Iṉṉā nāṟpatu, Iṉiyavai Nāṟpatu, Kārnāṟpatu, Kaḷavaḻi Nāṟpatu: Text, Transliteration in English Verse and Prose

Iṉṉā nāṟpatu is a Tamil poetic work of didactic nature belonging to the Eighteen Lesser Texts (Patiṉeṇkīḻkkaṇakku) anthology of Tamil literature. The poems of Iṉṉā nāṟpatu are written in the Veṇpā meter. It was authored by Kapilar (c. 50–125 CE). Iṉṉā nāṟpatu is a collection of 40 poems describing the most undesirable things one should avoid. One of the meanings of the Tamil word Iṉṉā is one that brings unhappiness. Inna nāṟpatu includes four categories of harmful things one should avoid: a beautiful but disloyal wife, the wealth of a miser, a life under a tyrant, the beauty of a flower without fragrance.

Iṉiyavai Nāṟpatu is a classic Tamil poetic work of didactic nature belonging to the Eighteen Lesser Texts (Patiṉeṇkīḻkkaṇakku) anthology of Tamil literature. This belongs to the post-Caṅkam period corresponding to between 100 and 500 CE. Iṉiyavai Nāṟpatu is a collection of 40 poems written by the poet Pūtañcēntaṉār describing the most desirable things in life. The poems of Iṉiyavai Nāṟpatu are written in the Veṇpā meter.

Kārnāṟpatu is a Tamil poetic work belonging to the Eighteen Lesser Texts (Patiṉeṇkīḻkkaṇakku) anthology of Tamil literature. This belongs to the ‘post-Caṅkam period’ corresponding to between 100 – 500 CE. Kārnāṟpatu contains forty poems written by the poet Kaṇṇaṅ kūttaṉār who lived in Madurai.

The poems of Kārnāṟpatu deal with the akam (internal) subjects. akam in the Caṅkam literature denotes the subject matters that deal with the intangibles of life such as human emotions, love, separation, lovers’ quarrels, etc. Most of the poems of Kārnāṟpatu are in the form of the heroine being consoled by her friend by describing the beauties of the rainy season (the Tamil word Kār means rain).

Kaḷavaḻi Nāṟpatu is a Tamil poetic work belonging to the Eighteen Lesser Texts (Patiṉeṇkīḻkkaṇakku) anthology of Tamil literature. This belongs to the ‘post-Caṅkam period’ corresponding to between 100 and 500 CE. Kaḷavaḻi Nāṟpatu contains forty poems written by the poet Poykaiyār.

The poems of Kaḷavaḻi Nāṟpatu deal with the Puṟam (external) subjects. Puṟam in the Caṅkam literature denotes the subject matters that deal with war, politics, wealth, and so forth.