Naṉṉūl (Tamil: நன்னூல்) is a work on Tamil grammar written by a Jain ascetic[1] Pavananthi Munivar around 13th century CE.[2] It is the most significant work on Tamil grammar after Tolkāppiyam.[2] The work credits Western Ganga vassal king Seeya Gangan of Kolar with patronising it.[3][4]
About 20 commentaries have been written on Nannūl up to 19th century CE.[1] Nannūl was divided into five sections: written language, spoken language, semantics, poetic language and rhetorical devices. The latter three sections have been lost, so only the parts on written and spoken language are extant today.[2]
In Tamil, nal means good and nūl means book, so Nannūl means good book.[2]
See also
edit- Karanthai Pavananthi munivar
References
edit- ^ a b Paniker, K. Ayyappa (1997). Medieval Indian Literature: Surveys and selections. Sahitya Akademi. p. 527. ISBN 9788126003655. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
- ^ a b c d Sadasivan, M. P. (13 January 2011). "Nannūl" (in Malayalam). State Institute of Encyclopaedic Publications. Archived from the original on 20 August 2014. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
- ^ Govindasamy, Muthusamy (1977). A Survey of the Sources for the History of Tamil Literature. Annamalai University. p. 189. OCLC 5334976.
...he was a resident of Janajapuram (of Kancivaram) and [...] was patronised by Seeyangagan of Kolar (Mysore). Since Seeyangagan ruled in 1178–1216 the period of the work is evident.
- ^ "Nannūl". Bulletin of the Institute of Traditional Cultures. University of Madras: 181. January–June 1978. ISSN 0541-7562. OCLC 1714048.
One of the Ganga kings, Seeya Gangan, a contemporary of Kulōttunga III got Bhavananti to compose present Tamil standard grammar Nannūl.