Cīvakacintāmaṇi

work by Tiruttakkatēvar

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 24, 2026

Quick Summary

The Cīvaka-cintāmaṇi is an epic poem by Tiruttakka-tēvar, written in Tamil. It is one of the five great Tamil epics and is known for its detailed descriptions of city and country life, as well as its blend of supernatural and natural elements. The poem follows the life of Cīvaka, a Jaina king, and explores Jaina ideals of nonviolence and self-sacrifice. It is characterized by episodic narration and set descriptions of erotic, heroic, and religious themes, influencing later epic works. The Cīvaka-cintāmaṇi is also noted for its poetic quality and its exploration of Jaina philosophy.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

3 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

South Asian arts
Epics
…Peruṅkatai (“The Great Story”), the Cīvakacintāmaṇi (“The Amulet of Cīvakaṉ”) by Tiruttakkatēvar, and Cūḷāmaṇĭ (“The Crest Jewel”) by Tōlāmoḻittēvar. The last three works depict Jaina kings and their ideals of the good life, nonviolence, and the attainment of salvation through self-sacrifice. They are also characterized by excellent descriptions of city…
Read More
…Peruṅkatai (“The Great Story”), the Cīvakacintāmaṇi (“The Amulet of Cīvakaṉ”) by Tiruttakkatēvar, and Cūḷāmaṇĭ (“The Crest Jewel”) by Tōlāmoḻittēvar. The last three works depict Jaina kings and their ideals of the good life, nonviolence, and the attainment of salvation through self-sacrifice. They are also characterized by excellent descriptions of city…
Read More