Old Tamil Poetry

Kambaramayanam – 1082

Like seeds of love sown in
a tough furrow
lifting their heads up
after a downpour,
hair follicles on his skin
stood up
as she pouted and kicked him
with soft feet.

விதைத்த மென் காதலின்
வித்து வெஞ் சிறை
இதைப் புனல் நனைத்திட
முளைத்தவே எனப்
பதைத்தனள் ஒருத்தன்மேல்
ஒருத்தி பஞ்சு அடி
உதைத்தலும் பொடித்தன
உரோம ராசியே.

This is from Kambaramayanam. It details the revelry of men and women who accompany Dasaratha to Mithila for Rama’s wedding. These poems celebrate wine and women. He comes to her bed. She pouts in mock anger and kicks him. The feel of her soft foot gives him goosebumps. It was like the seeds on a hard ground sprouting up immediately after rains. Here you can elaborate goosebumps to seeds sprouting, hard landscape as his body and the pleasure of her kick (the first touch) as pouring rain. Rest is up to you to imagine.

Kambaramayanam – 6439 – 6442

“He’s there in a saan*; He’s in a hundredth of an atom too;
He’s in the Meru** mountain; He’s in this pillar too;
He’s in the words you utter; you’ll see for yourself soon”
he said; derisively laughed his father, saying “Good,

The omnipresent one, whom only you and Devas pray to,
show him in this pillar; if you can’t show him here,
I’ll kill you like a mighty lion slaying a tusker,
drink your crimson blood, and eat your body too”

“My life isn’t easy for you to take; if He
doesn’t appear wherever you touch and see,
I’ll kill myself; if life is still cherished by me,”
replied the wise one, “I am not his devotee.”

Wishing to see Him, mockingly he said “well, well”,
and with his mighty hands slammed a nearby pillar
like a thunder strike; as it shattered in all directions, there
appeared the red eyed Lion, its roar making the world shudder.

* saan – a unit of measurement. Distance between tip of thumb and small finger when all fingers are spread out. Roughly 9 inches.

** Meru mountain – Mythical mountain thought to be the center of the Universe.

“‘சாணினும் உளன்; ஓர் தன்மை  அணுவினைச் சதகூறு இட்ட
கோணினும் உளன்; மாமேருக் குன்றினும் உளன்; இந் நின்ற
தூணினும் உளன்; நீ சொன்ன  சொல்லினும் உளன்; இத்தன்மை
காணுதி விரைவின் ‘என்றான்;‘நன்று எனக் கனகன் நக்கான்

‘உம்பர்க்கும் உனக்கும் ஒத்து, இவ் உலகு எங்கும் பரந்துளானை,
கம்பத்தின் வழியே காண, காட்டுதி; காட்டாய் ஆகில்,
கும்பத்திண் கரியைக் கோள்மாக் கொன்றென, நின்னைக் கொன்று உன்
செம்பு ஒத்த குருதி தேக்கி, உடலையும் தின்பென் ‘ என்றான்.

‘என் உயிர் நின்னால் கோறற்கு எளியது ஒன்று அன்று; யான் முன்
சொன்னவன் தொட்ட தொட்ட  இடந்தொறும் தோன்றான் ஆயின்,
என் உயிர் யானே மாய்ப்பல்; பின்னும் வாழ்வு உகப்பல் என்னின்,
அன்னவற்கு அடியேன் அல்லேன் ‘ என்றனன் அறிவின் மிக்கான்.

நசை திறந்து இலங்கப் பொங்கி, “நன்று, நன்று “ என்ன நக்கு,
விசை திறந்து உருமு வீழ்ந்தது என்ன ஓர் தூணின், வென்றி
இசை திறந்து உயர்ந்த கையால்  எற்றினான்; எற்றலோடும்,
திசை திறந்து அண்டம் கீறச் சிரித்தது, அச் செங்கண் சீயம்.

Slaying of Hiranyan is one of the dramatic sequences of Kamba Ramayanam. Hiranyan gets a boon from the Gods that he can be killed neither by a human nor an animal, he can be killed neither in the morning or in the night, neither in earth or on the sky. Because of this boon, he rules the world with an iron fist forcing everyone to accept himself as God. God’s name is not to be spoken anywhere. So Devas plead to Vishnu to kill Hiranyan. Hiranyan’s son Prahaladan is an ardent devotee of Vishnu. He refuses to chant Hiranyan’s name. So Hiranyan asks his soldiers to kill his own son. Due to Vishnu’s protection, Prahaladan doesn’t die whatever they do. This is the climax of that sequence.

Prahaladan says to Hiranyan, “Vishnu is everywhere in this world. You better pray to him and surrender”. Hiranyan laughs and says “if he is every where show him to me in this pillar. If not I will kill you, drink your blood and eat your dead body”. His hatred towards the Gods makes him to say such bone chilling words to his own son. Prahaladan too is no coward. He says “If Vishnu doesn’t appear where ever you touch, I will kill myself. I won’t be his devotee anymore”. Hiranyan smashes his hand on a pillar and there appears Narasimha, the avatar of Vishnu that is half man, half lion.

Kamban uses the inherent rhythm of Tamil language to build up the crescendo in this sequence of poems. If you can read Tamil, read it out loud. You’ll really love it. In the translation, I’ve used the capital H (He, Him) wherever God is spoken about.

Kambaramayanam – 6427

Objects of the world differ from you,
are to their nature true, differ from each other too,
yet, do they differ from you –
do golden ornaments differ from Gold?

நின்னின் பிறிதாய் நிலையின் திரியா
தன்னின் பிறிது ஆயினதாம் எனினும்
உன்னின் பிறிது ஆயினவோ உலகம்?
பொன்னின் பிறிது ஆகில பொற்கலனே.

In Kambaramayanam, just before the battle between Rama and Ravana starts, Kamban places the story Hiranyan Vadhai Padalam (Slaying of Hiranya).  Hiranyan, whose powers make him believe that he is above all the Gods, wants his son Prahaladan to chant his name instead of God’s. Prahaladan refuses and an enraged Hiranyan orders Prahaladan to be killed.

This poem is Prahaladan praying to Lord Vishnu, as he is tied to a stone and thrown into the ocean. Prahaladan asks Vishnu, though all objects of this world are different from you, aren’t they all manifestations of you? Though  golden ornaments are of different shapes and sizes, aren’t they all still Gold?

This poem is one of the many gems in Kambaramayanam. With stunning brevity, Kamban brings out the drama and the philosophy while still adhering to the rules of poetry metre.

The commentaries call this as the Visishtadvaitha principle of Sarira Sariri bhava (body/in-dweller principle). I don’t know enough to explain this principle.

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.

Kamba Ramayanam – 516

As their desirous gaze bound them
like a rope and drew their hearts close,
He, armed with a bow, and She, with sword like eyes,
entered into each other’s heart.

பருகிய நோக்கு எனும் பாசத்தால் பிணித்து,
ஒருவரை ஒருவர் தம் உள்ளம் ஈர்த்தலால்,
வரி சிலை அண்ணலும் வாள் கண் நங்கையும்
இருவரும் மாறிப் புக்கு இதயம் எய்தினார்.

From Kamba Ramayanam, where Rama and Sita meet for the first time as Rama enters Mithilai. Sita is standing in the balcony while Rama is walking along the streets. They both look at each other and it is love at first sight. This is Kamban’s invention as the original Valmiki Ramayana doesn’t have this sequence.  Kamban is a master of metaphors and similes. Desirous gaze is a rope that binds them both and pulls their heart closer. Hence both of them enter each other’s heart. Sita’s eyes are sharp and shapely like a sword. Rama carries a bow, so each of them is armed.

Kambaramayanam – Foreword

If kids draw asymmetric rooms and stages
in sand, will artisans be angered?
My unwise, muddled poetry,
learned scholars, will it anger you?

அறையும் ஆடு அரங்கும் மடப் பிள்ளைகள்
தறையில் கீறிடில் தச்சரும் காய்வரோ?
இறையும் ஞானம் இலாத என் புன் கவி
முறையின் நூல் உணர்ந்தாரும் முனிவரோ?

Kambaramayanam foreword. Humility (அவையடக்கம்) was a standard part in epics. Kamban being  kamban, makes even that a beautiful poem.