Old Tamil Poetry

Kambaramayanam – 284

One who swallowed the whole world during deluge,
who is beyond the meaning of scriptures, dark
pigmented like a forming cloud, a lustrous flame,
did fortunate Kosala birth, for the world to prosper.

ஒரு பகல் உலகு எலாம் உதரத்து உள் பொதிந்து
அரு மறைக்கு உணர்வு அரும் அவனை, அஞ்சனக்
கரு முகில் கொழுந்து எழில் காட்டும் சோதியைத்,
திரு உறப், பயந்தனள் திறம் கொள் கோசலை.

This poem is about Kosala giving birth to Rama. In Vaishnavite mythology, during the deluge Baby Krishna swallowed the whole world and protected it in his stomach. Kosala gave birth to that God for the world to prosper. Hence she is fortunate.

Kamban’s word play is in those words திரு உற. It means ‘attain prosperity’. திரு (thiru) also means Lakshmi, goddess of wealth. Sita is the incarnate of Lakshmi whom Rama is going to marry in this avatar. So திரு உற also means Rama is born in this world to ‘attain Sita’.

Kambaramayanam – 50

Choicest three fruits, pulses submerged in ghee,
thick blocks of curd and sugar, rice hidden in these –
merry buzz of farmers feasting with their kith and kin
food fit for gods, rings through the country.

முந்து முக் கனியின் நானா முதிரையின் முழுத்த நெய்யின்
செந் தயிர்க் கண்டம் கண்டம் இடையிடை செறிந்த சோற்றின்
தம்தம் இல் இருந்து தாமும் விருந்தொடும் தமரினோடும்
அந்தணர் அமுதர் உண்டி அயிறலும் அமலைத்து எங்கும்.

Kamban sings about the wealth and prosperity of Kosala country. Three fruits in Tamil tradition are Mango, Jackfruit and Banana.

Kambaramayanam – 10082

Mandodari’s lament on seeing Ravana’s arrow riddled body :

Your famed physique lifted the white flower wearing God’s mountain,
did Rama’s arrows pierce every inch of it, searching for your life?
Thinking your love -that held flower tressed Janaki in heart’s confines-
might still remain, did his arrows enter your body and probe?

வெள் எருக்கஞ் சடைமுடியான் வெற்பு எடுத்த திருமேனி, மேலும் கீழும்
எள் இருக்கும் இடனின்றி, உயிர் இருக்கும்  இடன்நாடி, இழைத்தவாறோ?
“கள் இருக்கும் மலர்க்கூந்தல் சானகியை  மனம் சிறையில் கரந்த காதல்
உள்ளிருக்கும் ‘‘ எனக் கருதி, உடல் புகுந்து, தடவியதோ ஒருவன் வாளி?

After Ravana is felled by Rama, Ravana’s wife Mandodari rushes to the battlefield and laments on seeing her dead husband. His entire body is riddled with Rama’s arrows. Valmiki’s Ramayana describes that his body had so many arrows that it looked like porcupine’s spine.

In Kamban’s Ramayanam, Mandodari weeps saying “you were so strong to lift the mountain abode of Lord Shiva , who wears white crown flowers (எருக்கம் பூ) in his tresses. Did Rama’s arrows pierce every inch of that famed body in search of your life?”

The next sentence is what makes Kamban a poet nonpareil. Mandodari wails, “Did Rama’s arrows probe your entire body to find out whether your love for Sita still remains in your heart? ” She, as Ravana’s wife, had to bear with patience his love for the other woman, Sita. She is aware that Ravana’s love for Sita was so strong that it might still be alive even after his life has left him. When she says that Rama’s arrows searched his opponent’s heart to make sure that love for Rama’s wife doesn’t remain, Rama steps down from God to a mere mortal.

There are two descriptions which I have been unable to translate. Rama’s arrows have entered Ravana’s body without leaving space for even a grain of sesame (எள்). This is not to just show how many arrows Rama had shot. Sesame seeds are part of funeral rituals for Hindus. Rama has shot so many arrows that even a sesame seed cannot stay in Ravana’s body. I settled for a prosaic “every inch”

“flower tressed Janaki” is a pale imitation of “கள்ளிருக்கும் மலர்க்கூந்தல் சானகி”. I couldn’t fit in the honey / intoxicating (கள்ளிருக்கும்) in my translation.  Kamban indulges in word play in this description. Were the flowers in Janaki’s braids intoxicating or the flower braided Janaki was intoxicating and caused the downfall of Ravana?

Kambaramayanam – 2829

Adorning this earth, giving veiled wealth, being of use,
containing many a front, coursing through five landscapes,
crystal clear, pleasantly flowing the right way – scholars’
verse like Godavari the warriors saw.

புவியினுக்கு அணிஆய், ஆன்ற பொருள்தந்து, புலத்திற்று ஆகி
அவி அகத் துறைகள் தாங்கி,  ஐந்திணை நெறி அளாவி,
சவி உறத் தெளிந்து, தண்ணென்  ஒழுக்கமும் தழுவி, சான்றோர்
கவி எனக் கிடந்த கோதாவரியினை வீரர் கண்டார்.

This is Kamban describing Godavari river. This poem comes under Surpanakai vadhai padalam (Killing of Surpanaka). After Rama, Sita and Lakshmana enter the Dandakaranya (Chattisgarh today), they cross Godavari River.

Kamban, born in the banks of Cauvery , can’t just say they crossed the river. He has to talk about the majesty of the river. The simile he uses for Godavari river is the Scholar’s verse. On the face of it, it isn’t a straight comparison.Kamban’s mastery of Tamil lets him to compare the river to the verse.

The river is a jewel adorning the earth, it carries lot of hidden wealth, it is of much use to those who have settled in its banks, it has many river fronts for people to access it, it courses through five landscapes – hills, arid lands, meadows, farmland and coast, its waters are crystal clear, and it flows pleasantly along its path.

The scholar’s verse adorns this earth, it has many hidden meanings, beyond sensory pleasures it is also of use, captures various facets of life, contains poems written for all five landscapes, it is clear to understand and flows flawlessly.

Hence Godavari is like a Scholar’s verse.