Old Tamil Poetry

Puranaanooru – 66

O‘ Karikala astride an aggressive elephant!
You are of the clan that commanded ocean winds
To set sail across great oceans!
You proved your strength in this battle to emerge victorious;
But isn’t the fame of your opponent,
Who fasted to death in the battle field of fertile Venni*
Feeling ashamed of the battle wound in his back,
Greater than yours?

நளி இரு முந்நீர் நாவாய் ஓட்டி,
வளி தொழில் ஆண்ட உரவோன் மருக!
களி இயல் யானைக் கரிகால்வளவ!
சென்று, அமர்க் கடந்த நின் ஆற்றல் தோன்ற
வென்றோய்! நின்னினும் நல்லன் அன்றே
கலி கொள் யாணர் வெண்ணிப் பறந்தலை,
மிகப் புகழ் உலகம் எய்தி,
புறப் புண் நாணி, வடக்கிருந்தோனே?

• Venni – place where Battle of Venni happened in 190 CE. In present day Thiruvarur district, near Needamangalam.

Poet Venni Kuyathiyaar comes to sing the praise of Chola king Karikalan after the battle of Venni. In the battle Karikalan’s spear pierced the heart of his opponent Chera King Uthiyan Charalathan and emerged in his back. As being wounded in the back is considered dishonorable to a warrior, the Chera King fasts till death to restore his honor. The poet says to the victor “Karikala astride a ferocious elephant! You come from a clan of rulers who ruled the seas. You proved your strength in this battle by hurling a spear that pierced the heart of your opponent and emerged in his back. You proved your greatness. But isn’t the fame of Uthiyan Cheralathan, who decided to fast unto death to restore his honor in this fertile town of Venni, greater than yours?”

I read it as the poet implying a honorable death in battlefield brings glorious fame even more than that of the victor. This poem was referenced in the recently released Tamil movie “Meiyazhagan”.

முந்நீர் – Ocean
நாவாய் – Ship
வளி – Wind
உரவோன் – Strong men
மருகன் – descendant
களி – (elpehant) in rut – aggressive
அமர் – battle
ஆற்றல் – strength
வென்றோய் – you won
நின்னினும் நல்லன் அன்றே – isn’t he greater than you
கலி – grow / fertile
பறந்தலை – battle field
புகழ் – fame
புறப் புண் – back wound
நாணி – ashamed
வடக்கிருந்தோனே – he who starved himself to death