Kalithogai 93 – Being with gods

Sangam Lit

In this episode, we perceive a sarcastic response to a dubious explanation, as depicted in Sangam Literary work, Kalithogai 93, penned by Maruthan Ilanaakanaar. The verse is situated in the ‘Marutham’ or ‘Farmlands landscape’ and sketches an animated conversation.

தலைவி
வண்டு ஊது சாந்தம் வடுக் கொள நீவிய,
தண்டாத் தீம் சாயற் பரத்தை வியல் மார்ப!
பண்டு, இன்னை அல்லைமன்; ஈங்கு எல்லி வந்தீய,
கண்டது எவன்? மற்று உரை

தலைவன்
நன்றும் தடைஇய மென் தோளாய்! கேட்டீவாயாயின்
உடன் உறை வாழ்க்கைக்கு உதவி உறையும்
கடவுளர்கண் தங்கினேன்

தலைவி
சோலை மலர் வேய்ந்த மான் பிணை அன்னார் பலர், நீ
கடவுண்மை கொண்டு ஒழுகுவார்
அவருள், எக் கடவுள்? மற்று அக் கடவுளைச் செப்பீமன்

தலைவன்
முத்து ஏர் முறுவலாய்! நாம் மணம் புக்கக்கால்,
“இப் போழ்து போழ்து” என்று அது வாய்ப்பக் கூறிய
அக் கடவுள், மற்று அக் கடவுள்

தலைவி
அது ஒக்கும்
நா உள் அழுந்து தலை சாய்த்து நீ கூறும்
மாயமோ; கைப்படுக்கப்பட்டாய் நீ; கண்டாரை
வாயாக யாம் கூற வேட்டீவாய்! கேள், இனி:

பெறல் நசை வேட்கையின் நின் குறி வாய்ப்ப,
பறி முறை நேர்ந்த நகாராக, கண்டார்க்கு
இறு முறை செய்யும் உருவொடு, நும் இல்,
செறி முறை வந்த கடவுளைக் கண்டாயோ?

நறுந் தண் தகரமும் நானமும் நாறும்
நெறிந்த குரற் கூந்தல் நாள் அணிக்கு ஒப்ப,
நோக்கின் பிணி கொள்ளும் கண்ணொடு, மேல் நாள், நீ
பூப் பலி விட்ட கடவுளைக் கண்டாயோ?

ஈர் அணிக்கு ஏற்ற ஒடியாப் படிவத்துச்
சூர் கொன்ற செவ்வேலாற் பாடி, பல நாளும்,
ஆராக் கனை காமம் குன்றத்து நின்னொடு
மாரி இறுத்த கடவுளைக் கண்டாயோ?

கண்ட கடவுளர் தம்முளும், நின்னை
வெறி கொள் வியல் மார்பு வேறாகச் செய்து,
குறி கொளச் செய்தார் யார்? செப்பு: மற்று யாரும்
சிறு வரைத் தங்கின் வெகுள்வர், செறு தக்காய்!

தேறினேன்; சென்றீ நீ செல்லா விடுவாயேல்,
நல் தார் அகலத்துக்கு ஓர் சார மேவிய
நெட்டிருங் கூந்தற் கடவுளர் எல்லார்க்கும்
முட்டுப்பாடு ஆகலும் உண்டு.

Yet again, we hear the lady and the man in conversation about events that transpired. The words can be translated as follows:

“Lady:

O man with a wide chest, streaked with the lines of bee-buzzing sandalwood, desiring courtesans with an unceasing sweet nature! You were not like this previously! You have come here late at night. Where have you been and what did you see? Pray tell me!

Man:

O maiden with soft and curving arms! It’s good that you ask! I was staying in the company of gods, who render counsel for our marital life.

Lady:

Those many others, akin to female deers, wearing garlands of flowers from groves, you seem to see as gods! Of them, which god did you see? Tell me about that god of yours!

Man:

O maiden with a smile of pearls! The god I was with was the god who said, ‘This is the perfect time’, when we wanted to get married.

Lady:

That seems totally believable! The way you pressed your tongue within and bent your head tells me that I have caught you red-handed with your lies! You wish to hear about those whom you really saw from me. So listen now:

With desire brimming over, to be there for the marked tryst, the one with mature and straight teeth, with a beauty that could devour those who see, the one, who so rightfully came to your home – Is that the god you saw?

Having thick and straight tresses, wafting with the scent of the fragrant and cool ‘milkwood’ along with musk, adorned fresh every day, who could tie you down with one look of her eyes, the one whom you showered with flowers as your offerings the previous day – Is that the god you saw?

Celebrating the red-speared god, who conquered the demon with a formidable dual form, they stayed for many days with a profound passion in ‘Kundram’ along with you, in the rainy season – Is that the god you saw?

Among the gods you saw, who is the one who made those marks on your fragrant, wide chest? Tell me. Also, if you were to stay elsewhere for a little while, won’t they be angry, you who incites my fury! I’m clear now! Please leave. If you don’t, that would be an encumbrance for all those gods with long tresses, who together desire to embrace your garlanded wide chest!”

Let’s delve into the details. The verse is situated in the context of a love quarrel between a man and lady, owing to the man’s seeking of courtesans. Here, the lady and man are in conversation. The lady starts by remarking on the sandalwood streaked on the man’s chest, full of signs of his courting of courtesans. She mentions how he has arrived late at night to their home and asks him where he has been. To this question, the man says he was with people of god, who are known to render wise counsel for a happy, married life. The irony of it! The lady immediately gets the drift and says, you seem to think beautiful maiden are people of god, and asks him pointedly which of them he saw. The man tries to mollify her by reminding her of that ascetic who had marked the auspicious time for their wedding and tells her that’s whom he was with. The lady replies, ‘Yes, absolutely. I totally believe you’, noting the micro expressions on the man’s face, such as pressing his tongue and bending his head to one side. Knowing him so well, the lady comes to the conclusion that he’s just lying, and then she goes on to sketch the ‘gods’ the man was supposed to have been with, mentioning maiden with mature teeth who came rightfully to the man’s home, other maiden with thick and fragrant tresses on whom the man had rendered offerings of flowers, as if to a real god, and then interestingly about maiden the man had met in a place called ‘Kundram’, where they sang praises of God Murugan and delighted with the man. This reference hints at the practice of maiden, who spend their life in a temple, worshipping a deity and performing arts, supported by wealthy patrons. Returning, we find the lady questioning the man asking which of those god people left their mark on his chest, and in anger, she asks the man to leave immediately to them, for the gods might be angry, if he showered his attention elsewhere, even for a little while. A verse which reveals a wide variety of elements such as micro expressions and their meanings, the effective use of sarcasm in conveying emotion as well as references to socio-religious practices of the past!