Puranaanooru 71 – Priorities Past and Present

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மடங்கலின் சினைஇ, மடங்கா உள்ளத்து,
அடங்காத் தானை வேந்தர் உடங்கு இயைந்து,
என்னொடு பொருதும் என்ப; அவரை
ஆர் அமர் அலறத் தாக்கி, தேரொடு
அவர்ப் புறங்காணேன் ஆயின் சிறந்த
பேர் அமர் உண்கண் இவளினும் பிரிக;

அறன் நிலை திரியா அன்பின் அவையத்து,
திறன் இல் ஒருவனை நாட்டி, முறை திரிந்து
மெலிகோல் செய்தேன் ஆகுக; மலி புகழ்

வையை சூழ்ந்த வளம் கெழு வைப்பின்
பொய்யா யாணர் மையல் கோமான்
மாவனும், மன் எயில் ஆந்தையும், உரை சால்
அந்துவஞ் சாத்தனும், ஆதன் அழிசியும்,
வெஞ் சின இயக்கனும், உளப்படப் பிறரும்,
கண் போல் நண்பின் கேளிரொடு கலந்த
இன் களி மகிழ் நகை இழுக்கி யான் ஒன்றோ,

மன்பதை காக்கும் நீள் குடிச் சிறந்த
தென் புலம் காவலின் ஒரீஇ, பிறர்
வன் புலம் காவலின் மாறி யான் பிறக்கே!

An interesting song that introduces this unique category of a king’s vow on hearing about approaching enemy hordes. This song also subtly touches upon this king’s relationship with his queen, who happens to be a poet herself, and whose creation, we shall savour later in the Puranaanooru series. This Pandya king’s words can be translated as follows:

“Raging like lions, kings with unrelenting hearts and unyielding armies have come together and decided to battle against me;

Making them cry out in terror, I shall attack them in the fierce battle, and see their retreating backs upon their hastening chariots;

If I do not fulfil this vow…

…may I part away from her – the one with alluring, kohl-streaked eyes.

…may I appoint an unskilled person in this court of love, where justice never fails, and be deemed as one who ruled with an unrighteous sceptre;

…may I lose the joyous smiles of my friends, akin to my eyes, such as Maavan, the king of Mayyal, with unfailing prosperity in his fertile lands surrounded by the River Vaiyai; Aanthai, the ruler of the well-established town of Eyil; the famous Anthuvan Saathan and Aathan Azhisi; the ever-furious Iyakkan and many others;

…may I be shorn of being an heir in this long-lasting dynasty with the role of protecting people of the southern lands, and may I be born as one, who guards the harsh and dry lands of others!”

In most other verses, we have seen how poets sing the praises of kings. Here, it’s the king himself who renders these words. The King Bootha Pandiyan hears about how the Chozha and Chera kings, his contemporaries, had joined hands and decided to wage war on his lands. At this time, although they are his enemies, he describes these kings as having a spirit like that of lions, and also, having mighty armies, as they advance to destroy him. The Pandya king swears solemnly that he will see them retreat in the battlefield as they flee away in their chariots. 

To this wish, he adds that if at all that were not to happen, let him be cursed as one who left his beautiful wife with kohl-streaked eyes. Not just that, let him be branded as one who did not know how to rule his land because he made the mistake of appointing someone who was unfit for the job of rendering justice in his court. Also, he says let him be damned to lose the happy smiles of his many friends, the chief Maavan, who rules over fertile lands bordering the contemporary River Vaigai, then another leader Aanthai of Eyil, Anthuvan Saathan, Aathan Azhisi and the angry Iyakkan among others. Finally, he declares that if he does not fulfil that vow, let him be doomed to not be born in this illustrious Pandya dynasty but to be born to protect dry and infertile lands of others!

Through these fierce words from a king’s mouth in the middle of an impending challenge, we can infer what were the elements of importance in his life. First, he talks of being cursed to part away from his queen, and this statement tells us that it was an unthinkable act, revealing his deep love for his wife. The next thought he has is about his role as king and how important it was for him to be known as a righteous ruler, who never swerved from the path of justice. After this, it’s about the good will of his many friends – chiefs and esteemed people close to his heart; Finally, it’s his pride in being born as a ruler in his Pandya clan. 

If we were to abstract these thoughts and put in a nutshell, what’s important to the king was his family, work, friends and identity respectively! Isn’t it amazing to think that two thousand years later, you and I are still focused on these very aspects of life? A perfect moment to take a pause and reflect on one, the familial bonds and their importance in our life; two, on how we want to be seen in our work roles; three, on the many different friends we have and their unique qualities, which enrich our life; And finally, our many identities and how while we may feel pride in ours, to also see those of others with respect, and never forget our over-arching common identity of being a life on this planet we call home!