பக்கம்:முல்லைப்பாட்டு ஆராய்ச்சியுரை.pdf/17

19 in such a fantastic manner as to make the poem seem most unnatural and its structure highly ridicu- lous. And in elucidating the text, I have, therefore, inserted, wherever necessary, short critical notes which would make the inaptitude of the commenta- tor's meanings at once intelligible to all reflective minds. Pandits V. Swaminatha Aiyar of the Govern- ment College at Kumbakonam and Pandit C. Tiru- chitrambalam Pillai of Coimbatore having been great- ly misled by the commentary of Nachinarkkiniar, have in their editions, added notes which, without following the sense of the poem, simply mar the flow and natural setting of its poetic thoughts. But of the two wish to recommend to students Mr. Tiruchi- trambalam's edition, since his comments and critical introduction seem to me more valuable for a clear understanding of the old commentary, though not of the poem, than that of Mr. Swaminatha Aiyar. In the course of my criticism I need hardly say that I have differed as widly from the old commentator as from the two Pandits, but I have fully stated my reasons and authority for doing so. I conclude these few prefatory remarks with a fervent hope that those Tamil students who take a deep interest in the study of this poem, will find in the following critical commentary a better means of - getting at a true and appreciative knowledge of this only genuine relic of a great and old Tamil poet Nap-