நந்திக் கலம்பகத்தின் வரலாறும் புராணச்செய்திகளும்

The History and Mythological References in Nandikkalambakam

Abstract

There is a traditional legend surrounding the composition of Nandikkalambakam. Nandivarman’s father had two wives. Nandivarman was the son of the first wife, while the second wife had four sons, all younger than him. When Nandivarman reached youth, his father passed away. Consequently, Nandivarman drove away his four younger brothers and crowned himself king. It is believed that one of these four brothers is the author of this work.

The four exiled brothers decided to reclaim the throne. To achieve this, one mastered magic (mantra), one learned strategy (tantra), another perfected swordsmanship, and the fourth mastered Tamil literature to the point of composing "Aram" (poetry with a lethal intent/curse). Eventually, the four brothers united and waged war against Nandivarman but were defeated. Following this defeat, it is said that this book was composed using "Aram" verses, which ultimately led to Nandivarman's death. This article explores not only the history of Nandivarman but also the abundance of mythological references found within this text.