Ponniyin Selvan Varalaatru Peravai

> T.P.Meenakshisundaram calls her the earliest shaivite poetess , dates her to "before 6th century"

she probably was the inventor of the anthaadi used by poets even still

she is honoured by being allowed to sit amongst the 63

ammaiyapper( with no father or mother) called her ammaiyE

venketesh




> K.A.N.Shastri in History of South India"Perhaps theearliest author in the group whose works have entered the Saiva canon is Karaikal Ammai ,"The woman of Karaikal"
> H.Jesudasan also gives same dating - History of TamilLiterature pp 64-65
> Compiler of Tamil Pulavar agarathi ,1960 p117 - gives 6th century.
> S.Vaiyapuri Pillai dates her to 700A.D.
>
> Dating by Dr.Zvelebil 550-600 AD
>
> Reference:
> Tamil Literature by Dr.Zvelebil
> Lexicon of Tamil Literature by Dr.Zvelebil
>
>

Very Tentative dating
>Should be earlier than Cuntarar - Cuntarar mentions in his Tiruthondarpuranam 5.
> Nambi dedicates acknowledges him in St.36 of his work
>Periyapuram 28 is dedicated to him
> Porbably earlier than Campantar since Cuntarar says Campantar found Thirumulars works in Temple of Tiruvavatuturai.

Dating by Dr.Zvelebil late 6th century - early 7th century.
S.Vaiyapuri Pillai dating - first quarter of 8th century.


Interesting observation from me-
in 1973 Smile of Muruga he dates Thirumular to &th century - dues to his invocation to Pillayar.
in 1975 Tamil Literature - He put him to early late 6th to early 7th and says Pillayar invocation might be a latter addition to the original text.(Thirumanthiram is supposed to have only 3000 poems - but there are various editions with 3047,3071 stanzas - this would have created a doubt about the authorship of the pillayar poem)


from - Tamil Literature by Dr.Zvelebil

Analysis of his works and few translations are also done by Dr.Zvelebil in Smile of Murugan, Shidda Quest and Poets of powers