Chithalai Chathanar

(Redirected from Sattanar)

Topics in Sangam literature
Sangam literature
Agattiyam Tolkāppiyam
Eighteen Greater Texts
Eight Anthologies
Aiṅkurunūṟu Akanāṉūṟu
Puṟanāṉūṟu Kalittokai
Kuṟuntokai Natṟiṇai
Paripāṭal Patiṟṟuppattu
Ten Idylls
Tirumurukāṟṟuppaṭai Kuṟiñcippāṭṭu
Malaipaṭukaṭām Maturaikkāñci
Mullaippāṭṭu Neṭunalvāṭai
Paṭṭiṉappālai Perumpāṇāṟṟuppaṭai
Poruṇarāṟṟuppaṭai Ciṟupāṇāṟṟuppaṭai
Related topics
Sangam Sangam landscape
Tamil history from Sangam literature Ancient Tamil music
Eighteen Lesser Texts
Nālaṭiyār Nāṉmaṇikkaṭikai
Iṉṉā Nāṟpatu Iṉiyavai Nāṟpatu
Kār Nāṟpatu Kaḷavaḻi Nāṟpatu
Aintiṇai Aimpatu Tiṉaimoḻi Aimpatu
Aintinai Eḻupatu Tiṇaimālai Nūṟṟaimpatu
Tirukkuṟaḷ Tirikaṭukam
Ācārakkōvai Paḻamoḻi Nāṉūṟu
Ciṟupañcamūlam Mutumoḻikkānci
Elāti Kainnilai
Bhakti Literature
Naalayira Divya Prabandham Ramavataram
Tevaram Tirumuṟai
edit

Satthanar or Chithalai Satthanar (Tamil: சாத்தனார் or சீத்தலைச் சாத்தனார், cītalai cāttanār) was the Tamil poet who composed the epic Manimekalai. A total of 11 verses of the Sangam literature have been attributed to Satthanar, including verse 10 of the Tiruvalluva Maalai.[1]

Etymology

edit

Pronounced Sa-tha-naar, the name is derived from (Tamil: சாத்து, sāttu) meaning Buddhist monk.[2] Applying this principle to the name Maturai Kulavāṇikan Cāttan, the author of Manimekalai, we see that the two appellations Maturai and Kulavanikan were prefixed to his name in order to distinguish him from another poet of Maturai with the same name and from a third who lived elsewhere. Several examples could be cited of this system of nomenclature which prevailed during the early days.[3]

Biography

edit

Satthanar hailed from a place known as Seerthandalai, later came to be known as Seethalai.[1] He was a grain merchant at Madurai and hence came to be called "Koolavanigan". He was a contemporary of Cheran Senguttuvan and was believed to have practiced Buddhism.[citation needed] He has sung in praise of the Pandyan king Chittira Maadatthu Thunjiya Nanmaran in the Sangam work of Purananuru.[4]

Vaiyapuri Pillai sees him along with Ilango Adigal as developing two divergent strands of the Chilampu legend that forms the basis for both Cilapatikaram and Manimekalai.[5] He is seen as an expert in both orthodox and heterodox systems of Indian philosophy and as an advocate of Buddhist philosophy.[6] It is seen that Maṇimekhalai was written after the Tirukkural was composed, because there are two verses from the Tirukkural quoted in Manimekalai.[7][8]

Contribution to the Sangam literature

edit

Satthanar composed the Manimekalai and has authored 11 Sangam verses, including 3 in Natrinai, 5 in Agananuru, and 1 each in Kurunthogai, Purananuru, and Tiruvalluva Maalai.[4]

See also

edit

Citations

edit

References

edit
  • Mukherjee, Sujit (1998). A Dictionary of Indian Literature. Orient Longman. p. 354. ISBN 81-250-1453-5.
  • Vedanayagam, Rama (2017). Tiruvalluva Maalai: Moolamum Eliya Urai Vilakkamum (in Tamil) (1 ed.). Chennai: Manimekalai Prasuram. pp. 21–23.
  • Cō. Na Kantacāmi (1978). Buddhism as Expounded in Manimekalai. Annamalai University. p. 393.
  • University of Ceylon Review (Volumes 6-8 ed.). 1948. p. 97.
  • Kowmareeshwari, S., ed. (August 2012). Agananuru, Purananuru. Sanga Ilakkiyam (in Tamil). Vol. 3 (1 ed.). Chennai: Saradha Pathippagam. p. 240.
  • Journal of the Institute of Asian Studies (Volume 9 ed.). Institute of Asian Studies. 1991. p. 35.
  • Tamil Studies (Volume 4 ed.). International Institute of Tamil Historical Studies. 1984.
  • Dhammaratana, Hisselle (1964). Buddhism in South India. Buddhist Publication Society Online Library. Kandy, Sri Lanka: Buddhist Publication Society. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 26 September 2010.
  • Aiyangar, Rao Bahadur Krishnaswāmi (1928). Maṇimekhalai in its Historical Setting. London.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)