Saturn’s polar design resembles the yantra of the Lord Saneeswara.

The news report in today's paper tells about a temple dedicated to Lord Shani / Saneeswara in a place called Thiru Erikuppam in Thiruvannamalai district of Tamilnadu. The lord is worshiped in the form a Yantra (a mystic design that is unique for a particular God).

The stone tablet with the yantra inscribed on it:-

This yantra was found inscribed on a stone tablet. When its existence came to be known, people constructed a temple for it and started worshiping it as Shani Bhagawan.

Shani-Yantra

The news is that this yantra resembles the design of the Polar region of Saturn that the Cassini spacecraft had photographed.

The pattern at the North pole of Saturn

One may be tempted to dismiss this as a coincidence. But some analysis of why these patterns appear on Saturn gives us some interesting revelations.

Every object or every action creates some impact be means of some vibrations. The hexagonal pattern of Saturn is the result of the inner dynamics of Saturn – of the wind patterns that made an imprint on the surroundings through the vibrations.

The vibrations cause geometric shapes. They can be seen here:-

http://thebigfoto.com/saturn-from-space

This was better understood by scientists when they worked on the hurricanes to identify the factors that could help them predict whether a hurricane will be deadly or mild. The eye of the Hurricane shows some geometric pattern depending on the kind of activity going inside it.

Some amazing pictures similar to the Kolams that we Hindus draw in our pooja rooms and in the frontage of our houses can be seen in the eye of the hurricanes.

The comparison between hurricane Ivan and Isabel was done and it was deduced that the vibrations of the wind movement create specific geometric patterns. Based on the pattern, the intensity of the hurricane can be known.

The basis of such patterns is studied as Cymatics. Cymatics is a wave phenomenon that studies how sounds and vibrations manifest into forms through various materials.

The effect on water or fluids is remarkable.

For instance, the impact of vibrations of waves created the these patterns on fluids (in this pic)

(Pic courtesy:-

http://www.enterprisemission.com/hurricane3.htm)

Some of these resemble the yantra designs of Gods and Navagrahas.

Take a look at the eye of the hurricanes. They resemble the popular star kolam or the yantra design.

Eye of the hurricane analysis in this link:-

http://www.enterprisemission.com/hurricane4.htm

This pattern is formed under intense activity within the hurricane.

Does the yantra with the same design mean that intense vibrations are created while contemplating on that yantra?

I am not well versed in Yantra related issues. I just made a google search to know the pattern for other planets.

I could get the pattern for Jupiter yantra(Guru). It was amazing as it resembled the popular pattern of Jupiter!

It also looked like the navagraha Kolam for Guru

http://www.4shared.com/photo/xxfqnxAY/Guru_Yantra_-_Jupiter.html

Guru yantra

Jupiter's North and South pole

This polar photograph was taken in 2000 when the sun was crossing Jupiter's equator.

I give this information specifically because I found from Cassini's mission that Saturn experiences summer (sun reaching its maximum distance in the northern hemisphere of Saturn) when Saturn is in Libra – the sign where it is exalted as per astrology.

My article on this can be read here :-Summer in Saturn's north & Mayan myth of 2012!

By this rationale Jupiter must experience its summer in North when it is in the sign, cancer. The above picture was taken when Jupiter was going retrograde ( as seen form earth) in the sign Taurus. This position was midway and that is why I said the sun was crossing its equator at that time.

The North pole pattern photographed at that time might not give a ideal pattern in my opinion. Even then the pattern bears some resemblance to Guru yantra.

For other planets, the polar pictures are not available.

Talking the logic of geometric patterns, another research exists that shows how thoughts, words and the even the impurities create patterns on water.

Click this link to read more on this.

http://www.sakthifoundation.org/Water_Healing-3.htm

The rationale perfectly fits in the Hindu system of poojas, use of water in poojas, water pots, in making water sacred by means of vibrations created by japas. Every vedic homa is a vibration- causing pattern aimed at specific results.

In experiments shown in the above link, the hexagonal pattern (same pattern seen in Saturn's polar region) stands for wisdom!

This is exciting information because Saturn is identified as Gyana karaka, the signifactor for gyana or wisdom of Highest order – of God and spirituality. In astrology, both Saturn and Jupiter must have a benefic connection in relation to one's birth time ascendant and its lord to enable one to transcend higher realms of knowledge and awareness of God consciousness. Presently these two planets are in opposition in benefic signs on opposite sides of the zodiac. I am curious to know the kind of patterns they generate now.

Coming to the topic in hand, here is a pic of Lord Shani with the yantra inscribed.

Saneesawarar in yantra form at Erikkuppam.

The hexagon inscribes the popular design of two triangles that are basic in most yantric patterns.

These patterns indicate a specific level of vibrations or waves or energy.

We are also bundles of energy with the basic elements of nature in some proportion that may not be in equilibrium or laid in positive ways.

In astrology every planet (graha) stands for certain energy forms of Nature.

By contemplating on them we are deriving the energy needed by us to give us positive vibes.

The navagraha poojas and the worship of deities in consecrated forms with some yantra or mantra forming their basis, help us to get in tune with their vibration levels.

Hindu ways of worship and astrology are not without some sound science or rationale behind them.

The geometric pattern of Saturn looking similar to Shani-yantra testifies this.

- jayasree

**********************************

From

http://dc-epaper.com/DC/DCC/2010/07/16/ArticleHtmls/16_07_2010_006_035.shtml?Mode=0

Saneeswarar worshipped as yantra

July 15: Deccan Chronicle, Chennai

Centuries before Nasa's Cassini satellite brought images of a hexagonal geometry surrounding the Saturn planet, a temple at Thiru Erikuppam village, near Arni, in Tiruvannamalai district, bore a stone inscription — yantra — believed to be Lord Saneeswarar with an inscribed image of the hexagon. Temple authorities and villagers claim that this proved the astrological knowledge of our forefathers at a time when there was no scientific or technological expertise.

The 500-year-old stone inscription, believed to be Lord Saneeswara in the form of a divine sculpture (yantra), in Sree Yantra Saneeswarar temple, bears resemblance to the hexagonal geometry photographed by Nasa's Cassini satellite in 2006, around Saturn. This stands as a testimony to our ancestors' knowledge about astrology and their understanding of planets.

The inscription, which is 5.5 ft high and 2.5 ft wide, has shutkonam (srichakram), the hexagon, in the middle with a circle touching all the six points of the shutkonam. The sculpted images of the sun on the left and moon on the right are found on top of the yantra. An image of a crow, believed to be the vahana of Lord Saneeswarar, is also found between the sun and moon.

The main mantras of Lord Saneeswarar and Goddess Lakshmi are found in the yantra, which is believed to be erected in the village in the late 15th or early 16th century, according to Mr K. Saravanan, curator of the government museum in Vellore fort.

Authorities of the archeological survey of India, who had visited the village in 2002, explained the artefact , of the yantra to the villagers e and its uniqueness. Following that, the villagers constructed a temple for the yantra, said priest R. Sundar.

"The yantra is an architectural marvel and example of our forefathers' astrological o expertise. The picture of hexagon in the Saturn planet taken by Nasa's Cassini satellite resembles the s shutkonam in the yantra.

We came to known about o this in 2007," said Mr R. Srinivasan, secretary of the temple. Unlike other temples, this one does not have a gopuram and the yantra, which is the main deity, is open to the sky.

This is the only temple in o which Lord Saneeswarar is n worshipped in the form of a yantra.

**********************

Home page of Erikkuppam Saneeswarar temple:-

http://yandrasaneeswarar.com/index.html

The Hexagon in the Planet Saturn Coincides with Sree Yandra Saneeswara :

Science fact is something far stranger than the fiction. There is something beyond human knowledge. Thats the act of siddhas – The divine humans. The latest is one among that which is related to our Sree Saneeswara Bhagavan at Erikuppam.. Recently NASA released a new picture taken by Cassini, a satellite probe currently orbiting around Planet Saturn.

The Picture show clearly a Hexagon shaped cloud formation which covers the entire north pole of Saturn. The Hexagon is nearly 25000 kilometres across and nearly four earths could fix inside it officials from NASA says. “This is a very strange feature, lying in a precise geometric fashion with six nearly equally straight sides” says kevin baines, atmospheric expert at NASA. NASA exclaimed that they have never seen anything like this in any other planet and Saturn will be the only planet to see such hexagonal geometric figure and they stated it is a permanent structure.

Now here is something more mystic and mythic which coincides with the fact. The Hexagonal Geometry shown by NASA's picture resembles more the inscriptions shown in the yandra of Sree Yandra Saneeswarar Temple. The Inscriptions as we know is 1500 years old i.e., the day when there was no science and technology. It is a remarkable coincidence and it is believed that is an act of Siddhas who with their supra celestial power inscribed the image on Holy Sree Yandra Saneeswara. This strengthens the relationship between the astrology and science.

If you watch carefully, it is not exactly Hexagon, but two equilateral triangles placed opposite to each other. This also give 6 nodal points like a Hexagon and you can see flames coming out of the six nodal points, like a torch.

This revelation adds more glory to “Sri Yandra Saneeswara” at Erikuppam.

Dhrishtadyumna, the probable ancestor of the VeL kings. (World Tamil Conference series 11)

Verse 201 in Puranauru traces the origin of the VeL king IrungoveL to an ancestor who was born from a sacrificial fire conducted by a sage of the North.

நீயே, வடபால் முனிவன் தடவினுள் தோன்றிச்,
செம்பு புனைந்து இயற்றிய சேண்நெடும் புரிசை,
உவரா ஈகைத், துவரை ஆண்டு,
நாற்பத்து ஒன்பது வழிமுறை வந்த
வேளிருள் வேளே!

There is only one instance of such a birth in olden texts. That comes in Mahabharata in the birth of the twins - Dhrishtadyumna and Draupadi.

The Northern sage who did that homa was known as Yaja. He was assisted by Upayaja. It was Upayaja who suggested Yaja's name to King Drupada when he approached him for an idea to get a son capable of vanquishing Drona.

In Mahabharata chapter 1-169 we can get the details of this sage.

To quote other places where the birth of a son from sacrificial fire is indicated:-

Mbh.1.63.3167:- "Then was born Dhrishtadyumna, of the splendour of Agni himself, from the sacrificial fire."

 

Mbh.1.167.8582:- "The Pandavas said, How, O Brahmana, did the birth of Dhrishtadyumna the son of Drupada, take place from the sacrificial fire?"

 

 

It is therefore possible to connect the VeL King IrungoveL to Dhrishtadyumna from what Kapilar says. .

The gap in years that is mentioned in terms of 49 generations requires further research.

 

Dhrishtadyumna lived during the times of Mahabharata war.

That happened around 3000 BC.

If IrungoveL was a direct descendant of Dhrishtadyumna, this poem by Kapilar must have been sung much earlier and not 2000 years ago.

Kapilar's time period is needed to be researched and we have numerous poems by him in various Sangam texts.

An inscription on his death is said to be unearthed near Pudukkottai.

Kapilar holds the key to the time of migration of VeL kings from Dwaraka.

 

 

There is another input from this poem in Puranauru that shows a stronger link to Dhrishtadyumna.

It comes from a titular name that Kapilar uses to address this king.

 

He calls him as "Pulikadimaal" (புலிகடி மால்). He uses the same title in 2 songs. 

 

(ஒலியற் கண்ணிப் புலிகடி மாஅல்!)

(தாழ்ந்த கண்ணியை உடைய புலி கடி மாலே!

Meaning:- Puli kadi maal,  who wears a lowering garland of flowers called Kanni )

 

Kapilar has sung 2 songs on this king, the first one discussed in the previous post and the next one is compiled as a continuation of the first poem. From the next poem (202) we know that the king has rejected the suggestion by Kapilar to marry the daughters of Paari.

We also know that Paari and IrungoveL belonged to the same lineage called Evvi.

Since they belonged to the same clan, Kapilar had thought of approaching him for marriage.

 

 

There was another king, Vicchikko whom Kapilar approached with the same request but he also rejected the suggestion. A saddened Kapilar then married the girls to Brahmin boys.

 

 

There are other Evvis also. There was a Vel Evvi whose wife did death ceremony of offering rice balls to him on his death (Purananuru - 234).

All these Evvis must have some connection with the king who was born of the sacrificial fire.

 

 

We have to explore northern literature on Dhrishtadyumna or other Yadava kings for a term resembling Evvi. 

 

Coming to the Titular name "Pulikadimaal" (புலிகடி மால்), some commentators are of the opinion that this king was a predecessor of Hoysala kings who ruled between 10 and 14 centuries AD.

Pulikadi maal means one who threatened the tiger. புலியைக் கடிந்தமையால், அவன் புலிகடி மால் எனப் பெயர் பெற்றான்.
There is an opinion that this king was the one who killed the tiger that was about to pounce on a sage.

The Hoysala history in Karnataka has a similar story.
But the time period of Hoysalas was much later than this king.

Moreover  Kapilar, displeased with IrungoveL's rejection of the marriage offer cursed him in the next song.

The Vel kingdoms have become unknown later.

So the title must have some other relevance and is not connected to Hoysalas.

There is a name Maal in this title which denotes Thirumaal or Vishnu or Narayana.

The king is obviously referred to as Vishnu or in the image of Vishnu.

There is a mention of name as the Lord of tigers attributed to Krishna by Yudhishtira in Mahabharata.

Mbh.13.17.2684 :-

"Thou art of the form of that lord of Tigers who is worshipped in the country of the Kalingas"

Vishnu or Thirumaal had been known as Puli-maal or 'Vishnu the Tiger'.

It is known from chronicles on Kalinga (Orissa) that Siva was worshiped in Kalinga in the form of a Tiger and was called Vyaghreswara.

 

 

In the chapter quoted above, Yudhishtira was in praise of Krishna in different names that are attributable to Brahman or the all pervading One deity.

He has seen Krishna in the image of Vyaghreswara which is the tiger form of Shiva.

That is how Vishnu could have come to get a connection with tiger as Puli kadi maal or Pulimaal or Maal, the Tiger.

 

 

Dhrishtadyumna also has a connection to Kalinga.

During the Mahabharata war, Kalinga was on the side of Duryodhana because he was married to the Kalinga princess.

The battle was very fierce with Bheema fighting against the Kalingas.

From Mahabharata 6- 54 it is known that Dhrishtadyumna rushed to the help of Bheema and succeeded in countering the Kalingas.

Perhaps his valour in the war against the Kalingaswas was remembered as their God (Siva in Tiger form).

Dhrishtadyumnaa's allegiance to Krishna might have earned him the title which his descendants in Tamil nadu could have kept for themselves as Puli kadi maal.

 

 

This is not unusual because the Cholans were known as Sembians (செம்பியன் ) because they were the descendants of Sibi.

Sibi became Sembian in Tamil. We have to explore whether a term with a meaning 'winning a tiger' is found in the folklore of Orissa or Gujarat or in locations of Mahabharata war.  

 

 

What is deduced in the final analysis is that the Vel king had his predecessor in the North in the areas where IVC flourished.

The kingly families had migrated to the South.

They were not known as Dravidians.

They were not the Tamil kings.

They co existed with the 3 dynasties of the Tamil kings.

And they were never accepted by the Tamil kings.

They were always pitted against each other.

So tracing Tamils' connection to a Dravidian population of the IVC is limited to this king (or Vels in general) and others which I will discuss in the next post.

 

 

The culture and language could have been the same because the kings from the North had settled in the South and ruled over the people here.

A common language with Tamil connection might have been there, like how Hindi is a widely spoken language today as a common language for communication among the people of different parts of India.

 

 

 

Copper in Harappa, Dwaraka and in Sangam literature. (World Tamil Conference series -10)

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The Sangam literature is very vast source of information on Tamils' past and their way of life. From what I have read so far, I am able to get a lot of information that integrate Tamils with the rest of Bharath. There is absolutely no talk of Dravidians or Dravidian connection to Tamils in Tamil texts. Only at 2 places I could see some lineage connection of Tamils to the north (of the Vindhyas). There is of course a lot of information on movement of people or travel of people within India from to north to South and from south to North India. But these 2 places which I intend to write in this series are about tracing the lineage to the people of North India.

The first one - the most obvious one which many readers of Sangam texts would have known - is found in poet Kapilar's song on the VeL king, Irungo veL

( இருங்கோ வேள்) compiled as the 201st verse in Purananuru. I will take up the explanation later in the series. In the current post I want to focus on a description of copper plated walls or walls made of copper of Dwaraka.

We know that Dwaraka and Gujarat present a very rich archeological source for IVC. The contention of Dr Parpola and the Dravidian politicians of Tamilnadu is that Tamils have descended form the IVC locations of North India. The verse by poet Kapilar in fact traces the origins of the King IrungoveL to Dwaraka. He says that he belonged to the 49th generation of the king who was born of the Sacrificial Fire conducted by the sage of the North. This king ruled Dwaraka, so says the poet. Reserving the other details of this verse for a future post, I am now concentrating on another description in that song.

Kapilar describes Dwaraka as being surrounded by walls made of copper.

நீயே, வடபால் முனிவன் தடவினுள் தோன்றிச்,
செம்பு புனைந்து இயற்றிய சேண்நெடும் புரிசை,
உவரா ஈகைத், துவரை ஆண்டு,நாற்பத்து ஒன்பது வழிமுறை வந்த
வேளிருள் வேளே!

This means "O king IrungoveL! you were the 49th king in the lineage of the king, who was born of the sacrificial fire conducted by the sage and ruled Dwarka which was surrounded by long / tall walls of copper."

From the commentary that Dr U.Ve.Sa found out form the palm leaf manuscripts :-

"நீ தான் வட பக்கத்து முனிவனுடைய ஓம குண்டத்தின் கண் தோன்றிச் செம்பால் புனைத்து செய்தாலொத்த சேய்மையை உடைத்தாகிய நெடிய மதிலை உடைய துவராவதி என்னும் படை வீட்டை ஆண்டு, வெறுப்பில்லாத கொடையினை உடையராய் நாற்பத்தொன்பது தலைமுறை தொன்றுபட்டு வந்த வேள்களுள் வைத்து வேளாய் உள்ளாய்!"

This king was not in Dwaraka when Kapilar met him and sang this verse. He was ruling some part of the western ghats in present day's Karnataka. This Vel's kingdom was different from the Tamil lands of the 3 kings (Chera, Chola and Pandya). The next verse was on the same king sung by Kapilar in which he describes his land in the hills.
This king's palace was not surrounded by walls of copper. Copper walls were there in the kingdom of his ancestors in Dwaraka.

Assuming that 3 kings lived per century, we can say that 1600 years have passed by the time this 49th king had come into being. The period of this king is not exactly known, but can be deciphered from Kapilar's other connections. Kapilar was a close friend of another VeL king, Paari who was killed by the 3 Tamil kings. Kapilar took care of Parri's orphaned daughters and approached another Vel king, IrungoveL to request him to marry the two daughters of Paari. This verse contains that request.

If we know the time period of Paari, we can ascertain the original period of the king of Dwaraka mentioned in this verse.
Paari and other Vel kings were regarded as the 3rd and last group of Patrons (கடை ஏழு வள்ளல்கள்).

The Vel lineage seems to have ended by the time Silapapdhikaram was written.

Silappadhikaram is about the Cheran king Neduncheralaathan (நெடுஞ்சேரலாதன்) who brought the stone from Himalayas to construct a temple for Kannagi. He conquered kings of the North and brought them as prisoners (They were made to carry the stone).

He later released them and ordered his deputy to keep them in the palace of the Vel king, by name Aavikko (வேளாவிக்கோ).

(Silapapdhikaaram chapter 28 )

"வஞ்சி மூதூர் புறத்துத்
தாழ் நீர் வேலித் தன மலர்ப் பூம்பொழில்
வேளாவிக்கோ மாளிகை காட்டி"

The king showed the palace of Velaavikko surrounded by cool waters and gardens in the city of Vanji (his capital city).

(Vanji is perhaps Kochi of Kerala.)

From this we can say that the Vels were there before 1st century AD.
1600 years before that period coincides with the time of Dwarkan excavations given by Prof S.R Rao on Bet Dwaraka.Bet Dwaraka was a later-built city which is dated at 1520 BC by Prof Rao

Details in this link :-

http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/mp/2002/11/20/stories/2002112000450200.htm

This date does not coincide with Krishna's date as we saw in the previous post in this series. Krishna's time precedes by another 1500 years.

Krishna's Dwaraka could have been very much under the sea as there is marine archeological proof of very old habitations - now sunken - of a period, 5000 years to 7500 years ago.

The Vel king of this sangam verse might have had his lineage traced to the Dwarakan king of Bet Dwaraka.

Further explanations will be discussed in other posts in this series.

Here I want to throw light on similar mention of copper walls in other Sangam texts also.

The areas connected with such walls were in Tamil lands.

The verses are

செம்பியன் றன்ன செஞ்சுவர் " - Madurai-k-kaanchi 485

செம்பியன் றன்ன செய்யுறு நெடுஞ்சுவர் " - Nedu nal vaadai 112

செம் புறழ் புரிசை " - Aga nanuru 375

செம்பைச் சேரிஞ்சி
செம்படுத்த செழும் புரிசை
செம்பு கொப்புளித்த மூன்று மதில்
(all from Devaaram)

செம்பு கொண்டன்ன விஞ்சித் திருநகர் - Seevaga chinthamani 439

Use of copper and construction of copper walls or copper plated walls had been there in Dwaraka and in Tamil nadu as well.

The unearthed artifacts in IVC sites include copper items and copper statues.

The mold used for making statues that are found in IVC are the same as the molds that are still being used today.

It is inferred from this that the use of copper for various purposes had been there since 2000 BC.

Similar use in IVC areas and in Tamilnadu shows that either the knowledge of it and the technology to put into use had been widespread throughout India for 1000s of years (or 4000 years at the minimum)

or the people from Dwaraka (whose descendants ruled Tamil lands with the titular name VeL) brought that knowledge to Tamilnadu.

Whatever it could be,

the import of these verses is that the so-called Dravidians of IVC could have closer connection to Vel kings of Dwaraka

than with the Tamils of Tamilnadu.

The Dwarakan link to this king is traced to the one born out of sacrificial fire.

In whose culture (according to Dr Parpola and his friends in DMK) sacrificial fires were found?

In the culture of Dravidians or Vedic Hindus?

Halos around the Sun and the Moon

This Sunday (11-07-2010) kept me busy answering some inquisitive calls form Bangalore and Hosur. The calls were about a similar phenomenon witnessed in the sky on that day before noon. The sun was seen surrounded by a huge ring, reported some. Another said that the sun was looking surrounded by 2 circles, one separated long way from the other. On the same day, Chennaites also witnessed a peculiar Sun surrounded by a huge halo.

Picture courtesy:

http://www.dc-epaper.com/GalleryView.shtml

My callers were curious to know if it foretells something.

Yes, but then the sun or the moon appearing with halos is a common sight in rainy season. The month in which they appear with halo matters first. There are rain clouds around Bangalore these days and that is the natural cause for the halo around the sun. Chennai also is receiving some rains these days (reminds me of the unusual foggy days in December and January last. Meteorologically that was a good sign for rains after 195 days which means some rains now in July) Varahamihira concedes an obvious scientific reason for halos.

Most of the callers told that the halo was white or glossy with a concentric circle in light brown.

Generally when the color of the halo is white, milky white, silverish, or glossy in complete circle around the sun or the moon, that ensures good rains to come.

If the halo is tinged with peacock blue, that ensures immediate rains.

If the halo is found closer to the luminary, it foretells rains in places away from where the on-looker sees it.

If the halo is found as a circle away from the luminary, it shows rains may arrive at any time at the place of the on-looker.

These are the basic tips that our ancestors used so that they could prepare themselves for immediate rains or expected rains.

Generally for 4 months starting form Margashira (December- January), the morning sun will appear glossy or surrounded by halo. That is a good occurrence for a bountiful rainy day 195 days after the occurrence.

The moon generally appears with halos in rainy season. It shows good moisture content in the air. My previous article on halo around the moon can be read here.

Astrology of Halo of the Moon

For making predictions, the halos must last for long hours or must be in some colors.

According to sage Garga, if the halo appears around the sun or the moon for a full day, it means that the ruler will perish.

If the halo appears for 7 consecutive days, the country will perish.

The color of the halo frequently changing from red to different hues throughout the day, it also foretells some danger to the land.

The color should not be smoky or red. That foretells some fear to the people.

If the halos look huge when the luminaries are in the horizon or in the meridian and birds make unusual cries looking away form the luminaries, and if meteors cross the halos, that shows some impending danger to the land. My guess is that such occurrences can be seen when a fatal earthquake or volcanic eruption is about to happen. There may be some emissions from the earth mixing with the atmosphere, thereby giving rise to the halos on such occasions.

Varahamihira gives details of the predictions for halos based on the lunar thithis.

Based on that, Sunday' halo on a No - moon day (Amavasya) shows some bad times for rulers in the places where it is seen.

A particular pattern of 3 concentric circles of halo must be watched for their color during war times, or when a country is facing threat of war or insurgency or even terrorist activities.

When 3 distinct circles of halo appear, we must assume that the inner circle represents citizens, the outer circle represents the defense forces and the middle circle represents the insurgents.

The color of any of these in red foretells defeat or suffering for the entities the circle represents.

A glossy, white or bright color for a circle foretells victory or relief for the entities that circle represents.

At all times a glossy or pale or white or bright or any light tinged color is good rather than a brightly colored halo.

Red is feared color while blue is an auspicious one.

Tinge of black or grey is also pre-monitive of arrival of rains.

Going by the color of the halo on Sunday reported from Bangalore and Chennai, I must say that it was indicative of rains.

The color had been glossy with a tinge of brown in Bangalore, 2 concentric rings in Hosur, with an inner glossy and an outer ring with a brown tinge, whereas it was a huge glossy ring away from the sun in Chennai.

Tamil king fed the armies of Mahabharatha war before 'Dravidians' flourished in Indus valley.(World Tamil Conference series -9)

Linking the Tamils to IVC must match with the versions given in the Sangam texts. The 2nd verse in Purananuru is in praise of a Cheran king Uthiyan Cheralaathan who came to be known as 'perunchottru uthiyan' (பெருஞ்சோற்று உதியன்) for having served food to the armies in the war fought between the Five and a Hundred. This description refers to the Kurukshethra war between the Pandavas (the 5 brothers on the side) and Kauravas (the 100 brothers on the other side).

That the five versus hundred indeed refers to the Pandavas and Kauravas can be substantiated from various other verses which mention the same as referring to the Pandavas and Kauravas.
They are Mayilai naathar urai for Nannool sutra - 343,
Viritthi uari for Nannool sutra - 344,
Urai for Ilakkana vilakkam sutra 247,
Perum paanaatruppadai - 415 - 7.

The epic Mahabharata speaks about an all -India character of the Mahabharata war where almost all the countries of Bharatha varsha of that day participated in the war. Mahabharata mentions the Pandyan king by name Sarangadwaja as having participated in the war. No other name of a Tamil king is specifically found in Mahabharatha.

But in Purananuru, the 2nd verse on this Cheran king specifically says that he had served food to the huge armies of the war. It is implied that he had not taken sides with any of the warring groups but had agreed to supply food to the armies.
The following verse from that song sung by Muranjiyur Mudi naagaraayar (முரஞ்சியூர் முடிநாகராயர்) addresses the king in first person.

அலங்குளைப் புரவி ஐவரோடு சினைஇ,நிலந்தலைக் கொண்ட பொலம்பூந் தும்பை
ஈரைம் பதின்மரும் பொருது, களத்து ஒழியப்
பெருஞ்சோற்று மிகுபதம் வரையாது கொடுத்தோய்!

Meaning as found in the palm leaves collected by Dr U.Ve. Swaminatha Iyer:-

(நீ, அசைந்த தலையாட்டமணிந்த குதிரை உடைய பாண்டியர் ஐவருடனே சினந்து, நிலத்தைத் தம்மிடத்தே கொண்ட போர்பூந்தும்பையை உடைய துரியோதனன் முதலாகிய நூற்றுவரும் பொருது போர்களத்தின் கட்படுந்துணையும் பெருஞ சோறாகிய மிக்க உணவை இரு படைக்கும் வரையாது வழங்கினோய் ).
This explanation by unknown writers of an unknown past reveals two things.
(1) the Pandavas are described as those having horses and
(2) the Cheran king served huge quantities of food to the armies of both the sides.

It is because of this, the king got a Title "perunchottru uthiyan" (பெருஞ்சோற்று உதியன்).

This verse is directly addressing this king. But this is not the only verse about this king in Sangam literature. There are other verses which speak about this deed of serving food to the armies.

In verse 233 of Akananuru it is said

"உதியஞ் சேரல்
பெருஞ்சோறு கொடுத்த ஞான்றை"

Meaning:-

(in those times when Uthiyan Cheran king served food)

This shows there is a memory of a Cheran king who gave food to the armies of Mahabharata war.

Again in verse 165 of Akananuru it is said that water falls made a sound similar to the sound of the utensils from which Uthiyan served food.

"கொடைக்கடன் ஏன்ற கோடா நெஞ்சின்
உதியன் அட்டில் போல ஒலி எழுந்து"

In Silappadhikaram, verse 23 -55, the supply of food by the Cheran king is mentioned.

"பெரும் சோறு பயந்த திருந்து வேல் தடக்கை"
This is a special mention because this king's name is mentioned along with the other kings who were well known for their special deeds. This verse actually tells about great kings - one each from the 3 dynasties of Pandyan, Cholan and Cheran lineage.

There was a mention of a Pandyan king known as "Porkaip paandyan" (பொற்கைப் பாண்டியன்) which means the 'Pandiyan king with a golden hand.' There is a story of this king who cut off his hand as a punishment - as a mark of justice for an event he did. He later fitted an artificial hand made of gold, which gave him a name as the Pandyan with a golden hand.

This is followed by a mention of Cholan king Sibi who cut the flesh of his thigh to save a bird. (Sibi of Ikshvaku race was the fore runner of Cholan kings. One can find a number of verses on Sibi in Sangam literature. Because of Sibi- connection, the Cholans were known as Chembians.

Refer the following link that gives the translation of the inscriptions of the Thiruvalankaadu copper plates. The Cholan lineage starting from Sibi is given from verse - 27 onwards,

http://www.whatisindia.com/inscriptions/south_indian_inscriptions/volume_3/no_205b_aditya_ii_karikala.html

Then comes the mention of the Cheran king, Uthiyan Cheral who supplied food to the huge armies of the Mahabharata war.

The selection of one king of great deed from each of the 3 dynasties shows that the news about supplying food to armies of Mahabharata war was not fictional, nor an imaginative one. Such a king had existed at the time of Mahabharata war.

I write about this king here for 2 reasons.

One is that there is a small section of people who say that this incident of supply of food may be a poet's exaggeration to please the king. In fact this group of people of foreign origin raised an objection to giving Classical status to Tamil saying that the instances such as this king can not be taken as a proof for antiquity of Tamil. I very much expected some one to take on this accusation in the podium of the World Tamil Conference. But I didn't hear anyone defending the authenticity of the period of this king.

Therefore I give a defense here to prove that this king's deed must have been true.

The contention of the critics is that this king lived much later and the poets being used to singing all praises for kings - a trend we find in most Sangam verses - must have heaped attributes like this which need not be true.

The reason for their contention is that the sangam text of Pathirttruppatthu (பதிற்றுப் பத்து) which contains 10 groups of poems penned by 10 poets in praise of the Cheran kings have one group (the first group of 10 songs) dedicated to Uthiyan Chralaathan. Unfortunately we do not have these 10 songs. The 2nd group of 10 verses are on Imayavaramban Nedum Cheralaathan.

In the padikam verse on this king, it is mentioned that he was born to Uthiyan Cheralaathan. This king and others are thought to be of recent past, say about 2000 years ago. This puts the researchers in a fix as to the truthfulness of the Mahabharata connection to Uthiyan king.
It must be understood that the Pathirttruppatthu (பதிற்றுப் பத்து ) verses are all about Cheran kings whose kingdom was confined to the present day Kerala. Even among the kings of these verses, 2 distinct dynasties are shown. 6 kings of Uthiyan dynasty and 4 kings of Irumporai dynasty are praised in these verses. The Uthiyans had been coming down for ages, so also the Irumporais. The kingdom had gone between these 2 dynasties from time to time. The Title as Uthiyan and Irumporai had been retained in their lineage.

There is a strong reason to believe that the Uthiyan who served food to the armies was not the same Uthiyan of Pathitruppatthu. The pathitruppatthu Cherans had their kingdoms with the sea as the western boundary and were landlocked on the east.

But IT IS NOT SO WITH THE KINGDOM OF PERUM CHOTTRU UTHIYAN CHERALAATHAN WHO SERVED FOOD TO THE ARMIES.
The Purananuru verse in his praise clearly tells about the eastern and western boundaries of his kingdom. It says that the sun rises in his sea and sets in his sea.
"நின்கடற் பிறந்த ஞாயிறு பெயர்த்தும் நின்
வெண்தலைப் புணரிக் குடகடல் குளிக்கும்
யாணர் வைப்பின், நன்னாட்டுப் பொருந!"

(from Dr U.Ve.Sa.'s palm leaf commentary:- நினது கடல் கண் தோன்றிய ஞாயிறு பின்னும் நினது வெளிய தலைப் பொருந்திய திரையை உடைய மேல் கடல் கண்ணே மூழ்கும் புது வருவாய் இடையறாத ஊர்களை உடைய நல்ல நாட்டிற்கு வேந்தே! )

This means 'you are the king of a good land dotted with prosperous towns throughout whereby the sun rises in the eastern seas of your land and sets in the western seas of your land."

This shows that this king was not confined to the west like the Cheran kings of Pathirtruppatthu. He occupied the entire stretch from the Bay of Bengal to Arabian sea. This is news for anyone. No cheran king was known to have such a vast kingdom stretching from sea to sea. So this king is different from the other Cheran kings. He had commanded a large land mass at his times. The Cholans and Pandyans were nowhere near him.

This goes well with my contention I regularly write in this blog that Pandyans were not in the present day land mass of Tamil nadu until the times of Mahabharata war. They were in deep south - in the now sunken parts of Indian ocean. The Cholans were restricted to the land in between this Cheran Uthiyan king and the Pandyansat the time of Mahabharata war.

This term “Perum choru” is used to denote the grand feast sponsored by the King to the war lords before they go on a war.

There is a sutra for this in Tholkaapiyam, “pindam meya perum chotru nilai” (பிண்டம் மேய பெரும் சோற்று நிலை ) – (Puratthinai iyal – sutra 7 ) which says that offering a big feast (perum choru) to the army was one of the 13 acts connected with war and preparation for of war by the king.

From the commentary of Nachinaarkkiniyar to this sutra,

“வேந்தன் போர் தலைக் கொண்ட பிற்றை ஞான்று போர் குறித்த படையாளரும் தானும் உடன் உண்பான் போல்வதோர் முகமன் செய்தற்கு, பிண்டித்து வைத்த உண்டியைக் கொடுத்தல் மேயின பெருஞ்சோற்று நிலை ”

We find a mention of this offer of Perum choru by the Cheran king Senkuttuvan before he started his journey to the Himalayas to get a stone for making the image of Kannagi. A huge contingent of army went with him to quell any obstruction on the way and to fight the kings near the Gangetic plane who gave him trouble when he went with his mother on a pilgrimage to the Ganges on an earlier occasion. There is mention of the offer of Perum choru at 2 places in Silappadhikaram.

Silappadhikaram – 25- 144 :-

“பின்றாச் சிறப்பின் பெரும் சோற்று வஞ்சியும் ”

Silappadhikaram – 26 – 49 :-

“பெரும் படைத் தலைவர்க்குப் பெரும் சோறு வகுத்து ” :

This narration comes in the context of preparing to leave with the army. This says that the king offered the grand feast to the army chiefs. There is no mention of ordinary soldiers. But it can be assumed that the king would not have neglected them. They too would have been offered the special feast. But the King would have joined the army chiefs in the feast arranged in his palace or in a special place. The king taking the feast along with the army or army chiefs is what the sutra of Tholkaapiyam is about.

Looking from this habit of offering feast to the army and the army chiefs, it is possible to interpret the Uthiyan perum choru to a special feast that the Uthiyan king could have offered to the chiefs of the Pandava and Kaurava armies.

The mention of sound of utensils used for cooking the feast make it seem that it was heard in the place of Uthiyan. It is deduced from this that the Cheran king had invited all the chiefs and high ranking people – who were all kings or princes from different parts of Bharath varsha and sponsored a feast as per Tamil tradition.

Almost all the countries of the Bharath varsha had taken part in the war. The number of individual army lords and kings must have been very high. In addition to them, the Uthiyan king could have fed the armies of all the Tamil kings and neighboring countries before they set out for Kurukshetra.

But this scenario does not alter the time period of the King.