Kalithogai 127 – Is that why?

Sangam Lit

In this episode, we hear piercing words rendered to persuade a person, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Kalithogai 127, penned by Nallanthuvanaar. The verse is situated in the ‘Neythal’ or ‘Coastal Landscape’ and attempts to change the man’s heart.

தெரி இணர் ஞாழலும், தேம் கமழ் புன்னையும்,
புரி அவிழ் பூவின கைதையும், செருந்தியும்,
வரி ஞிமிறு இமிர்ந்து ஆர்ப்ப, இருந் தும்பி இயைபு ஊத
செரு மிகு நேமியான் தார் போல, பெருங் கடல்
வரி மணல்வாய் சூழும் வயங்கு நீர்த் தண் சேர்ப்ப!

கொடுங் கழி வளைஇய குன்று போல், வால் எக்கர்,
நடுங்கு நோய் தீர, நின் குறி வாய்த்தாள் என்பதோ
கடும் பனி அறல் இகு கயல் ஏர் கண் பனி மல்க,
இடும்பையோடு இனைபு ஏங்க, இவளை நீ துறந்ததை?

குறி இன்றிப் பல் நாள், நின் கடுந் திண் தேர் வரு பதம் கண்டு,
எறி திரை இமிழ் கானல், எதிர்கொண்டாள் என்பதோ
அறிவு அஞர் உழந்து ஏங்கி, ஆய் நலம் வறிதாக,
செறி வளை தோள் ஊர, இவளை நீ துறந்ததை?

காண் வர இயன்ற இக் கவின் பெறு பனித் துறை,
யாமத்து வந்து, நின் குறி வாய்த்தாள் என்பதோ
வேய் நலம் இழந்த தோள் விளங்குஇழை பொறை ஆற்றாள்,
வாள் நுதல் பசப்பு ஊர, இவளை நீ துறந்ததை?

அதனால்,
இறை வளை நெகிழ்ந்த எவ்வ நோய் இவள் தீர,
‘உரவுக் கதிர் தெறும்’ என ஓங்கு திரை விரைபு, தன்
கரை அமல் அடும்பு அளித்தாஅங்கு
உரவு நீர்ச் சேர்ப்ப! அருளினை அளிமே.

The confidante’s voice resounds among the waves of this shore again! The words can be translated as follows:

“The tigerclaw with radiant clusters, the laurel wood wafting with the fragrance of honey, the pandanus with flowers breaking open and blossoming, and the golden champak makes the striped bees buzz aloud and the black bees to join in unison, in the grove upon the striped sands around which the great ocean surrounds, akin to the garland of the Battle-worthy One with a discus, in your domain, O lord of the cool and bright seas!

Is it because she answered your call to tryst, so as to end your tormenting affliction, upon the white sands that are heaped like peaks on the curving backwaters, that you have abandoned her, making her yearn with sorrow and suffering, even as her eyes brim over with tears, appearing akin to fish swimming in a cold, wild stream?

Is it because she welcomed you, hearing your fast and sturdy chariot arrive, even though many days had passed by without trysting, in the groves resounding with leaping waves, that you have abandoned her, making her tight bangles slip away from her arms, even as she yearns and suffers in limitless sorrow that scorches her fine beauty?

Is it because she answered your call to tryst, in these pleasing, picturesque, cool shores, at night, that you have abandoned her, making pallor spread on her shining forehead, even as her arms which have lost their bamboo-like beauty struggle, unable to bear the burden of her radiant jewels?

And so, to end her suffering-filled disease that makes her bangles slip away, akin to how the roaring seas rush in, thinking that the fierce rays of the sun will scorch the beach morning glory vines on the shore and renders their grace, O lord of the resounding waves, render your grace to her!”

Let’s delve into the nuances. The verse is situated in the context of the man’s parting from the lady prior to marriage, and here, the confidante pleads to the man on behalf of the lady. As custom, the confidante starts with a description of the man’s land, where the sea surrounds the white sands, filled with groves of trees with fragrant flowers such as the tigerclaw, laurel wood, pandanus and the golden champak. To etch this image, the confidante brings in a mythical reference to the garland that surrounds the God, who was called upon in battles many, the One who has a discus in hand, possibly referring to God Vishnu. After this description, the confidante asks the man whether he has abandoned the lady so easily because she always answered his call to tryst upon the white sands, always welcomed him even when many days had passed without meeting and was always ready to tryst with him even at night. After the lady had been so receptive to his requests, now she has been left in a state of pining, with bangles slipping and tears brimming, the confidante accuses the man. She concludes by asking him to have the thoughtfulness of the sea waves that rush to cool the beach morning glory vines thinking these would be scorched by the sun otherwise, and likewise asking him grace the lady and end her deep suffering.

In the image of waves rushing to the aid of the vines, we see the literary device of personification on the natural actions of an element of the land. Also, in the repeated questions the confidante asks the man, she seems to be asking him indirectly how he could be so thankless and thoughtless, in the face of the lady’s love, employing the core of the idiom, ‘Familiarity breeds contempt’, and intends to bring shame and regret in the man’s mind! Yet another ‘marry her, marry her’, that we are able to relate to a relevant thought in another language, in another culture, echoing the universality of human emotions!