Akam (247)

Tiṇai:: pālai
Author:: maturai marutaṇkiḻāṟ makaṉār veṇṇākaṉār
(variant reading : maturai marutaṇkiḻāṟ makaṉār veṇṇākaṉār)
Translation:: V. M. Subramanya Ayyar (1975) [IFP, unpublished]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:: 2005/02/14
Table of contents (by lines):: 1-3 talaivi accusing talaivaṉ of having no mercy; 4-7 Description of the forest in which talaivaṉ went; 7-13 Description of the mountain beyond which talaivaṉ went
Colophon(s):: Talaimakaḷ who became changed during separation spoke to her friend who became changed on seeing talaivi.
Syntactical link:: see below
Difficult words:: see below
Variant readings:: see below
Notes:: see below

Friend ! May you live long (3)
(Our talaivar) without thinking of the forest (7)
in which the male bear of red mouth with its big kind (4)
strips off the big top of the big ant-hill built by white ants with red earth (5),
when it dislikes eating the white flowers of mahua tree of black branches (5),
as difficult to travel (7),
and those places where the small hamlets have become deserted by people after having fought with enemies (7-8)
and having crossed the several ways which have branching routes beset with danger to life, (10)
where the wild elephant capable of killing, keep guard in the desert region watching for unwary travellers (8),
crossed the mountain and went beyond it which has high peaks and adjoining hills of high peaks where (12-13)
Kites of quick flight and long necks and desirous of flesh stay on the branches of trees (12),
desiring wealth (3).
Therefore our lover who left and parted from us (2)
to make our good and beautiful body which has beautiful breasts on which unwashed pearls (tears) drip down (1),
is without grace (3)

Tears are compared to anwashed pearls as they roll down the cheek dissolving colliriyum.

Wild elephants watching for travellers and killing them is mentioned in aiṅkuṟunūṟu, stanza 312, ll.3-4

பறை நெடுங்கழுத்து may mean long neck from which feathers have fallen .

பாறு கிளை சேக்கும் may be translated as kites staying with their flock.