Introduction

There were a few works dated some 500 years prior to Villi like Bala Bharatham of Agasthya Bhattar, works by Perun Devanaar, Nallaa Pillai and Ashtavadhanam Ranganatha Kavirayar and some after Villi which have all gone into obscurity. Only Villi Bharatam has survived due to its literary excellence. Villi is born in Saniyur (present name of this city is not known) in Pennai/ Thirumunaipadi country. He was well versed in both Sanskrit and Tamil. It is said that he composed Mahabhaatam at the request of Aattkondan (1331-1383), then King of that country. Story of cutting the ears of poets who lose in discussions with him seems to be not really authentic or believable. The Mahabharatam by Vyasa with 18 Parvas comprising one lakh slokas is a little difficult even for learned people to study and understand it completely. So, Villiputturar or Villi has written in condensed form in Tamil in about 4000 verses (4337 to be exact) but without leaving out essential elements. It is only up to the end of war. There is an opinion that he had written all 18 Parvas but the rest are lost. Also, there is another opinion that it consisted of 6000 verses. However, both are not very authentic. Originals don’t carry any names for Parvas whereas Villi has named them. It looks like he started to write as translation of Bala Bharatam in Sanskrit of Agasthya Bhattar but later on during the course deviated from it and drew on Vyasa Bharatam and added his own too.