Manakkudavar's is the earliest of the available commentaries on the Kural text, and hence considered to bear closest semblance with the original work by Valluvar.
17 Facts About Manakkudavar
1.
2.
Manakkudavar was among the canon of Ten Medieval Commentators of the Kural text most highly esteemed by scholars.
3.
Manakkudavar was among the five ancient commentators whose commentaries had been preserved and made available to the modern era, the others being Pari Perumal, Kaalingar, Paridhi, and Parimelalhagar.
4.
The commentary of Manakkudavar remains the second most popular commentary on the Kural text, next only to that of Parimelalhagar.
5.
Manakkudavar is believed to have been born in Manakkudi, from which he came to be referred to as "Manakkudiyaar", and later as "Manakkudavar".
6.
Manakkudavar's mentioning of several earlier interpretations in various places in his commentary, including his explications to couplets 17 and 389, reveals that there were several earlier commentaries on the Kural literature before his time, which are now completely lost.
7.
Manakkudavar readily expresses his hesitations wherever he appears doubtful about his interpretation.
8.
Only in few places, such as couplets 2,401 and 802, does Manakkudavar cite other ancient didactic works, including the Naladiyar and Nanmanikkatigai, to exemplify.
9.
In various places, such as couplets 29,269 and 274, Manakkudavar cites various stories and incidents from ancient Indian epics such as Mahabharata and various Puranas.
10.
Manakkudavar explicates the distinct meaning of difficult words found in such couplets as 125,154,211,340,350,548,580,649,674,715,731,1135 and 1324 to simplify comprehension.
11.
Manakkudavar has employed contemporary colloquial dialect and proverbial sayings in such couplets as 118,329,405,812,915,1057 and 1194.
12.
In very few places, Manakkudavar's explanations appear less satisfactory compared with other commentators, as those instances in couplets 21,153 and 591.
13.
The fact that Manakkudavar's commentary served as the cornerstone and guide for other medieval commentators, including Parimelalhagar, cannot be overstated.
14.
Manakkudavar appears to be the first commentator to divide all the three books of the work into subdivisions known in Tamil as.
15.
Manakkudavar is known for his style of reordering the couplets within the chapter in order to keep together the couplets that closely resembled in meaning.
16.
The word arrangement of Manakkudavar is often considered by modern scholars to be better than that of Parimelalhagar.
17.
However, there are sources that claim that the first to publish Manakkudavar's commentary were Thiruvenkatavan University, Shrilashri Thampiran Vidhwan D Pattuswami Odhuvar, and Palaniappa Pillai, all of whom published independently of each other.