Kurunthogai 259 – Wafting like a flame lily’s fragrance

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மழை சேர்ந்து எழுதரு மாரிக் குன்றத்து
அருவி ஆர்ந்த தண் நறுங்காந்தள்
முகை அவிழ்ந்து ஆனா நாறும் நறு நுதல்
பல்லிதழ் மழைக் கண் மாஅயோயே!
ஒல்வை ஆயினும், கொல்வை ஆயினும்,
நீ அளந்து அறிவை நின் புரைமை: வாய் போற்
பொய்ம் மொழி கூறல் – அஃது எவனோ,
நெஞ்சம் நன்றே, நின் வயினானே?

‘Why should I speak untruths?’ seems the central question here! The opening words ‘மழை சேர்ந்து எழுதரு மாரி’ meaning ‘a cloud that soars laden with rain’ talks about that omnipresent element of the sky in the mountain domains. Next, we see and smell a dazzling and unique flower in this region in ‘தண் நறுங்காந்தள்’ meaning ‘moist and fragrant flame-lily’. Another entity that delights the sense of smell can be seen in ‘நறு நுதல்’ meaning ‘fragrant forehead’. Continuing in the theme of picturesque parts of the body, next in line is ‘பல்லிதழ் மழைக் கண்’ meaning ‘many-petaled rain-like eyes’. The turn of phrase ‘ஒல்வை ஆயினும், கொல்வை ஆயினும்’ meaning ‘whether you are in acceptance or in anger’ was rather striking to me in the way it encompassed both eventualities in a person’s reaction. In ‘வாய் போற் பொய்ம் மொழி கூறல்’ meaning ‘speaking untruths as if it were the truth’, the core theme in the verse is hinted at. Ending with the words ‘நெஞ்சம் நன்றே நின் வயினானே’ meaning ‘when the good heart is with you’, the verse intrigues our curiosity.

Reality of nature and abstraction of human nature seem to be in perfect blend in this verse. The context reveals that the man and lady were leading a love relationship and were trysting for a while. Noticing changes in the lady, the lady’s parents placed her under guard. As the lady was languishing in this situation, the confidante comes to her and says, “As moisture gathers, rainclouds rise high on the peaks and flow down as a cascade, near which blooms a moist flame-lily bud, sending out its unending fragrance. Like that is your fragrant forehead, O dark-skinned maiden with moist eyes, akin to a many petaled lotus! Whether you accept or admonish, I did that for the esteem that you know you are worthy of. What is the use of saying false words as if they were the truth, when the good heart is on your side?” With these words, the confidante informs the lady that she has revealed the lady’s relationship to the lady’s family and in a subtle way, assures her that this will only lead to good tidings for the lady.

A cryptic message encoded in that scene of nature, no doubt! Let’s unravel by listening to the confidante’s words closely. She starts by talking about a thick and bulging rain cloud, soaring above, meeting its match in the peaks, and pouring down as a cascade, back to earth. Nourished by one such cascade, a radiant flame-lily’s bud opens out and sends its fragrance in the breeze, the confidante describes. Then, she connects this fragrance to the lady’s forehead and also talks about the dark skin of the lady and her lotus-like moist eyes. After addressing the lady so, she tells her friend, whether the lady accepts whatever she did or gets angry with her for what she did, she explains that the confidante did that thing fully understanding the lady’s worth, and adds philosophically, what could be the point in speaking untruths as if it were the truth, especially when a good heart was on the lady’s side.

Note how the confidante does not refer to the man directly or talk about how she revealed the lady’s relationship but we can find all these details if we delve deeper into her words. When she talks about the lady getting angry or accepting her action, she means that she had taken the decision of revealing the lady’s relationship with the man without consulting the lady. When others in the family were inquiring the reason for the lady’s ill-health, why should I tell them some lies, pretending everything is fine, the confidante asks. Finally, through the metaphor of the flame-lily blooming and sending out its fragrance in the breeze, the confidante promises the lady that her action of revealing the lady’s relationship to the lady’s mother will lead to a series of positive events, ending with the man seeking the lady’s hand in marriage. 

Now, we understand that the good heart the confidante has been speaking about is none other than the man, who learning of these developments, will come to the lady’s aid and bring permanent happiness to her. As I read and understood this song, some questions popped up in my head – Why were these ancients so focused on tiny relationship nuances? Why give so much importance to conversations between two women about marriage and love? In today’s complex world, when people don’t even pay this kind of attention to what’s happening in their own minds, why were these Sangam poets writing verse after verse about these intricate aspects of relationship? As we take step after step into this world, perhaps someday these unanswered questions will unravel to fit our understanding. For now, let’s relish the mystery and walk on!