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In this episode, we perceive the motivations of warriors, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Puranaanooru 362, penned by the poet Siruventheraiyaar. The verse is situated in the category of ‘Pothuviyal Thinai’ or ‘Common Themes’ and reveals attitudes regarding facing death.
ஞாயிற்று அன்ன ஆய் மணி மிடைந்த
மதி உறழ் ஆரம் மார்பில் புரள,
பலி பெறு முரசம் பாசறைச் சிலைப்ப,
பொழிலகம் பரந்த பெருஞ்செய் ஆடவர்
செருப்புகன்று எடுக்கும் விசய வெண் கொடி
அணங்கு உருத்தன்ன கணம் கொள் தானை,
கூற்றத்து அன்ன மாற்று அரு முன்பின்,
ஆக் குரல் காண்பின் அந்தணாளர்
நான்மறை குறித்தன்று அருளாகாமையின்
அறம் குறித்தன்று பொருள் ஆகுதலின்
மருள் தீர்ந்து, மயக்கு ஒரீஇ,
கை பெய்த நீர் கடற் பரப்ப,
ஆம் இருந்த அடை நல்கி,
சோறு கொடுத்து, மிகப் பெரிதும்
வீறு சால் நன்கலம் வீசி நன்றும்
சிறு வெள் என்பின் நெடு வெண் களரின்,
வாய் வன் காக்கை கூகையொடு கூடிப்
பகலும் கூவும் அகலுள் ஆங்கண்,
காடு கண் மறைத்த கல்லென் சுற்றமொடு,
இல் என்று இல்வயின் பெயர, மெல்ல
இடம் சிறிது ஒதுங்கல் அஞ்சி,
உடம்பொடும் சென்மார், உயர்ந்தோர் நாட்டே.
Death looms large in this section of Puranaanooru. The poet’s words can be translated as follows:
“With hand-picked gems shining like the sun, as that moon-like necklace dangles on his chest, as drums that receive sacrifices roar from the encampment, all over the country, young men desirous of great tasks in the battlefield, hold high victorious white flags, and a huge army embodying raging spirits, as the new form of Death, with unconquerable strength, readies, their charging voices soaring. These are not mentioned in the four scriptures of priests as it’s not about grace and compassion. It’s not mentioned in books on justice as it’s about wealth. Let your bewilderment and confusions end! The water rendered appears equal to the spread of the ocean. Well-situated towns, food, huge and precious vessels and ornaments have been showered too.
In the widespread, white saline land, scattered with small white bones, where the harsh-mouthed crow and owl together seem to shout in the day too, in those spaces within, with uproarious relatives, who hide the cremation grounds, deciding that there’s no place to stay at home anymore, and gently seeing that the world is too small to reside, with his body, he seeks to traverse to the world of the noble!”
Time to delve into the details. The poet starts with a dynamic portrait of a leader in the midst of a battlefield, his necklace shining and dangling, as he commands young men wanting to achieve great things there. Zooming out, he shows how the army stands like the God of Death, and points to the sound of their charging voices. Then, he talks about how such things are not mentioned in scriptures or codes of justice as this is about wealth and then mentions the leader’s generosity in offering towns and food, and vessels to supplicants. From here, he moves to the cremation ground, pointing to the confusing sounds of the owl during the day, and crying relatives around. It’s because the king knows his time at home has ended, and seeing that the space in this world is so less, he wants to battle and die, so that it will take him straight to the higher world, the poet concludes. The fact the ancients believed that a honourable death in the battlefield was the best way to reach the heavens is evident from this verse. It’s as if the king doesn’t want to wait for death and so he seeks it out in his war with enemies. A different time, a different ideology, and like us, these individuals of the past are limited by what they can see and understand of their world!
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