In this episode, we listen to the sharp words of a lady, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Kalithogai 69, penned by Maruthan Ilanaakanaar. The verse is situated in the ‘Marutham’ or ‘Farmlands landscape’ and sketches the man’s activities with courtesans.

போது அவிழ் பனிப் பொய்கை, புதுவது தளைவிட்ட
தாது சூழ் தாமரைத் தனி மலர்ப் புறம் சேர்பு
காதல் கொள் வதுவை நாள், கலிங்கத்துள் ஒடுங்கிய
மாதர் கொள் மான் நோக்கின் மடந்தை தன் துணையாக,
ஓதுடை அந்தணன் எரி வலம் செய்வான் போல்,
ஆய் தூவி அன்னம் தன் அணி நடைப் பெடையொடு
மேதகத் திரிதரூஉம் மிகு புனல் நல் ஊர!

தெள் அரிச் சிலம்பு ஆர்ப்ப, தெருவின்கண் தாக்கி, நின்
உள்ளம் கொண்டு, ஒழித்தாளைக் குறை கூறிக் கொள நின்றாய்
துணிந்தது பிறிதாக, ‘துணிவிலள் இவள்’ என,
பணிந்தாய் போல் வந்து, ஈண்டுப் பயனில மொழிவாயோ?

பட்டுழி அறியாது, பாகனைத் தேரொடும்
விட்டு, அவள் வரல் நோக்கி, விருந்து ஏற்றுக்கொள நின்றாய்
நெஞ்சத்த பிறவாக, ‘நிறையிலள் இவள்’ என,
வஞ்சத்தான் வந்து, ஈங்கு வலி அலைத்தீவாயோ?

இணர் ததை தண் காவின், இயன்ற நின் குறி வந்தாள்
புணர்வினில் புகன்று, ஆங்கே புனலாடப் பண்ணியாய்
தருக்கிய பிறவாக, ‘தன் இலள் இவள்’ என,
செருக்கினால் வந்து, ஈங்குச் சொல் உகுத்தீவாயோ?

என ஆங்கு
தருக்கேம், பெரும! நின் நல்கல்; விருப்புற்றுத்
தாழ்ந்தாய் போல் வந்து, தகவில செய்யாது,
சூழ்ந்தவை செய்து, மற்று எம்மையும் உள்ளுவாய்
வீழ்ந்தார் விருப்பு அற்றக்கால்.

A down to earth rendition by the lady! The words can be translated as follows:

“In a cool pond where flowers are blooming, around a pollen-filled, newly-sprouted lotus flower, a white-feathered swan along with its mate, with an alluring gait, roves around entrancingly, akin to a man who, on his wedding day, one filled with love, walks around a fire, as a priest renders verses, along with a naive maiden, with a deer-like adorable gaze, as his companion. Such is your town, filled with copious waters, O lord!

With the clear sounds of the anklets resounding, she attacked you on the street and stole your heart. Later when she abandoned you, you had the courage to go pleading to her. While that is so, thinking, ‘She has no courage’, as if you have been humbled, you have come here to render useless words!

Without knowing where she went, you sent your charioteer behind her and awaited her return, with a heart waiting to accept the feast she offers. While that is so, thinking, ‘She has no resolve’, with cunning, you have come here to destroy my strength!

In the moist and cool orchard filled with flower clusters, when she came to the trysting spot you marked, you united with her and played in the river too. While that is so, thinking, ‘She has no mind of her own’, with arrogance, you have come here to shower your words!

And so, your graces will never go to my head; As if you have come with desire, much humbled, you don’t have to do great things here. I know fully well that you will think of me only when your affections for those, whom you roam around with desire, vanishes away!”

Let’s delve into the details. The verse is situated in the context of a love-quarrel between a man and a lady, owing to the man’s seeking courtesans and these words are rendered by the lady to the man. The lady, as custom, starts with a description of the man’s town, and to illustrate that, sketches a pond where a swan and its mate are roving around a lotus flower filled with pollen. This image the lady places in parallel to the way a man and woman walk around the fire, as a priest renders verses, on their wedding day. Next, the lady informs the man that she knows all about his escapades chasing after a courtesan who left him, sending his charioteer to search for her and meeting with the courtesan at the trysting spot and playing in the river streams. While all these are true, the man seemed to think the lady lacked courage, resolve and a mind of her own, for that’s why he has come there, pretending to be humbled and saying pointless words to shake her strength. The lady concludes that his attention is not going to go to her head, because she’s clear the man would come to her only when his desire for being with courtesans has taken a back seat! The perceptive eye of the lady is evident here for she is able to look through the man’s pretences. Whether her life changes markedly because of this understanding is debatable, but heartening to see this subtle sketch of clarity and confidence in this Sangam lady!