Who among the following was the author of Virasoliyam?
Show answer & explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
Answer: Option 'Buddhamitra' is correct.
Explanation:
- Virasoliyam is a highly significant Tamil grammar treatise of the 11th century, authored by the Buddhist scholar Buddhamitra. This text was written during the reign of the Chola King Virarajendra Chola and was named Virasoliyam in his honor.
- The most unique feature of this treatise is that it attempts to interpret Tamil grammar based on the framework of Sanskrit grammar (specifically, Panini's methodology). It comprises five main sections: Orthography (letters), Morphology (words/Sol), Semantics (meaning), Prosody (meter), and Rhetoric (figures of speech). Buddhamitra endeavored to integrate Buddhist principles with literature, a feat that reflects the religious and cultural synthesis of that era.
Additional Points:
- Ottakoothar: A renowned poet of the Chola court, he authored works such as Kulottunga Cholan Ula and Ittirupati. He is also referred to as the 'Emperor of Poets' (Kavigalin Chakravarthi).
- Amirthasagarar: He authored the celebrated Tamil treatise on prosody titled Yapparungalam.
- Sekkilar: A 12th-century poet, he wrote the famous *Periya Puranam*, which chronicles the life stories of the 63 Nayanmars (devotees of Lord Shiva).
Potential Exam Questions and Answers:
1.Question: Under whose patronage was Virasoliyam written?
Answer: Virarajendra Chola.
2.Question: Who is the author of Periya Puranam, and to which religious sect does it belong?
Answer: Sekkilar; it belongs to the Shaivite sect (Nayanmar saints).
3.Question: Which Tamil grammar treatise is based on the Sanskrit model?
Answer: Virasoliyam.