Nalayira Divya Prabandham Kaṇnaṇ and Greek Herakles - Union of Binary Oppositions in Fighting with Animals and the Formula for Variation
Year: 2023
Type: article
Abstract: It is mentioned by Greek historian Arrian that Indians worshipped Greek Herakles. The myths related with Greek Herakles like fighting against living creatures and wild animals and displaying their extra-ordinary power against natural elements are all found in the myths of Tamil God Kaṇnaṇ. So it is asserted that the Indian Herakles worshipped by Tamil people is none other than Tamil God Kaṇnaṇ through myths. Greek Herakles with lion head cap becomes Lion headed God in Tamil myth. Thus the binary oppositions between ‘Man and Animal’ and between ‘Man and God’ united as the God with animal headed human body. This research attempts to compare the Greek and Tamil myths with their theories of mythology. Keywords: Greek, Herakles, Krishna, myths, Tamil Kannan
Source: Athens Journal of Philology
DOI: 10.30958/ajp.10-2-4
Author: D Pugazhendhi
Institution: Government of Tamil Nadu
Language: English
Subfield: General Arts and Humanities
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4379285606