Natrinai 55 – Fire of reasoning

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In this episode, we marvel at the nuanced perception depicted in Sangam Literary work, Natrinai 55, written by Peruvaluthi. Set in the ‘Kurinji’ landscape or the mountains, the poem speaks in the words of the lady’s confidante to the man, describing a recent, stressful incident at home.

ஓங்கு மலை நாட! ஒழிக நின் வாய்மை!
காம்பு தலைமணந்த கல் அதர்ச் சிறு நெறி
உறு பகை பேணாது இரவின் வந்து, இவள்
பொறி கிளர் ஆகம் புல்ல, தோள் சேர்பு
அறுகாற் பறவை அளவு இல மொய்த்தலின்,
கண் கோள் ஆக நோக்கி, ‘பண்டும்
இனையையோ?’ என வினவினள் யாயே,
அதன் எதிர் சொல்லாளாகி, அல்லாந்து
என் முகம் நோக்கியோளே ‘அன்னாய்,
யாங்கு உணர்ந்து உய்குவள் கொல்’ என மடுத்த
சாந்த ஞெகிழி காட்டி,
‘ஈங்கு ஆயினவால்’ என்றிசின் யானே.

As the poem opened, I thought at first, that the lady’s confidante was irked by something the man did and was giving him an earful. The words ‘ஒழிக நின் வாய்மை’ made me wander down this thought street. The word ‘வாய்மை’ which means ‘truth’ has been handled in a slightly different manner here. For, it means ‘the words from one’s mouth’. Oh! Then, is the lady’s confidante actually telling the man to shut up? Amusing though it is, let me clear your confusion and say that the lady’s confidante means something a little less severe, which we will understand in a little while. Down the verse, we meet with ‘அறுகாற் பறவை’. The word ‘பறவை’ is a common Tamil word with the contemporary meaning of ‘bird’. But here, we have ‘அறுகாற் பறவை’ or a ‘six-legged bird’. This makes us understand that the word ‘பறவை’ is actually used in the meaning of ‘that which flies’ and thereby points to a ‘six-legged insect’, perhaps, a honeybee. Finally, we meet this melodious word ‘ஞெகிழி’ meaning ‘a firebrand’ which sounds so close to ‘நெகிழி’ meaning ‘plastic’. In real, of course, we need to separate these two beautiful words, for us to breathe in a beautiful air! 

Glancing at the story behind this poem, we find the man arriving to meet with the lady one night. To him, the lady’s confidante says,“O lord of the lofty hills! You need to cease your words and turn to action! Crossing those narrow rocky paths, densely packed with bamboo stalks, not caring for the inherent dangers on the way, you came here at night and was locked in an embrace with the lady’s luminous bosom. The morning after, seeing six-legged bees buzzing around the lady’s shoulders incessantly, with sizzling eyes that could kill, mother asked, ‘Has this happened before too?’ Not being able to speak a single word in reply, in utter confusion, the lady looked at my face. Thinking how could she ever respond in this difficult circumstance, pointing to the sandal firebrand burning nearby, I said to mother, ‘It’s because of this burning that the bees are buzzing around her’ and saved the day, momentarily.” With these words, the confidante seems to say that this precarious situation cannot go on for long and that the man should hasten his proposal for marriage. 

Delving deeper into the intricacies of this poem, first we encounter the paths the man crosses to be with his lady. Before our eyes, soars a thick bamboo forest and on a narrow, rocky path in-between, we see the man striding with purpose. Adding to the danger, you can hear those tigers and other animals rustling in the dark, hunting for prey. Not minding all these dangers, the man rushes to be with the one he loves and embracing her, leaves behind in the lady, the fragrance of the forest he has crossed. The next morning, attracted by this scent, bees swarm around the lady, which makes the mother question what’s happening. You can’t help but admire how observant these ancient mothers seem to be. The phrase in spotlight here is ‘கண் கோள் ஆக நோக்கி’ which means with ‘eyes that seemed to have the power to kill’. Just a while ago, we saw the lady’s confidante talk about the outer-worldly dangers in the man’s path, and with this reference, she brings to focus, a rather personal danger that crossed their paths the morning before. A lady tiger prowls the house, the confidante seems to say. The mother then asks probingly whether such an incident of insects buzzing around the lady has happened before too. A dozen emojis, mouth open, hands on cheeks, eyes wide-open seem to animate the face of our lady, as she stands there, dumbstruck! Not a word comes out of her mouth and our smart confidante rises to the occasion and turns mother’s attention to the burning sandalwood firebrand. On researching, I learnt this fact that in Sangam times, people used to cook food with the wood from the sandal tree. What a fragrant food custom! Turning to the scene at home, the lady’s confidante is trying to fog mother’s mind by saying that the smoke from the sandalwood enveloping the lady, is the thing causing the insects to swarm around her! Are the bees thinking that our lady is a sandalwood tree? Had you been mother, you might have asked her, “Why does the smoke envelope the lady alone and not the others?” Thankfully for the lady’s confidante, mother seems to accept the explanation and leaves them both to heave a sigh of relief! 

Anyway, that’s the story the lady’s confidante tells the man and with that, she emphatically insists, “No more tall promises, act on your word and seek her hand in marriage!” Perhaps, whenever we hear our own minds throw up some excuse to procrastinate, we should hear within, the stern voice of the lady’s confidante urging us to quit talking and get going!