Old Tamil Poetry

Naaladiyaar – 136

You won’t see even believers reproach
the boatman as last of ‘Varna’s;
With his help one crosses the river, so does
one gain wisdom with the help of the learned.

தோணி இயக்குவான், தொல்லை வருணத்து,
காணின், கடைப்பட்டான் என்று இகழார்; காணாய்!
அவன் துணையா ஆறு போயற்றே, நூல் கற்ற
மகன் துணையா நல்ல கொளல்

Poem 136 from Naaladiyaar. The poet says one’s birth ‘Varna’ is not important. Knowledge and wisdom trumps it. A boatman’s knowledge is important to cross the river. Hence even those who believe in ‘Varna’ system will take his help to cross the river and will not reproach him for being last in the ‘Varna’ hierarchy. Similarly a learned man’s help is needed to cross this river of life. We should learn from the knowledgeable whatever be their birth ‘Varna’

*’Varna’ meaning colour is the name of Caste system in India. There are four ‘Varnas’ which roughly translate to – Priestly class, Warrior class, Trading Class and the Working class. This is a simplistic description.

Naaladiyaar – 352

Even if it lives in a prosperous pond,
a frog cannot cleanse its sliminess;
Even if one learns flawless tomes,
one who doesn’t get its nuances, cannot improve.

செழும் பெரும் பொய்கையுள் வாழினும், என்றும்
வழும்பு அறுக்ககில்லாவாம், தேரை; வழும்பு இல் சீர்
நூல் கற்றக்கண்ணும், நுணுக்கம் ஒன்று இல்லாதார்
தேர்கிற்கும் பெற்றி அரிது.

Poem 352 from Naaladiyaar. A frog, even though it lives in water, cannot cleanse itself of its sliminess. Similarly, even if one is immersed in great books, unless he understands its essence and nuances, he will not be able to improve himself.

Naaladiyaar – 331

Like a tortoise splashing about in the cooking pot
unaware of the hunter lighting it –
are those who revel in worldly tangles
while God of death waits for the right time.

கொலைஞர் உலை ஏற்றித் தீ மடுப்ப, ஆமை
நிலை அறியாது அந் நீர் படிந்தாடியற்றே-
கொலை வல் கொடுங் கூற்றம் கோள் பார்ப்ப, ஈண்டை
வலையகத்துச் செம்மாப்பார் மாண்பு.

Poem 331 from Naaladiyaar. This is the first poem in the chapter Ignorance (பேதைமை). This poem is about the ignorance of people who think that their world is permanent. I chose this poem for the simile of tortoise in a cooking pot. In old Tamil literature, the tortoise is used as a simile often. I think that these must have been fresh water tortoises found near farmlands.

Naaladiyaar – 90

One can survive town square’s soaring fire
by diving into the river ; lust though, will sear
even if you dive into the river ; lust will sear
even if you hide in the hillside .

ஊருள் எழுந்த உரு கெழு செந் தீக்கு
நீருள் குளித்தும் உயல் ஆகும்; நீருள்
குளிப்பினும், காமம் சுடுமே; குன்று ஏறி
ஒளிப்பினும், காமம் சுடும்.

This is poem no. 90 from Naaladiyaar. It is in the chapter named Not desiring other man’s wife (பிறர்மனை நயவாமை) . One can escape even the roaring fire by diving into the river. But lust for the other man’s wife will burn you down, even if you dive into the river or climb up the hill. Nothing good ever comes off it. So don’t covet other man’s wife. The brevity of words and the inherent rhythm of the original Tamil poem is hard to replicate.

Naaladiyaar – 135

Learning’s vast; learner’s time short;
a lot ails that too, if we think about it;
so, the wise choose their books carefully,
like the swan that drinks milk, filtering out water.

கல்வி கரை இல; கற்பவர் நாள் சில;
மெல்ல நினைக்கின், பிணி பல; தெள்ளிதின்
ஆராய்ந்து அமைவுடைய கற்பவே, நீர்ஒழியப்
பால்உண் குருகின் தெரிந்து

This is poem no.135 from Naaladiyaar. It echoes Latin “Ars longa, vita brevis” (Art is long,Life is short) of Hippocrates’ Greek Aphorismi.

The  poet says that we have very little time to learn. So wise men are careful  in choosing the books they read. Like the mythical swan that filters out water and drinks only milk. Other birds may consume diluted milk. But the swan is particular on what it consumes.

Naaladiyaar – 221

One whom we chose as a good friend,
even if he has faults, we must reconcile;
every grain has chaff; water has froth;
even a flower has faded petals.

நல்லார் எனத் தாம் நனி விரும்பிக் கொண்டாரை,
அல்லார் எனினும், அடக்கிக் கொளல்வேண்டும்;-
நெல்லுக்கு உமி உண்டு; நீர்க்கு நுரை உண்டு;
புல் இதழ் பூவிற்கும் உண்டு.

Poem no. 221 from Naaladiyaar. Examples of grain, water and flower given in order of importance to a man.