Old Tamil Poetry

Translations of Tamil Poetic works that span 2000 years

Archive for the tag “poetry”

07 Feb 2025
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Kurunthokai 126

My friend! Blind to charms of youth,
he went away lured by wealth;
while I worry “He isn’t back yet; where’s he?”,
fragrant jasmine creepers in these woods
watered by cool monsoon rains laugh at me
with their row of buds as sparkling teeth.

இளமை பாரார் வளநசைஇச் சென்றோர்
இவணும் வாரா ரெவண ரோவெனப்
பெயல்புறந் தந்த பூங்கொடி முல்லைத்
தொகுமுகை யிலங்கெயி றாக
நகுமே தோழி நறுந்தண் காரே.

“My friend! Youth is a brief joyful period of one’s life. But he was lured away by wealth and left me here in the prime of my youth. The rainy season has started but he hasn’t come back yet. While I worry about his whereabouts, the fragrant jasmine creeper in these woods has started flowering in cool monsoon rains. The row of jasmine buds seem to be laughing at me mockingly like a row of sparkling teeth.”

The woods are mocking at her because their paramour, the rain, has arrived and nourished them, while her lover hasn’t come yet to meet her. So she feels that the row of jasmine buds are laughing at her. Jasmine buds as metaphor for sparkling teeth is oft repeated in Tamil poetry.

இளமை – Youth
பாரார் – without looking at
வளம் – wealth
நசை – desire / lure
எவணரோ – where is he
பெயல் – rain
நறுந்தண் – cool fragrant
கார் – monsoon
புறம் – forest/ woods
பூங் கொடி – flowering creeper
முல்லை – jasmine
தொகு முகை – row of buds
இலங்கு – shining / sparkling
எயிறு – teeth
நகும் – laugh

Posted in Sangam and tagged ,
12 Oct 2024
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Kalingathu p Parani 13

பூமாதுஞ் சயமாதும் பொலிந்து வாழும்
புயத்திருப்ப மிகவுயரத் திருப்பள் என்று
நாமாதும் கலைமாதும் என்னச் சென்னி
நாவகத்துள் இருப்பாளை நவிலு வாமே.

As Goddesses of wealth and victory
Reside in Kulothunga’s mighty arms
Above them shall I be says the Goddess of words
And resides in his tongue – let me sing her praise!

This poem is part of the invocation to gods in the beginning of Kalingathup Parani, a 11th century work detailing the victory of Chola Army over Kalinga. The poet says “Kulothunga’s arms are powerful and mighty, in which reside the goddesses of wealth (earth) and victory. The goddess of words considers herself above them and hence resides in his tongue. Let me sing her praise before starting my work”

The poet subtly places the power of words over sword is my interpretation of this poem.

பூமாது – goddess of earth (wealth)
சயமாது – goddess of victory
பொலிந்து – grand (mighty)
புயம் – arms
மிக உயரத்து – Much above
நாமாது – goddess of words
கலைமாது – goddess of arts
சென்னி – Chola King (Kulothungan in this poem)
நாவகம் – inside his tongue
நவில் – tell (sing her praise)

Posted in Later works and tagged , , , ,
29 Sep 2024
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Puranaanooru – 66

O‘ Karikala astride an aggressive elephant!
You are of the clan that commanded ocean winds
To set sail across great oceans!
You proved your strength in this battle to emerge victorious;
But isn’t the fame of your opponent,
Who fasted to death in the battle field of fertile Venni*
Feeling ashamed of the battle wound in his back,
Greater than yours?

நளி இரு முந்நீர் நாவாய் ஓட்டி,
வளி தொழில் ஆண்ட உரவோன் மருக!
களி இயல் யானைக் கரிகால்வளவ!
சென்று, அமர்க் கடந்த நின் ஆற்றல் தோன்ற
வென்றோய்! நின்னினும் நல்லன் அன்றே
கலி கொள் யாணர் வெண்ணிப் பறந்தலை,
மிகப் புகழ் உலகம் எய்தி,
புறப் புண் நாணி, வடக்கிருந்தோனே?

  • Venni – place where Battle of Venni happened in 190 CE. In present day Thiruvarur district, near Needamangalam.

Poet Venni Kuyathiyaar comes to sing the praise of Chola king Karikalan after the battle of Venni. In the battle Karikalan’s spear pierced the heart of his opponent Chera King Uthiyan Charalathan and emerged in his back. As being wounded in the back is considered dishonorable to a warrior, the Chera King fasts till death to restore his honor. The poet says to the victor “Karikala astride a ferocious elephant! You come from a clan of rulers who ruled the seas. You proved your strength in this battle by hurling a spear that pierced the heart of your opponent and emerged in his back. You proved your greatness. But isn’t the fame of Uthiyan Cheralathan, who decided to fast unto death to restore his honor in this fertile town of Venni, greater than yours?”

I read it as the poet implying a honorable death in battlefield brings glorious fame even more than that of the victor. This poem was referenced in the recently released Tamil movie “Meiyazhagan”.

முந்நீர் – Ocean
நாவாய் – Ship
வளி – Wind
உரவோன் – Strong men
மருகன் – descendant
களி – (elpehant) in rut – aggressive
அமர் – battle
ஆற்றல் – strength
வென்றோய் – you won
நின்னினும் நல்லன் அன்றே – isn’t he greater than you
கலி – grow / fertile
பறந்தலை – battle field
புகழ் – fame
புறப் புண் – back wound
நாணி – ashamed
வடக்கிருந்தோனே – he who starved himself to death

Posted in Sangam and tagged , ,

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