In this episode, we listen to a long list of praises, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Kalithogai 57, penned by Kabilar. The verse is situated in the ‘Kurinji’ or ‘Mountains landscape’ and reveals both the glory of a king and the power of a maiden.

வேய் எனத் திரண்ட தோள், வெறி கமழ் வணர் ஐம்பால்,
மா வென்ற மட நோக்கின், மயில் இயல் தளர்பு ஒல்கி
ஆய் சிலம்பு அரி ஆர்ப்ப, அவிர் ஒளி இழை இமைப்ப,
கொடி என, மின் என, அணங்கு என, யாது ஒன்றும்
தெரிகல்லா இடையின்கண் கண் கவர்பு ஒருங்கு ஓட,
வளமை சால் உயர் சிறப்பின் நுந்தை தொல் வியல் நகர்
இளமையான் எறி பந்தொடு இகத்தந்தாய்! கேள், இனி:

பூந் தண் தார், புலர் சாந்தின், தென்னவன் உயர் கூடல்,
தேம் பாய அவிழ் நீலத்து அலர் வென்ற அமர் உண்கண்,
ஏந்து கோட்டு எழில் யானை ஒன்னாதார்க்கு அவன் வேலின்,
சேந்து நீ இனையையால்; ஒத்ததோ? சின்மொழி!

பொழி பெயல் வண்மையான் அசோகம் தண் காவினுள்,
கழி கவின் இள மாவின் தளிர் அன்னாய்! அதன் தலை,
பணை அமை பாய் மான் தேர் அவன் செற்றார் நிறம் பாய்ந்த
கணையினும், நோய் செய்தல் கடப்பு அன்றோ? கனங்குழாய்!

வகை அமை தண் தாரான் கோடு உயர் பொருப்பின்மேல்,
தகை இணர் இள வேங்கை மலர் அன்ன சுணங்கினாய்!
மத வலி மிகு கடாஅத்து அவன் யானை மருப்பினும்
கதவவால் தக்கதோ? காழ் கொண்ட இள முலை

என ஆங்கு,
இனையன கூற, இறைஞ்சுபு நிலம் நோக்கி,
நினையுபு நெடிது ஒன்று நினைப்பாள் போல், மற்று ஆங்கே
துணை அமை தோழியர்க்கு அமர்த்த கண்ணள்,
மனை ஆங்குப் பெயர்ந்தாள், என் அறிவு அகப்படுத்தே.

It’s the man speaking his heart out again! The words can be translated as follows:

“With rounded arms, akin to bamboo, fragrant and curving five-layered thick tresses, eyes akin to that of a deer, a swaying, graceful walk like that of a peacock, as well-etched anklets resounded, as ornaments shone spreading light, making one wonder in utter confusion, ’Is it a vine?’, ‘Is it a lightning?’ or ‘Is it a devouring spirit?’, your waist bended so slenderly, captivating the eyes, as you came out of the wide and prosperous mansion of your esteemed and famous father, brimming with youth, holding a ball!

Listen to me!

Wearing moist flower garlands upon his chest streaked with sandalwood, rules the king of the south. In his renowned capital of Koodal, blooms blue-lilies, filled with nectar. Your kohl-streaked, beautiful eyes win over those picturesque flowers. The spear of this king, which torments the handsome, battle-elephants with uplifted tusks, belonging to his foes, and you, are the same. Is this befitting, O maiden who speaks sparse words?

With a generosity, akin to a downpour, having Ashoka trees in his grove, is this king. Akin to an enticing young mango leaf therein, you are, O beautiful maiden! On top of that, more than the arrows that pounce on his enemies, wielding chariots and leaping horses, you cause affliction. Isn’t this utterly cruel, O maiden wearing golden earrings?

Wearing many different cool garlands is the king. Akin to the esteemed flower clusters of the Kino tree that grows on the slopes of his high mountain peaks, are your beauty spots, O maiden! With more rage than the tusk of his wild and mad elephant, in a state of musth, appears your young bosom, swaying with pearl strands. Is this right, O maiden?

And so, as I said these words, bending down and looking at the ground beneath, as if thinking for long about something, then turning her eyes towards her playmates, who were around, she left to go inside her mansion, holding my mind in her grasp!”

Time to delve into the nuances. The verse is situated in the context of a man’s love relationship with a lady, prior to marriage, and speaks in the voice of the man to the lady. The man starts by vividly sketching the appearance of a maiden, as she stepped out of a rich mansion, holding a ball in hand. He talks of her bamboo arms, thick hair, deer-like eyes and peacock’s gait. Adding sensorial elements, the man mentions the tinkling of her anklets and the way her golden ornaments glinted in the light. Then, he seems to spend extra time on her waist, which makes him wonder if it’s a vine, so slender it is, or is it a lightning, so brightly it captivates, or could it be a fearsome spirit that torments. After saying these words to the lady, who had come out of her father’s rich mansion just then, the man asks her three questions in that familiar format. In each case, he talks about the famous king of the south, referring to a Pandya King.

In the first, he talks about the capital of this king, Koodal, which is another name for ‘Madurai’, known to us all. The man has mentioned Koodal to talk about the blue-lilies that bloom there, saying the lady’s eyes defeat those blue-lilies with their exquisite beauty. Next, the man talks about the king’s spear and how it devours the enemy elephants, connecting back to the lady, saying that’s how she seemed to attack the man. In the second, the groves of the generous Pandya king, filled with Ashoka trees, are highlighted, and then a mango tree, growing there, is zoomed upon, to sketch a tender leaf sprouting on it, and the man connects it with the complexion of the lady. Then, turning to those fierce elements, the man talks about the arrows of the king, which slay enemies, and declares even more than those arrows, the lady causes suffering in him. In the third, we are taken to the mountain slopes of the Pandya king, to gaze at the flower clusters of the Kino tree growing there, only to be brought back in the lady’s presence, to say that’s how her beauty spots appear. Once again, turning to elements of power, the man talks about the rage of this Pandya king’s mad elephants in musth or rutting, and says the lady’s bosom seems to have more rage than those elephants. He ends each of these instances asking her if this is right on her part! Then, he concludes saying how the lady did not respond to any of his words, but just looked down for a long while, gazed at her playmates around and then left inside her home, taking the man’s heart and mind along with her.

And so, we see that this is a sketch of love at first sight, and within this well-known theme, we have perceived the picturesque beauty of a king’s country, taking in the flowers and the trees that bloom there, as well as the power the king holds, in the form of his spears, arrows and elephants, before which foes don’t stand a chance. And all this is said as a simile to a woman’s beauty and the effect on a person smitten by her. Through this, we witness once again the unique creativity of Sangam poets, who are able to blend the disparate and present a cohesive perspective of vastly different domains, that of love and war!