In this episode, we observe abstract traits projected on a person’s state of mind, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Kalithogai 34, penned by the Chera King Paalai Paadiya Perunkadunko. The verse is situated in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’ and hints about virtues considered right and wrong in the Sangam era.

‘மன் உயிர் ஏமுற, மலர் ஞாலம் புரவு ஈன்று,
பல் நீரால் பாய் புனல் பரந்து ஊட்டி, இறந்த பின்,
சில் நீரால் அறல் வார, அகல் யாறு கவின் பெற,
முன் ஒன்று தமக்கு ஆற்றி முயன்றவர் இறுதிக்கண்
பின் ஒன்று பெயர்த்து ஆற்றும் பீடுடையாளர் போல்,
பல் மலர் சினை உக, சுரும்பு இமிர்ந்து வண்டு ஆர்ப்ப,
இன் அமர் இளவேனில் இறுத்தந்த பொழுதினான்

விரி காஞ்சித் தாது ஆடி இருங் குயில் விளிப்பவும்,
பிரிவு அஞ்சாதவர் தீமை மறைப்பென்மன்; மறைப்பவும்,
கரி பொய்த்தான் கீழ் இருந்த மரம் போலக் கவின் வாடி,
எரி பொத்தி, என் நெஞ்சம் சுடும்ஆயின், எவன் செய்கோ?

பொறை தளர் கொம்பின்மேல் சிதரினம் இறை கொள,
நிறை தளராதவர் தீமை மறைப்பென்மன்; மறைப்பவும்,
முறை தளர்ந்த மன்னவன் கீழ்க் குடி போலக் கலங்குபு,
பொறை தளர்பு பனி வாரும் கண்ஆயின், எவன் செய்கோ?

தளை அவிழ் பூஞ் சினைச் சுரும்பு யாழ் போல இசைப்பவும்,
கொளை தளராதவர் தீமை மறைப்பென்மன்; மறைப்பவும்,
கிளை அழிய வாழ்பவன் ஆக்கம் போல் புல்லென்று,
வளை ஆனா நெகிழ்பு ஓடும் தோள்ஆயின், எவன் செய்கோ?’

என ஆங்கு,
நின்னுள் நோய் நீ உரைத்து அலமரல்; எல்லா! நாம்
எண்ணிய நாள்வரை இறவாது, காதலர்
பண்ணிய மாவினர் புகுதந்தார்
கண் உறு பூசல் கை களைந்தாங்கே.

Same actors and same premise herein! The words can be translated as follows:

“Delighting all life and protecting this widespread land, gushing streams spread and fed plentiful water. After that time had passed, the reduced water flows in small streams by the river sands. Beautifying this river, akin to those with honour who recollect the person, who did something good to them in the past, and later when they are in distress, repays them by doing good to them, the branches shed many flowers on the river, and bees buzz around. During such a time, when the pleasant and picturesque spring has arrived…

When the black cuckoo immerses in the pollen of wide open flowers of the portia tree and calls out aloud, I can try to hide the cruelty of the one who fears not this separation. Even when I do, akin to a tree, under whom a man, who rendered a false witness stayed, losing beauty, burnt by the flame within, when my heart burns, what am I to do?

When the bees swarm around the sagging branches laden with heavy flowers, I can try to hide the cruelty of the one, who is unswerving in his determination. Even when I do, akin to people, who are under the reign of an unjust king, crying, unable to hold the weight of the moisture within, when my eyes overflow with tears, what am I to do?

When the honeybees resound like a lute around the flower-laden branches with fully bloomed petals, I can try to hide the cruelty of the one, who sways not from his principles. Even when I do, akin to the wealth of one, who prospers at the ruin of his kin, becoming lifeless, when my arms let my bangles to slip away ceaselessly, what am I to do?

And so, saying all this about the affliction within you, worry not, my friend! Without delaying it beyond the days we had counted, your lover has mounted on his adorned horse and has arrived to wipe away the angst of your eyes with his hands!”

Let’s explore the details. The verse is situated in the context of the man’s parting from the lady after marriage and starts in the voice of the lady and concludes in the voice of the confidante. The lady starts as usual by talking about spring. She remembers how the rivers were gushing in full force, possibly talking about the winter rains of Tamilnadu and their effect on the waterbodies. In time, as spring approaches, this reduces and now water flows in smaller streams. Over these streams, branches of trees shed their beautiful flowers and for this natural event, the lady brings in an exquisite simile, where she talks of the generosity of a person who had received something good from another in a time of need, and later, when seeing the other person in distress, they offer them good things to resolve their state. She implies that the trees had received the bounty of the rivers gushing flow, and now, when those rivers were diminished, the trees were paying back by adorning the rivers with flowers that bloom on them. Extraordinary connection to a noble human trait with this element of nature!

Returning, we find the lady saying, ‘Indeed, spring has come and the bees are buzzing around the branches’. At this time, when cuckoos dance around the pollen of the portia tree, bees swarm around heavy branches and buzz like lutes, even though she tries to hide the pain inflicted on her by the man who parted away from her, firm in his resolve, she is unable to do that. Once again, she narrates her helplessness in controlling her emotions with three relevant similes. The first features a man staying under a tree and she informs us that this is a man, who had given false witness, and because of this, the tree would lose its beauty and fade, and just like that her heart too is burnt from within. In the second, the miserable people under an unjust ruler are highlighted, and she says, like them, she would cry, for her eyes would be unable to bear the burden of that pain. Finally, she talks about a man who seems to have great wealth but he has attained that at the ruin of his relatives, and she adds, just like that wealth, her arms lose their health and bangles slip away. In short, no matter how much she tries to hide her pain, these events reveal her suffering to the world. Hearing all this, the confidante as usual, asks her not to worry, for the man was arriving even before the day they had calculated, and at the very moment, he was rushing on his horse to wipe away his lady’s sorrow.

Through this verse, we get a sense of ethics and virtues of importance in the Sangam era. The first is repaying goodness to one and echoes an ingrained sense of gratitude; The other three, by talking about the absence of these qualities, reveal to us, their importance in the minds of these people. These are, never ever giving false witness for this human act seemed to have the power to even burn a tree, according to Sangam perception; The next is ruling with compassion and empathy over one’s subjects and considering that this was written by a poet-king, we can be sure he practiced what he penned. The final one talks about the importance of including one’s kin in the success of one’s life, and seems to talk about how no person is an island and our victory should be shared with those, who are there in our life, and never at the cost of their well-being. And thus, although it’s the exact same situation of the lady complaining, and confidante consoling, we are given to understand timeless truths of what makes someone a person of honour and virtue!