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In this episode, we listen to a man’s anxious words, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 304, penned by Idaikaadanaar. The verse is situated amidst the blooming flowers and pouring showers of the ‘Mullai’ or ‘Forest Landscape’ and etches the beauty of the land in the season of rains.
இரு விசும்பு இவர்ந்த கருவி மா மழை,
நீர் செறி நுங்கின் கண் சிதர்ந்தவை போல்,
சூர் பனிப்பன்ன தண் வரல் ஆலியொடு
பரூஉப் பெயல் அழி துளி தலைஇ, வான் நவின்று,
குரூஉத் துளி பொழிந்த பெரும் புலர் வைகறை,
செய்து விட்டன்ன செந் நில மருங்கில்,
செறித்து நிறுத்தன்ன தெள் அறல் பருகி,
சிறு மறி தழீஇய தெறிநடை மடப் பிணை,
வலம் திரி மருப்பின் அண்ணல் இரலையொடு,
அலங்கு சினைக் குருந்தின் அல்கு நிழல் வதிய,
சுரும்பு இமிர்பு ஊத, பிடவுத் தளை அவிழ,
அரும் பொறி மஞ்ஞை ஆல, வரி மணல்
மணி மிடை பவளம் போல, அணி மிகக்
காயாஞ் செம்மல் தாஅய், பல உடன்
ஈயல் மூதாய் ஈர்ம் புறம் வரிப்ப,
புலன் அணி கொண்ட கார் எதிர் காலை,
”ஏந்து கோட்டு யானை வேந்தன் பாசறை
வினையொடு வேறு புலத்து அல்கி, நன்றும்
அறவர்அல்லர், நம் அருளாதோர்” என,
நம் நோய் தன்வயின் அறியாள்,
எம் நொந்து புலக்கும்கொல் மாஅயோளே?
A plethora of pleasant sights greet us in this trip to the forests, as we listen to the man say these words to his heart, at a time when he continues to remain parted away from his beloved:
“Dark clouds that arose in the wide skies, in the manner of a water-filled palmyra fruit, whose eye breaks and scatters, have showered moist hailstones, as if frozen by spirits, along with a heavy downpour that has leaped from the skies and turned into rain drops in the dawning horizon.
As if painted, appear the red forest lands. Here, drinking up the clear waters, which appear as if filtered and heaped, a naive female deer, with a trotting gait, embraces its little one, and along with its esteemed mate with right-whorled antlers, rests in the serene shade of the wild lime tree with a swaying branch. As bees buzz around, sprouts of wild jasmine open their buds; A peacock with precious spots dances; Upon the lined sand, appearing like a jewel made from coral tied with sapphires, amidst the withered flowers of the ironwood tree, many red velvet mites with moist backs crawl around. On one such picturesque, well-adorned morning in the rainy season, without understanding my affliction and my yearning for her, would that dark-skinned maiden say, ‘The one who graces me not, staying in a far away land on a mission for the king, who wields elephants with uplifted tusks, is not a man of justice’, denouncing and detesting me?”
Time to bask in the bounty of nature! The man starts by pointing to the skies and the way the dark clouds that were looming in the sky had opened up and poured down. To compare this scene, he conjures an image of the black palmyra fruit, whose eye has broken, and down falls, the white fruit and moisture within. The man talks about how freezing hailstones and fat drops of rain fall and decorate the horizon at dawn. From the skies, the man flies straight to the red earth beneath, and calls it a painting, and there, we have crystal clear water, which a female deer is delighting in, then with love, hugging its little one, and finally resting with its antlered mate, in the shade of the wild lime tree.
In addition, the wild jasmines are being opened by the buzzing of bees, and most exquisitely, on the ground, around the faded, violet flowers of the ironwood tree scattered about, red velvet mites roam around, making it appear as if it’s a jewel made by interweaving corals and sapphires. Precious simile indeed! Looks like all the world is filled with joy. However, the man’s mind wonders if at this time, his promised season of return, the lady would be lamenting about how he continues to remain far away at the behest of his king, accusing him of not caring about her, without knowing how much he yearns to be back in her company. A classic clash between love and duty indeed. Hope the king is satisfied soon with his conquests and the lady remains with hope till the chariot bells resound in her ears!
