Silappadhikaram -II

Silappadhikaram

(Literary Appreciation)

2

The Author

Ilango Adigal, the Author of Silappadhikaram 

is a Prince of  Chera dynasty. 

He is the younger brother of then Chera King Cheran Senguttuvan. 

At the time of  Ilango’s birth, the astrologers predicted 
that he will rule the Kingdom 

and become very famous. When Ilango came to know this, 

he renounced the worldly life and became a monk, 
thus making the predictions false. 

Astrologers may fail but not the astrology. If astrologer has the 

complete knowledge and has the intuitive acumen, 
the predictions never fails. 

It is true, Ilango Adigal in due course by reciting Silppadhikaram 

became the King in literary world and attained worldly fame.

Though the story of Silappadhikaram is a tragic narration, 
it has all elements of great epic.

The narration is poetic containing Iyal, Isai and Natakam –
prose, poetry and drama. 

Though a born Prince, who became a Jain monk later, 

fully aware of and familiar with the intricacies of 
lives and life-styles of common man. 

Even after renunciation of worldly pleasures as a monk, 

he is aware of the hard play of the fate in anybody’s life. 

Fate at its worst plays havoc and causes even death. 

This is true even in the lives of god incarnations as seen in 
Ramayana and Mahabharata. 

Also seems to be true in the lives of monks, sadhus and sanyasis, 

great saints and Rishi & Munis. 
Nobody can dodge the reach of the hands of the fate.

When the King Cheran Senguttuvan along with his younger brother, 

Ilango Adigal, visits the forest, he hears the story of 
Kannagi from the local people. 

He is moved by the story of Kannagi, desires and requests Ilango 

to record the narration of the happenings to Kannagi, 

as a record in the honor of the chaste woman. 

Ilango Adigal obliges and thus the Epic is made.

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