Old Tamil Poetry

Kambaramayanam – 3870

“Don’t his words show that there’s no skill in this world
that he hasn’t mastered, Nor Vedas he hasn’t grasped?
O’ my archer brother, Who’s this master of words?
Is he Brahma, the creator? Or the bull riding Lord*?”

*bull riding Lord – Lord Shiva

இல்லாத உலகத்து எங்கும், இங்கு இவன் இசைகள் கூரக்
கல்லாத கலையும், வேதக் கடலுமே” என்னும் காட்சி
சொல்லாலே தோன்றிற்று அன்றே? யார்கொல் இச் சொல்லின்செல்வன்? –
வில் ஆர்தோள் இளைய வீர! – விரிஞ்சனோ? விடைவலானோ?

This verse is Rama praising Hanuman at first sight. Rama and Lakshmana enter the Kishkinta forest in search of Sita. Sugreeva who is hiding from his brother in the forest, despatches Hanuman to find out who these two are. Hanuman is captivated by Rama at first sight. He introduces himself and asks Rama who they are.

Rama too is pleased with the way Hanuman spoke. He says to Lakshmana, his younger brother “O Lakshmana, carrying a bow in your shoulders! Did you hear his words? It sounds like there is no skill he has not mastered in this world, nor any Vedas he has not understood. He is such an erudite person. Who is he? Is he the four faced Brahma, the creator of all beings in this wold? Or is he Lord Siva who rides a bull?”

இல்லாத உலகத்து எங்கும் – There’s nothing in this world
இசைகள் கூர – புகழ் மிக்க – flawlessly / mastered
கல்லாத கலை – skill not learned
வேதக் கடல் –  Sea of Vedas (scriptures)
சொல்லின் செல்வன் – erudite / master of words
வில் ஆர் தோள் – carrying bow in shoulder
இளைய வீர – young warrior
விரிஞ்சன் – Brahma, the creator
விடை வலான் – Bull Master / Lord Shiva who rides a bull

Kambaramayanam – 1777

They fell down; wilted; writhed in agony;
Cried “It’s today we lost our eyes”;
Were immersed in a sea of misery;
“O’ my son! O’ my son” they sobbed;
“You broke our heart” they grieved;
“You’ve gone to live in the eternal world,
We can’t bear to live here by ourselves,
here we come, here we come” they cried.

“வீழ்ந்தார்; அயர்ந்தார்; புரண்டார்;
‘விழி போயிற்று இன்று ‘என்றார்;
ஆழ்ந்தார் துன்பக் கடலுள்;
‘ஐயா! ஐயா! ‘என்றார்;
‘போழ்ந்தாய் நெஞ்சை ‘என்றார்;
‘பொன் நாடு அதனில் போய் நீ
வாழ்ந்தே இருப்பத் தரியேம்;
வந்தேம்! வந்தேம் இனியே!‘‘

King Dasaratha killed a blind ascetic couple’s son by mistake while hunting. The boy had come to a jungle pond to take water for his thirsty parents. Dasaratha hears the noise and shoots an arrow thinking it’s a deer. Once he realises his mistake, he grieves and goes to the old couple and tells them of his mistake and apologises.

The blind couple collapse on hearing the death of their son, who was everything to them. They cry saying “Though we were blind, he never made us feel that. With his death today, we have really lost our eyes. O’ my son! O’ my son! In your death you have broken our heart. You have left us and gone to live in the eternal world (heaven). We won’t live alone here by ourselves. We will die and come along with you there” they grieved.

Death of a son is a pain that cannot be assuaged. Further to this they curse Dasaratha that he too will suffer the same fate. That curse is what causes the sequence of events leading to Rama’s exile and Dasaratha’s death.
போழ் – split / break
பொன் நாடு – golden country / heaven / eternal world
தரியேம் – can’t bear