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In this episode, we observe and absorb the philosophy reflected in Tamil Sangam Literary Work Natrinai Poem 16, written by Siraikkudi Anthaiyaar, set in the ‘Paalai’ landscape or the dryland region, revolving around the theme of separation. This verse is expressed in the words of a man, conveying a conclusion to his heart.
புணரின் புணராது பொருளே; பொருள்வயிற்
பிரியின் புணராது புணர்வே; ஆயிடைச்
செல்லினும், செல்லாய்ஆயினும், நல்லதற்கு
உரியை-வாழி, என் நெஞ்சே!-பொருளே,
வாடாப் பூவின் பொய்கை நாப்பண்
ஓடு மீன் வழியின் கெடுவ; யானே,
விழுநீர் வியலகம் தூணிஆக
எழு மாண் அளக்கும் விழு நெதி பெறினும்,
கனங்குழைக்கு அமர்த்த சேயரி மழைக் கண்
அமர்ந்து இனிது நோக்கமொடு செகுத்தனென்;
எனைய ஆகுக! வாழிய பொருளே!
I instantly liked the flow of this verse. It’s quite modern in approach. The first two lines brought to my mind the ‘If…then’ clause, that frequents programming code. In ‘செல்லினும், செல்லாய்ஆயினும்’ meaning ‘whether you go, or do not go’, I could see Shakespeare’s Hamlet looking up, ears intent, eyebrows raised, sensing something in the genre of his famous words, ‘to be or not to be!’ Hope along with us, he too gets answers to his dilemma, through this ancient poem. As we move long the lines, there is ‘வாடாப் பூ’, an unfading flower smiling brightly at us. The words ‘நல்லதற்கு உரியை’ echo an order to do the good or the right thing. On the whole, there was a sense of analysing options, weighing pros and cons and making a clear-cut decision. Sounds straight out of an MBA course syllabus, doesn’t it?
Looking closer, the meaning and context revealed themselves. The man’s heart is pushing him to go in search of wealth and here’s what he says to his heart: ‘If I choose to be with love, wealth will not come my way; If I choose to leave for wealth, love will not come my way; So, whether you decide to leave for the drylands or to stay here, decide wisely and do the right thing, O heart! May you live long! Wealth is something that disappears in a flash like the path of a fish, streaking through a pond filled with unfading flowers. Even if one measure was a much as this wide world and even if I were to get seven such measures of wealth, I want that not, for I’m chained by this maiden with her cool moist eyes and her dangling earrings. Her sweet looks have ruined me. I care not for wealth anymore. Long may wealth live and go to those who seek it. I choose to remain with love!’
The ‘aha’ feeling of a light bulb glowing within, I felt when I fully savoured the simile. The fleeting nature of wealth is compared to the dashing path of a fish in a pond filled with unfading flowers. Gone in a flash! Note the stress on the ‘unfading’ flowers. I think this is a hidden reference to how the man feels about love. For in the succeeding lines, we find him extolling the charm of the lady’s cool moist eyes, dangling earrings and sweet looks that have chained him. The man then expresses the magnitude of his resolve by saying ‘even if mountains of wealth, seven measures with the world itself as a measure, come my way, I want that not!’ In ‘வியலகம்’, which means a ‘wide world’, I was intrigued to see the word ‘அகம்’, which actually means the ‘inner sphere’ or the ‘space in one’s mind’ used to mean the ‘world’. That’s a pithy philosophical statement linking one’s mind to the world entire. And how true indeed, the way our mind changes everything about how we see the world! So, perhaps it is fair to say that the world is as big as one’s mind! Coming back to the conclusion arrived at by our protagonist, what clarity of thought! The transience of wealth and the permanence of love portrayed in the words of a content man. Here’s a prayer for this clarity of vision in so many ‘to go or to stay’ decisions that life keeps throwing at us. May the unfading flower of wisdom and truth help our hearts to always do the right thing!
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