Abstract:

Source of உவமை Difference between உவமை and பொருள் There are so many things to be employed as உவமை by the virtue of sharing some common feature with பொருள். But not anything that has ஒப்புமை could be உவமை. Similarity is a necessary condition to make உவமை, but not a sufficient one. There are other conditions to be met whose awareness will help the readers or listeners of poetry to know the full significance of உவமை. Source is used in two senses, viz., the materials available for choice and the basis of the motivation for choice. The latter is called நிலக்களன் ‘ground, vantage point’ to make உவமை in Tolkappiyam (S 4). The former does not have a name (S 1) and it is termed in English here as ‘site of meaning’ for உவமை.