Kalithogai 12 – Youth and Wealth

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இடு முள் நெடு வேலி போல, கொலைவர்
கொடுமரம் தேய்த்தார் பதுக்கை நிரைத்த
கடு நவை ஆர் ஆற்று, அறுசுனை முற்றி,
உடங்கு நீர் வேட்ட உடம்பு உயங்கு யானை
கடுந் தாம் பதிபு, ஆங்குக் கை தெறப்பட்டு,
வெறி நிரை வேறாகச் சார்ச்சாரல் ஓடி,
நெறி மயக்குற்ற நிரம்பா நீடு அத்தம்
சிறு நனி நீ துஞ்சி ஏற்பினும், அஞ்சும்
நறுநுதல் நீத்துப் பொருள்வயிற் செல்வோய்!
உரனுடை உள்ளத்தை; செய் பொருள் முற்றிய
வளமையான் ஆகும் பொருள் இது என்பாய்!
இளமையும் காமமும் நின் பாணி நில்லா
இடை முலைக் கோதை குழைய முயங்கும்
முறை நாள் கழிதல் உறாஅமைக் காண்டை
கடை நாள் இது என்று அறிந்தாரும் இல்லை
போற்றாய் பெரும! நீ, காமம் புகர்பட
வேற்றுமைக் கொண்டு, பொருள்வயிற் போகுவாய்!
கூற்றமும் மூப்பும் மறந்தாரோடு ஓராஅங்கு
மாற்றுமைக் கொண்ட வழி.

Back to the confidante and her convincing! The words can be translated as follows:

“Like long thorn fences, appear leaf-covered stone graves for those, who were slain by the curving bows of murderous men, laid in many rows, in that harsh and formidable path. Reaching a dried-up spring nearby, yearning for water, the thirsty and fatigued herd of elephants, press their trunks with haste, and scorched by the heat, maddened, they run in different directions, muddling the paths in that limitless, long drylands domain. You want to go thither, for the sake of wealth, leaving behind the maiden with fragrant forehead, who starts worrying even if you sleep for a little longer than usual. A daring heart you do possess! You tell me that the way to attain prosperity is to earn wealth! However, will youth and desire obey your command? See that you do not waste away those good days when you embrace her, rumpling the garland lying between her bosom! There’s no one who knows their last day in life! You do not seem to understand that, O lord! Shirking your duty to love, with a differing heart, you intend to go in search of wealth! That’s the wrong path of those who have forgotten the role of ageing and death!”

Let’s explore the nuances. The verse is situated in the context of the man’s parting from his lady after marriage. When he expresses his intention of parting to seek wealth to the confidante, she voices her thoughts so. Starting in the customary position, the confidante paints a stark picture of the drylands. She talks of how victims of highway robbers are laid under stone graves, covered with leaves, and how these seem to appear like long thorn fences. So many rows of these graves are to be seen there, implying that death is a permanent resident of these parts. Next, from death, she moves on to danger, talking about how a herd of elephants seeking water desperately, reach an almost dried-up spring, and in haste or maybe because of muscle memory, put out their trunks, which get seared in the heat of the ground. This makes these elephants trumpet aloud in pain and rush in different directions, disturbing the paths laid through these drylands. The confidante probably talks about this to say the man is surely going to get lost in his travels! 

Now, she turns to him and says, ‘This is the place you want to go too. So daring you are indeed! Have you forgotten how delicate your lady is, for even if you sleep a little longer, she starts panicking about it?’. Sounds like this young maiden suffers from insecurity and paranoia! Returning, the confidante takes on a lawyer’s role and presents her case, starting with the man’s argument to earn wealth saying only that can bring prosperity for his happy, married life with the lady. While that may be so, will youth and desire wait patiently obeying your order?, asks the confidante. She means to say that if he’s gone for long, these time-bound elements will fade. She seems to think a day spent by the man without embracing the lady is a day wasted! Next, the confidante says a powerful and timeless truth, in the words that no-one knows when they are going to die. With that powerful reminder, she declares to the man that he’s choosing the wrong path if he is going to disregard the influence of age and death in one’s life! 

We can understand that the confidante is intent on stopping the man from leaving but is it not true that love can conquer time? Maybe the confidante is taking quite the practical approach saying that if the man’s gone, then youth will go and so will passion! Which makes me wonder if the man was taking years-long journey, maybe sailing to other countries? Or maybe the confidante makes such a big deal of even a few days or months of parting? Different time. Different priorities. However, we can reflect on that powerful statement in this verse, ‘No one knows their last day’ and make the most of our every day in every way!