Kalithogai 140 – A Case for Compassion

Sangam Lit

In this episode, we listen to the man’s angst-ridden words, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Kalithogai 140, penned by Nallanthuvanaar. The verse is situated in the ‘Neythal’ or ‘Coastal Landscape’ and portrays an instance of passionate persuasion.

கண்டவிர் எல்லாம் கதுமென வந்து, ஆங்கே,
பண்டு அறியாதீர் போல நோக்குவீர்; கொண்டது
மா என்று உணர்மின்; மடல் அன்று: மற்று இவை
பூ அல்ல; பூளை, உழிஞையோடு, யாத்த
புன வரை இட்ட வயங்கு தார்ப் பீலி,
பிடி அமை நூலொடு பெய்ம் மணி கட்டி,
அடர் பொன் அவிர் ஏய்க்கும் ஆவிரங் கண்ணி:

நெடியோன் மகன் நயந்து தந்து, ஆங்கு அனைய
வடிய வடிந்த வனப்பின், என் நெஞ்சம்
இடிய இடைக் கொள்ளும் சாயல், ஒருத்திக்கு
அடியுறை காட்டிய செல்வேன்; மடியன்மின்;
அன்னேன் ஒருவனேன், யான்
என்னானும், ‘பாடு’ எனில், பாடவும் வல்லேன், சிறிது; ஆங்கே,
‘ஆடு’ எனில், ஆடலும் ஆற்றுகேன்; பாடுகோ
என் உள் இடும்பை தணிக்கும் மருந்தாக,
நன்னுதல் ஈத்த இம் மா?

திங்கள் அரவு உறின், தீர்க்கலார் ஆயினும்,
தம் காதல் காட்டுவர், சான்றவர் இன் சாயல்
ஒண்டொடி நோய் நோக்கில் பட்ட என் நெஞ்ச நோய்
கண்டும், கண்ணோடாது, இவ் ஊர்

தாங்காச் சினத்தொடு காட்டி உயிர் செகுக்கும்
பாம்பும் அவைப் படில், உய்யுமாம் பூங் கண்
வணர்ந்து ஒலி ஐம்பாலாள் செய்த இக் காமம்
உணர்ந்தும், உணராது, இவ் ஊர்

வெஞ் சுழிப் பட்ட மகற்குக் கரை நின்றார்
அஞ்சல் என்றாலும் உயிர்ப்பு உண்டாம் அம் சீர்ச்
செறிந்த ஏர் முறுவலாள் செய்த இக் காமம்
அறிந்தும், அறியாது, இவ் ஊர்

ஆங்க
என் கண் இடும்பை அறீஇயினென்; நும்கண்
தெருளுற நோக்கித் தெரியுங்கால், இன்ன
மருளுறு நோயொடு மம்மர் அகல,
இருளுறு கூந்தலாள் என்னை
அருளுறச் செயின், நுமக்கு அறனுமார் அதுவே.

Another case of a man pleading to the townsfolk! The words can be translated as follows:

“Those of you, who have arrived here promptly, seem to be looking at this, as if you have never seen this before. Please understand that this is a horse before you, not just palm fronds, and these are not flowers, but a garland, made of strands of mountain knot grass and love vines tied together, with swaying peacock feathers shed in the mountain forests, on a long string, adorned with bells, and thick golden flowers of the matura tea tree.

With the beauty of a statue, etched by a sculptor, who has been graced by the blessing of the Tall One’s son, was her appearance that laid siege to my heart. I wish to tell you that I have become a slave to this maiden. Do not feel sorry that I have become one such person. If you ask me to sing, I shall sing. If you ask me to dance a little, I can dance too. Let me go on to render a song about this horse, rendered by the maiden with a fine forehead, as the cure for my inner affliction.

If the snake swallows the moon, even though they cannot remedy the situation, the nature of wise people is to show their concern. Even after seeing the affliction of my heart, which has been attacked by the look of the maiden wearing shining bangles, pretending not to see, remains this town!

If a snake that expresses uncontrollable rage and takes a life is captured, wise people may even let it live, owing to their compassion. Even after knowing about this love disease caused by the maiden with flower-like eyes and curving, luxuriant, five-layered tresses, pretending not to know, remains this town!

If a man is caught in a wild whirlpool, those who stand on the shore, even though they cannot do anything, if they say ‘Don’t fear’, it’s possible that he would be saved. Even after understanding this love disease, caused by that maiden with beautiful teeth and perfect smile, pretending not to understand, remains this town!

And so, I have made you understand the suffering in me; If you look at this with clarity, you would make the maiden with tresses, akin to darkness, render her grace, and make this bewildering affliction scatter away. That would be the righteous thing for you to do too!”

Let’s explore the nuances. The verse is situated in the context of a man’s love relationship with a lady, prior to marriage, and here, he appeals to the people of the lady’s town. The man starts by addressing the group, who have gathered before him, and tells them that he stands there, not on a bunch of palm leaves, but on a horse, wearing flowers shunned by normal people. Why because he is smitten by a maiden with such beauty that stole away his heart. He declares he has become a slave to that maiden and tells them he wishes to sing a song about that palmyra horse rendered by that maiden. He goes on to depict a certain belief in those times about the moon being swallowed by a snake, possibly referring to a lunar eclipse or some such celestial event. In that situation, the man says even though the people below can’t do anything, they express concern for the moon. Likewise, wise people might let a snake that killed others live, because of their kindness. In the third instance, he mentions a man caught in a whirlpool at sea, and those at shore, who might not be able to save him, but even if they shout out, ‘Don’t fear’, somehow that person might be redeemed.

The man connects that he has mentioned these three instances to talk about how when such people exist in the world, the people of that town even though they saw, know and understand the pain in him caused by the maiden, pretended not to see, know or understand. After these sorrowful words at their apathy, the man once again appeals to them, asking them to advise the maiden to render her grace to him, so that he would be saved too. The man concludes with the punchline that ‘Only that would be justice!’. Beyond this usual badgering, what’s interesting in this verse, is the subtle appreciation for compassion and concern in one for a fellow being’s suffering!