Old Tamil Poetry

Translations of Tamil Poetic works that span 2000 years

Archive for the category “Sangam”

07 Feb 2025
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Kurunthokai 126

My friend! Blind to charms of youth,
he went away lured by wealth;
while I worry “He isn’t back yet; where’s he?”,
fragrant jasmine creepers in these woods
watered by cool monsoon rains laugh at me
with their row of buds as sparkling teeth.

இளமை பாரார் வளநசைஇச் சென்றோர்
இவணும் வாரா ரெவண ரோவெனப்
பெயல்புறந் தந்த பூங்கொடி முல்லைத்
தொகுமுகை யிலங்கெயி றாக
நகுமே தோழி நறுந்தண் காரே.

“My friend! Youth is a brief joyful period of one’s life. But he was lured away by wealth and left me here in the prime of my youth. The rainy season has started but he hasn’t come back yet. While I worry about his whereabouts, the fragrant jasmine creeper in these woods has started flowering in cool monsoon rains. The row of jasmine buds seem to be laughing at me mockingly like a row of sparkling teeth.”

The woods are mocking at her because their paramour, the rain, has arrived and nourished them, while her lover hasn’t come yet to meet her. So she feels that the row of jasmine buds are laughing at her. Jasmine buds as metaphor for sparkling teeth is oft repeated in Tamil poetry.

இளமை – Youth
பாரார் – without looking at
வளம் – wealth
நசை – desire / lure
எவணரோ – where is he
பெயல் – rain
நறுந்தண் – cool fragrant
கார் – monsoon
புறம் – forest/ woods
பூங் கொடி – flowering creeper
முல்லை – jasmine
தொகு முகை – row of buds
இலங்கு – shining / sparkling
எயிறு – teeth
நகும் – laugh

Posted in Sangam and tagged ,
29 Sep 2024
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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

Posted in Sangam and tagged , ,
06 Feb 2024
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Kurunthokai 166

As cool waves of the sea displace fish in backwaters
Flocks of stork too move where the fish moved;
Such a pleasant town is Marandhai;
But when one is alone, it causes much anguish.

தண் கடற் படு திரை பெயர்த்தலின், வெண் பறை
நாரை நிரை பெயர்ந்து அயிரை ஆரும்,
ஊரோ நன்றுமன், மரந்தை;
ஒரு தனி வைகின், புலம்பு ஆகின்றே.

She is pining for him as her parents keep her home bound and she is unable to meet him in the seashore as planned. Her friend consoles her saying “This town of Marandhai is a pleasant seaside town. When the sea waves push back the fish in back waters, storks that roam the seashore too move to where the fish has gone. Similarly he too will find a way to come and meet you even though you are unable to go to the seashore. This pleasant town causes much anguish when one is alone and separated from their love. He won’t let you suffer but will come and meet you”

தண் – cool
திரை – waves
பெயர்த்தலின் -(as it) moves away / displaces
நாரை – stork
அயிரை – loach fish
வைகின் – (if) passes
புலம்பு – sorrow

Posted in Sangam and tagged
03 Feb 2024
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Kurunthokai 63

You think of going out and making money
As pleasure and generosity aren’t for those who lack wealth;
But will that dusky girl too come along with me
Or are you pushing me alone, tell me, my heart!

‘ஈதலும் துய்த்தலும் இல்லோர்க்கு இல்’ எனச்
செய் வினை கைம்மிக எண்ணுதி; அவ் வினைக்கு
அம் மா அரிவையும் வருமோ?
எம்மை உய்த்தியோ? உரைத்திசின்- நெஞ்சே!

He has to leave her and go away to earn money. But he is torn between love and duty. So he chides his heart saying ” You say it is the duty of a man to earn money because only then he can be generous to others and also enjoy the pleasures of this life. I agree. But leaving her alone and going away hurts me. If she too comes along with me, it will be good. But you are pushing me to go alone, my heart”

Posted in Sangam and tagged
30 Mar 2023
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Puranaanooru – 242

Youth won’t adorn themselves with you;
Nor bangled lasses pluck and gather you;
The bard won’t gently bend your stem
with the bow of his harp to pluck and wear you;
Nor the songstress sport you in her hair;
Why do you still bloom in this Ollaiyur*, O Jasmine,
Even after your chief, the majestic spear bearing Satthan
Who felled many a foe valorously is no more?

*Ollaiyur – supposed to be the town of Oliyamangalam in present day Pudukkottai district

இளையோர் சூடார்; வளையோர் கொய்யார்;
நல் யாழ் மருப்பின் மெல்ல வாங்கி,
பாணன் சூடான்; பாடினி அணியாள்;
ஆண்மை தோன்ற ஆடவர்க் கடந்த
வல் வேல் சாத்தன் மாய்ந்த பின்றை
முல்லையும் பூத்தியோ, ஒல்லையூர் நாட்டே?

The poet comes to the town of Ollaiyur which has recently lost its chief Satthan who was famous for his valorous deeds in battlefield. The whole town is in mourning. The poet sees a Jasmine creeper bloom incongruously in the mourning town. So he asks the Jasmine “The whole town is in mourning because of the death of the majestic spear bearing Satthan. Youth are listless and will not adorn themselves with flowers. The dainty girls overcome with grief are not going to pluck you from the creeper. Bards who used to frequent the town to sing the praise of Satthan will not gently bend your stem with the bow of their harp and pluck you to wear in their hair. Songstresses too are grief stricken and will not beautify themselves with you. So for whom do you bloom in this town, O Jasmine?”

Posted in Sangam and tagged
29 Mar 2023
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Nattrinai – 172

(Her friend telling him to formalize the relationship instead of simply meeting secretively)

While playing with friends,
We planted a laurel tree seed
In fine white sand
And forgot about it;
But it sprouted forth
And we nourished it
With butter and milk
Till it grew up to be a fine tree;
And our mom would praise it saying
“Your sister is far better than you”;
So my friend feels shy
To meet with you under this tree;
O’ lord of the shore
That is filled with white conches
That sound like the music of bards!
There are other places that provide shade
Where you can be one with her!

விளையாடு ஆயமொடு வெண் மணல் அழுத்தி,
மறந்தனம் துறந்த காழ் முளை அகைய
நெய் பெய் தீம் பால் பெய்து இனிது வளர்ப்ப
நும்மினும் சிறந்தது நுவ்வை ஆகும் என்று
அன்னை கூறினள் புன்னையது நலனே
அம்ம நாணுதும், நும்மொடு நகையே,
விருந்தின் பாணர் விளர் இசை கடுப்ப
வலம்புரி வான் கோடு நரலும் இலங்கு நீர்த்
துறை கெழு கொண்க! நீ நல்கின்,
நிறைபடு நீழல் பிறவுமார் உளவே.

He is asking her friend to arrange for a meeting under the laurel tree near their hamlet. Her friend wants to tell him that it is better for him to formalize their relationship instead of meeting secretively outside the village. So she tells him “My lord! That laurel tree is like a sister to us. While playing together as children we had dropped a seed in the sand and forgot about it. But it sprouted up on its own. We felt kinship towards it and nourished it with butter and milk. Our mom too mocks us saying ‘Look at your sister. She is far better than you’. So my friend feels shy to meet you under the gaze of the laurel tree that is like our sister. Your shores are filled with conches that sound like the music of bards My lord. There are other places that provide shade where you can meet her”

She implies that you better formalize your relationship and take her to your house instead of meeting secretively. Conch is sounded on wedding day as an auspicious sound.

Posted in Sangam and tagged
07 Jun 2022

Ainkurunooru – 492

As a peacock dances like you,
As jasmines bloom fragrant
like the scent of your forehead,
As a doe gazes timidly like you,
I rush home thinking of you,
My girl, swifter than a monsoon cloud.

நின்னே போலு மஞ்ஞை யாலநின்
நன்னுத னாறு முல்லை மலர
நின்னே போல மாமருண்டு நோக்க
நின்னே யுள்ளி வந்தனென்
நன்னுத லரிவை காரினும் விரைந்தே

நின்னே போலும் மஞ்ஞை ஆல, நின்
நல் நுதல் நாறும் முல்லை மலர,
நின்னே போல மா மருண்டு நோக்க,
நின்னே உள்ளி வந்தனென்
நல் நுதல் அரிவை! காரினும் விரைந்தே.

He has gone away to earn wealth. As he is coming back just before the rainy season, he crosses a forest. Everything in that forest reminds him of her. A peacock is dancing to welcome the rains. Its grace reminds him of her. Jasmine buds are blooming as rains arrive. Their fragrance reminds him of the scent of her forehead. A female deer looks at him with a nervous look, just like how she looks at him. He rushes home, swifter than the approaching monsoon cloud.

This 2500 year old poem stays relevant today. Anyone who has been in a long distance relationship knows the rush one feels as the plane lands / train arrives and the heart beats faster saying a few more hours to meet your love. Everything one looks reminds them of their love.

All these Tamil words can be easily understood today. And the poem can be used as a movie lyric with slight modifications.

உன்னப் போலொரு மயிலாட
உன் நெத்தி வாசம் போலப் பிச்சிப் பூப் பூக்க
உன்னப் போல மானொன்னு பாக்க
உன்ன எண்ணி வந்தேனடி அழகியே
உறுமும் மழை மேகத்த முந்தியே

மஞ்ஞை – Peacock
நுதல் – forehead
நாறும் – smells (Fragrantly)
முல்லை – jasmine
மா – deer
மருண்டு – nervously / timidly
உள்ளி – thinking of
அரிவை – girl
கார் – monsoon cloud

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11 Dec 2021

MalaiPadu Kadaam – lines 340-344

Cracking noise as sugar cane nodes are broken
And crushed in crushers covered by clouds of smoke,
Work song of women husking millet grains,
Drums sounded by farmers guarding Yam and Turmeric
To chase away foraging wild boars,
All these sounds echo in the mountains

மழை கண்டன்ன ஆலைதொறும், ஞெரேரெனக்
கழை கண் உடைக்கும் கரும்பின் ஏத்தமும்;
தினை குறு மகளிர் இசை படு வள்ளையும்,
சேம்பும் மஞ்சளும் ஓம்பினர் காப்போர்
பன்றிப் பறையும்; குன்றகச் சிலம்பும்;

Malaipadu Kadaam is a 583 line long poem, one of the ten long poems (பத்துப் பாட்டு) in Sangam canon. Written by Perunkunrur Perunkaucikanar, it is sung in praise of the hill country ruled by King Nannan. Tamil scholar Kamil Zvelebil dates it to 210 CE. This poem is known for its vivid imagery of hill country, thought to be current day Javadhu hills in northern Tamil Nadu.

Lines 290-350 list the various sounds heard in the hills. In the above lines the following sounds are described. Cane crushing units are engulfed in smoke from the crushers. These look like clouds hovering around the crushers. In these units cracking noise of sugar cane nodes breaking at a fast pace is heard. Near by women are husking millet grains. To overcome the tedium, they sing rhythmic songs (வள்ளைப் பாட்டு). Farmers guarding yam and turmeric in their fields sound drums to scare away wild boars that forage these root vegetables. All these sounds mingle together and echo in the mountains.

மழை – cloud
ஆலை – factory / sugar cane crushing units
ஞெரேர் – sound
கழை – sugar cane
கண் – கணு – node (of sugar cane)
ஏத்தம் – sound of pouring liquid
தினை – millet
குறு – pound / husk
வள்ளை – A type of rhythmic work song
சேம்பு – Yam
மஞ்சள் – Turmeric
ஓம்பினர் – those who nourish / farmers
காப்போர் – those who guard
பன்றி – (wild) boar
பறை – drum
குன்று – hill / mountain
சிலம்பு – Echo

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30 Nov 2021

Kurunthokai – 130

(Her friend consoles her)

He can’t have dug up the earth and vanished inside,
Nor can he have climbed up to the sky,
Or walked across the seas;
Country by country, town by town,
House by house if we search,
Can our lover evade us?

நிலந்தொட்டுப் புகாஅர் வான மேறார்
விலங்கிரு முந்நீர் காலிற் செல்லார்
நாட்டி னாட்டி னூரி னூரிற்
குடிமுறை குடிமுறை தேரிற்
கெடுநரு முளரோநங் காத லோரே.

This is a poem by poet Velliveethiyar. He hasn’t come for long. She is pining for him. Her friend consoles her saying “Our lover could not have dug up the earth and vanished inside nor can he have climbed up to the sky. He could not have walked across the ocean that bounds our land. So he must be here in this land only. If we search each country, town and village is there any which way he can evade us? So don’t worry, I will find him for you”

It is the convention in Sangam poetry for the friend to associate herself with the heroine and say “Our lover”.

புகார் – புக மாட்டார் – can’t enter
மேறார் – மேல் ஏறார் – can’t climb
விலங்கு இரு – that lies athwart / on the way
முந்நீர் – Sea (முந்நீர் – மூன்று நீர் – three waters (rain water, spring water, river water) that enter the sea
குடிமுறை – household
கெடு – run away / evade

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09 Feb 2021

Pattinap Palai – 126-132

Like the monsoon season
When water scooped up by the clouds
Pours down the mountain
And water from the mountain
Flows back to the sea,
Countless variety of goods
In limitless quantities
Are offloaded from sea to land
And loaded from land to sea..

வான் முகந்த நீர் மலைப் பொழியவும்,
மலைப் பொழிந்த நீர் கடல் பரப்பவும்,
மாரி பெய்யும் பருவம் போல
நீரினின்றும் நிலத்து ஏற்றவும்,
நிலத்தினின்று நீர்ப் பரப்பவும்,
அளந்து அறியாப் பல பண்டம்
வரம்பு அறியாமை வந்து ஈண்டி,

These lines are from Pattinap Palai, a long poem written in praise of Chola King Karikala Cholan, generally dated to the beginning of Common Era. Pattinap Palai is one of the ten long poems (பத்துப்பாட்டு) that are part of Sangam literature.

These lines talk about the flourishing trade and wealth of Karikala’s kingdom. Water cycle is the simile used for import and export of goods. Water from sea evaporates, rises up as clouds and pours as rain down the mountain during rainy season. Rain pouring down the mountains runs back as river to the sea and completes the cycle. Similarly in Karikala’s customs house, goods from the ships offloaded to land (import) and goods from land to be loaded on ships are gathered in countless quantities under the hawk eye of the customs officials.

If you can read Tamil, you will realize that these lines written 2000 years ago are as fresh as those written yesterday. All the words used then are still in use now. I chose these lines to show the continuity of Tamil, the biggest strength of our language.

வான் – cloud
முகந்த – scooped
மாரி பெய்யும் பருவம் – rain pouring season / monsoon
பண்டம் – goods
வரம்பு – limit
ஈண்டி – gathered

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