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 Buddhism
linked to: Mahayana

Theravada Buddhism
linked to: Theravada
author Sīthalai Sāttanār
containsCharacter Buddhist monks
goddess Manimekala
culturalRegion Tamilakam
followsWork Silappatikaram
linked to: Cilappatikāram
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
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
Silappatikaram
linked to: Cilappatikāram

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 Silappatikaram
linked to: Manimekalai
Tamil hasMajorWork Manimekalai
Sangam literature hasPart Cilappatikāram
linked to: Manimekalai
Sangam literature hasPart Maṇimēkalai
linked to: Manimekalai
Manimekalai mainCharacter Manimekalai
Tamil people classicalWork Manimekalai
Tamil literature majorWork Manimekalai
Tamil culture hasLiteraryWork Manimekalai
Madhavi appearsIn Manimekalai
Madhavi hasChild Manimekalai
Madhavi relatedWork Manimekalai
Manimekala appearsIn Manimekalai
subject linked to: goddess Manimekala
Tamilakam mentionedIn Manimekalai
Kundalakesi comparativeWork Manimekalai
Cilappatikāram primaryProtagonist Kannagi
linked to: Manimekalai
Sīthalai Sāttanār notableWork Manimekalai
Kovalan spouse Kannagi
linked to: Manimekalai
Kovalan relatedWork Manimekalai
Kaveripattinam mentionedIn Manimekalai