Kalithogai 25 – Changing nature

Sangam Lit

In this episode, we perceive striking similes on human nature, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Kalithogai 25, penned by the Chera King Paalai Paadiya Perunkadunko. The verse is situated in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’ and talks about the state of the lady in the event of the man’s parting away.

வயக்குறு மண்டிலம் வடமொழிப் பெயர் பெற்ற
முகத்தவன் மக்களுள் முதியவன் புணர்ப்பினால்
‘ஐவர்’ என்று உலகு ஏத்தும் அரசர்கள் அகத்தரா,
கை புனை அரக்கு இல்லைக் கதழ் எரி சூழ்ந்தாங்கு,
களி திகழ் கடாஅத்த கடுங் களிறு அகத்தவா,
முளி கழை உயர் மலை முற்றிய முழங்கு அழல்

ஒள் உரு அரக்கு இல்லை வளிமகன் உடைத்துத் தன்
உள்ளத்துக் கிளைகளோடு உயப் போகுவான் போல,
எழு உறழ் தடக் கையின் இனம் காக்கும் எழில் வேழம்,
அழுவம் சூழ், புகை அழல் அதர்பட மிதித்துத் தம்
குழுவொடு புணர்ந்து போம், குன்று அழல் வெஞ் சுரம்
இறத்திரால், ஐய! மற்று இவள் நிலைமை கேட்டீமின்:

மணக்குங்கால் மலர் அன்ன தகையவாய், சிறிது நீர்
தணக்குங்கால், கலுழ்பு ஆனாக் கண் எனவும் உள அன்றோ
சிறப்புச் செய்து உழையராப் புகழ்பு ஏத்தி, மற்று அவர்
புறக்கொடையே பழி தூற்றும் புல்லியார் தொடர்பு போல்?

ஈங்கு நீர் அளிக்குங்கால் இறை சிறந்து, ஒரு நாள் நீர்
நீங்குங்கால், நெகிழ்பு ஓடும் வளை எனவும் உள அன்றோ
செல்வத்துள் சேர்ந்தவர் வளன் உண்டு, மற்று அவர்
ஒல்கத்து நல்கிலா உணர்விலார் தொடர்பு போல்?

ஒரு நாள் நீர் அளிக்குங்கால் ஒளி சிறந்து, ஒரு நாள் நீர்
பாராட்டாக்கால், பசக்கும் நுதல் எனவும் உள அன்றோ
பொருந்திய கேண்மையின் மறை உணர்ந்து, அம் மறை
பிரிந்தக்கால் பிறர்க்கு உரைக்கும் பீடிலார் தொடர்பு போல்?

என ஆங்கு,
யாம் நிற் கூறுவது எவன் உண்டு? எம்மினும்
நீ நற்கு அறிந்தனை, நெடுந் தகை! வானம்
துளி மாறு பொழுதின், இவ் உலகம் போலும் நின்
அளி மாறு பொழுதின், இவ் ஆயிழை கவினே.

The confidante’s thoughtful persuasion is sketched here! The words can be translated as follows:

“The eldest son of the one, who has the name of the radiant sun in the northern language, and who lacks eyes like the sun, even as the united ‘Five’, great kings celebrated by the world, were within, set fire to the well-carved mansion made of lacquer. Akin to how the soaring flames surrounded the house, when mad elephants in musth were caught within, raging flames burst around on the thorny bamboos in the tall mountains.

Akin to how the son of the wind broke apart the radiant lacquer mansion and parted away with his beloved kin, a handsome elephant with a club-like trunk protects its herd, by guiding them through the smoke-filled dense forest, trampling on the ground and making a path, taking its kin to safety in the hot and flaming high drylands. If you want to go thither, O lord, listen to her state now:

There are some unkind people, who worship and praise someone, when they are close by, and speak ill of the person, when the other turns their back. Akin to their nature, when you embrace her, it blooms like a flower, and when you separate a little, it fills with tears – Those eyes of hers!

There are some ungrateful people, who feed on the prosperity of someone, who is wealthy, and then forsakes them when the other incurs poverty. Akin to their nature, when you shower your grace here, it stands firm on her forearms, and when you part away, it slips and falls – Those bangles of hers!

There are some unprincipled people, who learn the secrets of friends they are close with, and then reveal those secrets to others when they part ways with those friends. Akin to their nature, when you grace her one day, they glow with brightness, and when you don’t praise her another day, it spreads with pallor – That forehead of hers!

And so, what more can I say to you? You know much more than I do, O esteemed lord! Akin to this land that changes its nature when the drops from the skies changes, so too, the beauty of this maiden, wearing well-etched ornaments, changes, when your grace changes!”

Time to delve into the nuances. The verse is situated in the context of the man’s parting from his lady after marriage and the confidante renders these words to the man, when he conveys his intent to leave. The confidante starts with a curious reference to an incident mentioned in the Epic Mahabharata, the one involving Duryodhana, who is not named here but described as the eldest son of the person, whose name means ‘sun’ in the Northern language. This said person is set to have built a palace made of easily inflammable lacquer and then invited his celebrated cousins, the ‘famed five’ or ‘Pandavas’ as they are called in the epic, to live there. When they are within, this Duryodhana sets fire to the palace and flames soar all around. Why is the confidante talking about some event said to have happened elsewhere? Only to connect the furious flames that soar atop the bamboos on the hill, where a herd of elephants are locked in, like those five kings. In that epic story, the son of the wind god, known by the name of ‘Bheema’, who has phenomenal strength, breaks apart the doors, and finds a path to lead his brothers and others to safety. Likewise, in a parallel, one strong elephant stamps out the fire, and finds a path to guide its herd out. This parallel narration of events in a myth and nature, is used to describe the nature of the drylands the man wants to travel to.

After that dramatic story, the confidante comes to the core of the matter and asks the man to understand the lady’s state if he parts away. To do that, she presents three similes that talk about the nature of certain people, such as a person, who praises in front of the other and gossips about them when the other’s back is turned; a person, who enjoys the wealth of another and then avoids them when the other is in poverty; and also, a person, who gathers the secrets of a friend and then spills those secrets to others when they part ways with that friend. Just like the changing nature of these lowly people are the lady’s eyes, which bloom when the man is near and fade when he is far; the lady’s bangles, which are firm when the man is near and fall when he is far; and the lady’s forehead, which glows when he is near and pales when he is far, the confidante says. She concludes by declaring that the man sure knows more about this than her. She adds that he should consider how the lady’s beauty varies with the presence or absence of the man’s grace, just like how the land changes its shades with the presence or absence of the raindrops from the skies.

Thus, in this layered verse, we are given illustrations of human nature that are relatable even now. We are still shocked and disappointed when people act in the mean, ungrateful and indiscreet manner described above. And this reaction is something that is true anywhere and anytime. Capturing this essence shows how the poets have understood the timelessness and universality of certain elements. While we cannot understand the pining lady’s misery and despair at the parting away of her man, it’s astonishing that we can grasp these elements of human nature, after two thousand or more years, no matter who we are or where we live!