Civaka Cintamani - The Work

The Work

The work contains 3147 tetrastichs and is divided into 13 sections called illambakams.

• Namagal Ilambagam contains 408 verses detailing the story prior to the birth of the hero, Jivakan. It also details his birth; rescue from forest by a merchant Chitty when he was young; his mother fleeing from the assassin who murdered his husband, the king.
• Kovindiyar Ilambagam relates to the exploits of young Jivakan; his bravery detailed when he attacks the gang of freebooters who loot the city; his getting married to Kovindeyar, the daughter of a citizen in the city named Pasukavalam who gets impressed by his bravery. The section has 84 stanzas.
• Kandarvatatteyar Illambagam is derived from the celebrated musician, Tatteyar whose skill on Veena, a South Indian string instrument was almost unrivalled. She was resolute not to marry anyone until her challenge is surpassed. Jivaka won the competition and gained him the coveted prize to marry her. The events are accounted in 358 stanzas in this section.
• Gundmaleyar Ilambagam contains 415 stanzas and presents two young women namely Gunamelai and Churamanjiri of high family contended for their superiority in possessing scented powders. The identical scents were difficult to differentiate and when Jivagan did it, Gunamelai agreed to marry him. Sudarshana Jakshadeva, who got transformed to a dog due to a sin is restored to his former form by Jivaga. Chirumanji is rescued by Jivaga from an elephant, which was about to attack her.
• Pathumeiyar Ilambagam narrates the travel of Jivaga to foreign lands in 246 verses. Jivaga saves Pathumai when she was bitten by a serpent while collecting flowers. Her father, Pallavam marries her to Jivaga as a sign of gratitude.
• Kemasariyar Ilambagam contains 145 verses and it describes the visit of Jivaga to Kshemadesam where he performs austerities that gains him admiration from the king. The king bestows his daughter, Kshema Sundari in marriage.
• Kanagamaleyar Ilambagam depicts the hero in a place called Susandesam where the king suspends on a high mark, promising to give his daughter in marriage to the person who succeeds in displacing the mark with an arrow. Jivaga wins the competition and gets married to the king's daughter namely Chisanti. The heroics is depicted in 30 stanzas.
• Kimaleyar Ilambagam has 107 stanzas, where Jivaga proceeds to Nanaadu where he meets his mother in Tandakarenyam and salutes her. When he returns to the city, a merchant, who gets wealthy on account of Jivaga bestows his daughter Vimalei in marriage.
• In the ninth ilambagam, Jivaga gets married to Suramanjari, who once vowed not to marry anyone during the perfume episode.
• Manamagal Ilambagam contains 358 stanzas and narrates the victory of Jivaga in marrying the daughter of his maternal uncle, the king of Videkam. Jivaga wins the competition of hitting the target with arrow and his fame spreads across. The assassin who killed Jivaga's father and now became a king suspected Jivaga to be the original heir of his kingdom. He plans to seize him and put him to death, but Jivaga wins the battle and ascends the throne of his ancestors.
• Purmagal Illambagam contains 51 stanzas that narrates the conquest of Jivaga of the dominions of his father's assassin. The country was called Emangadesam.
• Ilakaneiyar Illambagam contains 221 verses describing the nuptials of Jivaga and his maternal uncle's daughter, Illakanei.
• Mutti Illambagam is the final portion of the epic that depicts the religious acts of Jivaga and his wives, the partition of his dominions to his sons, and the denounciation of all secular pursuits by himself and his devoted females.