Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | iHeartRadio | Email | TuneIn | RSS | More
In this episode, we learn of the dynamics between courage and compassion, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Puranaanooru 180, penned about the Velir King Eernthoor Kizhaan Thoyan Maaran by the poet Konattu Erichaloor Maadalan Madurai Kumaranaar. Set in the category of ‘Vaagai’ or ‘Victory’, the verse relates the response of this king to requests from supplicants.
நிரப்பாது கொடுக்கும் செல்வமும் இலனே;
‘இல்’ என மறுக்கும் சிறுமையும் இலனே;
இறை உறு விழுமம் தாங்கி, அமரகத்து
இரும்பு சுவைக் கொண்ட விழுப்புண் நோய் தீர்ந்து,
மருந்து கொள் மரத்தின் வாள் வடு மயங்கி,
வடு இன்று வடிந்த யாக்கையன், கொடை எதிர்ந்து,
ஈர்ந்தையோனே, பாண் பசிப் பகைஞன்;
இன்மை தீர வேண்டின், எம்மொடு
நீயும் வம்மோ? முது வாய் இரவல!
யாம் தன் இரக்கும்காலை, தான் எம்
உண்ணா மருங்குல் காட்டி, தன் ஊர்க்
கருங் கைக் கொல்லனை இரக்கும்,
‘திருந்து இலை நெடு வேல் வடித்திசின்’ எனவே.
Yet another leader of a minor region is introduced through this verse. The Velir King was said to be a warrior in the army of the Chozha King of that period. The poet’s words can be translated as follows:
“He does not have boundless wealth to give unceasingly; He does not have the pettiness to say ‘no’ either; Bearing the burden that befalls his king on the battlefield, he faces the ire of iron as it tastes his flesh. When those woulds heal, he appears with fading scars many on his form, akin to a medicinal tree with signs of blades stripping its bark. He takes responsibility for charity in the town of Eernthai, a man who is the enemy of a bard’s hunger. Why don’t you come with me, if you seek to end your poverty, O elderly supplicant? When we go seeking to him, he would point out our empty stomachs to his town’s dark-handed blacksmith and say, ‘Carve me a tall spear with a well-etched, sharpened tip’!”
Let’s delve into the details here. The poet starts with a realistic assessment of the patron’s wealth saying he does not have mounds and mounds of wealth to give. However, at the same time, he is not a person to say no to those who go seeking to him. After that clear-cut profile of the king’s state of affairs, the poet turns to describe his personality, by talking about how he fights to defend his superior king and as a consequence, his skin has seen the flash of iron over it many a time, leaving him with wounds that have healed. To etch this image, the poet brings in the simile of a medicinal tree, whose bark has been cut here and there, leaving it with patches all over its trunk. Through this simile, we understand how the field of medicine in Sangam times relied on plant remedies such as barks of trees, as does Ayurveda today.
The poet then mentions the name of this king’s town as Eernthai, and calls him an enemy of a bard’s hunger. With that glowing epithet, this poet turns to a poor, elder bard and asks him to come along as they go seeking to this king. At this time, the poet predicts what will happen when they arrive at the king’s place and beg to him. The king would take them to his town’s blacksmith and pointing to their hollow stomachs, he would insist that the smith carve him a powerful spear right away, the poet concludes.
When a person goes seeking to a patron, we have seen them give food, ornaments, why even elephants. What does this king mean by asking for a spear to a blacksmith when seeing the poverty of these supplicants? The answer to that lies in what this king intends to do with that spear. He means to fight in battles, win in them, gain wealth from his king so that he can shower it on such impoverished bards! In every age, man tries to justify his pursuits of war and wealth in different ways. In the Sangam age, we see that this justification comes from their need to allay the hunger of those who come to them. Not for my comfort or future well-being, but to give unto others, seems to be the repeated mantra of these Sangam folks!
Share your thoughts...