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Sangam Lit

Sangam Lit

著者： Nandini Karky
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 Reflections on 2000 Year Old Tamil Poetry© 2019 Nandini Karky アート 世界 哲学 文学史・文学批評 社会科学
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  • Aganaanooru 146 – The buffalo returns

    Aganaanooru 146 – The buffalo returns
    2025/12/15

    In this episode, we perceive a pointed refusal to entertain a request, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 146, penned by Uvarkannoor Pullankeeranaar. The verse is situated amidst the ponds and fields of the ‘Marutham’ or ‘Farmlands landscape’ and paints a portrait of rivalry in a rich town.

    வலி மிகு முன்பின் அண்ணல் ஏஎறு
    பனி மலர்ப் பொய்கைப் பகல் செல மறுகி,
    மடக் கண் எருமை மாண் நாகு தழீஇ,
    படப்பை நண்ணி பழனத்து அல்கும்
    கலி மகிழ் ஊரன் ஒலி மணி நெடுந் தேர்,
    ஒள் இழை மகளிர் சேரி, பல் நாள்
    இயங்கல் ஆனாதுஆயின்; வயங்கிழை
    யார்கொல் அளியள்தானே எம் போல்
    மாயப் பரத்தன் வாய்மொழி நம்பி,
    வளி பொரத் துயல்வரும் தளி பொழி மலரின்
    கண்பனி ஆகத்து உறைப்ப, கண் பசந்து,
    ஆயமும் அயலும் மருள,
    தாய் ஓம்பு ஆய்நலம் வேண்டாதோளே?

    In this quick little trip to this lush landscape, we get to hear these words said by the lady to the bard, who has come as a messenger from the man, to resolve the lady’s ire over the man’s relationship with courtesans and help him re-enter his home:

    “The esteemed male buffalo, brimming with strength and sturdiness, wallows all day in the pond with dew-covered flowers, embraces a beautiful young female buffalo with naive eyes, and then approaches the village to stay in a field within the ecstatic town of the lord. As the sound of his tall chariot bells wasn’t heard for many days in the neighbourhood of women wearing radiant jewels, like me, believing that the words of that false philanderer was the truth, akin to a rain-soaked flower, swaying in the breeze, with tears moistening her chest, having eyes filled with pallor, worrying her friends and neighbours, she loses that fine beauty, nurtured by her mother. Whoever that maiden, wearing shining ornaments, may be, isn’t she to be pitied?”

    Let’s track that prosperous buffalo and learn more! The lady starts by describing the man’s town and do that, the familiar face of a male buffalo is etched by her. This buffalo, honoured with epithets, such as strong, sturdy and esteemed, is first seen playing about in the pond of flowers, then embracing a young female buffalo, and after all its exertions, heading to the village fields. Such a loaded description must have other meanings, for sure! Before we get to that, let’s turn back to the lady, who continues by saying the man’s chariot had not visited the community of courtesans for quite some time, and because of this, there was a young maiden, shedding tears like a rain-coated flower in a breeze, and then to the worry of all, who were near and dear to her, she seemed to be losing that fine beauty of hers. The lady concludes by saying that the poor girl deserves all their pity!

    In a nutshell, the answer to the bard’s question as to whether the man can come back to the house is a strict ‘no’. The lady seems to be telling the bard, ‘Go take the man to those courtesans, who are pining for him, thinking his words are so true, like I once did’. In that scene of the buffalo, the lady places an obvious metaphor for how her man seemed to be enjoying his days in the company of courtesans, seeking pleasures, and finally at night, he wants so dutifully return to his post at his home. The lady seems to put her foot down and say, ‘I’m not letting this happen. Let him go fool someone else’. Apart from these regular tussles in this land of plenty, the thing that always amuses me is how these Sangam folks had no qualms seeing their lord and leader as a buffalo!
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    5 分
  • Aganaanooru 145 – Regret from the heart

    Aganaanooru 145 – Regret from the heart
    2025/12/12
    In this episode, we perceive the remorse of a mother, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 145, penned by Kayamanaar. Set in the ‘Paalai’ or ‘Drylands landscape’, the verse presents a contrast of the dreariness of this domain and the prosperity of the lady’s home. வேர் முழுது உலறி நின்ற புழற்கால்,தேர் மணி இசையின் சிள்வீடு ஆர்க்கும்,வற்றல் மரத்த பொற் தலை ஓதிவெயிற் கவின் இழந்த வைப்பின் பையுள் கொள,நுண்ணிதின் நிவக்கும் வெண் ஞெமை வியன் காட்டுஆள் இல் அத்தத்து, அளியள் அவனொடுவாள்வரி பொருத புண் கூர் யானைபுகர் சிதை முகத்த குருதி வார,உயர் சிமை நெடுங் கோட்டு உரும் என முழங்கும்”அருஞ் சுரம் இறந்தனள்” என்ப பெருஞ் சீர்அன்னி குறுக்கைப் பறந்தலை, திதியன்தொல் நிலை முழு முதல் துமியப் பண்ணியநன்னர் மெல் இணர்ப் புன்னை போல,கடு நவைப் படீஇயர்மாதோ களி மயில்குஞ்சரக் குரல குருகோடு ஆலும்,துஞ்சா முழவின், துய்த்து இயல் வாழ்க்கை,கூழுடைத் தந்தை இடனுடை வரைப்பின்,ஊழ் அடி ஒதுங்கினும் உயங்கும் ஐம் பாற்சிறு பல் கூந்தற் போது பிடித்து அருளாது,எறி கோல் சிதைய நூறவும் சிறுபுறம்,”எனக்கு உரித்து” என்னாள், நின்ற என்அமர்க் கண் அஞ்ஞையை அலைத்த கையே! A deep dive into this domain, as we listen to the lady’s mother say these words, at the juncture she learns of her daughter’s elopement with her man: “In the hollow trunk of a tree that has dried up from root to tip, crickets resound with the sound of chariot bells. Upon this parched tree, standing amidst a place that has lost its beauty owing to the scorching heat, a golden-headed lizard, crawls up with much suffering, in those wide spaces of the uninhabited drylands, filled with axle-wood trees. After fighting with the tiger, having sword-like stripes, the wounded elephant, with blood dripping from its crushed, spotted face, trumpets akin to thunder that resounds in the soaring peaks of tall hills. To such a formidable drylands, my poor girl has left with him, they say! In the spacious mansion of her prosperous father, where ecstatic peacocks and birds with elephantine voices, call aloud, and drums roar ceaselessly, living a life of plenty and comfort, she would feel sorrowful even if she were to miss a step and stumble. Catching hold of the garland tied tightly to her thick tresses with five-part braids, without any grace, shattering the stick, when I struck again and again, acting as if her little back was not even hers, she stood still, that daughter of mine with exquisite eyes. May these hands that made her suffer so, become utterly ruined like the ‘Laurelwood tree’ with fine and soft flower clusters, belonging to Thithiyan, when it was chopped at its trunk of many years, by the famous ‘Anni’ at the ‘Kurukkai’ battlefield!” Let’s brave the parched air of the drylands and walk on! Mother starts by describing this domain, and to do that, she brings before us, a seared tree, which seems not to have a drop of water right from its root to the tip of its topmost branch. From inside the hollows of this tree, crickets resound and a reptile, possibly the Indian golden gecko, treads upon it, with much languish. There’s sweltering heat everywhere, and not a sign of any human around. Here, after a clash with a tiger, a bleeding elephant walks about, roaring like the thunder in the mountains, mother continues. She then connects this place to her situation saying this is where her daughter had left to, with her beloved. Then, from these impossible places, she turns to describe the lady’s home, talking about her rich father, the wide mansion, where peacocks and birds, which trumpet like elephants, are to be found. A moment to ponder on what bird this might be! On searching, I learnt that it could be the Great Hornbill that has a unique, loud voice, somewhat close to an elephant’s trumpet. Possibly, the ...
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    7 分
  • Aganaanooru 144 – Delight despite Distress

    Aganaanooru 144 – Delight despite Distress
    2025/12/11
    In this episode, we perceive the hope in a man’s heart, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Aganaanooru 144, penned by Madurai Alakkar Gnaazhalaar Makanaar Mallanaar. The verse is situated amidst the blooming wild jasmines of the ‘Mullai’ or ‘Forest Landscape’ and presents dual perspectives from the home front and the battlefront. ‘’’வருதும்’ என்ற நாளும் பொய்த்தன;அரி ஏர் உண்கண் நீரும் நில்லா;தண் கார்க்கு ஈன்ற பைங் கொடி முல்லைவை வாய் வால் முகை அவிழ்ந்த கோதைபெய் வனப்பு இழந்த கதுப்பும் உள்ளார்,அருள் கண்மாறலோ மாறுக அந்தில்அறன் அஞ்சலரே! ஆயிழை! நமர்” எனச்சிறிய சொல்லிப் பெரிய புலப்பினும்,பனி படு நறுந் தார் குழைய, நம்மொடு,துனி தீர் முயக்கம் பெற்றோள் போலஉவக்குநள் வாழிய, நெஞ்சே! விசும்பின்ஏறு எழுந்து முழங்கினும் மாறு எழுந்து சிலைக்கும்கடாஅ யானை கொட்கும் பாசறை,போர் வேட்டு எழுந்த மள்ளர் கையதைகூர் வாட் குவிமுகம் சிதைய நூறி,மான் அடி மருங்கில் பெயர்த்த குருதிவான மீனின் வயின் வயின் இமைப்ப,அமர் ஓர்த்து, அட்ட செல்வம்தமர் விரைந்து உரைப்பக் கேட்கும் ஞான்றே. A little of the forest and more of the fierce battlefield in this trip, as we listen to the man say these words to his heart, as his charioteer listens, at the moment the man’s returning home after his mission: “Saying, ‘The day he had marked for his return has turned out false; Tears stop not from these beautiful, kohl-streaked eyes with red lines; The pointed, white buds of green-vined wild jasmines have burst into bloom because of the cool rains; He thinks not of how my tresses that used to be clad in garlands, have lost their lustre; If he, who does not fear righteousness, no longer wants to render his grace to me, so be it, O maiden clad in well-etched ornaments!’, she would be expressing a little and lamenting a lot. As thunder soars in the skies and resounds aloud, standing opposite, wild battle elephants reflect that sound in equal measure in the battlefield. Here, desiring war, soldiers rise with sharp swords in hand. Blunting these sharp edges, they have scattered much blood, which gather in the pits made by hooves of horses, and twinkle hither and thither, akin to stars in the sky. O heart, may you live long! When our kin rush to her and tell her about how I quelled enemies in this battlefield and heaped wealth, she shall delight, as if crushing her dew-covered, fragrant garland, she has attained a flawless union with me!” Let’s trot along with the man on his way home through the jasmine-clad forest and listen in! The man starts by expressing the thoughts that would be passing through the head of his lady just then, about how the man was not back when he promised he would be, about the way her eyes were overflowing with tears, and how the wild jasmines have bloomed in the rains and yet her tresses cannot be adorned with garlands, owing to his absence. She may even wonder if the man’s love for her has changed and call him an unjust person, the man says aloud. He tells his heart that for sure the lady would be worrying a lot in this manner. While that may be so, the minute she hears their relatives talk about how the man vanquished enemies in that fierce battlefield, and brought back great wealth, the lady would forget all her laments and would feel the same delight she does when she attains a sweet sleep in his embrace, the man concludes. The man’s subtle way of pressing his charioteer to speed the horses and hasten home! In the thought that his actions would bring happiness to the lady in spite of the pain he has inflicted by his parting, the man echoes the same hope each of us carry, when we give up pleasures in the short run and yearn for greater things. Just like this ancient ancestor of ours, all we can do is hope, wishing that no matter how they seem now, things will turn out well in the end!
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    5 分
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