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In this episode, we relish the expanse of the inner world illustrated with elements of nature and culture, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Natrinai 153, penned by Thanimaganaar. The verse is situated in the ‘Paalai’ landscape or drylands and speaks in the voice of the lady, relating her pained state after the parting away of her man.
குண கடல் முகந்து, குடக்கு ஏர்பு, இருளி
மண் திணி ஞாலம் விளங்க கம்மியர்
செம்பு சொரி பானையின் மின்னி, எவ்வாயும்
தன் தொழில் வாய்த்த இன் குரல் எழிலி
தென்புல மருங்கில் சென்று அற்றாங்கு,
நெஞ்சம் அவர் வயின் சென்றென, ஈண்டு ஒழிந்து
உண்டல் அளித்து என் உடம்பே, விறல் போர்
வெஞ்சின வேந்தன் பகை அலைக் கலங்கி
வாழ்வோர் போகிய பேர் ஊர்ப்
பாழ் காத்திருந்த தனி மகன் போன்றே.
The poem opens like a commentary on a cloud with the phrase ‘குண கடல் முகந்து’ meaning ‘diving into the eastern seas’. Right in the first line, we meet with two different directions – ‘குணக்கு’ meaning ‘east’ and ‘குடக்கு’ meaning ‘west’. ‘மண் திணி ஞாலம்’ is quaint way of referring to earth calling it a ‘sand-interleaved world’. Indeed, there’s a lot of blue and a little mud, seemingly scattered by the hands of a giant child, in this orb we call home! The word ‘கம்மியர்’ that we have encountered before, referring to ‘skilled craftsmen’ appears in this verse in connection with ‘செம்பு’ or ‘copper’. The provider of rain is lovingly called as ‘இன் குரல் எழிலி’ meaning ‘sweet-voiced cloud’. There’s a reference to ‘நெஞ்சம்’ meaning ‘heart’ and ‘உடம்பே’ meaning ‘body’, hinting at a dichotomy between these two elements. Entering the fray is a ‘வெஞ்சின வேந்தன்’ meaning ‘raging king’ and ‘தனி மகன்’ meaning ‘lonely man’. Let’s explore the meaning within these striking images.
The man and lady have been leading a happy married life when the time comes for the man to leave her on a mission. The lady wallows in dejection, pining for her man. She’s not even cheered by the consoling words of her confidante. One day, the lady says, “Dipping in the eastern seas, rising in the west, darkening upon this sand-spread world, flashing like a copper pot carved by a craftsman, performing its duty in all places, the sweet-voiced cloud moves towards the south and vanishes. Like that, my heart has gone along with my man, leaving behind this body that is kept alive by the mere act of eating. There’s a great town, without any people, as they have been driven away by the enmity of a strong and furious, warring king. In this old town, stands a lonely protector awaiting amidst the ruins. Like that, my body stands awaiting his return!” With these words, the lady expresses her dejected state, as she struggles to wait amidst the ruins of separation.
Now, for the nuances within! We get an inkling of the spread of the land with this verse, for there’s mention of eastern seas and clouds moving towards the west. This geographic phenomenon remains the same two thousand years later, with the north-east winds, bringing rain to the state of Tamilnadu. Dipping in the Bay of Bengal, lying to the east of Tamil land, these clouds then move towards the west and when they do, they paint the skies black. Even though the world becomes dark, rain is celebrated in this land for we hear that it is this very rain that makes this sand-filled world survive. Shortly thereafter, there’s another compliment to the cloud, calling it a dutiful thing. The clouds take water from the seas, not to hoard it or to save it for later. The generous souls they are, they shower back to the land, doing their duty upon all earth. The way the clouds go about this, is brought forth with an exquisite simile, by placing in parallel, a shining copper vessel, being created by smelting the ore. Through this, we infer the industrial-knowhow of these ancient folks. The flashing of light from the copper-smelting process is likened to the lightning flashes in the sky. The thundering voice of the cloud is referred to as a melodious sound by the lady. Finally, after doing all its sweet work, the cloud moves towards south, the third direction referred in the verse, and vanishes. The lady has related the life-story of a cloud to say that her heart too, had risen away from her body and has left her, to journey with the man.
Then, the lady summons up an image of a deserted town. Long ago, it was teeming with people, going about their tasks. But now, only ruins remain. This is because the town fell in the path of an enemy king, powerful and furious, making the people abandon the town and find some safe haven. Is everyone gone? Is there not even a soul left? No, there is one who remains. It’s a solitary soldier! The lady says, like that lonely protector, who stands there when his cause seems to be lost, the shell of her body awaits too. The thing that struck me in this verse, is that the true name of the poet who penned this verse has been lost in the sands of time, leaving him to be referred by a phrase ‘thani magan’ he coined here. This seems to tell me that when one’s body, name and fame has gone south like those clouds, the ‘last man standing’ in this war against time, is the art that one leaves behind!
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