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In this episode, we hear a plea to a warring king, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Puranaanooru 57, penned about the Pandya King Ilavanthikaipalli Thunjiya Nanmaaran by the poet Kaaviripoompattinathu Kaarikannanaar. Set in the category of ‘Vanji Thinai’ or ‘King’s prowess’, the verse focuses on the acts of a king in the middle of a siege.
வல்லார் ஆயினும், வல்லுநர் ஆயினும்,
புகழ்தல் உற்றோர்க்கு மாயோன் அன்ன,
உரைசால் சிறப்பின் புகழ்சால் மாற!
நின் ஒன்று கூறுவது உடையேன்: என் எனின்,
நீயே, பிறர் நாடு கொள்ளும்காலை, அவர் நாட்டு
இறங்கு கதிர்க் கழனி நின் இளையரும் கவர்க;
நனந் தலைப் பேர் ஊர் எரியும் நைக்க;
மின்னு நிமிர்ந்தன்ன நின் ஒளிறு இலங்கு நெடு வேல்
ஒன்னார்ச் செகுப்பினும் செகுக்க; என்னதூஉம்
கடிமரம் தடிதல் ஓம்பு நின்
நெடு நல் யானைக்குக் கந்து ஆற்றாவே.
A crisp song paying tribute to this much celebrated Pandya king. The poet’s words can be translated as follows:
“Whether they are inept or skilful, for those who sing your praises, akin to God Mayon, you appear with fame, with so much to be sung about! I have something to say to you. And that is, when you lay siege to other countries, may your soldiers seize fields therein, lush with crops having bent ears; may you even set ablaze those large towns having wide spaces with the shower of flames; Like streaks of lightning, may your luminous, tall spears kill enemies too; But please protect the trees in their sacred forests, for those are not fit to be posts for your fine, tall elephants!”
Let’s look into the nuances herein! The poet starts by saying that irrespective of whether a poet has any skill or not, the truth is to everyone the king appears like God Mayon, with so much name and fame that inspire words of greatness. After that nuanced dig at his contemporary poets and an obvious tribute to the king, the poet says he has something of importance to say to the king. Before he says that, he outlines the setting of what he’s talking about and this happens to be the time when the king is in the middle of a fierce battle with an enemy nation. The poet declares the king is free to let his warriors raid the lush crop fields, and adds that it is fine to burn the towns, and even, perfectly okay for the king to flash his tall spear like a lightning against his enemies. Total license to kill and ruin, looks like! However, the poet adds, coming to his request finally, ‘Do not destroy the trees in the protected forest of that nation’, he says, and adds the reason as those being not fit to be hitching posts for the king’s elephants.
Whatever may be the reason the poet renders, it’s heartening to hear a voice that stands up for the trees! Although the sanction of all that destruction sounds jarring to the ears, the one soothing element is a request not to slay trees in the enemy country. A poet who sounds like a modern environmental activist. Hope his plea worked with this and other kings, so that at least some of the great forests of the past were saved for future generations. Perhaps we should take a moment to feel gratitude for this tree-loving poet of the past!
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