Manimekalai

E39753

Manimekalai is a classical Tamil Buddhist epic poem, traditionally attributed to the poet Sīthalai Sāttanār, that continues the story of Kovalan and Madhavi’s daughter and explores themes of renunciation and compassion.

All labels observed (5)

Label Occurrences
Manimekalai canonical 14
Kannagi 2
Cilappatikāram 1

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf Buddhist epic
Tamil epic poem
classical Tamil literature
didactic poem
approximateCentury early centuries CE
associatedReligion Mahayana
surface form: Mahayana Buddhism

Theravada
surface form: Theravada Buddhism
author Sīthalai Sāttanār
containsCharacter Buddhist monks
goddess Manimekala
culturalRegion Tamilakam
followsWork Cilappatikāram
surface form: Silappatikaram
genre epic poetry
influenced Tamil ethical and didactic traditions
later Tamil Buddhist literature
language Tamil
literaryCycle Eighteen Greater Texts of Tamil (Pattuppāṭṭu and associated epics)
literaryForm akaval metre
mainCharacter Kovalan
Madhavi
Manimekalai self-link
moralFocus charity and almsgiving
compassion for all beings
period post-Sangam era
philosophicalContent discussion of different Indian philosophical schools
exposition of Buddhist doctrines
plotElement Manimekalai becomes a Buddhist nun
Manimekalai receives a magic begging bowl (Amrita Surabhi)
Manimekalai renounces life as a courtesan
magic bowl feeds the hungry endlessly
preservesInformationAbout early Buddhism in South India
urban life in ancient Tamilakam
protagonistIs daughter of Kovalan and Madhavi
relatedWork Civaka Cintamani
Kundalakesi
Cilappatikāram
surface form: Silappatikaram

Valayapathi
religiousTradition Buddhism
setting Kaveripattinam
Manipallavam island
structure divided into cantos
survivalStatus extant but partly damaged in places
theme Buddhist ethics
compassion
karma and rebirth
non-violence
renunciation

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (19)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Tamil hasMajorWork Manimekalai
this entity surface form: Silappatikaram
Tamil hasMajorWork Manimekalai
Sangam literature hasPart Manimekalai
this entity surface form: Cilappatikāram
Sangam literature hasPart Manimekalai
this entity surface form: Maṇimēkalai
Manimekalai mainCharacter Manimekalai self-link
Tamil people classicalWork Manimekalai
Tamil literature majorWork Manimekalai
Tamil culture hasLiteraryWork Manimekalai
Madhavi appearsIn Manimekalai
Madhavi hasChild Manimekalai
Madhavi relatedWork Manimekalai
goddess Manimekala appearsIn Manimekalai
subject surface form: Manimekala
Tamilakam mentionedIn Manimekalai
Kundalakesi comparativeWork Manimekalai
Cilappatikāram primaryProtagonist Manimekalai
this entity surface form: Kannagi
Sīthalai Sāttanār notableWork Manimekalai
Kovalan spouse Manimekalai
this entity surface form: Kannagi
Kovalan relatedWork Manimekalai
Kaveripattinam mentionedIn Manimekalai