“Thenavan” as the Prakrit form of “Thevanapiya” – an explanation

“Thenavan” as the Prakrit form of “Thevanapiya” – an explanation

The term Thevanapiya (தேவநபிய) was not merely a special title given only to the Pandyan king of Sri Lanka who is mentioned in the Mahavamsa as being connected with Emperor Ashoka. It was, according to this argument, a high royal title that had already existed among earlier Pandyan rulers.

This title is said to have belonged not only to Devanampiya Tissa, but also to his father, his grandfather Gamini Abhaya, and his great-grandfather Gamini Uti. These are not considered merely literary inventions, but are claimed to be supported by inscriptional evidence.

The inscriptions mentioned in Inscriptions of Ceylon include:

• IC 46, 47 – Thevanapiya Uti
• IC 193, 994, 29 – Thevanapiya Gamini Abhaya
• IC 425, 424, 426, 422, 236 – Thevanapiya Gamini Tissa
• IC 725 – Thevanapiya (Tissa)

In two inscriptions belonging to his generals, the word Thevanapiya appears alone, and it is interpreted here as possibly referring to Thevanapiya Tissa.

From this, the author argues that four generations of rulers:

1. Gamini Uti
2. Gamini Abhaya
3. Gamini Tissa
4. Thevanapiya Tissa

held the prestigious title Thevanapiya.

The text further argues that these rulers belonged to the Ay dynasty of the Pandyans, and that their Pandyan identity is shown by the fish symbol found in their inscriptions.

It also claims that these rulers followed the Ajivika philosophical tradition, similar to other Tamil kings of the Sangam period, and that inscriptions provide evidence of this tradition.

The main purpose of this discussion, however, is to explain the meaning of the word Thevanapiya. Before examining that term, the author begins by analysing some basic linguistic elements found in the Prakrit names of these Pandyan kings.

Prakrit forms of Tamil royal names

The author explains that traditional Tamil male names usually end with the suffix “-an”.

For example, the name Abhaya found in inscriptions is interpreted as originally being the Tamil form Abhayan. According to this view, the final “n” sound was inserted or represented differently when the name was written in Prakrit.

Similarly:

• Tissa / Tisayais interpreted as the Tamil form Tissan
• Raja / Rajayais interpreted as Arasan(“king”)

The phrase:

“Gamini Rajaya karite”

is explained as meaning:

“Created by King Gamini.”

Likewise:

“Gamini Rajayapi karite”

is interpreted as:

“Created by the great Gamini king.”

The word “peruma” is connected with the Tamil forms:

• Peruman
• Perumagan

meaning “great one” or “honoured person”.

The text gives Cheraman Peruman as an example of this usage.

It also mentions the modern Sri Lankan political name Devaraperuma, arguing that the element “peruma” derives from the Tamil word Peruman.

“Thevanapiya” as “Thenavan Peruman”

To understand the meaning of the word Thevanapiya, the author first examines how this term can be connected with the ancient Tamil royal title Thenavan (தென்னவன்).

According to the text, the ancient Chera kings had the special royal title Vanavan (வானவன்), while the Pandyan kingshad the title Thenavan (தென்னவன்).

Just as the Chera kings were associated with the title Vanavan, meaning a ruler connected with the heavens or divine status, the Pandyan kings were called Thenavan because they ruled the southern region of Tamilakam.

The author argues that when the Tamil word Thenavan was written in Prakrit, the sounds changed because Prakrit did not have the same letters and grammatical structure as Tamil.

The Tamil ending sound:

“-ன்” (n)

was not directly represented in Prakrit writing. Therefore:

Thenavan → Thevana

or:

தென்னவன் → தெவந

According to this explanation, the Prakrit form Thevana was created from the Tamil royal title Thenavan.

The meaning of “Thevanapiya”

The text then examines the ending element “piya”.

The author compares this with other Prakrit forms of Tamil names:

• Tisaya → Tissan
• Abhaya → Abhayan

and argues that the letter “ya” in Prakrit names could represent the Tamil masculine ending “-ன்” (-an).

Following this interpretation:

Thevana + piya

becomes:

Thenavan + Peruma

or:

Thenavan Peruman

In Tamil:

• Thenavan= the southern king / ruler of the southern land
• Peruman= the great one, honoured person, exalted person

Therefore, the text concludes:

Thevanapiya = Thenavan Peruman

meaning:

“The great Thenavan (Pandyan king).”

The difference between Ashoka’s title and the Pandyan title

The text then argues that the Pandyan title Thevanapiya does not have the same meaning as the famous title used by Emperor Ashoka:

Devanampriya Priyadarsi

(“Beloved of the Gods, He who looks with kindness”).

According to this interpretation, the similarity exists only in the written form, while the meanings are different.

The author argues that:

• The Pandyan title Thevanapiyaexisted before Ashoka.
• It was used by Pandyan rulers.
• It meant Thenavan Peruman.
• It was not derived from the Mauryan emperor’s title.

The text further states that when Gamini Uti is believed to have used this title (around the 5th century BCE):

• Alexander’s invasion of India had not yet occurred.
• The Mauryan Empire had not yet been established under Chandragupta Maurya.

Therefore, the author argues that the title could not have originated from Ashoka’s tradition.

Comparison with Chera royal titles

The author then compares Thevanapiya / Thenavan Peruman with the divine-style royal titles of the Chera kings:

Vanavan

The title Vanavan (வானவன்) was used for Chera rulers.

Examples mentioned in the text include:

• A Vanavan who ruled the Kolli Hills region.
• A Vanavan who was defeated by Kodumudi after attacking Amur.
• A Vanavan who protected and supported the Kodiyar musicians.
• A Vanavan who destroyed enemy fortifications.
• Imayavaramban Nedun Cheralathan, who was defeated by the Chola king Killivalavan.
• Senguttuvan Chera, known for maritime power and overseas trade, who was also called Vanavan.

The word Vanavan was also used in Tamil literature with the meaning of:

• a heavenly ruler
• a king connected with divine beings

Examples include references connecting Vanavan with the god Indra and the festival:

Vanavan Vizha (the festival of Indra).

Vanavaramban

Another important Chera royal title was:

Vanavaramban (வானவரம்பன்)

This is described as a historically significant title used by Chera kings.

Possible meanings include:

• “The one whose boundary is the sky.”
• “The one who is beloved by the heavenly beings (gods).”

Kings mentioned with this title include:

• Adu Kotpattu Cheralathan
• Senguttuvan Chera
• Cheraman Perunchoru Uthiyan Cheralathan

The text states that Sangam literature records several Chera rulers with titles such as:

• Imayavaramban
• Vanavaramban

The author concludes that Vanavan and Vanavaramban belonged to the Chera royal tradition, while Thenavanbelonged to the Pandyan royal tradition.

“Thenavan”, the Pandyan Kings, and Porunai River

The text then explains that, just as Vanavan was a special royal title used by the Chera kings, Thenavan was a special title associated with the Pandyan kings.

The word:

Thenavan (தென்னவன்)

is explained in the text as meaning:

• “the southern king”
• “the ruler of the southern land”

It is connected with the Pandyan dynasty because the Pandyan kings ruled the southern part of ancient Tamilakam.

The author argues that this title was later represented in Prakrit as:

Thenavan → Thevana

and that:

Thenavan Peruman → Thevanapiya

became the form that appears in inscriptions.

Porunai and its connection with the Pandyan king

The text then refers to the following lines from a classical Tamil poem:

“தென்னவர்ப் பெயரிய துன்னருந் துப்பின்
தொன்முது கடவுட் பின்னர் மேய
வரைத்தாழ் அருவிப் பொருப்பிற் பொருந”

(lines 40–42)

Here the word Porun (பொருந) is interpreted as referring to the ruler of the region associated with the Porunai River.

Porunai was the ancient Tamil name of the river later known as:

• Tamraparni
• Thamirabarani

in other languages.

According to the interpretation in the text:

• Porun= the leader or ruler of the Porunai region
• Poruppu= mountain or mountainous territory
• Thenavan Peyariya Poruppu= the mountain/land named after Thenavan

The meaning is therefore understood as:

“The heroic ruler of the southern mountain region, the Pandyan king who ruled the land of Porunai.”

The Porunai Civilization

The text argues that Porunai was not merely a geographical name, but also represents an ancient civilization.

According to this interpretation, the name Porunai later changed linguistically and developed into:

Pombarippu

The author argues that remains of this ancient Porunai culture still exist, but that they have often been explained through later religious traditions and myths.

The author particularly criticizes explanations that connect this region mainly with the legendary sage Agastya, arguing instead that Porunai should be understood through the history of ancient Tamil kingdoms and their civilization.

Summary of the argument so far

The main argument of the text is:

1. Thevanapiyawas not originally a title created by Emperor Ashoka.
2. The title existed among earlier Pandyan kings.
3. Its original Tamil form was:

Thenavan Peruman

4. In Prakrit it became:

Thevanapiya

5. Just as Chera kings had royal titles such as:

• Vanavan
• Vanavaramban

the Pandyan kings had titles such as:

• Thenavan
• Thenavan Peruman

6. These titles expressed royal authority and a sacred or elevated status within ancient Tamil political tradition.

“Thenavan”, Porunai/Tamraparni, and the Land of the Pandyan Kings

The text continues by explaining the relationship between the title Thenavan and the ancient territory of the Pandyan kings.

According to the author, Thenavan was not simply a personal name but a royal title that identified the ruler of the southern Tamil country.

The Pandyan kingdom was traditionally associated with the southern regions of Tamilakam, especially the area around the Porunai River, which was later known as:

• Tamraparni
• Thamirabarani

The author argues that Porunai was an important symbol of ancient Pandyan civilization.

The Meaning of Porunai

The text refers to a passage from ancient Tamil literature:

“தென்னவர்ப் பெயரிய துன்னருந் துப்பின்
தொன்முது கடவுட் பின்னர் மேய
வரைத்தாழ் அருவிப் பொருப்பிற் பொருந”

The author interprets the word:

Porun (பொருந)

as referring to the ruler or heroic leader of the Porunai region.

The explanation given is:

• Porunai= the ancient river and surrounding territory
• Porun= the lord or warrior associated with that land
• Poruppu= mountain or highland region

The phrase:

“Thenavan peyariya poruppu”

is interpreted as:

“The mountain/land named after Thenavan, the southern king.”

Thus, the poem is understood as praising the Pandyan ruler as:

“The heroic lord of the southern mountain region.”

Porunai as an Ancient Civilization

The author argues that Porunai represents more than a geographical name.

According to this view, the Porunai region was the centre of an ancient Tamil civilization connected with:

• Pandyan kingship
• agriculture
• trade
• urban development
• cultural traditions

The text claims that the memory of this civilization continued through later place names and traditions.

It argues that later interpretations often connected Porunai with religious legends, especially stories surrounding the sage Agastya, but the author believes the historical explanation should focus on ancient Tamil political and cultural developments.

The Southern Identity of the Pandyan Kings

The author emphasizes that the title Thenavan reflects the geographical and political identity of the Pandyan dynasty.

The word is explained as:

Then (தென்) = south
avan (அவன்) = he/the one who belongs to it

Therefore:

Thenavan = the one of the south / the southern ruler

This is compared with the Chera title:

Vanavan

where:

Vaan (வான்) = sky/heaven

Thus, the author presents a contrast:

Royal Titles and Tamil Political Tradition

The text concludes this section by arguing that ancient Tamil kingdoms used symbolic royal titles to express their authority and identity.

The Chera kings used titles connected with the heavens:

• Vanavan
• Vanavaramban

while the Pandyan kings used titles connected with the southern land:

• Thenavan
• Thenavan Peruman

According to the author, the Prakrit form:

Thevanapiya

preserves this older Tamil royal tradition rather than referring to Ashoka’s title.

 Ancient Tamil Kings, Ajivika Tradition, and Sangam Society

The text continues by discussing the cultural and philosophical background of the ancient Tamil kings and the society of the Sangam period.

According to the author, the Pandyan rulers who used the title Thevanapiya belonged to the same broader cultural tradition as other ancient Tamil rulers.

The author argues that these kings followed the philosophical tradition known as Ajivika (Ājīvika) and that this tradition was an important part of ancient Tamil intellectual life.

Ajivika and Ancient Tamil Thought

The text states that ancient Tamil society was influenced by several philosophical traditions, including:

• Ajivika
• Sankhya
• Lokayata
• Bhutavada
• other materialist and rational traditions

The author argues that these schools emphasized:

• reason
• observation of nature
• material understanding of the world
• philosophical inquiry

According to the text, these traditions formed an important foundation of ancient Tamil thought.

The author connects this intellectual tradition with the development of:

• science
• technology
• medicine
• mathematics
• trade
• literature

Sangam Society and Political Organization

The text presents Sangam-period Tamil society as a highly developed civilization with organized political structures.

According to the author, Tamil kingdoms were not simply absolute monarchies. Kings were influenced and guided by councils and representatives.

The text mentions institutions such as:

• Aimperum Kuzhu(the Five Great Councils)
• Enperayam(the Eight Great Assemblies)

These bodies are described as groups that advised or controlled royal authority.

The author also refers to the Kudavolai system, a method of selecting representatives through a traditional voting process.

According to the text, this system allowed local communities and village institutions to select officials responsible for different administrative duties.

Education and Literacy in Ancient Tamilakam

The author argues that literacy and education were widespread in ancient Tamil society.

The text claims that:

• Tamil people had developed writing systems early.
• Education was not restricted only to rulers or elites.
• Knowledge was spread among different sections of society.

The author contrasts this with northern India and argues that ancient Tamilakam had a higher level of literacy and educational development during the Sangam period.

Trade and Economic Development

The text emphasizes the importance of overseas trade in ancient Tamilakam.

According to the author, Tamil kingdoms maintained extensive maritime connections with:

• Rome
• Greece
• Egypt
• Southeast Asia
• China

The author argues that Tamil ports were among the most important trading centres of the ancient world.

Major ports mentioned include:

• Muziris (Muchiri)
• Korkai
• Puhar (Poompuhar)

The text states that these ports handled large-scale international trade and that archaeological discoveries, including Roman coins, demonstrate the economic importance of Tamilakam.

Tamilakam as a Developed Civilization

The author presents ancient Tamil society as a highly advanced civilization with achievements in:

• urban development
• metallurgy
• shipbuilding
• agriculture
• literature
• philosophy
• medicine
• architecture
• arts

The text argues that Tamilakam was not a peripheral region but one of the leading civilizations of the ancient world.

It connects this development with the achievements of Sangam literature, including:

• Sangam poems
• Thirukkural
• Silappatikaram
• other classical Tamil works

Connection to the Thevanapiya Argument

The author uses this broader historical picture to support the argument that titles such as:

Thevanapiya / Thenavan Peruman

should be understood within an ancient Tamil political and cultural context.

According to the text, these titles represent the continuity of Tamil royal traditions rather than being derived from northern Indian or Mauryan traditions.

 Archaeological Evidence, Tamilakam as a Global Trading Power, and the Development of Ancient Tamil Civilization

The text continues by presenting archaeological and historical evidence to support the argument that ancient Tamilakam was a highly developed society with extensive international connections.

According to the author, archaeological discoveries from sites such as:

• Keezhadi (Keeladi)
• Sivakalai
• Adichanallur
• Kodumanal

provide evidence of the technological and cultural achievements of ancient Tamil society.

Archaeological Evidence and Ancient Technology

The author argues that ancient Tamilakam had an advanced technological culture from a very early period.

The text claims that:

• Iron technology existed in ancient Tamilakam thousands of years ago.
• Ancient Tamil people developed advanced methods of metal production.
• Industrial activity existed in places such as Adichanallur.
• Ancient communities produced high-quality iron, bronze, and pottery objects.

According to the author, these discoveries demonstrate that ancient Tamil society possessed advanced skills in:

• metallurgy
• manufacturing
• engineering
• craftsmanship

The author also argues that ancient Tamil symbols and writing systems developed early and later evolved into the Tamil-Brahmi writing tradition.

Urban Development and Trade Networks

The text argues that ancient Tamilakam had many urban centres and trading cities.

According to the author, early settlements developed into major commercial cities, especially after the first millennium BCE.

These cities are described as centres of:

• production
• trade
• education
• administration
• cultural exchange

The author states that Tamil merchants maintained long-distance maritime trade routes across the Indian Ocean.

Trade connections are said to have existed with:

• the Roman Empire
• Egypt
• Arabia
• Southeast Asia
• China

Tamil Maritime Trade

The text refers to several foreign and historical sources that mention Tamil trade.

Among the sources mentioned are:

• The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea
• Pliny’s Natural History
• Ptolemy’s Geography
• writings of foreign travellers and historians

The author argues that these sources demonstrate the importance of Tamil ports and merchants.

The port city of Muziris (Muchiri) is highlighted as an especially important trading centre.

According to the text, Muziris was comparable to major international ports of the ancient world.

Other important ports mentioned include:

• Korkai
• Puhar (Poompuhar)

Tamilakam and Roman Trade

The author emphasizes the relationship between Tamilakam and the Roman world.

The text states that large quantities of Roman coins found in Tamil archaeological sites demonstrate the scale of trade between the two regions.

According to the author, Tamil merchants exported goods such as:

• spices
• pearls
• precious stones
• textiles
• manufactured products

in exchange for Roman goods and currency.

The author argues that Tamilakam was economically prosperous because of this international commerce.

Tamil Society as an Advanced Civilization

The text presents ancient Tamil society as a civilization that achieved significant development in many fields, including:

• science
• technology
• medicine
• philosophy
• literature
• maritime knowledge
• architecture
• arts

The author argues that Tamil language functioned as:

• a language of administration
• a language of education
• a language of trade
• a language of intellectual development

According to the text, Tamil literature and knowledge traditions flourished for many centuries.

The Author’s Historical Conclusion

The author concludes that ancient Tamilakam, particularly from approximately the early first millennium BCE until the early centuries CE, was one of the major civilizations of the ancient world.

The argument is that:

• advanced technology,
• strong trade networks,
• urban development,
• philosophical traditions,
• literature,
• and political organization

made Tamilakam a highly developed society.

This historical background is used by the author to reinforce the claim that royal titles such as:

Thenavan Peruman → Thevanapiya

belonged to an old Tamil political tradition.

Devānampiya as the Prakrit Form of Thenavan

To understand the meaning of the word Devānampiya, it is necessary to examine how this title developed from the ancient Tamil royal title Thenavan.

In ancient times, just as the Chera kings had the royal title Vānavan (“the heavenly one”), the Pandyan kings had the exclusive royal title Thenavan.

The title Thenavan belonged specifically to the Pandyan rulers because they ruled the southern region of Tamilakam.

When this Tamil name was written in Prakrit, the Tamil letter “ṉ” (ன) was not used, because this sound was not represented in the Prakrit writing system. Therefore, the word Thenavan was written by using the available Prakrit sounds:

Thenavan → Devana

The final Tamil masculine ending “-n” was represented through the Prakrit letter “na”, creating the form:

Devana

When the title Thenavan Peruman (“the great Thenavan”) was written in Prakrit, it became:

Devana-piya

Just as we saw in other Prakrit names:

• Tissa → Tissan
• Abhaya → Abhayan

the ending sound was adapted according to Prakrit language rules.

Therefore, according to this interpretation:

Devana = Thenavan
Devānapiya = Thenavan Peruma
Devānampiya = Thenavan Peruman

meaning:

“The great lord Thenavan” or “The honoured Thenavan.”

Devānampiya and Ashoka’s Title

According to this argument, the title Devānampiya used by the Pandyan kings had existed before the Mauryan emperor Ashoka.

During the period of King Kāmani Uthi (5th century BCE), this title was already used as a royal designation. It continued through:

• Kāmani Abhaya (4th century BCE)
• Kāmani Tissa (4th century BCE)
• Devānampiya Tissa (3rd century BCE)

Therefore, the author argues that the similarity between:

Pandyan Devānampiya
and
Ashoka’s Devānāṁpiya Piyadasi

is only a similarity of written form, not a similarity of meaning.

According to this interpretation, the two expressions refer to different concepts:

• Devānampiyaof the Pandyan rulers = Thenavan Peruman, a Tamil royal title.
• Devānāṁpiya Piyadasiof Ashoka = “Beloved of the Gods, He Who Looks with Kindness.”

The author therefore argues that the Pandyan title was not derived from Ashoka’s title.

Comparison with Chera Royal Titles

The author compares this Pandyan title with the Chera royal titles:

• Vānavan
• Vānavaramban
• Imayavaramban

These were important titles used by Chera kings during the Sangam period.

The word Vānavan was associated with the heavens and sometimes with the god Indra.

Examples from Tamil literature include expressions such as:

• “Vānavan” referring to a divine or heavenly ruler.
• “Vānavan festival” referring to the Indra festival.

Similarly, Vānavaramban was a famous title of Chera kings.

It has been interpreted with meanings such as:

• “The one whose boundary is the sky”
• “The one favoured by the heavenly beings”

Several Chera rulers were praised with this title, including:

• Ādukoṭpāṭṭu Cēralādan
• Cēramān Peruñcōṟṟu Utiyañ Cēralādan
• Cēraṉ Ceṅkuṭṭuvan

Thus, just as Vānavan belonged to the Chera royal tradition, the author argues that Thenavan belonged to the Pandyan royal tradition.

Thenavan and the Porunai River

The author connects the title Thenavan with the ancient Pandyan territory and the river Porunai(Tamraparni/Tamiraparani).

The poem states:

“Thenavar peyariya thunnarum thuppin
thonmuthu kadavul pinnar meya
varaithāḻ aruvip poruppin porun”

The interpretation given is:

• Thenavan= the Pandyan ruler of the southern land.
• Poruppu= the mountain region.
• Porun= the powerful lord of that southern mountain region.

The river Porunai, later known as Tamiraparani, was the river of the Pandyan country.

According to this interpretation, the word Porunai represents an ancient cultural memory of the southern Tamil civilisation. Later mythological traditions connected it with figures such as Agastya, but the author argues that its original meaning belongs to the ancient Tamil historical tradition.

Translation by Hari

Label

{} [+]

Name*

Email*

Website

Label

{} [+]

Name*

Email*

Website

0 Comments

Load More Comments