AKAM 238

Tiṇai:

Kuṟiñci

Author:

Kapilar

Translation:

V. M. Subramanya Ayyar (1975) [IFP, unpublished]

Original MS location:

IFP Library [TA LIT-CL 180 (1)(2)(3)]

Original data entry (VYAPTI format):

Ramya (1999-2000, IFP)

Date of last revision:

2004/10/08

Table of contents (by lines):

(1-10) Description of the mountainous country

( 10-11) The friend questioning talaimakaṉ

(12-14) The munificent gift of Naḷḷi

(16-18) Description of talaivi

Colophon(s):

The companion spoke to talaimakaṉ who came to meet talaivi at night at the appointed secret place.

Syntactical link:

see below

Difficult words:

see below

Variant readings:

see below

Notes:

see below

:

• Chief of the mountainous region (10)
• where in the forest the trees are very close to each other so that it is difficut to find their intertwining (1);
• the big male tiger of many stripes and a nape as black as the palmyra starts desirous of its prey in the mountain which has dark caves, at dead of night to bag the young deer as food for the tigress which has given birth to cubs, is hungry and is in need of food and is guarded in the cave (2),
• kills the superior male of wild cow having curved horns (7)
• to make the timid-looking female of the cow cry aloud from a great distance (6)
• in the forest of expansive space, to fall on the right (8)
• side and drags it along the extensive rocks of adjacent mountains to make them red by spilling blood (9) !
• If you part (from talaivi) (10)
• have you got any remedy to save death from talaivi (11)
• who has a naturally fragrant forehead with additional fragrance of malabar glory lily that grows permanently at the case of the trunk of the palmyra tree, which blossoms from buds whose petals are gently folded at the black and adjacent hills (17)
• where crowding buds blossom (15).
• The hills belong to Naḷḷi who has proud horses, wears loose bracelets on his wrist (14);
• he derives joy from being munificent, which munificence can be compared to the clouds which pour rain without expecting any reward, and who always gives away elephants and chariots adorned with their ornaments to supplicants (17).
• If you have got that remedy, part from talaivi; if not do not part (11)

பெருங்கல் நாட!(10); (நீ இவளைப்) பிரிதி யாயின்(10) நறு நுதலையுடையாளை (இறவாது பாதுகாத்தற்கு (18) மருந்தும் உடையையோ? மற்று(11).

• .4. இருமுகைச்.
• .5. பணைமருள்.
• .9. சிப்ப.
• .14. கடுமானள்ளி.
• .15. நளிமுகையுடைத்த.

மான்றமை

- being intertwined.

மடக்கண்

- timid looks.

அண்ணல்

- eminence.

ஏறு

- male.

அறை

- rocks,

சிரப்போர்

- supplicants.

கழல் தொடி

- loose bracelet.

பிணி

- binding; fastening.

வண் மகிழ்

- joy borne out of munificence.

ஈன்று

- having given birth to

அலற

- to cry aloud.

The tiger will kill its prey to fall on its right side. If per chance it happens to fall on the left side it will not eat its prey and remain without food or kill another one next day and eat it. This literary convention is found in akam, stanza 29, ll.1-3 in puṟam, stanza 190, ll.6-10, and in nālatiyār, poem, 300.

If we take the reading பணை மருள் it will mean the anvil of the blacksmith. If you part, talaivi would certainly die; the only way to prevent her death is matrimony.