Good health, wealth, fertility, happiness and security –
these five are said to be adornments of a country.
பிணி இன்மை, செல்வம், விளைவு, இன்பம், ஏமம்-
அணி என்ப, நாட்டிற்கு-இவ் ஐந்து.
Wise men say absence of disease, citizen’s wealth, fertile land, happiness of people and security are jewels of a country. I have translated ‘Absence of disease’ as ‘Good Health’.
Those who chide me, know not a thing –
my passion’s like a hatchling
sustained by the sight of its mother;
if my lover forsakes me, it’ll wither
like an unhatched egg, for what else sustains it?
யாவதும் அறிகிலர், கழறுவோரே-
தாய் இல் முட்டை போல, உட்கிடந்து
சாயின் அல்லது, பிறிது எவன் உடைத்தே?
யாமைப் பார்ப்பின் அன்ன
காமம், காதலர் கையற விடினே.
He hasn’t come back and she is pining for him. Her frien asks her to stop wasting away. This is her reply. “All those who scold me know nothing. My passion is sutained by the sight of him, like how a hatchling of a tortoise sustains itself by seeing its mother. If he forsakes me and doesn’t come home, my passion will die like an egg abandoned by its mother. For what else sustains my passion but being near him?”
The similes are striking.
“தாய் இல் முட்டை போல் உட்கிடந்து செயின் அல்லது” – ”To die inside the shell, like an egg abandoned by its mother” ;
“யாமைப் பார்ப்பின் அன்ன காமம்” – “Passion like a hatchling of a tortoise” . Sustained by the sight of its mother is implied in the original. I have made it explicit in the translation.
Have a couple of flunkeys sing one’s praise;
wear myriad rings in fingers; don an apparel
of silk or cotton ; then, his art will be acclaimed,
even if toxic or bitter.
விரகர் இருவர் புகழ்ந்திட வேண்டும்
விரல்நிறை மோதிரங்கள் வேண்டும் – அரையதனில்
பஞ்சேனும் பட்டேனும் வேண்டும் அவர்வித்தை
நஞ்சேனும் வேம்பேனும் நன்று.
This poem by Avvayar (12th Century) shows how the world values style over substance. If one has a couple of flunkeys to sing his praise, adorn his fingers with many rings, and dons a rich attire made of silk or cotton then the world will laud him even if his skill is no good.
To achieve what one has in mind is easy,
if he constantly has it in mind.
உள்ளியது எய்தல் எளிதுமன்-மற்றும் தான்
உள்ளியது உள்ளப்பெறின்.
To achieve one’s aim is easy, if he constantly has his aim in his mind. Similar to Napolean Hill’s “whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve”. 2000 years earlier than Hill though.
Oh warrior with shining sword and anklets,
who walks alongside cows that leap and prance
like a tribal woman possessed by spirits,
long live your valor; wait, don’t rush forward;
beware of skilled archers who stay back
hiding in the leafy forest, as the herd
of bulls and cows they stole move ahead.
ஏறுடைப் பெரு நிரை பெயர்தர, பெயராது,
இலை புதை பெருங் காட்டுத் தலை கரந்து இருந்த
வல் வில் மறவர் ஒடுக்கம் காணாய்;
செல்லல், செல்லல்; சிறக்க, நின் உள்ளம்,
முருகு மெய்ப் பட்ட புலைத்தி போலத்
தாவுபு தெறிக்கும் ஆன்மேல்
புடை இலங்கு ஒள் வாள் புனை கழலோயே!
Raiding the opponents livestock and recovering such stolen livestock is a common theme in Puranaanooru poems. In this poem, the warrior wants to chase the herd that is being stolen by the enemy clan. The poet advises him to not to rush forward. “Those who stole the cows will be hiding in the foliage in the forest to attack the recovery party. So be watchful, finish off your enemies before going forward. I am not holding you back because I doubt your valor. Long live your valor.”
Don’t rush headlong into battle. Be aware of hidden snipers who will attack you on the way. Clear the ground before moving forward.
I have altered the structure of the poem (transposing the first 3 line with the last 4 lines) for easy readability.
கழல் – Anklets (whic were given as token of honor to warriors of the clan)
புலைத்தி – generally translated as low caste woman, which seems to be a later day meaning. I have taken it as tribal woman, which I understand was the meaning in Sangam era.
உள்ளம் – I have used ‘valor’, though U Ve Saa inteprets it as enthusiasm / zeal.
Men who rush to battle without fearing for their lives,
won’t lose their zeal even if Ruler chides.
உறின், உயிர் அஞ்சா மறவர், இறைவன்
செறினும், சீர் குன்றல் இலர்.
The brave soldiers who respond to the battle call without worrying about their lives won’t turn back even if their King criticizes them and asks them not to rush.
If the master’s absent, his land will sulk,
and like a grumpy wife, be in strife.
செல்லான் கிழவன் இருப்பின், நிலம் புலந்து
இல்லாளின் ஊடிவிடும்.
If the owner of the land doesn’t visit his land daily and take care of farm activities, the land will start sulking and will fall out with him, like a grumpy wife. In the original text ‘grumpy’ is not explicit, but all the commentaries from 11th Century onwards mention irritable wife. I have made it explicit in the translation.
Though this couplet is under the chapter “Farming”, it is applicable to any business. If business owner doesn’t go to his place of work daily and take care of it, the business will falter.
One who jumps in unafraid of the furious black bull,
him does this fragrant flower tressed girl covet;
To him who tames the crimson foreheaded bull,
do arms of this golden bangled girl belong;
To him who rides the strong young bull,
does this jasmine tressed girl belong;
To him who tames the spotted white bull,
do arms of this slender girl belong;
To him who tames the freckled white bull,
does soft bosom of this slim girl belong;
To him who tames the triumphant young bull,
does this yellow flowered tressed girl belong;
To him who tames the pristine white bull,
does this dark and dusky beauty belong.
காரி கதன் அஞ்சான் பாய்ந்தானைக் காமுறும், இவ்
வேரி மலர்க் கோதையாள்; சுட்டு,
நெற்றிச் செகிலை அடர்த்தாற்கு உரிய, இப்
பொன் தொடி மாதராள் தோள்.
மல்லல் மழ விடை ஊர்ந்தாற்கு உரியள், இம்
முல்லை அம் பூங் குழல்-தான்.
நுண் பொறி வெள்ளை அடர்த்தாற்கே ஆகும், இப்
பெண் கொடி மாதர்-தன் தோள்.
பொன் பொறி வெள்ளை அடர்த்தாற்கே ஆகும்: இந்
நன் கொடி மென்முலை-தான்.
வென்றி மழ விடை ஊர்ந்தாற்கு உரியவள், இக்
கொன்றை அம் பூங் குழலாள்.
தூ நிற வெள்ளை அடர்த்தாற்கு உரியள், இப்
பூவைப் புது மலராள்.
Bull taming (or) Jalli Kattu is one of the centuries old tradition of Tamils who lived in pastoral tracts. It was called Eru thaluvudhal, literally hugging the bull, in Sangam era. Taming a bull was a mark of bravery and women were enamored with successful bull tamers. It was a dangerous sport for the participants as being gored by the bull was regular occurrence. Unlike Spanish bull fights where the bulls are killed, here the emphasis is only on controlling the bulls.
These lines are just one of the literary evidences that talk about Eru thaluvudhal 2000 years ago. There are 7 long poems in Kaliththokai, which is earlier than Silappathikaaram, listing in detail the ritualistic bull taming.
This poem is in the Aichiar Kuravai section of the 2nd Century epic Silappathikaaram. The protagonists of the epic, Kovalan and Kannaki leave their native town of Kaveri Poom pattinam in Chola country and come to Madurai, the capital of Pandya country. Kovalan leaves Kannaki with the pastoral people in the outskirts of Madurai and goes to the city to sell Kannaki’s anklet and make money. He is wrongly accused of stealing the Queen’s anklet and is killed.
The pastoral women see bad omens in their settlement. The elder among them, Madhari, says let us sing and dance the Kuravai, which was originally sung by Nappinnai along with Lord Krishna in his youth. Seven young women hold hands together and dance around singing the praise of Krishna.
Weaver bird’s nest, lac’s resin, termite’s mound
or a beehive is hard for anyone else to do –
So do not brag I am the most skillful around,
everyone is good at something too.
வான்குருவி யின்கூடு வல்லரக்கு தொல்கரையான்
தேன்சிலம்பி யாவருக்கும் செய்யரிதால் -யான்பெரிதும்
வல்லோமே என்று வலிமைசொல வேண்டாங்காண்
எல்லார்க்கும் ஒவ்வொன் றெளிது!
This is a popular poem by poet Avvaiyar (the third Avvaiyar of 11th Century possibly). This is part of a collection of independent poems (தனிப் பாடல்), not part of any anthology. The legend is that she sang this when challenged that no one can write an epic like Kamban. Most probably an apocryphal story.
She says Don’t brag that you are the best of all. No one can create a Weaver bird’s nest (தூக்கணாங்குருவிக் கூடு) or a lac insect’s resin (அரக்கு) or a termite mound or a beehive. Every one is good at something, so don’t brag.
I learned about lac insects and their resin while trying to understand this poem. You can read about them here. Ancients can always teach us a lesson or two.
I am sure that this poem is derived from poem no. 26 of Sirupanchamoolam, written by Kari Aasaan before 8th century. That poem has similar structure and compares silk worm’s thread and tent worm’s nest in addition to Weaver bird’s nest, lac insect’s resin and a beehive.
வான் குரீஇக் கூடு, அரக்கு, வால் உலண்டு நூல், புழுக்கோல்,
தேன் புரிந்தது, யார்க்கும் செயல் ஆகா;-தாம் புரீஇ,
வல்லவர் வாய்ப்பன என்னார்; ஒரோ ஒருவர்க்கு
ஒல்காது, ஓரொன்று படும்.
 | Arunan on Kulasekara Alwar – … |
 | Brindha on Thirukkural 675 |
 | Old Tamil Poetry on Kurunthokai 126 |
 | dagalti on Kurunthokai 126 |
| dagalti on Kurunthokai 126 |
Old Tamil Poetry 