WRESTING THE ANCESTRY OF THE FATHER OF SIDDHA MEDICINE S.Mohamed Ajmal 1 1 CRRI Sivaraj Siddha Medical College Salem-636307 R.Raseeha 2 2 Final year BSMS, Sivaraj Siddha Medical college Salem-636307 M.Sangeetha* *Assistant professor, Department of Tamil Sinivasan college of Arts and science perambalur V.Senthil Kumar** **Reader, Department of Gunapadam Sivaraj Siddha Medical College Salem-636307 ABSTRACT Siddhar Agathiyar, one among the line of eighteen Siddhars, is called as The Father of Siddha medicine. Agathiyar is an enlighten personage who had made contributions not only for Siddha medicine but also for Tamil language and Grammar. His contributions to Siddha system of medicine and other related fields are immense. According to various schools of thoughts, it is found that there had been many Agasthiyars and people called the one as Agathiyar in general who headed in different forms of art and medicine. There were a lot of historical stories about Agathiyar. Many historical evidences and events spoke about Agathiyar s life and his accomplishments. The main objective of this review is to wrest the origin and glory of Siddhar Agathiyar ( Father figure in Siddha Medicine ) from other Agathiyars. Keywords Agasthiyar, Siddhars, Father figure in Siddha Medicine. INTRODUCTION Tamil language and Tamil medicine was the first and foremost language and medicine in the world. The word Kumari Kandam first appeared in Kandha Puranam. It was stated that Kumari Kandam extended from the present-day Kanyakumari in the north to Kerguelen island in the south, and from Madagaskar in the west to Sunda island in the east. Before BC 30,000 Pandiyans ruled this entire Kumari Kandam. Most of the lands of Kumari Kandam (South Madurai) were submerged in the sea by Kadalkol ( seizured by ocean ) during the first Tamil Sangam. So, the Pandiyan king and the remaining people migrated to the remaining land of Kumari Kandam and the king moved his capital to Kapadapuram where the second Tamil Sangam was established. The commentary states that both the cities were seizured by ocean, resulting in loss of all the works created during the first two Sangams 1. Table 1: History of Tamil sangam S.No Tamil sangams Period 1. Then Madurai Tamil sangam (Pagruli Riverbed) (1) BC 30000-16500 155 VOLUME 1 Issue 4,2018
2. Idai sangam (kapadapuram) (1) BC 6805-3105 3. Manimalai Tamil sangam (Sengon s Period) (1) BC 14500-14490 4. Kadai sangam (1) BC 1615-AD 235 5. Kumaribed then Madurai Tamil sangam (1) BC 14007-9564 6. First Kadalkol (2) BC 14058 7. Second kadalkol (2) BC 9564 Table 2: History of Three Sangam (2,4) SANGAM PLACE PERIOD POETS BOOKS KINGS First Tamil Sangam (BC 14004-9564) Then Madurai (Kumari Kandam) 4440 Agathiyar, Sivaperumaan, Murugavel, Mudinaagarayar, Muranjiyur Agathiyam, Perumpari paadal, Mudhunaarai, Mudhukurugu Kaaichina vazhudhi to Kadunkon Second Tamil Sangam (BC 6805-3105) Third Tamil Sangam (BC 1615-AD 235) Kabadapura m Present Madurai 3700 1850 Agathiyar, Tholkaapiyar, Moosi, Thirayan maaran, Sirupaandarangan Agathiyar, Sirumaethaviyar, Perukundroorkizh ar, Nakeeranar, Marudhanila naaganar Agathiyam, Perumkali, Viyazha maalia, Tholkaapiyam, Boodha puranam Agathiyam, Tholkaapiyam, Nedunthogai, Kurunthogai, Paripaadal, Puranaanooru, Pathitrupathu Vendhar Chezhian to Mudathiru maaran Mudathiru maaran to Ukkira Peruvazhu dhi Table 3: Other Histories in Sangam period (1,2) S.No History of Sangam period Period 1. History of Sangam age BC 30000-16500 2. Kumaravel wins Surapadhuman BC 14058 3. Rig veda period BC 1500-1200 4. Tholkaapiyar period BC 1000 5. Ramayanam period BC 6000 156 VOLUME 1 Issue 4,2018
6. Aryan enters India BC 1500 7. Surapadhuman period BC 12000 History of Agathiyar According to various schools of thought, there were 37 Agathiyars. Among them, Tamil Agathiyars-11, Aariya Agathiyars-23, Boutha Agathiyars-3. S.No. TAMIL AGATHIYARS (3,4) PERIOD 1. Vaadhaavi Agathiyar BC 12000 2. Moothoor Agathiyar BC 11000 3. Purodhiga Agathiyar(1) BC 6000 4. Purodhiga Agathiyar(2) AD 700 5. Thodithot Sembiyan s period Agathiyar BC 6200 6. Kudagumalai Agathiyar BC 6020 7. Paabanaasamalai Agathiyar(1) AD 200 8. Paabanaasamalai Agathiyar(2) AD 470 9. Devara Agathiyar AD 1100 10. Thirumaalai Sivanaakia Agathiyar AD 1300 11. Podhigaimalai Agathiyar BC 14000 12. Kosala Naatu Agathiyar (Ramayanam period) BC 6000 13. Malaiyamalai Agathiyar (Ramayanam period) BC 6000 14. Kunjagiri Agathiyar BC 6000 15. Lobamudrai Agathiyar (Rig veda period) BC 8000 16. Yasomadhi Agathiyar BC 2000 1. Vaadhaavi Agathiyar (4) He lived at the period of Soorapadhuman. He was a poet in Second Tamil Sangam(Kapadapuram). He was the well renounced poet in Tamil language. As per the advice of Soorapadhuman, he killed Vaadhaavi and Villavan in Vaadhaavipuram which was mentioned in Kandha puranam and Thiruthudisai Puranam. 157 VOLUME 1 Issue 4,2018
2. Moothoor Agathiyar (3) He lived before the period of Soorapadhuman. He was a poet in Second Tamil Sangam(Kapadapuram) which was mentioned in Tamilvidu thoodhu. He was the well renounced poet in Tamil language, but, he had not written any books. Peraattrarugil pirangu manimalaiyil Seeratrum sengo..seitamil paindevi 3. Purogidha Agathiyar(1) He lived at the period of Vendhar Sezhiyan. He was a poet in Second Tamil Sangam. He was the well renounced poet in Tamil language. His service to Tamil language was unforgettable (3). 4. Purogidha Agathiyar(2) He lived at the period of Sundara paandiyan. There was Purogidhar who was subtitled as Agathiyar had been the guru for certain Pandiya kings which was mentioned in Sinnamannu Seppaedu (1). Poruvarunjeer Agathiyanai purogidhanaga Petradhu.paandiyar kulam 5. Thodithot Sembiyan s period Agathiyar He lived at the period of Thodithot Sembiyan (Chola king). As per the advice of Agathiyar this king conducted Indhira Vizha which had held for 28 days at Poombugar praying the lord Indhiran. This message was quoted in the literature Manimekalai. 6. Kudagumalai Agathiyar (6) He lived at the period of King Kaandhaman. As per the advice of Kaandhaman, Agathiyar fetched the river Kaveri which was quoted in Manimekalai. He was also called as Kudagumalai Agathiyar, Kudagu muni. 7. Paabanaasamalai Agathiyar(1) He lived at the period of Cheran Senguttuvan. He was one of the students of Podhigaimalai Agathiyar. He was best in Penance which was said in the literature Silapathikaram (3). Maadhava munivan malaivalam kondu Kumariyam perundurai kolgaiyir pidundhu 8. Paabanaasamalai Agathiyar(2) He lived at the period of second Nakkeerar who was the head of Vajranandhi Tamil Sangam (AD 470-AD 520) in Thiruparakundram which was quoted in Tholkappiyam paayira urai. He has the temple in North arcod, Thirumaraikaadu (3). Sandhi moondrilum thaabara niruthisa Sagali seithirai sagathiyar.kandadainthen 9. Devara Agathiyar (3) He lived at the period of Rajendra Chola. He went to Podhigaimalai Agathiyar and carried out penance to read Devaram padhigangal with the help of him. He left Podhigaimalai and reached Thillai to accompany the Lord Shiva. These were quoted in Padhiga karuthu. Thoodu kootru pittha moondrum Peedudai desigan..odina raavarae 158 VOLUME 1 Issue 4,2018
10. Thirumaalai Sivanaakia Agathiyar(1) He showed Thirumaal as Lord Shiva to the Kutraalam vainava people which was quoted in Kutraala thalapuranam. From this, is is evident that he had a lot of believes in worship. He was called as Kurumuni or Kutraala muni. 11. Podhigaimalai Agathiyar There were many historical stories on him. To balance the overcrowd during the lord Shiva s marriage in the north, he sent Agathiyar to the south which is evident from Thirumoolar Thirumanthiram Naduvu nilladhu ivvulagam sarindhu Kodukindradhu emperumaan ena eesan Naduvula angi agathiya ne pooi Mudugiya vaiyathu munnirandraaro At first, he reached Kudagu malai. From there while moving to south still, in order to mingle with Tamilians, he thought to learn Tamil and learnt Tamil from lord Murugan at Thirutthani. Then, from there he went to Pandinadu and joined in the assembly of Kaichina vazhuthi. He also became the head of the first Tamil sangam. Due to Cataclysm at that period, many books were swept away by the sea (8). Then, he went to Pothigai and wrote many books along with the Siddhars those who lived there. Many disciples were formed for him. Those disciples were also named Agathiyar and later many books were written in the name of Agathiyar. He had twelve disciples. Tholkaappiyar was the best among them. He wrote a book named Tholkaappiyam which is considered the most antiquitiest work on the Grammar of Tamil language. It is noted that Tholkaappiyar said that there existed a previous book named Agathiyam which was the precedent for Tholkaappiyam. These were the informations given by him during Second Tamil sangam (9). This is again evident from Panampaaranaar and Palkaapiyanaar s sayings. He had many special names like Kumbamuni, Kurumuni, Kalasayoni, Nagari, Thutthaari. The subtitle Thaarai chinnam murasu seyaberi maarkkatthodu Kurumuni was actually given to him. But, later, it was faked that the name was due to his short appearance. This was said by him in his book, Agathiyar 12000. He also contributed his work on medicinal books like Agathiyam, Perunthirattu, Vaidhiya sindhamani, Chendooram 300, Mani 400, Vaidhiyakkannadi, Vaidhiyarathnaagaram, vaidhiyam 1500, Karisil Pasmam 200, Pashini, Nadi and so on (1). Conclusion From the above evidences, we conclude that the Siddhar Agathiyar was Pothigaimalai Agathiyar. This Siddhar was the one among the eighteen Siddhars. He was well versed in Astama siddhis and medicine. He was a great saint. The confirmation that he was the Siddhar Agathiyar is evident from his own lines as (3) Paarappaa Vaathathil lakkam kaapu Paadinaen vaiyagathil...thelivaai kaelu 159 VOLUME 1 Issue 4,2018
So, Podhigaimalai Agathiyar is the Father of Siddha medicine and other members who named Agathiyar were his followers. References 1. Siddha maruthuva varalaru, Aanaivari Aanandhan, Kavikuyil Publication, Pg.no. 3,4 2. Tamil Ilakkiya varalaru, Bhakiya mary, New century book house, Pg.no 16 3. Siddhargal oru kannotam, Thirugnanasambandhan, Arasi publication, Pg.no 45-48 4. Tamil ilakiya varalaru, Latchmanan, Krishna publication, Pg.no 23,24 5. Agathiyar aaraichi, Namachivaaya mudaliyar, Kudi Aracu publication, 1931, Pg.no 9-13 6. Agathiyar, Kandhaiyaa pillai, Aasiriya nool pathippu kazhagam, Pg.no 21-30 7. Tamil Ilakiyangalil Agathiyar oor aaivu, Tamil university, Pg.no 70-75 8. Agathiyar perunool kaaviyam, Thaamarai noolagam, Pg.no 272,273 9. Agathiyar 12000, Mudhal kaandam, Thaamarai noolagam, 1:258, 1:259 160 VOLUME 1 Issue 4,2018