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In this episode, we relish the poetic imagery depicted in Sangam Literary work, Natrinai 36, written by Seethalai Saathanaar. He’s a namesake and not the same person as the writer of the famous Tamil epic ‘Manimekalai’. This poem is set in the ‘Kurinji’ or the mountainous regions, and is expressed in the words of the lady’s confidante to the lady, indirectly conveying the state of affairs to the man, who’s listening nearby.
குறுங் கை இரும் புலிக் கோள் வல்ஏற்றை,
பூ நுதல் இரும் பிடி புலம்ப, தாக்கி,
தாழ் நீர் நனந் தலைப் பெரு களிறு அடூஉம்
கல்லக வெற்பன் சொல்லின் தேறி,
யாம் எம் நலன் இழந்தனமே; யாமத்து,
அலர் வாய்ப் பெண்டிர் அம்பலொடு ஒன்றி,
புரை இல் தீ மொழி பயிற்றிய உரை எடுத்து,
ஆனாக் கௌவைத்துஆக,
தான் என் இழந்தது, இவ் அழுங்கல் ஊரே?
The first half of the poem packs a lot of action with words like ‘தாக்கி’ meaning ‘attack’ and ‘அடூஉம்’ meaning ‘kill’. This is strengthened as we observe the ‘புலி’, ‘பிடி’, ‘களிறு’ meaning ‘tiger’,‘cow elephant’ and ‘bull elephant’ respectively, the ‘who’s who’ of the jungle, roam around the lines of the verse. I learnt a new Tamil word in ‘ஏற்றை’ meaning ‘stud’, the strong male that is used for breeding. The second half of the verse was loud indeed with different words for ‘slander’ buzzing in the air. ‘அலர்’, ‘அம்பல்’, ‘கௌவை’ paint a picture which is the modern day equivalent of yelling through a loudspeaker, stories of scandal!
To receive what the poem is trying to tell us, let’s understand the context where it’s unfolding. The lady’s confidante knows that the man is in earshot and has come to meet with the lady. Without announcing his arrival to the lady and making sure he’s listening, she says, “Behold the land wherein a ferocious male tiger with short forelegs and the strength to kill, skulks near a water hole in the vast spaces of the land. Making the female elephant with a flower-like head lament, it pounces on the male elephant, only to devour it. You put your trust in the man who hails from this mountain country. Because you believed in his words to never part from you, you have lost your health and your sleep. But just turn your ears to this loud town with these gossiping women, who crowd around together, speaking small-minded words that burn like a fire, uttering all they want and spreading slanderous rumours around. Why should this town remain awake at this hour? What could it have lost?” With these words, the lady’s confidante in a hidden message, warns the man that the town is watching and it would be wise to seek a wedded union with the lady.
Let’s delve deeper into the imagery in this verse. Here, there’s a conflict between the male tiger and the male elephant, ending in the death of the male elephant, leading to the lament of the lady elephant. I couldn’t help but notice that all the superlatives for strength are showered on the male and the female, even in the animal world, seems to be relegated to laments. I wanted to dig deeper to understand this perception. In doing so, I hit upon a fact that as in the case of humans, 70% of all communication in elephants is done by the female of the species and the young. Ancient poets may have observed this behaviour and decided that since she’s the one talking, she should be lamenting. Their observation is indeed right. However, the inference that the talkers are only lamenting does not fit our current understanding of elephant behaviour. For, in the elephants, the matriarchs rule. The entire herd trusts in the memory and decisions of the female elephant who keeps her herd safe from danger. Now let’s move on from the beneficial talk of the female elephants to the slanderous talk of those ladies in that town. The phrase ‘தீ மொழி’ specially caught my attention because it means ‘words like fire’, and is used to indicate the burning power of hurting words. This brings to mind, that unforgettable Kural,
‘தீயினால் சுட்டபுண் உள்ளாறும் ஆறாதே
நாவினால் சுட்ட வடு’
meaning
‘A fire’s burn wound will heal within,
the scar of a tongue’s burning word heals never.’
The lady’s confidante stresses how the whole town has risen with slanderous talks and is staying awake. In a way, she seems to reference the imagery of the mountain country by associating the attack of the tiger to the slanderous town, which is leading to the lament of the lady and subtly tells him that the way to go would be a wedded union.
I would like to leave this verse with a salute to the power of words, be it in a language that we humans perceive or in any other. Words seem to have the power to lead a herd entire and the same words have the power to burn the town entire. A resounding call, telling us that we should always remember to wield this sword flashing in our tongues, with thought and care. Then perhaps, like that matriarch, we too can lead the world to a better and a safer future.
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