Meaning of ‘Sodasavadhani‘ – “The thief that stole two goats?”
With Kongunadu being greater in education even before centuries, not only men but also women excelled in education. There were a great number of Kongu women, who possessed mastery not only in Prosody, Literature and Mathematics, but even in Sanskrit. From the name of a village ‘Arya Padippu Kadu’ at Thalayanallur, it is clear that the people of Kongunadu learned Sanskrit along with Tamil. The discovery of a palm leaf manuscript ‘Kalvi Olukkam’ (Ethics of Education) at Kodumanal is an allegory written by the later Tamil poetess Avvayar. One of the leaves unearthed there has a mention of the importance of learning Sanskrit as a couplet read thus:
“Ainthu Vayathil Ariyam Odhu, Ariyam Odha Arivundame“ (Learn Sanskrit at the age of five, if you do so, your knowledge will be enhanced) However, scholars claim that the word ‘Ariyam’ was a deliberate replacement of the word ‘Adhi’ which means Supreme being.
Although many Sangam women poets like Avvayar, Ponmudiyar, and Kaakai Paadiniyar lived in Kongunadu and contributed to the development of Tamil, ordinary Kongu women too mastered their skills in both Tamil and Sanskrit. Of all such scholarly Kongu women, Palaniammal from Gangapuram excelled greatly in the comparative linguistics of Tamil and Sanskrit. She and her husband Palaniappa Gounder, a great landlord, were well-read in the works of literature of both languages. Since they were also known for their unique Kongu culture of hospitality and philanthropy, several scholars visited their home in the hamlet and discussed literature.
On a fine morning, when Palaniammal returned home for breakfast after assigning duties to the workers at her farmland, she saw a stranger sitting on her house pyol. Wearing gold rings on all his fingers, the man was clad in a silk shirt, silk dhoti, and silk turban. There lay many palm leaf manuscripts beside him and two ‘Kattru Sollikal’ (Men who write on the palm leaf, while the poet dictates) humbly stood by him. The egotistic man did not even stand up to introduce himself to Palaniammal and neither did he have any humility in his behavior. Irritated by his bossy behavior, Palaniammal queried him
“Sir, May I know what brings you here?“
The man answered in egotism:
“I am the great poet Paramesuvara Pulavar from Pandya kingdom, I am also a ‘Sodasavadhani’, a master of sixteen skills (In Sanskrit ‘Sodasam’ means sixteen and‘ Avadhani’ a master)
With her punning ability, Palaniammal paid him with the same coin…
“Oh, you were the thief that stole the two goats?“
Parameshwara Pulavar was taken aback by Palaniammal’s mastery in Sanskrit as she implied to him a different meaning from the same word as ‘Sodu’ meaning ‘Two‘ ‘Asam’ meaning ‘Goat’ and ‘Avadhani’ meaning ‘Thief’!