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In this episode, we perceive a vow and its impact, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Puranaanooru 304, penned by the poet Arisil Kizhaar. The verse is situated in the category of ‘Thumbai Thinai’ or ‘Battle of two kings’ and sketches the emotions of rage and revenge.
கொடுங் குழை மகளிர் கோதை சூட்டி,
நடுங்கு பனிக் களைஇயர் நார் அரி பருகி,
வளி தொழில் ஒழிக்கும் வண் பரிப் புரவி
பண்ணற்கு விரைதி, நீயே; ‘நெருநை,
எம்முன் தப்பியோன் தம்பியொடு, ஒராங்கு
நாளைச் செய்குவென் அமர்’ எனக் கூறி,
புன் வயிறு அருத்தலும் செல்லான், வன் மான்
கடவும் என்ப, பெரிதே; அது கேட்டு,
வலம் படு முரசின் வெல் போர் வேந்தன்
இலங்கு இரும் பாசறை நடுங்கின்று
‘இரண்டு ஆகாது அவன் கூறியது’ எனவே.
Words and whispers from battle camps feature in this verse. The poet’s words can be translated as follows:
“As maiden wearing curving earrings garland you, drinking toddy filtered through fibres to cast away the cold that makes one shiver, you rush to find a speedy horse that can put to shame, the work of the wind, declaring, ‘I shall end the man, who killed my elder brother yesterday, and his younger brother together tomorrow!’, rendering not even sparse food for your hungry stomach and sizing up the strength of your horses intently. Hearing this, the huge and shining battle camp of that victorious king with roaring war drums shivered thinking, ‘His words are sure not to turn falsehoods!’”
Let’s delve into the details here. The poet speaks these words in the voice of a spy, who describes a soldier being garlanded by women, perhaps as a farewell ritual before a fight. Next, in the words of that spy we see this soldier walking towards his stable, intending to find a horse that’s faster than the wind. As he walks thither, he declares that he is going find the man who killed his elder brother in battle yesterday, and end him and his younger brother as well. With these furious words, the soldier walks on, not bothering to feed his growling stomach and intent in his task of analysing his horses. The spy now continues saying that this stance and intention of the soldier had reached the enemy camp belonging to the king with roaring drums, and hearing this, that entire encampment seems to have trembled in fear, thinking that the words of this man were bound to come true!
A verse which portrays the intention of a man to avenge his brother’s death. He wants to kill not only the man who did that but that man’s younger brother as well, knowing fully well, that if the brother was spared, he too would return for revenge like the soldier himself. The power that words have, and the effect it can have on others is vividly captured in this heartbeat from the past!
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