In this episode, we hear of a king’s fame, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Puranaanooru 382, penned for the Chozha King Nalankilli by the poet Kovoor Kizhaar. The verse is situated in the category of ‘Paadaan Thinai’ or ‘Praise’ and reveals the respect held for this ruler in the hearts of many.

‘கடல்படை அடல் கொண்டி,
மண்டுற்ற மலிர் நோன் தாள்,
தண் சோழ நாட்டுப் பொருநன்,
அலங்கு உளை அணி இவுளி
நலங்கிள்ளி நசைப் பொருநரேம்;
பிறர்ப் பாடிப் பெறல் வேண்டேம்;
அவற் பாடுதும், ‘அவன் தாள் வாழிய!’ என;
நெய் குய்ய ஊன் நவின்ற
பல் சோற்றான், இன் சுவைய
நல்குவனின் பசித் துன்பு அற’
என்ப நின் பொருநர் பெரும அதற்கொண்டு
முன்னாள் விட்ட மூது அறி சிறாஅரும்,
யானும், ஏழ் மணி, அம் கேழ், அணி உத்தி,
கண் கேள்வி, கவை நாவின்,
நிறன் உற்ற, அராஅப் போலும்
வறன் ஒரீஇ வழங்கு வாய்ப்ப,
விடுமதி அத்தை, கடு மான் தோன்றல்!

நினதே, முந்நீர் உடுத்த இவ் வியன் உலகு, அறிய;
எனதே, கிடைக் காழ் அன்ன தெண் கண் மாக் கிணை
கண் அகத்து யாத்த நுண் அரிச் சிறு கோல்
ஏறிதொறும் நுடங்கியாங்கு, நின் பகைஞர்
கேட்டொறும் நடுங்க, ஏத்துவென்,
வென்ற தேர், பிறர் வேத்தவையானே.

Praise, praise and more praise! The poet’s words to this Chozha king can be translated as follows:

“‘Winning treasures by battling with his navy, having the strength and effort that dares to fight close, is the ruler of the moist and fertile Chozha country, the one who owns horses with alluring, swaying manes, King Nalankilli, and we are his loving bards. We never think of singing about others and always sing only about him, wishing that his efforts live for long. Flesh roasted in ghee, copious amounts of rice and many other delicious things, he would render to allay the suffering of your hunger’. Thus spoke your bards, O lord. Hearing this, young people, well-versed in our ancient customs, whom you have rendered to before, and me, as well, have come here. Having precious gems and vibrant spots, eyes like its ears and a split tongue, is the colourful snake. Akin to how it sheds its skin, please make me be rid of my poverty, so that I too can give unto others, O scion with speedy horses!

All yours is this great land surrounded by water on all three sides. Mine is this dark kinai drum. Whenever I beat on the eye of this drum, with my intricately carved, small stick, light as a ‘kidai’ stem, it trembles. Akin to that, I will make your enemies quiver too, as I sing the praises of victorious chariots won by you, in the courts of these other kings!”

Let’s explore the details here. The poet starts by talking about the powerful navy of the Chozha king that has won him immense wealth. From this, we understand it’s not only the later Chozhas, those who came to spotlight, a thousand years ago, and known for extending the Chozha empire to many East-asian countries like Cambodia, Malaysia and Indonesia, but also, that even a thousand years before these descendants, the Chozha ship-building and sailing skills were top-notch. Returning from this interesting detail, we see the poet talking about King Nalankilli, the one who owns not only ships but horses with dashing manes. At this point, the poet reveals that these are not his words but the words of the king’s bards, who declare that they shall never think of singing about anyone else but will always sing only about this king, wishing him, a long life. They turn to this poet and tell him if you go to him, ghee-roasted meat, rice and many more tasty foodstuffs, he shall render to you, to end every shred of your hunger. Hearing this, I have come here, says this poet to the king. And then, he starts describing the vibrant shades and features of a snake, only to say that just like the snake sheds its skin, the king must help him shed his poverty. Declaring that all the known world belongs to this king, the poet points out that his own world is his drum, which he strikes with a stick, as light as the wood of ‘Sholapith’ or ‘Indian cork’. The poet concludes with a promise that just the way the eye of his drum quivers when he beats upon it every time, he shall make the king’s enemies tremble too, as he sings this king’s praises in their courts. 

In addition to the intriguing details about the Chozha ships, the imagery of that bright-hued snake, the last striking thing about this verse is the promise of this poet to sing in the courts of others about this king. Though this has been promised, somehow we don’t find poems praising other kings to a particular king in the Puranaanooru songs we have seen this far. Didn’t the poets actually carry through their promise? Or if they did, weren’t such songs found to be worthy of being added to this compilation? Which brings us to an even bigger question… How did the ancient Sangam assembly decide on which songs to include, and which to omit, arriving at this perfect number of 400? Other than time travel, is there any way to find answers for these questions? Even if we don’t, having this source from the past that makes us ask these questions, by itself, is a treasure to be valued!