The text is divided into three primary sections, each exploring a fundamental layer of the language and human experience: Ezhuttadhikaram (Phonology & Orthography):
This section explores the "word" and its functional usage. It covers: tolkappiyam
This first book deals with phonology and orthography. Before Tolkappiyar, Tamil script and pronunciation were fluid and regional. Tolkappiyam codified the 30 Tamil letters (12 vowels, 18 consonants) and established the rules of elision, conjunction, and inflection. Perhaps most critically, it introduced the concept of kuril (short vowels) and nedil (long vowels), creating the rhythmic heartbeat that defines Tamil poetry. The text is divided into three primary sections,