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In this episode, we perceive deep wishes in a poet’s heart, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Puranaanooru 161, penned about the Velir King Kumanan by the poet Perunchithiranaar. Set in the category of ‘Paadaan Thinai’ or ‘King’s praise’, the verse presents a geographic simile to depict the king’s nature.
நீண்டு ஒலி அழுவம் குறைபட முகந்துகொண்டு,
ஈண்டு செலல் கொண்மூ வேண்டுவயின் குழீஇ,
பெரு மலை அன்ன தோன்றல, சூல் முதிர்பு,
உரும் உரறு கருவியொடு, பெயல் கடன் இறுத்து,
வள மழை மாறிய என்றூழ்க் காலை,
மன்பதை எல்லாம் சென்று உண, கங்கைக்
கரை பொரு மலி நீர் நிறைந்து தோன்றியாங்கு,
எமக்கும் பிறர்க்கும் செம்மலைஆகலின்,
‘அன்பு இல் ஆடவர் கொன்று, ஆறு கவர,
சென்று தலைவருந அல்ல, அன்பு இன்று,
வன் கலை தெவிட்டும், அருஞ் சுரம் இறந்தோர்க்கு,
இற்றை நாளொடும் யாண்டு தலைப்பெயர’ எனக்
கண் பொறி போகிய கசிவொடு உரன் அழிந்து,
அருந் துயர் உழக்கும் என் பெருந் துன்புறுவி நின்
தாள் படு செல்வம் காண்தொறும் மருள,
பனை மருள் தடக் கையொடு முத்துப் பட முற்றிய
உயர் மருப்பு ஏந்திய வரை மருள் நோன் பகடு,
ஒளி திகழ் ஓடை பொலிய, மருங்கில்
படு மணி இரட்ட, ஏறிச் செம்மாந்து,
செலல் நசைஇ உற்றனென் விறல் மிகு குருசில்!
இன்மை துரப்ப, இசைதர வந்து, நின்
வண்மையின் தொடுத்த என் நயந்தனை கேண்மதி!
வல்லினும், வல்லேன்ஆயினும், வல்லே,
என் அளந்து அறிந்தனை நோக்காது, சிறந்த
நின் அளந்து அறிமதி, பெரும! என்றும்
வேந்தர் நாணப் பெயர்வேன்; சாந்து அருந்திப்
பல் பொறிக் கொண்ட ஏந்து எழில் அகலம்
மாண் இழை மகளிர் புல்லுதொறும் புகல,
நாள் முரசு இரங்கும் இடனுடை வரைப்பில் நின்
தாள் நிழல் வாழ்நர் நன் கலம் மிகுப்ப,
வாள் அமர் உழந்த நின் தானையும்,
சீர் மிகு செல்வமும், ஏத்துகம் பலவே.
One more long song celebrating this king! The poet’s words can be translated as follows:
“Shrinking the loud-voiced ocean, speeding clouds dip and collect what they want. They then appear like huge mountains when they mature and decide it’s time to fulfil their duty of pouring down, as they join hands with the roaring element of thunder. Even when such prosperous rains have ceased in the hot and dry season of summer, for living beings to eat and live, the copious waters of the Ganges rise and flow on its shores. Akin to that, you have become the prosperous provider for me and others!
‘To that harsh drylands path, where there’s no end to suffering, as loveless men kill and steal, even as the strong male deer chews its cud, he left without love for me. Within every day that passes without him, a year entire seems to roll on’ – So laments my wife losing the sparkle in her eyes and suffers with tears pouring down. I have to make the one who feels such great sadness be filled with awe. And so, from the immense wealth gathered because of your efforts, grant me a sturdy male elephant with upraised tusks filled with pearls, and a trunk akin to a palm tree. As the dazzling ornaments on its face glow, and as bells ring aloud by the side, I must sit atop the animal with pride and go to her. This is my desire, O valorous ruler!
Trusting in your fame of granting with ceaseless generosity so as to end my poverty, I came here. I seek that you listen to me with affection. Without analysing whether I’m capable or not capable and not worrying about my abilities, you should give depending on your status and rank, O lord! When I part from here, I will put kings to shame; For your sandalwood-coated, spotted, handsome and wide chest to be embraced by women wearing glowing jewels; For the fine vessels of those who live in your shade in the boundaries within which your war drums roar, to abound with plenty; For your armies to fight and win great battles and for your abundant wealth – To prosper always, I shall sing praises many!”
Time to delve into the nuances. The poet begins with a lesson in ‘Water cycle’. He points to the roaring ocean and how clouds seem to be dipping there to collect all that they want. Then, these clouds reach full-term like a pregnant woman and soon it’s time to deliver the rain-child! A moment to pause and appreciate the fact that these Sangam Tamils are not saying that the rains are given by a God or even hinting of any other superstitious belief. They are instead echoing the rational science of rains being a product of evaporation and condensation in their poetic words, more than two thousand years ago. Returning to the verse, we learn that this fact has been mentioned to denote the absence of the rains. That is, to refer to the time when the rains no longer pour, that of the summer season. The poet tells us that even during this dry time, the Ganges overflows with water providing for all to eat and live with joy. And, that is how this generous king is to him and others who go seeking to the ruler, the poet adds. Yet again, a question arises as to how these poets, who lived in ancient Tamil land, were so well-versed with the nature of a river far away from them up north?
Next, from the nature of the king, the poet turns to the thoughts of his wife at home, who laments at being left behind, even as her husband navigates the harsh reality of a drylands region, where highway robbers wait to steal and end the lives of travellers. The poet’s wife very much sounds like the ladies we have met in our Sangam ‘Aham’ journey through Natrinai and Kurunthogai, especially when she declares that every day is like a year without her man! Now, the poet announces to the king that he wants to wipe the tears of his lady and in grand style. For that, the king from his vast wealth, must grant him a male elephant with sturdy tusks and trunk and the poet wishes to ride upon it, with ornaments glowing and bells ringing, so as to see the pleasant confusion on his wife’s face! He asks the king to give according to the greatness of the ruler and not measure it by the poet’s abilities. He makes a mysterious statement about putting kings to shame when he rides out of the king’s court. With the promise that the king’s wealth and joy would be praised and celebrated by him always, the poet concludes. The motive in many of these songs is indeed to impress kings with words of praise but within that wrapper, we, the descendants, receive the unexpected gift of vividly experiencing the perceptions and actions of they who lived so long ago!
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