Ainkurunooru 481-490: Hasten the Horses

Sangam Lit

In this episode, we perceive the urgency in the man’s command to his charioteer, as portrayed in Sangam Literary work, Ainkurunooru 481-490, situated in the ‘Mullai’ or ‘Forest landscape’ and penned by the poet Peyanaar.

Thus blooms the Forty Ninth Ten of Ainkurunooru: Hasten the Horses

481 End the affliction
சாய்இறைப் பணைத்தோள் அவ்வரி அல்குல்
சேயிழை மாதரை உள்ளி நோய்விட
முள் இட்டு ஊர்மதி வலவ! நின்
புள்இயல் கலிமாப் பூண்ட தேரே.

Thinking of the maiden, adorned with etched ornaments, having fine lines on her waist and beautiful curves on her bamboo-like arms, love affliction spreads in me. To end this, O charioteer, apply your thorny goad and speedily ride this chariot, tied with your bird-like, proud horses!

482 Lose not a day
தெரியிழை அரிவைக்குப் பெரு விருந்தாக,
வல் விரைந்து கடவுமதி பாக, வெள்வேல்
வென்று அடு தானை வேந்தனொடு
நாளிடைச் சேப்பின், ஊழியின் நெடிதே.

As a great feast for the maiden, wearing well-etched ornaments, with much speed, ride on, O charioteer, for even if a day is spent with the king, who commands a white-speared, conquering army, it would seem longer than an eon!

483 Rush on homeward
ஆறு வனப்பு எய்த அலர் தாயினவே,
வேந்து விட்டனனே, மா விரைந்தனவே,
முன்னுறக் கடவுமதி பாக,
நன்னுதல் அரிவை தன்னலம் பெறவே.

Making the path picturesque, flowers spread everywhere. The king too has given leave, the horses are hastening. Make them go even faster, O charioteer, so that the maiden with a fine forehead will regain her beauty!

484 Make up for lost time
வேனில் நீங்கக் கார்மழை தலைஇக்
காடுகவின் கொண்டன்று பொழுது பாடுசிறந்து
கடியக் கடவுமதி பாக
நெடிய நீடினம் நேரிழை மறந்தே.

As summer withdrew, and the rains arrived, the forest has attained its beauty. At this time, adding glory to your work, with speed, ride on, O charioteer, for I have spent a long time, forgetting that maiden wearing fine ornaments!

485 Cease the sorrow
அரும்படர் அவலம் அவளும் தீரப்
பெருந்தோள் நலம்வர யாமும் முயங்க
ஏமதி வலவ தேரே
மாருண்டு உகளும் மலரணிப் புறவே.

To make the deep suffering and sorrow in her cease, so that her long arms attain their beauty for me to embrace, ride the chariot, O charioteer, in this flower-adorned forest, where startled deer leap away!

486 Say no more to suffering
பெரும்புன் மாலை ஆனாது நினைஇ
அரும்படர் உழைத்தல் யாவது என்றும்
புல்லி ஆற்றாப் புரையோள் காண
வள்பு தெரிந்து ஊர்மதி வலவ! நின்
புள் இயல் கலி மாப் பூண்ட தேரே.

The deep suffering of thinking endlessly in the long and angst-filled evening will be no more! So that I can see that flawless maiden, who endows unceasing pleasure in her embrace, put your whip to use, O charioteer, and ride the chariot, tied with your bird-like, proud horses!

487 Delight her heart
இதுமன் பிரிந்தோர் உள்ளும் பொழுதே
செறிதொடி உள்ளம் உவப்ப
மதியுடை வலவ ஏமதி தேரே.

For parted lovers, this is the time that makes one think of the faraway beloved! Delighting the heart of the maiden, wearing well-etched bangles, hasten this chariot, O intelligent charioteer!

488 Slay the worry
கருவி வானம் பெயல் தொடங்கின்றே
பெருவிறல் காதலி கருதும் பொழுதே
விரி உளை நன்மாப் பூட்டிப்
பருவரல் தீரக் கடவுமதி தேரே.

The skies, in accompaniment of clouds and thunder, have begun their downpour. This is the time that my esteemed lover will think of me and worry. And so, to end her deep suffering, tie the fine horses with swaying manes and hasten the chariot!

489 Pull on the reins
அம் சிறை வண்டின் அரியினம் மொய்ப்ப,
மென்புல முல்லை மலரும் மாலைப்
பையுள் நெஞ்சின் தையல் உவப்ப,
நுண் புரி வண் கயிறு இயக்கி, நின்
வண் பரி நெடுந்தேர் கடவுமதி விரைந்தே.

Making the colony of bees with beautiful wings buzz around, the soft-earthed forest blooms in this evening, the time when the young maiden will worry with an anxious heart. To delight her, pull on the intricately twisted, strong reins, and ride your strong horses, tied to the tall chariot, with much haste!

490 Ride on with speed
அம் தீம் கிளவி தான் தர எம் வயின்
வந்தன்று மாதோ காரே, ஆவயின்
ஆய்தொடி அரும் படர் தீர,
ஆய் மணி நெடுந்தேர் கடவுமதி விரைந்தே.

To give to me that beautiful and sweet-voiced maiden, the rains have arrived, behold! To slay the deep suffering of the maiden, adorned with beautiful bangles, ride the tall chariot, adorned with beautiful bells, with much haste!

So concludes Ainkurunooru 481-490. All the verses are situated in the context of a man’s parting from the lady, after marriage. The unifying theme of all the songs is that these occur at that moment, when the man is done with his mission and cannot bear to wait even a moment longer to see his beloved, and so, he urges his charioteer to ride with great speed.

The charioteer is referred to in different ways. In a few instances, he’s praised for his horses that are described as flying like birds, so fast they go, that their hooves seem not to touch the earth. In some cases, the man advises the charioteer to use his thorny goad and whip to nudge the horses, although there’s no need to do that, since these horses are leaping already. However, these remarks are to express the urgency in the man’s heart to reach the maiden without any delay. The charioteer’s intelligence is praised by the man in one, a reward strategy to push the worker to perform, no doubt! The intricate twists on the reins the charioteer holds and the tinkling bells on the chariot are the other elements regarding the charioteer highlighted here.

Turning to the intent of the speaker, and in this case, the man, in every case, he urges the charioteer to ride with great speed and take the man to his beloved lady, slightly varying the reason in each. In the first, the man talks of the love affliction that spreads in him, thinking of the lady, and to end that, the charioteer must ride fast, he says. In the second, it’s because even a single day spent fighting with the king would appear like an entire eon to the lady, who’s back home thinking of him, and for him as well, missing her. In the third, flowers are spreading everywhere, the king has given leave and so it was time to rush home. In the fourth, there’s a tinge of guilt in the man, who feels he has been too involved in his mission, and so, he has forgotten his lady for a long while, and decides to make up for all the time that’s been lost. In the fifth, the speedy ride is to make the lady’s suffering end and for the man to embrace her. In the sixth, the man wishes to do away with evenings without his beloved’s company and wishes to see her instantly. In the seventh, the man perceives it’s the rainy season, a time when lovers miss their beloved the most and so wishes to avoid pain in the lady and decides to delight her heart. In the eighth too, he talks about rains and thunder, and says he needs to end the lady’s suffering. In the ninth, he focuses on the bee-buzzing evening hour, when the lady would no doubt worry about him and he wishes to bring joy to her. The final one sees the man declaring that the rains had arrived and he must do all he can to end the pain in his beloved, and so, he urges his charioteer to make haste and take him home.

If the man was living in the current century, he would have to spend all that wealth he has earned on speeding tickets, I’m sure! Joking apart, this collection captures that relatable feeling that anyone in love, who has been parted from their beloved for a long while, would feel, at the moment when they journey towards them. The longing of the loved one and the anticipation of the moment of reunion turns this travel into a journey, filled with excitement like no other! Wishing you safe travels from the twenty-first century, O Sangam man on a speeding chariot! We see what you see and feel what you feel!