Silappadikäram: An Ancient Tamil Jain Classie By Cera Prince IIangovadigal

Summary

Śilappadikāram, meaning "The Epic of the Anklet", is one of the earliest and most significant Tamil literary classics. Authored by Iḷaṅgōvaḍigaḷ, a Cēra prince who later became a Jain ascetic, the epic serves as both a literary and ethical landmark. Composed in three parts (Puhār-kāṇḍam, Madurai-kāṇḍam, Vañji-kāṇḍam), it presents a moral narrative illustrating three Jain ethical themes: the inevitable law of karma, the sanctity of chastity, and the necessity of righteous kingship. Narrative Summary i) Protagonists: The central characters are Kōvalan, a wealthy merchant’s son from Puhār, and his devoted wife Kaṇṇaki, daughter of another merchant. ii) Fall and Redemption: Kōvalan falls for the courtesan Mādhavi, spends all his wealth, and later returns remorsefully to Kaṇṇaki. She offers her anklets to help restart his business. iii) Tragedy at Madurai: They travel to Madurai where Kōvalan is falsely accused by a deceitful goldsmith of stealing the queen’s anklet and is executed without trial. iv) Kaṇṇaki’s Wrath: Kaṇṇaki proves his innocence by breaking her remaining anklet and showing it contains different gems. The king, realizing his error, dies in remorse. Kaṇṇaki curses and burns the city, then ascends to heaven with her husband in divine form. Jain Themes and Influence i) Iḷaṅgōvaḍigaḷ’s Motivation: The epic was inspired by a divine vision narrated to the prince in a Jain temple, emphasizing karmic retribution, female virtue, and kingly dharma. ii) Ahimsa and Śrāvaka Ideals: The text strongly promotes Jain values like non-violence, moral purity, and flower-offering worship (pūppāli). The term aṇṭaṇar (used in the epic) is interpreted by the commentator Adiyārkkunallār as referring to Jain householders (śrāvakas), not just Brahmins. Cultural Impact and Legacy i) Temple Worship: The epic ends with Cēra king Cēṅguṭṭuvan building a temple to honor Kaṇṇaki, now deified as the Goddess of Chastity, and several northern kings (including King Gajabāhu of Laṅkā) vowing to do the same. ii) Historical Significance: The presence of Gajabāhu (2nd century C.E. according to the Mahāvaṃsa) helps date the work to around 150 C.E., though some scholars place it later. iii) Commentary Tradition: The most authoritative commentary is by Adiyārkkunallār, who was earlier than Naṭṭiṉārkkiniyār. His commentary reveals deep expertise in classical music, dance, and ethics.