Old Tamil Poetry

Kamba Ramayanam – 516

As their desirous gaze bound them
like a rope and drew their hearts close,
He, armed with a bow, and She, with sword like eyes,
entered into each other’s heart.

பருகிய நோக்கு எனும் பாசத்தால் பிணித்து,
ஒருவரை ஒருவர் தம் உள்ளம் ஈர்த்தலால்,
வரி சிலை அண்ணலும் வாள் கண் நங்கையும்
இருவரும் மாறிப் புக்கு இதயம் எய்தினார்.

From Kamba Ramayanam, where Rama and Sita meet for the first time as Rama enters Mithilai. Sita is standing in the balcony while Rama is walking along the streets. They both look at each other and it is love at first sight. This is Kamban’s invention as the original Valmiki Ramayana doesn’t have this sequence.  Kamban is a master of metaphors and similes. Desirous gaze is a rope that binds them both and pulls their heart closer. Hence both of them enter each other’s heart. Sita’s eyes are sharp and shapely like a sword. Rama carries a bow, so each of them is armed.

Kambaramayanam – Foreword

If kids draw asymmetric rooms and stages
in sand, will artisans be angered?
My unwise, muddled poetry,
learned scholars, will it anger you?

அறையும் ஆடு அரங்கும் மடப் பிள்ளைகள்
தறையில் கீறிடில் தச்சரும் காய்வரோ?
இறையும் ஞானம் இலாத என் புன் கவி
முறையின் நூல் உணர்ந்தாரும் முனிவரோ?

Kambaramayanam foreword. Humility (அவையடக்கம்) was a standard part in epics. Kamban being  kamban, makes even that a beautiful poem.

Kambaramayanam – 624

As if unable to withstand fiery flames
of the dainty stepped woman’s passion,
the scorching sun folded his lengthy arms
and immersed himself in the ocean.

அன்ன மெல் நடை அவட்கு அமைந்த காமத் தீத்
தன்னையும் சுடுவது தரிக்கிலான் என,
நல் நெடும் கரங்களை நடுக்கி ஓடிப்போய்,
முன்னை வெங் கதிரவன் கடலில் மூழ்கினான்.

In Kamban’s Ramayanam, Sita and Rama see each other even before breaking Shiva’s Bow. As Rama enters Mithila, he looks up at Sita standing in the balcony. It is love at first sight. Then he walks away. Sita falls love sick. This poem is descriptive of that evening, when the sun has set. In Kamban’s imagination, the sun is unable to withstand the heat of Sita’s passion. Hence he goes and hides in the ocean.

Kamba Ramayanam – 533

As she partook in aromatic wine like heady passion
(with disguised Indra) and rejoiced, she realised;
Yet,without resisting the immoral, surrendered;
The Rishi, mighty like the three eyed God, quickly returned.

புக்கு, அவேளாடும் காமப் புது மண மதுவின் தேறல்
ஒக்க உண்டு, இருத்தலோடும், உணர்ந்தனள்; உணர்ந்த பின்னும்
தக்கது அன்று என்ன ஓராள், தாழ்ந்தனள்
முக்கணன் அனைய ஆற்றல்  முனிவனும் முடுகி வந்தான்.

Kambaramayanam – 533. This poem is about Ahalya falling for Indra who is disguised as her husand Gautama Rishi. One of the dramatic poems in Kamba Ramayanam. In Valmiki’s Ramayana too, she knows it is Indra in the guise of Gautama, yet decides to satisfy the king of Gods. Stanza 1-48-19 here http://bit.ly/1nST1Jg. In Kamban’s version, the implication is she did it out of her own choice, not because he was the God of Gods.

There is a subtle difference between Valmiki and Kamban. Kamban’s Ahalya comes across as more human and prone to mistake than Valmiki’s character.

உணர்ந்தனள், உணர்ந்த பின்னும்..தாழ்ந்தனள் – She realised, yet .. surrendered.

Kamba Ramayanam – 56

Dark buffaloes glistening with water droplets
amble like rain clouds that have descended on earth;
As they think of their calves left behind in cowsheds,
their soft udders gush forth, in which flourish the grains.

ஈர நீர் படிந்து இந் நிலத்தே சில
கார்கள் என்ன வரும் கருமேதிகள்
ஊரில் நின்ற கன்று உள்ளிட மென்முலை
தாரை கொள்ளத் தழைப்பன சாலியே.

This is from Kamba Ramayanam, about Kosala country’s wealth. Dark buffaloes wander in paddy fields. Water droplets glisten in their dark bodies. They look like rain clouds pregnant with water, moving around. The buffaloes think of their calves left behind in cow sheds in town. As they think of their calves, their soft udders gush forth with milk like sheets of rain. Grains in the paddy fields are nourished by this flowing milk. Kosala country is so rich that grains grow in milk, not in water.

நிலம் – earth
கார் – கார் மேகம் – rain clouds
கரு மேதிகள் – dark buffaloes
ஊர் – village (cow sheds)
உள்ளிட – நினைத்திட – as they think
மென் முலை – soft udder
தாரை – sheets (of rain)
தழைப்பன – flourish
சாலி – grains