Old Tamil Poetry

Translations of Tamil Poetic works that span 2000 years

15 Nov 2017
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Pazha Mozhi 400 – 249

Keeping mouth shut in an assembly of scholars
but boasting in an assembly of naive lackeys –
is like one who, afraid of enemy’s valour in battle,
strings a bow inside his house and shoots arrows amidst vessels.

நல்லவை கண்டக்கால் நாச்சுருட்டி நன்றுணராப்
புல்லவையுள் தம்மைப் புகழ்ந்துரைத்தல் – புல்லார்
புடைத்தறுகண் அஞ்சுவான் இல்லுள்வில் லேற்றி
இடைக்கலத்து எய்து விடல்.

Pazha Mozhi Naanooru ( 400 Old Sayings) is one of the 18 post Sangam anthologies. Each verse explains a proverb. In this verse the poet says “Some people keep their mouth shut in an assembly of scholars. But when they are in front of naive lackeys, they boast about themselves. They are like a man who afraid of enemy’s valour, doesn’t go to the battlefield; instead he strings his bow inside his house and shoots arrow amidst vessels in the house.”

The proverb here is இல்லுள் வில்லேற்றி இடைக்கலத்து எய்து விடல் – “String a bow inside house and shoot arrows amidst vessels”

நாச்சுருட்டி – நா + சுருட்டி – tongue + rolled tight – mouth shut
நன்றுணரா – நன்று + உணரா – not knowledgeable / dumb / naive
புல்லவை – புல் + அவை – lowly assembly
புல்லார் – enemy
புடை – battle
தறுகண் -valour / bravery
இல் – இல்லம் -house

Posted in Padhinen Keel Kanakku and tagged
14 Nov 2017
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Thirukkural – 66

‘Flute is sweet, Harp is sweet’ they say,
who haven’t heard their child babble away.

குழல்இனிது யாழ்இனிது என்பதம் மக்கள் 
மழலைச்சொல் கேளா தவர்.

Posted in Padhinen Keel Kanakku and tagged
11 Nov 2017
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Aka Naanooru – 278

Large clouds scoop up water from the eastern sea,
swell like massive elephants of ruler’s noisy army,
move to the right accompanied by lightning
that splits the sky – like a flag rising up a pole –
and thunder that roars noisily,
and encircle the peaks at midnight;
so the silvery waterfalls will swell tomorrow,
flow down forcefully, breaking large bamboo stalks,
knocking down chestnut trees, and arrive
at the vast expanse of our town’s river front;
to make our pale eyes redden,
and to get rid of our midnight’s agony
shall we take a dip in those waters
that cascades from his beautiful hills,
he who made our body lose its gem like shine
and caused us incurable grief?

குண கடல் முகந்த கொள்ளை வானம்
பணை கெழு வேந்தர் பல் படைத் தானைத்
தோல் நிரைத்தனைய ஆகி, வலன் ஏர்பு,
கோல் நிமிர் கொடியின் வசி பட மின்னி,
உரும் உரறு அதிர் குரல் தலைஇ, பானாள்,
பெரு மலை மீமிசை முற்றினஆயின்,
வாள் இலங்கு அருவி தாஅய், நாளை,
இரு வெதிர் அம் கழை ஒசியத் தீண்டி
வருவதுமாதோ, வண் பரி உந்தி,
நனி பெரும் பரப்பின் நம் ஊர் முன்துறை;
பனி பொரு மழைக் கண் சிவப்ப, பானாள்
முனி படர் அகல மூழ்குவம்கொல
மணி மருள் மேனி ஆய்நலம் தொலைய,
தணிவு அருந் துயரம் செய்தோன்
அணி கிளர் நெடு வரை ஆடிய நீரே?

Aka Naanooru (Four hundred poems of Akam, the interior landscape) is part of the eight anthologies that make up Sangam literature. The poems are about love and separation. These poems are longer than other anthologies in the Eight Anthologies.

She lives in plains. He lives in the hills. They have fallen in love and he meets her at night. But today he hasn’t turned up. It is the rainy season. She looks are dark clouds moving towards the hills. She says to her friend, “Look at these clouds. They scoop up water from the eastern sea (Bay of Bengal in current terminology) and look like huge elephants in the Kings army. They are moving towards the right side accompanied by lightning and thunder. They will reach the hills and pour down. This will cause the silvery water falls in the hills to swell and the water will rush to our town tomorrow. On its way it will break down green bamboo stalks and Indian chestnut trees. The waters flow from his hills, he who has caused us so much grief and made our body lose it’s shine. Shall we go and take a dip in those fresh waters tomorrow, so that our pale eyes redden and we can get rid of our midnight’s agony?”

She implies even if I can’t get to embrace him, let me immerse myself in the water that has embraced his hills. At least that will reduce my grief.

Posted in Sangam and tagged
06 Nov 2017

Thirukkural – 1110

As learning progresses, past ignorance is realised; So is my love
with this bedecked girl,as I get to know her more.

அறிதோ றறியாமை கண்டற்றால் காமம்
செறிதோறுஞ் சேயிழை மாட்டு.

As one learns more and more, he realises his previous ignorance; similarly as I get to know this bedecked girl more and more, I realise what I have missed so far.

Devaneya Paavaanar inteprets it more erotically “As I make love to this bedecked girl, I realise what I have missed so far”. I have gone with Parimel Azhagar’s commentary.

அறிதோறு அறியாமை கண்டற்றால் – As learning progresses, one realises his past ignorance. The brevity of Tamil hasn’t come out well in translation.

Posted in Padhinen Keel Kanakku and tagged | Leave a comment
02 Nov 2017

Thirukkural – 1261

Noting the days of his absence, fingers are worn out;
losing their shine, eyes too have dimmed.

வாள் அற்றுப் புற்கென்ற, கண்ணும்; அவர் சென்ற
நாள் ஒற்றித் தேய்ந்த, விரல்.

He has gone away a long time. She has kept count of the days of his absence by noting it on the wall. Counting those again and again, her fingers have worn out. Her eyes too have lost their shine and have dimmed.

In the original verse, ‘eyes too have dimmed’ comes first and ‘worn out fingers’ next. The use of உம் (கண்ணும்) means ‘(eyes) too’. In English using ‘too’ first reads oddly. Hence I have transposed the lines in the translation. Also ‘the wall’ isn’t explicit but implied in ‘ஒற்றி’ – touch.

வாள் – brightness / shine
அற்று – losing
புற்கென்ற – புல்லியவாயின – became dim
ஒற்றி – touch (count marks on the wall)

 

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29 Oct 2017
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Kambaramayanam – 10181

She leaped into the fire as if reaching for her abode
of lotus that rose above hard-to-swim floods*;
as she leapt in, the fire was burnt to a cinder
like white cotton, by the fieriness of her chastity.

நீந்த அரும் புனலிடை நிவந்த தாமரை
ஏய்ந்த தன் கோயிலே எய்துவாள் எனப்
பாய்ந்தனள்; பாய்தலும் பாலின் பஞ்சு எனத்
தீய்ந்தது அவ் எரி அவள் கற்பின் தீயினால்.

* Legend of Lakshmi – She rose from the milky ocean, seated on a lotus, when it was churned.

Trial by fire is one of the dramatic peaks in Kamba Ramayanam. After Rama has killed Ravana, Sita comes to see him in the battlefield. She is overwhelmed with joy at being rescued by her husband. But Rama chides her and says she should have taken her life when she was kidnapped. He accuses her of enjoying the comforts of Lanka and not killing herself.

Sita is shocked. She says, “I kept myself alive in hopes of seeing you. Now that you yourself doubt me, what is the point of me living. Let me end my life by entering the fire.”

Sita is incarnate of Goddess Lakshmi. Kamban says “She leaps into the fire as if she is reaching her abode of lotus that floats above the immense flood”. One of the legends of Lakshmi is she rose seated on a lotus when the milky ocean was churned. So Sita entering the fire gladly is like she going to her abode of Lotus from where she originally came.The fieriness of her chastity is such that it burns the fire itself to a cinder, like how a white ball of cotton is burnt by fire.

நீந்த அரும் – difficult to swim
புனல் – flood
நிவத்தல் – rise
ஏய்ந்தல் – suitable
கோயில் – abode
பாலின் – like milk (white)

Posted in Epics and tagged
23 Oct 2017

Thirukkural – 1049

It’s even possible to sleep inside fire; but impossible
any which way to close eyes and sleep in poverty.

நெருப்பினுள் துஞ்சலும் ஆகும்; நிரப்பினுள்
யாது ஒன்றும் கண்பாடு அரிது.

It might even be possible for a person to sleep inside a fire, but it is impossible to sleep peacefully when one is destitute.

துஞ்சல் – sleep
நிரப்பு – poverty
கண் பாடு – close eyes and sleep
அரிது – difficult

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21 Oct 2017

Thirukkural – 389

King who tolerates words bitter to his ears,
under his protection does the world abide.

செவிகைப்பச் சொற்பொறுக்கும் பண்புடை வேந்தன்
கவிகைக்கீழ்த் தங்கு முலகு.

When a ruler deviates from justice, his ministers have to advice him and point out his mistakes. If a ruler can tolerate those bitter words and listen to them, then the world will abide by his rule.

A ruler who wants to rule the world should be open to hear harsh words from his advisors. The word கவிகை mean Umbrella / parasol. It was a symbol of royalty. Since this is not so common in English speaking world, I have used protection.

கைத்தல் – bitter
கவிகை – umbrella / parasol / protection

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20 Oct 2017
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Puranaanooru – 51

If water surges, there’s no bank that can hold it;
if fire surges, there’s no refuge that can save living beings;
if air surges, there’s nothing stronger to stop it;
like them is the renowned fierce Vazhuthi*;
unable to tolerate the saying that
“Tamil country is equally ruled (by all three kings)”,
he raises an army and demands tribute;
kings who pay up can be without worry,
those who don’t are pitiable, for they fall foul of him;
like winged termites that fly out of mounds
built painstakingly by hordes of white ants,
they flutter about to live for just a day.

* – Pandiyan King Kootakarathu thunchiya Maran Vazhuthi

நீர் மிகின், சிறையும் இல்லை; தீ மிகின்,
மன் உயிர் நிழற்றும் நிழலும் இல்லை;
வளி மிகின், வலியும் இல்லை; ஒளி மிக்கு
அவற்று ஓர் அன்ன சினப் போர் வழுதி,
‘தண் தமிழ் பொது’ எனப் பொறாஅன், போர் எதிர்ந்து,
கொண்டி வேண்டுவன் ஆயின், ‘கொள்க’ எனக்
கொடுத்த மன்னர் நடுக்கு அற்றனரே;
அளியரோ அளியர், அவன் அளி இழந்தோரே
நுண் பல சிதலை அரிது முயன்று எடுத்த
செம் புற்று ஈயல் போல,
ஒரு பகல் வாழ்க்கைக்கு உலமருவோரே!

This poem by Ayoor Mudavanar is about the valour of Pandiyan King Kootakarathu thunchiya Maran Vazhuthi (Maran Vazhuthi who died in Kootakaram battle). He was known for waging war against other rulers of Tamil country and subduing them. Thepoet says like the surge of elements (water, fire and air), fierce Vazhuthi also could not be contained. He could not tolerate when people said Tamil country is common for the three kings – Cheras, Cholas and Pandiyas. So he waged war against them and asked them to pay tributes to him and accept him as their overlord. Those who accepted were without worry. Those who didn’t fell foul of him and their condition was pitiable. Like winged termites that buzz out of termite mounds and die within a day, they rose briefly only to die.

The termite mound simile stands out in this poem. A termite mound is built by the hard work of thousands of termites. Similarly a country attains wealth by the hard work of its citizens. But when winged termites fly out of the mound, their life span is hardly a day. So is the life span of any one who opposes Vazhuthi.

The word play in அளியரோ அளியர், அவன் அளி இழந்தோரே is noteworthy. The poet uses the word அளி thrice, each time with a different meaning.
அளியரோ – அளிக்காதவரோ – those who don’t give
அளியர் – poor/wretched
அளி இழந்தோரே – those who lost his grace / fell foul of him

Posted in Sangam and tagged
13 Oct 2017
4 Comments

Nammalvaar – 2654

One with a Golden crown, One with a thousand names,
One whose dazzling disc dims the stars- Him
I hold in my heart as my protective parent;
henceforth, whatever else happens does it matter?

அடர்ப்பொன் முடியானை யாயிரம்பே ரானை,
சுடர்கொள் சுடராழி யானை,-இடர்கடியும்
மாதா பிதுவாக வைத்தேன் எனதுள்ளே
யாதாகில் யாதே இனி

This verse is from Nammalvar’s pasurams. Nammalvar is considered the greatest amongst twelve Alwars (Vaishnavite saints) and has written 1352 of the 4000 verses in Naalaayira Divya Prabandham. His period is generally dated to 8th Century AD. The Vaishnavite philosophy of Alwars is qualified non-dualism (Vishishtadvaita), simply put – total surrender to the One. (I am not qualified to talk about nuances of philosophy. This is just my understanding.)

In this poem Nammalvar says “I have placed him – who wears a dazzling golden crown, who has a thousand name, whose disc dims the brightness of all the sun and stars in this earth – in my heart like my mother and father, who remove all obstacles in my path.Hence forth, whatever happens doesn’t bother me. Because I have totally surrendered to him, whatever happens is his wish”

If you can read Tamil, do read it for the cadence and simplicity of the verse. Nammalvar’s verses are known for their innate rhythm and are a pleasure to read out loud. I haven’t read all his verses. Chose this particular verse for its simplicity and universal theme. In this 1200 year old verse, except ஆழி, all other words are simple Tamil words still in use.

சுடர் + கொள் – stars + subsume
சுடர் ஆழி – bright disc
இடர் கடியும் – peril + removing (protective)
பிது – பித்ரு – father
எனதுள்ளே – எனது + உள்ளத்திலே – in my heart
யாது – whatever / anything

Posted in Devotional and tagged

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