Ainkurunooru 471-480: Ballad of the Bearer Bard

Sangam Lit

In this episode, we perceive the role of bard as a messenger of love, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Ainkurunooru 471-480, situated in the ‘Mullai’ or ‘Forest landscape’ and penned by the poet Peyanaar.

Thus blooms the Forty Eighth Ten of Ainkurunooru: Ballad of the Bearer Bard

471 Here he comes in support
எல் வளை நெகிழ, மேனி வாட,
பல் இதழ் உண்கண் பனி அலைக் கலங்க,
துறந்தோன் மன்ற, மறம் கெழு குருசில்;
அது மற்று உணர்ந்தனை போலாய்
இன்னும் வருதி; என் அவர் தகவே?

As shining bangles slip away, skin fades in lustre and moisture muddles those many-petaled, kohl-streaked eyes, he abandoned her, that lord brimming with bravery! You seem not to realise this state of hers for yet you come! What greatness he has!

472 The Promised season is here
கை வல் சீறியாழ்ப் பாண! நுமரே
செய்த பருவம் வந்து நின்றதுவே;
எம்மின் உணரார்ஆயினும், தம்வயின்
பொய் படு கிளவி நாணலும்
எய்யார் ஆகுதல், நோகோ யானே.

O bard, who wields the small lute with skilled hands! The season your lord promised to return is here! Even if he does not share our feelings, at least he should feel shame for the false words he rendered but he doesn’t feel that too! It pains me a lot!

473 Don’t you forget me too
பலர் புகழ் சிறப்பின் நும் குருசில் உள்ளிச்
செலவு நீ நயந்தனைஆயின், மன்ற
இன்னா அரும் படர் எம்வயின் செய்த
பொய்வலாளர் போல
கை வல் பாண! எம் மறவாதீமே.

To reach your estimable lord, whose has the fame of being praised by many, if you are about to take up this journey, like that man of lies, who seems to have showered ceaseless suffering on me, don’t you forget me too, O skilled bard!

474 The bard’s good mind
மை அறு சுடர் நுதல் விளங்க, கறுத்தோர்
செய் அரண் சிதைத்த செரு மிகு தானையொடு
கதழ் பரி நெடுந் தேர் அதர் படக் கடைஇச்
சென்றவர்த் தருகுவல் என்னும்;
நன்றால் அம்ம, பாணனது அறிவே!

The bard says, ‘To make the flawless, radiant forehead glow, I shall go and bring back the one, who went to destroy well-built forts of foes with his proud army, riding his swift horses, tied to his tall chariot, rushing past paths many!’ It’s fine indeed, this bard’s mind!

475 Kindness of the bard
தொடி நிலை கலங்க வாடிய தோளும்
வடி நலன் இழந்த என் கண்ணும் நோக்கி,
பெரிது புலம்பினனே, சீறியாழ்ப் பாணன்;
எம் வெங் காதலொடு பிரிந்தோர்
தம்மோன் போலான்; பேர் அன்பினனே.

Looking at my faded arms, from which bangles slip away, and my eyes, which have lost their fine beauty, he lamented a lot, that bard, who wields the small lute. He’s not like the man, who parted away with my love; He seems to have great kindness.

476 Loveless evening
கருவி வானம் கார் சிறந்து ஆர்ப்ப,
பருவம் செய்தன பைங் கொடி முல்லை;
பல் ஆன் கோவலர் படலைக் கூட்டும்
அன்பு இல் மாலையும் உடைத்தோ
அன்பு இல் பாண! அவர் சென்ற நாடே?

The skies in accompaniment of clouds and thunder resound with rains, the green vines of the wild jasmine burst into seasonal bloom and the cowherds herd their many cattle back into the shed in this loveless evening. Won’t there be one such, O loveless bard, in the country he left to?

477 Companion to her heart
பனி மலர் நெடுங் கண் பசலை பாய,
துனி மலி துயரமொடு அரும் படர் உழப்போள்
கையறு நெஞ்சிற்கு உயவுத் துணை ஆக,
சிறு வரைத் தங்குவைஆயின்,
காண்குவை மன்னால் பாண! எம் தேரே.

As pallor spreads in those cool, flower-like, huge eyes, with a deep sorrow, she wallows in suffering. As a kind companion to her helpless heart, if you could stay there for a little while, you will see, O bard, the arrival of my chariot!

478 What more did she say?
‘நீடினம்’ என்று கொடுமை தூற்றி,
வாடிய நுதலள் ஆகி, பிறிது நினைந்து,
யாம் வெங் காதலி நோய் மிகச் சாஅய்,
சொல்லியது உரைமதி நீயே
முல்லை நல் யாழ்ப் பாண! மற்று எமக்கே?

Saying, ‘He prolonged the return’, she would have cursed my cruelty and become one with the faded forehead. Thinking about me endlessly, my desirable lover would have been greatly afflicted and lost her health. Please tell me all she said, O bard, who wields the fine lute of the forest!

479 Sweetness of her words
சொல்லுமதி பாண! சொல்லுதோறு இனிய
நாடு இடை விலங்கிய எம்வயின், நாள்தொறும்,
அரும் பனி கலந்த அருள் இல் வாடை
தனிமை எள்ளும் பொழுதில்,
பனி மலர்க் கண்ணி கூறியது எமக்கே.

Please tell me, O bard! In this time, when I am separated by many countries, and tormented endlessly, by the hard and cold, compassionless northern winds, which laugh at my loneliness, whatever you say about the words of the maiden, with moist, flower-like eyes- That rings with lasting sweetness!

480 No more a bard
நினக்கு யாம் பாணரேம் அல்லேம்; எமக்கு
நீயும் குருசிலை அல்லை மாதோ
நின் வெங் காதலி தன் மனைப் புலம்பி,
ஈர் இதழ் உண்கண் உகுத்த
பூசல் கேட்டும் அருளாதோயே!

I’m no bard of yours! You’re no lord of mine! For you seem not to render your grace, even after hearing about the suffering of your desirable lover, as she laments in her home and sheds tears from the moist petals of her kohl-streaked eyes!

So concludes Ainkurunooru 471-480. All the verses are situated in the context of the man’s post marital relationship with his lady and in the situation where he’s parted away from her. The unifying theme of all the songs is that these words are about a bard, who acts as a messenger between the parted. The speakers happen to be the lady’s confidante, the lady, the man and the bard himself.

The bard is referred mostly as the one who wields the small lute, and in one instance, as the wielder of the ‘mullai yazh’ or the ‘forestlands lute’. While his skill is mentioned in a few verses, the spotlight is on the message he bears.

In the first and the second, it’s the confidante saying these words to the bard. In the first, she highlights the lady’s distressed state because the man left her, brimming with bravery to battle. Then, with sarcasm, she talks about the greatness of this lord, who could leave his lady so, and wonders how dare the bard come there, bringing the man’s message. In the second, she declares that the promised season of return was there but there was no sign of the man, and asks, even if he does not have any feelings like the lady, at least shouldn’t he have the shame that the words he rendered to the lady, saying he would never part away, have turned false now? We see how the confidante is exceptionally harsh to the man and through this, she conveys her love and support to the suffering lady that there is someone to speak for her and care for her welfare.

In the third to sixth verses, the lady takes the matter in her own hands and expresses her emotions to the bard. In the third, she asks the bard, who has promised to take her message to the lord, not to forget her when he goes there, in the manner of the man. In the fourth, she celebrates the bard’s good mind which promises to bring back the man to end her suffering. In the fifth, she celebrates the bard’s kindness, as he feels empathy for her faded state at the man’s parting. She contrasts his concerned behaviour with the seemingly loveless actions of the man, who is away from her. In the seventh, she wonders if there’s no suffering-filled evening at all, in the country where the man has parted away to.

Verses seven to ten see the action moving to the battle camp, where the man is engaged in his mission. In the seventh to ninth, the man addresses the bard and he asks the bard to be a good companion to the lady and soon he promises his chariot will be there, in the seventh. In the eighth, the man accepts how the lady would be hurt and angry at him for leaving her, but presses the bard to say whatever she said. In the ninth, the man declares whatever words the bard speaks about the lady, rings so sweet in his ears, as he remains far away from her and tormented by the northern winds. In the final one, the bard says to the man, ‘Enough is enough. If you don’t care for the state of the lady and don’t return, I can no longer be in your service’, and hands his resignation letter, expressing how much he values the welfare of the lady and stressing that love comes before duty to the man. Thus, in this curious section, focusing on the man’s separation from the lady, the spotlight falls on the different ways a message is received, highlighting the challenging role of a messenger, especially in love.