Old Tamil Poetry

Thirukkural – 1291

His heart does his bidding, you see –
then why are you, my heart, against me?

அவர்நெஞ்சு அவர்க்காதல் கண்டும் எவன்நெஞ்சே

நீஎமக்கு ஆகா தது.

அவர் நெஞ்சு அவர்க்கு ஆதல் கண்டும், எவன்,-நெஞ்சே!-
நீ எமக்கு ஆகாதது?

He hasn’t come back as promised. She is angry with him. But the love in her heart overpowers the anger. So she chides her heart “When he can be stone hearted to be away from me and his heart acts accordingly, why do you not listen to me, but pine for him?” She is torn between love and anger. So she treats her heart as an entity separate from herself.