List of words used in Tamil Literature for Lion

List of words used in Tamil Literature for Lion

அரி 

அறுகு

ஆளி 

கடுமான் 

கொடும்புலி 

கோண்மா 

கோவிலங்கு 

கோளரி

சிங்கம் 

சிம்மம் 

தெரிமா 

பூட்கை  

மடங்கல் 

மறப்புலி 

மாபுலி

முன்னம்

யாளி

வட்புலி 

வயப்புலி 

வயமா

வன்மான் 

வாளரி

விலங்கரசு 

Now we can separate this into groups,

First would be most commonly used words-  Tamilized version of Simha

Simha>சிங்கம் ciṅkam

Simha>சிம்மம் cimmam

Second most commonly word group would be derivative of Pakrit word Hari

Hari>Ari – golden yellow, Hari in saksrit means lion

Ma- Animal

Ari+ma –  Animal in golden yellow . (Root word Ari in Tamil means cut,itching – Ari in Arima is derivative of Indo Aryan root word Hari)

வாளரி vāḷ-ari -> Strong/powerful lion

கோளரி kōḷ-ari-> Strong/powerful lion

Other group of words used for lion is reference to Lion being king of forest, ko-. king

கோண்மா kōṇ-mā -> king animal

கோவிலங்கு kō-vilaṅku -> king animal

முன்னம் muṉṉam –> Chief animal

விலங்கரசு vilaṅkaracu

Most of the words are used to showcase its ferociousness and power/strength

கடுமான் kaṭu-māṉ – strong/powerful/ferocious animal

கொடும்புலி koṭu-m-puli- strong/powerful/ferocious animal

வட்புலி vaṭ-puli – strong/powerful tiger

வயப்புலி vaya-p-puli – strong/powerful tiger

வயமா vaya-mā – strong/poweful animal

வன்மான் vaṉ-māṉ – strong/powerful animal

மறப்புலி maṟa-p-puli – strong/powerful/ferocious tiger

மாபுலி mā-puli – great/strong tiger

ஆளி āḷi – lion - āḷi also means one who rules

Now lets go to other words used to denote lion,

தெரிமா terimā – could be either animal which investigates or animal which has powerful vision

மடங்கல் maṭaṅkal -

Matanku means – to be in control or subdue > Matankal – one who controls–> yama –> animal which has control/or destructive animal

Now lets come to the last category:

யாளி yāḷi is a mythical animal with lion face with tusks. This term is also used to denote lions

பூட்கை  pūṭkai  - is used to denote yāḷi, elephants and lions.

From the analysis except for yāḷi no other Dravidian root word is specifically used for lion. Yali is also primarly used as mythical animal with lion face.  This show that Dravidian language chain does not have root word for lion but has 3 root words for tiger which could mean ancient Dravidians might have not encountered lion.