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In this episode, we observe a lady’s conviction as well as her concern for her beloved, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Kurunthogai 94, penned by Kathakannan. The verse is situated in the forests of ‘Mullai’ and speaks in the voice of the lady to her confidante, allaying the friend’s worry that the lady would not be able to bear with the man’s parting.
பெருந் தண் மாரிப் பேதைப் பித்திகத்து
அரும்பே முன்னும் மிகச் சிவந்தனவே;
யானே மருள்வென்?-தோழி!-பானாள்
இன்னும் தமியர் கேட்பின், பெயர்த்தும்
என் ஆகுவர்கொல், பிரிந்திசினோரே?-
அருவி மா மலைத் தத்தக்
கருவி மா மழைச் சிலைதரும் குரலே.
Showers and flowers deck this verse! Right at the beginning, we see this in the words ‘பெருந் தண் மாரி’ referring to ‘the very wet season of rains’. Thereafter, it’s the turn of the flowers in the phrase ‘பேதைப் பித்திகம்’ meaning ‘foolish wild jasmine’. Wonder what those flowers did to earn that epithet! ‘யானே மருள்வென்’ meaning ‘will I be confused’, is the first question put forth. This is followed by another question about another person in ‘என் ஆகுவர்கொல், பிரிந்திசினோரே’ meaning ‘what will happen to the one who has parted away’. Picturesque elements of the land and skies delight us in ‘அருவி மா மலை’ meaning ‘huge mountains with cascades’ and ‘கருவி மா மழை’ meaning ‘huge rain clouds, accompanied by lightning and thunder’. Ending with the words ‘சிலைதரும் குரலே’ meaning ‘the resounding voice’, the verse beckons us to listen intently.
Roaring showers and foolish flowers seem to leave questions in the lady’s mind. The context reveals that the man and lady had been leading a married life when the man parted away on a mission. As he parts away from the lady, he promises to return before the rains. Perceiving the approaching rains, the confidante worries that the lady will not be able to bear with the man’s separation any more. To the confidante, the lady says, “Thinking it’s the real, moist rainy season, the naive wild jasmine buds have reddened, ahead of time. Will I get confused, my friend? But, when the one, who is still all alone, hears it at midnight, what will become of him, the one who parted away from me? Indeed, what will he do when he hears the roaring voice of the huge rain clouds that make the cascades in the huge mountains leap and flow!” With these words, the lady assures her friend that there was no need to be anxious about her own state and explains how her only worry was about the man’s state of mind!
How come the lady is so confident even as the scenes around seemed to change? Let’s listen closely to unravel the deeper meanings. Even as she starts speaking, the lady makes it clear that it’s the gullible nature of the wild jasmine that has made its buds blush red even before the moist rainy season had arrived. Differentiating herself from those flowers, the lady puts forth a rhetorical question, ‘Do you think I will be so easily fooled?’. Then, her thoughts turn in the man’s direction and she reflects on his lonely state at midnight. When he hears the rumbling of the rain clouds, what will become of him, she wonders with a touch of worry!
“It’s not me you have to be concerned about! It’s him. Will he worry about me? Will he return without finishing his mission? What could be the thoughts flooding his mind as he hears the roar of thunder, wherever he is, all alone!” This is the essence of what the lady conveys to her confidante. Herein, the lady explains how she herself is strong and has complete trust that the man would return as he had promised and also that any trace of worry in her was because she was thinking about the man’s mind, so far away and alone. If only we could learn to speak with such clarity and conviction about our own minds, like the lady in this verse, the world around us would be a much simpler place. Can we?
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