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In this episode, we perceive unique similes in poetry and innovative techniques of persuasion, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Natrinai 355, penned by an anonymous poet. The verse is set in the mountain country of ‘Kurinji’ and speaks in the voice of the confidante to the man, urging him to alleviate the lady’s suffering.
புதல்வன் ஈன்ற பூங் கண் மடந்தை
முலை வாய் உறுக்கும் கை போல், காந்தட்
குலைவாய் தோயும் கொழு மடல் வாழை
அம் மடல் பட்ட அருவித் தீம் நீர்
செம் முக மந்தி ஆரும் நாட!
முந்தை இருந்து நட்டோர் கொடுப்பின்,
நஞ்சும் உண்பர் நனி நாகரிகர்;
அம் சில் ஓதி என் தோழி தோட் துயில்
நெஞ்சின் இன்புறாய்ஆயினும், அது நீ
என் கண் ஓடி அளிமதி-
நின் கண் அல்லது பிறிது யாதும் இலளே!
Opening with ‘புதல்வன் ஈன்ற பூங் கண் மடந்தை’ meaning ‘the young mother with flower-like eyes, who has given birth to a son’, the verse paints vividly, a new mother and her love-filled eyes for her young one. ‘காந்தட் குலைவாய்’ refers to the ‘many-petaled flower cluster’ of the flame-lily. In Natrinai 188, we saw how a plantain tree and flame-lily bushes grow in close proximity, and here too, the flame-lily’s favourite neighbour is seen in ‘கொழு மடல் வாழை’ meaning ‘plantain tree with huge leaves’. In these hills, the ‘red-faced female monkey’ or ‘செம் முக மந்தி’ is spotted as well. Thereafter, an intriguing Thirukkural-like pithy couplet is seen in the words ‘முந்தை இருந்து நட்டோர் கொடுப்பின், நஞ்சும் உண்பர் நனி நாகரிகர்’. There’s a delicious quality in the rhythm of the core words here in ‘நட்டோர்’ meaning ‘friends’ and ‘நனி நாகரிகர்’ meaning ‘the very cultured’. The contemporary meaning of the word ‘நாகரிகம்’ is ‘civilisation’ or an ‘urbane sophistication’. In a while, let us explore the meaning in which this word has been used here. The verse ends with ‘நின் கண் அல்லது பிறிது யாதும் இலளே’ meaning ‘she can look to no one but you’ and beckons us within the verse.
The man and lady had been leading a love relationship and the man had been trysting with the lady for a while. For a few days, in order to test the lady’s love for him, he stops visiting her and consequently, the lady suffers in anguish. Moved by her friend’s state, the confidante decides to talk with the man. Seeing him come by the lady’s house, the confidante says to him, “The hand of a flower-eyed, new mother, who has given birth to a boy, presses the breast in the infant’s mouth. Like that hand, the flame-lily’s clusters press against the flower of the huge leaved plantain tree. The flowing, sweet nectar that drips from this plantain flower is savoured by a red-faced, female monkey. Such is your domain, O lord! Even if a friend were to give them poison right before their eyes, the truly cultured would eat that, without a thought. Even if you find no delight in your heart about embracing the shoulders of my friend, that lady with beautiful, delicate tresses, at least out of compassion for me, grant that unto her, for she is someone who has no one else other than you!” With these words, the confidante persuades the man in a hidden manner to seek the lady’s hand in marriage.
Time to delve into the details! The first image the confidante captures is that of a mother, who has given birth to a boy, and how her hand presses against her breast to feed the child. She has brought in that image only to place it in parallel with the way a flame-lily’s finger-like red petals are touching a plantain’s cone-shaped flower. At this moment, when sweet nectar flows from that flower, a female monkey drinks it up. Stunning how an element of motherhood is linked seamlessly to an element in nature. A glance at a picture of a flame-lily will tell you what an apt simile this is! Returning to the verse, the confidante has mentioned this scene only to describe the man’s rich mountain country. After these vivid scenes in the real world, she turns to an abstract dimension and talks about a hypothetical situation. She says that even if a friend were to mix poison right in front of their eyes, the truly cultured would eat it, without any doubt or dislike. A moment to step back and see how the words in Thirukkural 580, convey the exact same meaning:
“பெயக்கண்டும் நஞ்சுண் டமைவர் நயத்தக்க
நாகரிகம் வேண்டு பவர்.”
A note to listeners, who are not aware, that Thirukkural, belongs to the Post-Sangam period, and is said to be after the time of these ‘Ettuthogai’ works. So, a question arises about whether there existed a scholarly work on ethics, predating both these works. In any case, leaving that for experts to ponder over, let us relish the intricacy in this thought. The couplet captures succinctly how a friend would never give poison and it’s this unshakeable trust in a friend that makes someone cultured. What a novel and humane definition of culture!
Returning to the verse, the confidante seems to have referred to that abstract notion, only to say to the man that although he seems to be finding no delight in the lady’s company, as if it were poison to him, whether the man would grace the lady, at least trusting the confidante’s words. A statement which we would call today as a ‘tongue in cheek remark’! This is meant to shock the man, who would immediately rise to allay this wrong notion in the confidante, for he does love the lady truly and perceiving that this is turning to be a sort of anti-climax to his test of love on the lady, he will succumb to the confidante’s subtle pressure and reveal his true state of mind. Further, understanding the love in the lady’s heart for him, the man would also seek ways to formalise his union with the lady. The confidante thus demonstrates a novel method of persuasion by requesting someone to relent and do the very thing they actually want to do, thereby pushing them to do more!
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