As I relaxed my embracing arms a bit,
Golden bangled lass’s forehead grew pale.
முயங்கிய கைகளை யூக்கப் பசந்தது
பைந்தொடிப் பேதை நுதல்.
He was hugging her tight, and thought it might hurt her. So he relaxed his arms. When his embrace loosened a bit, she thought he is going to take leave of her. That thought pained her immensely, and her forehead grew pale.
முயக்கம் – embrace / hug
ஊக்குதல் – loosen
பசந்தது – grew pale
பைந் தொடி – golden bangle (wearing girl)
நுதல் – forehead
He who doesn’t seek pleasure but knows distress is normal,
Will not be afflicted with grief.
இன்பம் விழையான், ‘இடும்பை இயல்பு’ என்பான்,
துன்பம் உறுதல் இலன்.
A man who does not seek pleasure in life knows sorrow is natural human condition. Since he know this, he will not be bogged down by grief.
விழை – desire, விழையான் – he who does not desire
இடும்பை – distress / sorrow
இயல்பு – natural / normal
உறுதல் – feel
As my lover resides in my heart, I dread
eating hot food, lest it singe him.
நெஞ்சத்தார் காத லவராக வெய்துண்ட
லஞ்சுதும் வேபாக் கறிந்து.
Her friend asks her why she isn’t eating properly. She says my lover resides in my heart, so I avoid hot food as it might burn him.
What to say, Love is stupid.
வெய்து – hot
உண்டல் – to eat
அஞ்சுதும் – I fear / dread
வேபாக்கு – burn / singe
அறிந்து – I know
Hilly forest smells of musth elephant now;
Dark clouds are raining at night time too;
Long dark haired girl won’t bear it anymore;
Leave all work aside and go to her, my heart!
எல்லா வினையும் கிடப்ப, எழு, நெஞ்சே!
கல் ஓங்கு கானம் களிற்றின் மதம் நாறும்;
பல் இருங் கூந்தல் பணி நோனாள்; கார் வானம்
எல்லியும் தோன்றும், பெயல்.
He has gone away in search of wealth, promising her that he will be back by winter season. It is winter now. He tells his heart “Elephants are in musth period and the hilly forest smells of their temporal secretion. Dark clouds are raining even at night time now. All these signs mean winter is here. My dark haired lover who held on to my words of assurance won’t be able to bear the separation anymore. So, my heart, leave aside whatever work you are doing, and go to her”
கல் ஓங்கு – rising hill
கானம் – forest
களிறு – elephant
மதம் – musth secretion
நாறும் – smells
பல் இருங் கூந்தல் – long black haired
பணி – word (promise)
நோனாள் – won’t suffer / bear (anymore)
கார் வானம் – dark rain clouds
எல்லி – night
பெயல் – rain
I put my trust in no one but you,
I’d never follow someone else in future too;
O’ twelve armed handsome God!O’Spear wielding Lord!
O’ Resident of Tiruchendur!
You clear grievous obstacles faced by celestials too!
உன்னை யொழிய வொருவரையு நம்புகிலேன்
பின்னை யொருவரையான் பின் செல்லேன் – பன்னிருகைக்
கோலப்பா வானோர் கொடியவினை தீர்த்தருளும்
வேலப்பா செந்திவாழ் வே.
This is a latter day addition to Thirumurugaattrup Padai, a Sangam era work that praises Murugan, the Supreme Tamil God. The poet says “I trust only you Muruga. I won’t go behind any other God, not now, not in the future. You are a twelve armed handsome God. Even the celestials beseech you when they face obstacles and you save them with your spear. O’ Resident of Tiruchendur, You are my saviour”
செந்தி – திருச்செந்தூர் – Tiruchendur , an important Murugan Temple
Budding at dawn and blossoming through the day,
By evening fully blooms this malady.
காலை யரும்பிப் பகலெல்லாம் போதாகி
மாலை மலருமிந் நோய்.
When her friend asks her why she is sick, she says “As I got up in the morning I started missing him. This love sickness was just a bud then. But through out the day it started gnawing my heart, blossoming like a flower from the bud. By the time evening arrived it is in full bloom and I’m completely consumed by this love sickness”
அரும்பு – bud
போது – blossom / floret
மலரும் – bloom
இந் நோய் – this sickness / malady
Thirukkural 485
They wait for the right time, unruffled,
Those who plan to conquer the world.
காலங் கருதி இருப்பர் கலங்காது
ஞாலங் கருது பவர்.
Those who plan to conquer the world will wait for the opportune time. They are confident of their strength,so are unruffled by waiting.
காலம் – time (right time)
கருதி – think / calculate / plan
இருப்பர் – wait
கலங்காது – undisturbed
ஞாலம் – world
If you are a Tamil, note the use of word ங், how it gives a rhythm to the couplet.
Whole town gathered and lamented noisily,
Discarded the given name and called it a dead body,
Carried it to the cremation ground, burnt it to ashes,
Took a dip in the pond and forgot all about it.
ஊரெலாம் கூடி ஒலிக்க அழுதிட்டுப்
பேரினை நீக்கிப் பிணமென்று பேரிட்டுச்
சூரையங் காட்டிடைக் கொண்டுபோய்ச் சுட்டிட்டு
நீரினில் மூழ்கி நினைப்பொழிந் தார்களே.
This verse by Thirumoolar (dated generally to 8th century CE) talks about impermanence of life. Once a person is dead, the whole town gathers at his house and laments noisily. The moment the person is dead the given name is discarded and it becomes just a body. They carry it to the cremation ground, burn it to ashes. Then everyone takes a dip in the village pond to clean themselves and with that the dead person is forgotten.
சூரையங்காடு – சுடுகாடு – Cremation ground
His pregnant wife needs his assistance;
Village festival too has begun;
Sunlight is fast fading in rainy season;
With all this in mind, sharp needle in the hands
of the lowly cot upholsterer moves swiftly;
Swifter than that moves the golden flower wearing mighty warrior
to fight the enemy who comes to conquer his town.
சாறுதலைக் கொண்டெனப் பெண்ணீற் றுற்றெனப்
பட்ட மாரி ஞான்ற ஞாயிற்றுக்
கட்டி னிணக்கு மிழிசினன் கையது
போழ்தூண் டூசியின் விரைந்தன்று மாதோ
ஊர்கொள வந்த பொருநனொ
டார்புனை தெரிய னெடுந்தகை போரே.
This verse is about the Chola King Porvaikko PeruNarKilli. A local chieftain Aamoor Mallan comes to attack the Chola king’s town. The poet says Killi did not delay going to face his enemy but moved swiftly as if he wanted to finish the job before the sun set. The simile he uses is of the lowly leather worker upholstering a cot. The worker’s wife is pregnant and he needs to be near her to help her. The village festival has begun and he wants to take part in it too. But the job at hand is holding him back. The sun is fading away quickly in the rainy season. If the sun sets, he can’t work further. With all this weighing in his mind, the needle in his hand moves in and out of the leather swiftly as if it has a mind of its own. Even swifter than that moves the Golden yellow flower (the clan flower of Chola Kings) wearing mighty Lord when the enemy is at the gates to conquer his town. He wants to finish him off in a day.
Each of the three Tamil Kings (Chera / Chola / Pandya) had their own clan flowers which they wore as a garland in the battlefield.
சாறு – festival
பெண் – woman (wife)
ஈற்று – pregnant
உற்று – suffering
மாரி – rain
ஞான்று – time of day (Sun set)
ஞாயிறு – sun
கட்டில் – cot
இணக்கு – bind together
இழிசினன் – lowly person (leather worker?)
போழ் – pass through
விரைந்து – swiftly
அன்று – different / more
பொருநன் – enemy combatant
ஆர் – Bauhinia racemosa flower / son patta flower / golden flower
புனை – wearing
நெடுந்தகை – mighty
 | 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 