அபிதான சிந்தாமணி
PRÉFACE TO THE FIRST EDITION
ertar: Logicago
GENTLEMEN AND LOVERS OF TAMIL LITERATURE,
I began to write this Abithana Ohintamani, the Encyclopala ot Tamil
Literature, some twenty years ago. For the materials of this book, I wont
to several places in the Madras Presidency and secured the needed information.
The book does not treat of a single subject but treats of many. It contains
amongst other things (1) Biographical sketohes of deities, Saints and other
illustrious personages. (2) Descriptive and explanatory notes on places of
sanotity and antiquity. (3) Explanations of allusions to Hindu mythology.
(4) Grammar, Literature and Logio. (5) Genealogical, Geographical and
Historical facts. (6) Dissertation on different systems of philosophy and
religion. (7) Description of the birth and growth of the Hindu sects and
reeds that are extent. (8) Genealogy of the principal obaracters that figure
in our annels. (9) Origin of precious stones. (10) Physiogaomy, Astro-
logy and Medicine, (11) History of illustrious Tamil Authors and
Madathipathies and many other items interesting to the student of Tamil
Literature and the antiquarian, all arranged alphabetically. The facts
gleaned are from classic authorities, Puranas, Srutis and Smritis. In
short, the work is the compendium of the results of vast research in Tamil
Literature presented in the form which would facilitate reference—& Tamil
Encyclopædia in a nut shell. The book is written in a simple and easy style
so as to be useful to all. It is written without any bias or prejudice,
After the completion of this work, as my income as a Tamil Pandit was
not sufficient to publish this elaborate work, I showed the manuscript copies
of the work to man wealthy and educated gentlemen in Madras, who simply
stated, without offering any help, that the publication would cost much. Then
I thought of publishing it in montbly parts and to that effect published leaf-
lets with specimen pages of my book. As very few joined as subscribers and
as I feared that my attempt would be a failure, I gave up the idea. While T
wag thus dejected and disheartened, one of my leaflets reached the hands of
Sriman Paddithoraiswami Thevar, the President-Founder of Madura Tamil
Sangam and Zemindar of Palavanatham, Ramnad. Ho came to Madras, looked
into some portions of the book and kindly consented to publish this work. I
shall not ex patiate on the various troubles and difficulties that I have onder
gone in writing and publishing this work. Tho merit of this work is left to the
judgment of those who may consult it as a book of reference whenever dit
culties present themselves to them. My thanks are due to those gentlemen who
bave rendered me invaluable help with informations and with books and espe-
otally to Sriman Pandithoraiswami Thevar who has rendered me timely help
in undertaking to publish this elaborato work. I wish him prosperity and success,
A. SINGARAVELU MUDALIAR,
Tamil Pardit, Pachaiyappa's Institution, Madras.
PRÉFACE
TO
THE
FIRST
EDITION
ertar
:
Logicago
GENTLEMEN
AND
LOVERS
OF
TAMIL
LITERATURE
I
began
to
write
this
Abithana
Ohintamani
the
Encyclopala
ot
Tamil
Literature
some
twenty
years
ago
.
For
the
materials
of
this
book
I
wont
to
several
places
in
the
Madras
Presidency
and
secured
the
needed
information
.
The
book
does
not
treat
of
a
single
subject
but
treats
of
many
.
It
contains
amongst
other
things
(
1
)
Biographical
sketohes
of
deities
Saints
and
other
illustrious
personages
.
(
2
)
Descriptive
and
explanatory
notes
on
places
of
sanotity
and
antiquity
.
(
3
)
Explanations
of
allusions
to
Hindu
mythology
.
(
4
)
Grammar
Literature
and
Logio
.
(
5
)
Genealogical
Geographical
and
Historical
facts
.
(
6
)
Dissertation
on
different
systems
of
philosophy
and
religion
.
(
7
)
Description
of
the
birth
and
growth
of
the
Hindu
sects
and
reeds
that
are
extent
.
(
8
)
Genealogy
of
the
principal
obaracters
that
figure
in
our
annels
.
(
9
)
Origin
of
precious
stones
.
(
10
)
Physiogaomy
Astro
logy
and
Medicine
(
11
)
History
of
illustrious
Tamil
Authors
and
Madathipathies
and
many
other
items
interesting
to
the
student
of
Tamil
Literature
and
the
antiquarian
all
arranged
alphabetically
.
The
facts
gleaned
are
from
classic
authorities
Puranas
Srutis
and
Smritis
.
In
short
the
work
is
the
compendium
of
the
results
of
vast
research
in
Tamil
Literature
presented
in
the
form
which
would
facilitate
reference
—
&
Tamil
Encyclopædia
in
a
nut
shell
.
The
book
is
written
in
a
simple
and
easy
style
so
as
to
be
useful
to
all
.
It
is
written
without
any
bias
or
prejudice
After
the
completion
of
this
work
as
my
income
as
a
Tamil
Pandit
was
not
sufficient
to
publish
this
elaborate
work
I
showed
the
manuscript
copies
of
the
work
to
man
wealthy
and
educated
gentlemen
in
Madras
who
simply
stated
without
offering
any
help
that
the
publication
would
cost
much
.
Then
I
thought
of
publishing
it
in
montbly
parts
and
to
that
effect
published
leaf
lets
with
specimen
pages
of
my
book
.
As
very
few
joined
as
subscribers
and
as
I
feared
that
my
attempt
would
be
a
failure
I
gave
up
the
idea
.
While
T
wag
thus
dejected
and
disheartened
one
of
my
leaflets
reached
the
hands
of
Sriman
Paddithoraiswami
Thevar
the
President
-
Founder
of
Madura
Tamil
Sangam
and
Zemindar
of
Palavanatham
Ramnad
.
Ho
came
to
Madras
looked
into
some
portions
of
the
book
and
kindly
consented
to
publish
this
work
.
I
shall
not
ex
patiate
on
the
various
troubles
and
difficulties
that
I
have
onder
gone
in
writing
and
publishing
this
work
.
Tho
merit
of
this
work
is
left
to
the
judgment
of
those
who
may
consult
it
as
a
book
of
reference
whenever
dit
culties
present
themselves
to
them
.
My
thanks
are
due
to
those
gentlemen
who
bave
rendered
me
invaluable
help
with
informations
and
with
books
and
espe
otally
to
Sriman
Pandithoraiswami
Thevar
who
has
rendered
me
timely
help
in
undertaking
to
publish
this
elaborato
work
.
I
wish
him
prosperity
and
success
A
.
SINGARAVELU
MUDALIAR
Tamil
Pardit
Pachaiyappa
'
s
Institution
Madras
.