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In this episode, we are introduced to a new king, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Puranaanooru 152, penned about the Velir King Valvil Ori by the poet Vanparanar. Set in the category of ‘Paadaan Thinai’ or ‘King’s praise’, the verse narrates the poet’s encounter with this king.
‘வேழம் வீழ்த்த விழுத் தொடைப் பகழி
பேழ் வாய் உழுவையைப் பெரும்பிறிது உறீஇ,
புழல் தலைப் புகர்க் கலை உருட்டி, உரல் தலைக்
கேழற் பன்றி வீழ, அயலது
ஆழல் புற்றத்து உடும்பில் செற்றும்,
வல் வில் வேட்டம் வலம் படுத்து இருந்தோன்,
புகழ்சால் சிறப்பின் அம்பு மிகத் திளைக்கும்
கொலைவன் யார்கொலோ? கொலைவன் மற்று இவன்
விலைவன் போலான்; வெறுக்கை நன்கு உடையன்;
ஆரம் தாழ்ந்த அம் பகட்டு மார்பின்,
சாரல் அருவிப் பய மலைக் கிழவன்,
ஓரி கொலோ? அல்லன்கொல்லோ?
பாடுவல், விறலி! ஓர் வண்ணம்; நீரும்
மண் முழா அமைமின்; பண் யாழ் நிறுமின்;
கண் விடு தூம்பின் களிற்று உயிர் தொடுமின்;
எல்லரி தொடுமின்; ஆகுளி தொடுமின்;
பதலை ஒரு கண் பையென இயக்குமின்;
மதலை மாக் கோல் கைவலம் தமின்’ என்று,
இறைவன் ஆகலின், சொல்லுபு குறுகி,
மூ ஏழ் துறையும் முறையுளிக் கழிப்பி,
‘கோ’ எனப் பெயரிய காலை, ஆங்கு அது
தன் பெயர் ஆகலின் நாணி, மற்று, ‘யாம்
நாட்டிடன் நாட்டிடன் வருதும்; ஈங்கு ஓர்
வேட்டுவர் இல்லை, நின் ஒப்போர்’ என,
வேட்டது மொழியவும் விடாஅன், வேட்டத்தில்
தான் உயிர் செகுத்த மான் நிணப் புழுக்கோடு,
ஆன் உருக்கு அன்ன வேரியை நல்கி,
தன் மலைப் பிறந்த தா இல் நன் பொன்,
பல் மணிக் குவையொடும் விரைஇ, ‘கொண்ம்’ என,
சுரத்திடை நல்கியோனே விடர்ச் சிமை
ஓங்கு இருங் கொல்லிப் பொருநன்,
ஓம்பா ஈகை விறல் வெய்யோனே!
A mighty long verse indeed, which seems to be the defining style of this poet when it comes to introductions. His words can be translated as follows:
“After felling an elephant, that well-shot arrow brought death to a huge-mouthed tiger, made the head of hollow-horned, spotted dear roll, pushed down the mortar-headed boar, and then ended up piercing the skin of the monitor lizard crawling near termite mounds. Who might the one, who wielded from his sturdy bow, this mighty arrow that murders many, be? He doesn’t seem like one who kills to sell; He seems to have wealth in plenty; He who has a broad and handsome chest, streaked with sandalwood, the lord of these lush mountains with abounding cascades in the slopes – Is he or is he not Ori?
Deciding he was the king indeed, I said, ‘I shall sing of one of his qualities, O dancing maiden! As for you, coat the drums with mud; play the strings of your lute; blow on the elephant-trunk-like ‘thoombu’ pipe with holes; thump the ‘ellari’ drum; beat the ‘aakuli’ drum; gently strike the skin of the ‘pathalai’ drum; and that supportive black rod, you handover to me’. Then I approached him and completed singing songs in the twenty one themes in traditional order. The moment I said, ‘O King’, since that was his title, he seemed to become embarrassed, and when I continued saying, ‘We have crossed countries many, many but have never seen a hunter equal to you’, he wouldn’t let me speak further but hastily handed to me, the fatty meat, carved from the deer he had hunted, melting toddy akin to cow’s ghee, flawless gold found in his hill along with heaps of many precious gems, and told me, ‘Take it all!’. The one who so rendered unto me in the drylands path was none other than the lord of the soaring Kolli hills, with peaks and caves many – a brave leader with unceasing charity!”
Let’s explore the details herein. To talk about the skill of this King Ori, the poet tells us the consequences of an arrow shot by this king. In normal circumstances when the arrow is employed for a hunt, you would expect the arrow to hit its target and fell an animal. However, what happens here is that arrow not only kills an elephant, but also a tiger the elephant was watching, a deer the tiger was probably stalking, a boar roaming in the jungle, and also, a monitor lizard, and ends up only when it pierces the thick skin of this lizard. This account made me instantly think of the ‘Yaka arrow’ in the Marvel Movies series of ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy’. Just like our modern writers have imagined the spectacular properties of this arrow that would kill an entire army in its trajectory, perhaps this Sangam poet is exercising his imagination to present this exaggerated version of the king’s no-doubt excellent skill in archery!
Returning to the verse, we see the poet looking at the hunter who wielded the said arrow, and deciding that this person before him is not hunting to sell and gain wealth, for he already appears wealthy. Seeing the person’s handsome looks, the poet wonders whether he could be the king of those mountains, the famous King Ori, that he has heard so much about. Arriving at the conclusion that it should indeed be him, the poet declares that he is going to sing in praise of this king and instructs his accompanying troupe of singing-dancing maiden to prepare the drums, play the lutes and strike the ‘ellari’, ‘aakuli’ and ‘pathalai’ drums. Then he asks her to give him the ‘mathalai’, a black rod used as a supportive device in their music making. Could it be similar to the conducting baton of an orchestra? Anyway, while this symphony rises, the poet completes singing the twenty one themes of songs in perfect order, he says. Probably a classic piece of those times!
After that musical presentation, the poet goes to the hunter and addresses him as ‘king’, which makes the hunter much embarrassed for he realises he has been found out. When the poet starts his praises saying that they had walked through countries many, many but seen no one as skilled as this king, Ori seems to have prevented the poet from going on further by offering the poet and his group, fatty meat, textured toddy, gold and precious gems from his mountains. The one with such an immense generosity was none other than Ori, the poet concludes!
Isn’t it somewhat funny to think that to stop the poet from praising him too much, the king stuffs his mouth with meat and toddy? Humour apart, this account brings out the humble nature of this ancient ruler, who desires not to be praised but instead was focussed only on being attentive and compassionate to those around him!
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