Skt. preta, drav. pEtu, and vaitaraNi

[Lakshmi Srinivas]

--- "N. Ganesan" <naga_ganesan at HOTMAIL.COM> wrote:
> > In Tamil sangam poetry, terms like pArppAr and
> antaNar do not
> necessarily mean brahmins of the topmost varNa
> chanting vedas. In
> many instances pArppAr just means the
> "worshippers/eulogizers
> /singers". Also, antaNar ("coolers" < taN- 'cool')
> could mean those
> who pacify/cool spirits (of the dead). The phrase,
> "pulam puri
> antaNar" means "the cool priests chanting/doing
> magic spells".
>

Welcome back, Dr NG.

This phrase "pulam puri antaNAr" occurs in pariPATal
6. There it stands for Vedic brahmins (the threaded
variety) and not, I submit, "the cool priests
chanting/doing magic spells".

The commentary is unambiguous on this point -
"maRaiyai virumpum antaNAr" (ParimElazakar). UVS, in
fact, gives a cross ref to pariPATal 1:46 wherein
parimElazakar explains why the word "pulam" stands for
the Veda. The original manuscripts seem to be corrupt
right at this spot and there's an editor's ellipsis
right in the middle of this sentence. However, UVS as
editor, gives in his notes the identity "pulam -
vEtam" in this context as well as in the locus under
discussion viz., pari 6:45.

Hope this helps,

LS

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