In this episode, we listen to a response to a denial, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 16, penned by Saakalaasanaar. Set amidst the lush lotuses of the ‘Marutham’ or ‘Farmlands landscape’, the verse brings out the relationship dynamics in a household.

நாயுடை முது நீர்க் கலித்த தாமரைத்
தாதின் அல்லி அவிர் இதழ் புரையும்,
மாசு இல் அங்கை, மணி மருள் அவ் வாய்,
நாவொடு நவிலா நகைபடு தீம் சொல்,
யாவரும் விழையும் பொலந்தொடிப் புதல்வனை,
தேர் வழங்கு தெருவில், தமியோற் கண்டே!
கூர் எயிற்று அரிவை குறுகினள்; யாவரும்
காணுநர் இன்மையின், செத்தனள் பேணி,
பொலங்கலம் சுமந்த பூண் தாங்கு இள முலை,
”வருகமாள, என் உயிர்!” எனப் பெரிது உவந்து,
கொண்டனள் நின்றோட் கண்டு, நிலைச் செல்லேன்,
”மாசு இல் குறுமகள்! எவன் பேதுற்றனை?
நீயும் தாயை இவற்கு?” என, யான் தற்
கரைய, வந்து விரைவனென் கவைஇ

களவு உடம்படுநரின் கவிழ்ந்து, நிலம் கிளையா,
நாணி நின்றோள் நிலை கண்டு, யானும்
பேணினென் அல்லெனோ மகிழ்ந! வானத்து
அணங்கு அருங் கடவுள் அன்னோள் நின்
மகன் தாய் ஆதல் புரைவது ஆங்கு எனவே?

The land of ‘Marutham’ with its resounding love quarrels invite us within, and in this instance, a lady responds to her man, when he denies visiting a courtesan before coming home. The lady’s words are:

“With lips, akin to the inner petals of pollen-filled lotus flowers, flourishing in ancient waters, filled with otters, a flawless little palm, a mouth akin to precious gems, and sweet words that evoke laughter, not falling perfectly from the tongue, is our son, wearing golden anklets, loved by all. Seeing him playing alone in the street where chariots ply, that young maiden with sharp teeth came closer. Ascertaining that there was no one to notice her, she pulled him with love towards her young bosoms, clad with heavy gold ornaments, owing to his resemblance to you, and she said with much emotion, ‘Come to me, my life!’. Seeing her in this state, I did not turn away, but rushed to her and hugged her, saying, ‘O perfect maiden! Why are you confused and anxious? Aren’t you a mother to him as well?’.

Just then, akin to how the one caught in an act of theft would stand before the one who caught them, with head bent in shame, she was scratching the ground with her toe. O lord, seeing her so, didn’t I express my care to her, declaring that she, the one akin to the bewitching, glorious goddess in the sky, was like a mother to our son, without any hesitation, right there?”

Time to wade deeper in the waters of these lotus ponds! The lady starts by talking about the adorable qualities of their son to the man, mentioning how his lips were so delicate and soft like the inner petals of lotuses that bloom not in any old place but an ancient waterbody, teeming with otters. After that vivid simile, the lady dwells on the boy’s little palms, his beautiful mouth, which talks with a lisp and makes everyone laugh out aloud. Concluding that it’s natural for anyone to love this child of theirs, she moves on to a specific situation, when the boy was playing alone in the street. At this time, a young maiden notices him and comes closer. Then, she calls out to the boy and hugs him close, with endearing words. The lady explains to us that this is because that maiden clearly sees the man’s resemblance in his son. Understanding all these subtle emotions in one glance, our smart lady, without turning away, goes to the maiden and hugs her saying that she too was a mother to the young boy, implying that the lady was aware of the maiden’s relationship with her husband. A moment to reflect on how the Western coinage of the term ‘step-mother’ seems to echo in these lines, depicting a different culture and different language from the ancient past!

Returning from our musings, we hear the lady’s words talking how about the young maiden stood there, like a person caught red-handed, head bent and scratching the ground with her toe. Now, the lady turns to the man, and concludes by asking him, ‘When I have gone near her, and declared that she’s like a mother to our son, why do you deny knowing her and visiting her?’

The lady’s fiery statement seems to be, “Enough with your lies! I know things as they stand and I have accepted them even before you said it aloud!”. Beyond all these love troubles and relationship dynamics of these Sangam people from the farmlands, the thing that shines through in this verse, is the depiction of that deep and natural affection people tend to feel for little children, moved by their innocent and imperfect nature that has the effortless power to shower much joy in life!