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In this episode, we perceive the wealth and satisfaction in a land, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Puranaanooru 42, penned about the Chozha King Kulamutrathu Thunjiya Killivalavan by the poet Idaikaadanaar. The verse is situated in the category of ‘Vaagai Thinai’ or ‘king’s victory’ and talks about the many ways the king’s rule brings joy to the people of his land.
ஆனா ஈகை, அடு போர் அண்ணல்! நின்
யானையும் மலையின் தோன்றும், பெரும! நின்
தானையும் கடல் என முழங்கும்; கூர் நுனை
வேலும் மின்னின் விளங்கும்; உலகத்து
அரைசு தலை பனிக்கும் ஆற்றலைஆதலின்,
புரை தீர்ந்தன்று; அது புதுவதோ அன்றே;
தண் புனல் பூசல் அல்லது, நொந்து,
‘களைக, வாழி, வளவ!’ என்று, நின்
முனைதரு பூசல் கனவினும் அறியாது,
புலி புறங்காக்கும் குருளை போல,
மெலிவு இல் செங்கோல் நீ புறங்காப்ப,
பெரு விறல் யாணர்த்து ஆகி, அரிநர்
கீழ் மடைக் கொண்ட வாளையும், உழவர்
படை மிளிர்ந்திட்ட யாமையும், அறைநர்
கரும்பில் கொண்ட தேனும், பெருந் துறை
நீர் தரு மகளிர் குற்ற குவளையும்,
வன் புலக் கேளிர்க்கு வரு விருந்து அயரும்
மென் புல வைப்பின் நல் நாட்டுப் பொருந!
மலையின் இழிந்து, மாக் கடல் நோக்கி,
நில வரை இழிதரும் பல் யாறு போல,
புலவர் எல்லாம் நின் நோக்கினரே;
நீயே, மருந்து இல் கணிச்சி வருந்த வட்டித்துக்
கூற்று வெகுண்டன்ன முன்பொடு,
மாற்று இரு வேந்தர் மண் நோக்கினையே.
Another poet sings the praises of this famous Chozha king Killivalavan. These words can be translated as follows:
“Respected ruler, renowned for your ceaseless charity and fierce attacks! Your elephants appear akin to hills, O lord! Your army roars like an ocean; Your sharp-tipped spears flash like the lightning; You are faultless as you make the heads of kings bow before you! And, that’s not new to those in your lineage too!
Only loud sounds of cool streams are heard in your domain, whereas voices of your soldiers, shouting out in frustration, ‘Please end our sorrows, O Valava!’ are not heard even in a dream. For, like a tiger guarding its cub, your prosperous sceptre protects us.
In your rich and fertile land, those who reap, gather fish from the lower sluices; those who farm, find turtles upturned by their ploughs; those who extract the sap of sugarcane, collect nectar therein; women, who bathe in the huge river shores flowing with water, pluck waterlilies. All these content people serve feasts to their kin, who arrive from other lands with barren fields. Such is the gentle wealth of the towns in your fine country, O lord!
Akin to many rivers, descending from the mountains and flowing on land, rushing towards the huge ocean, all the poets turn their eyes to you; As for you, swirling your battle-axe, the fall of which has no cure, akin to an angered God of Death, you turn your eyes towards the lands of the other two monarchs!”
Let us delve into the details presented by this poet! He starts by addressing the king as one whose generosity to supplicants and fierceness to foes knows no limit. The poet follows this with a series of similes such the king’s elephants looking like hills, the army roaring like an ocean and sharp-tipped spears appearing like the lightning in the sky. With the aid of this magnificent company, the king makes rulers of other nations bow before him, as is the king’s duty and as it has been done for generations prior, the poet informs us.
Then, the poet talks about how the only loud noises are that of the rich rivers, and never, ever has there been the cry of disgruntled soldiers in the king’s army. And he clarifies that this is possible because like how a huge tiger guards its cubs, the king protects the people in his domain.
Next, we come upon an intriguing sequence of people at various occupations in this king’s land. First, it’s those who reap the crops. These people, in addition to their harvest, also catch fish in the water flowing through their fields from the dams. Next, it’s the turn of those who plough the land and they take home upturned turtles. There seem to be people who had the work of extracting sugarcane juice and they are said to take home sweet nectar. And finally, women folk who come to the huge water ponds pluck lilies blooming therein. Such is the beauty and wealth of the king’s land and the people gather all these bounties to offer as feasts to their kin, who visit them from other lands, with only parched fields.
Finally, because of who the king is, all the poets rush towards him like the many rivers that flow from the mountain top towards the ocean, and as for the king himself, to fulfil the trust these supplicants have in him, he turns with ferocity towards the lands of the other two kings – the Chera and Pandya rulers of ancient Tamilakam. Thus, the poet presents the mood of total satisfaction in the king’s land, and also, seemingly justifies the monarch’s need to conquer neighbouring regions so as to fulfil the needs of those who look up to him with complete trust!
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