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Re: andhaNar, vEdhiyar, paarppanar, battar and BrahmaNar

From: Parthasarati Dileepan (dileepan_at_utc.edu)
Date: Fri Nov 22 1996 - 05:21:02 PST 

At 04:52 PM 11/21/96 -0500, Srinivasan K wrote:
>
>
>Many (non-Brahmin) Tamil scholars question the translation of andhaNar
>as Brahmin. It probably did not mean a caste. But meant noble people.

These non-brahmin Tamil scholars (were) are members and sympathizers
of Dravidar Kazhagam whose spaciality is hate mongering.  If one
looks at Azhvaar's own words, "saathi andhaNar" (Thirumaalai 43)
it is clear that the term "andhaNar" meant the brahmin caste, so
did paarpanar, etc.


>Well, a Brahmin King with poor knowledge of the vedic shastras,


This simply cannot be accurate if we are to believe the legend
of the Azhvaar establishing Sriman Narayana as the supreme in
the Pandiyan court filled with vedic scholars of opposing view.
Azhvaar's words of modesty should not be confused with lack of
knowledge.  Nammaazhvaar says "adiyEn siRiya jyaanaththan."
I am sure no one would take these words literally?

Thanks,

-- Dileepan