Kalithogai 14 – Seek not the other wealth

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‘அணை மருள் இன் துயில் அம் பணைத் தட மென் தோள்,
துணை மலர் எழில் நீலத்து ஏந்து எழில் மலர் உண் கண்,
மண மௌவல் முகை அன்ன மா வீழ் வார் நிரை வெண் பல்,
மணம் நாறு நறு நுதல், மாரி வீழ் இருங் கூந்தல்,
அலர் முலை ஆகத்து, அகன்ற அல்குல்,
சில நிரை வால் வளை, செய்யாயோ!’ என,
பல பல கட்டுரை பண்டையின் பாராட்டி,
இனிய சொல்லி, இன்னாங்குப் பெயர்ப்பது,
இனி அறிந்தேன், அது துனி ஆகுதலே

‘பொருள் அல்லால் பொருளும் உண்டோ?’ என, யாழ நின்
மருளி கொள் மட நோக்கம், மயக்கப்பட்டு அயர்த்தாயோ?

‘காதலார் எவன் செய்ப, பொருள் இல்லாதார்க்கு?’ என,
ஏதிலார் கூறும் சொல் பொருளாக மதித்தாயோ?

செம்மையின் இகந்து ஒரீஇப் பொருள் செய்வார்க்கு, அப் பொருள்
இம்மையும் மறுமையும் பகையாவது அறியாயோ?

அதனால்,
எம்மையும் பொருளாக மதித்தீத்தை; நம்முள் நாம்
கவவுக் கை விடப் பெறும் பொருட் திறத்து
அவவுக் கைவிடுதம்; அது மனும் பொருளே.

The confidante’s back in spotlight, giving a piece of her mind to the man. The words can be translated as follows:

“Akin to a pillow, are those bamboo-like, curving, soft arms rendering sweet sleep to me; Akin to twin flowers of the beautiful blue lotus are your splendid, flower-like, kohl-streaked eyes. Akin to the buds of the fragrant wild jasmine that make bees swoon are your perfect, white teeth; Wafting with fragrance is your fine forehead; Akin to a cover of rainclouds are your black tresses; You have a beautiful bosom and wide hips and wear a few rows of white bangles; Such is your impeccable beauty! – Saying many, many such words in the past, you praised her and expressed sweet things. But now you chase her towards sorrow. I understand that it must be because of the lack of love in you.

Did you forget the truth, confused by your foolish notion that ’There is nothing more important than wealth?’

Did you pay heed to the word of strangers who said, ‘How will those who have love remain true to those who posses not wealth?’

Did you not understand that those who earn wealth leaving the path of righteousness will find that their wealth turns a foe in this life and the next?

And so, may you respect her as wealth too; Give up the desire for this wealth that makes you abandon your togetherness; That is lasting wealth!”

Let’s explore the nuances. The verse is situated in the context of the man’s parting from his lady after marriage, with an intent to seek wealth. When he expresses his intent to the lady’s confidante, she replies to him with these heated words. She starts by listing all the praises the man decked on the lady when they were in courtship. About her arms, eyes, teeth, tresses and so on. He seemed to find all his joy just by dwelling on the beauty of the lady then. Saying this, the confidante arrives at the present and says that now he wants to leave, and this is sure to leave the lady in sorrow. Such a change in the man must be because of the absence of true love in him, the confidante declares. She then starts poring over the reasons why the man wants to go in search of wealth. Is he thinking that there is nothing more than wealth in this world? Is he listening to the foolish words of strangers that ‘Even loved ones will not respect those who have no wealth’? Did he not know that no matter how much wealth you earn, by moving away from the right path, that will only torment you as a foe in this life and the next? Hinting that’s the exact thing the man’s doing now, moving from the path of righteousness by leaving his beloved in sorrow.

So, the confidante concludes that the man should understand that the lady is his real wealth and that he should give up searching for this other wealth that separates them both, adding only that is lasting wealth in one’s life. Yet again, a man is thwarted from his mission to seek wealth, this time by reminding him of his past devotion to his lady, in contrast to current apathy. Moving beyond this repeating theme, we can appreciate the core truth of this verse that ultimately, the people in our lives are our true wealth!