன்னா தென்றலும் இலமே, மின்னொடு வானம் தண்துளி தலைஇ யானாது கல் பொருது மிரங்கு மல்லல் பேரியாற்று நீர்வழிப் படூஉம் புணைபோல் ஆருயிர் முறை வழிப் படூஉம் என்பது திறவோர் காட்சியில் தெளிந்தனம் ஆகலின், மாட்சியின் பெரியோரை வியத்தலும் இலமே, சிறியோரை இகழ்தல் அதனினும் இலமே". |
"Yātum ūrē yāvarum kēḷir
tītum naṉṟum piṟartara vārā nōtalum taṇitalum avaṟṟō raṉṉa cātalum putuvatu aṉṟē, vāḻtal iṉiteṉa makiḻntaṉṟum ilamē muṉiviṉ iṉnā teṉṟalum ilamē, miṉṉoṭu vāṉam taṇtuḷi talai'iyāṉātu kal porutu miraṅku mallal pēriyāṟṟu nīrvaḻip paṭū'um puṇaipōl āruyir muṟai vaḻip paṭū'um eṉpatu tiṟavōr kāṭciyil teḷintaṉam ākaliṉ, māṭciyiṉ periyōrai viyattalum ilamē, ciṟiyōrai ikaḻtal ataṉiṉum ilamē". |
"Every place is our hometown, and everyone is our relative.
Good things and bad things don't come from others. Pain and comfort are also similar. Dying is not a new thing. We don't get overly happy about living, nor sad about dying. Like a raft floating down a big river, hitting rocks and making noise, Our precious lives also follow a natural path. Wise people have understood this clearly. So, we don't praise the powerful, and we certainly don't look down on the less powerful." |
Important Ideas in the Poem
Kaniyan Poongunranar's poem teaches us several big ideas.
Everyone is Connected
Poongunranar believed that all people are part of one big family. He said we should not divide people into different groups. Instead, we should see everyone as equal, no matter their background or status. This idea is called cosmopolitanism.
Life Follows a Natural Path
The poem talks about a "Way of Order" (muṟai vazhi). This means that everything in life follows a natural law. Just like a log floats where the water takes it, our lives also follow a path. This path is shaped by our actions and the world around us.
Key Principles of Life
Poongunranar shared some important rules for living:
- All humans are equal: People from every town have the same value because we are all related. This means everyone should be treated fairly.
- You are responsible for your actions: Good and bad things don't just happen to you from others. They come from your own thoughts and actions. So, you are responsible for your own happiness and sadness.
- Death is natural: Dying is a normal part of life's journey. It's not something new or strange. Because life is short, we should make the most of it.
The Raft Story
Poongunranar uses the example of a raft to explain his ideas.
- He compares being born to a flash of lightning. This suggests that life can begin anywhere, suddenly.
- He says human life is like a raft floating down a fast river. The raft goes through a tough journey, hitting rocks. This journey represents the challenges we face in life.
- The end of the raft's journey, like reaching the ocean, is compared to death.
- Since everyone's life is like this raft journey, it doesn't make sense to praise people who seem more successful. It's even worse to look down on those who seem less successful. Everyone faces their own challenges, no matter their social standing.
How the Poem Influenced Others
Kaniyan Poongunranar's poem has been very important for many people.
- The famous line, "Yaadhum Oore Yaavarum Kelir" (Every place is our hometown, and everyone is our relative), became a motto. It is used by the World Thamizh Confederation to represent Tamil people.
- This quote is even shown at the United Nations. Important leaders like G. G. Ponnambalam, A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, and Narendra Modi have quoted it in their speeches there.
- The poem was chosen as the theme song for the 10th World Tamil Conference in Chicago. An American composer named Rajan Somasundaram created music for this 2000-year-old poem. Famous singers like Bombay Jayashri and Karthik (singer) have sung it.
- Rajan Somasundaram's musical version of "Yaadhum Oore" was part of an album called Sandham: Symphony Meets Classical Tamil. This album was even in Amazon's Top 10 International Music albums.
Kaniyan Poongunranar's Other Poem
Kaniyan Poongunranar also wrote a poem in the collection called Natrinai (Verse 226). This poem is about a conversation between a man and a woman.
| Tamil | Tamil Romanization | What it Means |
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| "மரஞ்சா மருந்தும் கொள்ளார் மாந்தர்
உரம் சாச் செய்யார் உயர்தவம் வளம் கெடப் பொன்னும் கொள்ளார் மன்னர் நன்னுதல் நாந்தம் உண்மையின் உளமே அதனால் தாம் செய் பொருளன அறியார் தாம் கசிந்து என்றூழ் நிறுப்ப நீளிடை ஒழியச் சென்றோர் மன்ற நம் காதலர் என்றும் இன்ன நிலைமைத்து என்ப என்னோரும் அறிப இவ்வுலகத்தானே". |
"Marañcā maruntum koḷḷār māntar
uram cāc ceyyār uyartavam vaḷam keṭap poṉṉum koḷḷār maṉṉar naṉṉutal nāntam uṇmaiyiṉ uḷamē ataṉāl tām cey poruḷaṉa aṟiyār tām kacintu eṉṟūḻ niṟuppa nīḷiṭai oḻiyac ceṉṟōr maṉṟa nam kātalar eṉṟum iṉṉa nilaimaittu eṉpa eṉṉōrum aṟipa ivvulakattāṉē". |
A man asks his beloved if he can go far away to find wealth.
The woman says no. She explains to her friend what makes a good person or a good king. She says, "We are good because he is." She wonders if it's fair that he would go on a long, hard journey in the burning sun. She says everyone in the world knows that there should be no separation, no matter what situation people are in. The poem talks about the sadness of being apart. |
