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In this episode, we perceive the confidence of a warrior, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Puranaanooru 294, penned by the poet Perunthalai Saathanaar. The verse is situated in the category of ‘Thumbai Thinai’ or ‘Battle of two kings’ and brings alive an ancient battlefront.
வெண்குடை மதியம் மேல் நிலாத் திகழ்தர,
கண்கூடு இறுத்த கடல் மருள் பாசறை,
குமரிப் படை தழீஇய கூற்று வினை ஆடவர்
தமர் பிறர் அறியா அமர் மயங்கு அழுவத்து,
இறையும் பெயரும் தோற்றி, ‘நுமருள்
நாள் முறை தபுத்தீர் வம்மின், ஈங்கு’ என,
போர் மலைந்து ஒரு சிறை நிற்ப, யாவரும்
அரவு உமிழ் மணியின் குறுகார்
நிரை தார் மார்பின் நின் கேள்வனை, பிறரே.
A song which is addressed to a warrior’s wife, celebrating the warrior’s greatness. The poet’s words can be translated as follows:
“Akin to a royal white umbrella, shone the midnight moon high above. Akin to a huge ocean was the encampment where soldiers assembled together. Those men who had taken up the task of the God of Death, embracing new and shining, virgin weapons, fought in that confusing battle, distinguishing not who was friend and who was foe. Reinstating the name of their king, he declared, ‘Those who want their days to end instantly, come thither’ and stood in triumph on one side. All those others, akin to how people do not near gemstones spit by snakes, feared to come near him – The man who is your husband wearing a radiant garland on his chest!”
Time to explore the nuances. The poet starts by comparing the moon’s rays to a royal umbrella. After that beautiful sight up above, he turns his attention to the ground and points to the ocean of soldiers gathered to fight a battle. They can be seen admiring the shining new weapons that have come to their hands. The poet calls them messengers of death for they fight with such fierceness. After this generic description, the poet talks about the words of a particular soldier on that battlefield. He seems to have shouted to the enemies saying that whoever had done all they had wanted and reached life’s end, they could please come there before him. In other words, he was expressing his confidence in ending their lives just then. Hearing this shout of this victorious soldier, enemies feared to come near him, just the way people fear to go near a gemstone spit by snake, the poet concludes, adding that this soldier was none other than the husband of the woman to whom he was speaking to.
Sangam people had a belief that snakes would spit gemstones and come back for the same. And because of this belief, they would not pick those stones or even go near the same. That’s the mood the poet wants to project with his simile. A verse that sketches the fear a soldier evokes with his demeanour and defence and the implicit joy a woman feels when hearing such praise about her valorous husband!
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