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V.Krishnaraj

Valluvar Picture Source: http://www.tamilnation.org

Dedicated to Prof. Zvelebil on Jan 19, 09

The Thirukural, one of the great books of the world, one of those singular emanations of the human heart and spirit which preach positive love and forgiveness and peace. --Prof. Dr. Kamil Vaclav Zvelebil. Sep 17, 1927 - Jan 17, 2009.  Notes: Jan 19, 09

Tirukkural by Tiruvalluvar

Valluvar is the author of this monumental work. As an introduction to the author and his work, I will be offering what many Tamils, Indians and foreigners think of him and his work, interspersed with my own.

    Tirukkural = Tiru + Kural = sacred + short composition.

    Valluvar, as Tamils call him endearingly, walked the earth (now known as Mylapore [peacock town], part of Madras or Chennai) a few centuries before Jesus Christ was born. His birth is in the mist of ancient Tamil history. The Christian adorers of Valluvar imagine that he could have walked easily the beaches of Madras with Jesus Christ. G.U.Pope observes that much of its teaching is an echo of the Sermon on the Mount. Since Valluvar lived before Christ, it is other way around.  He was a weaver by profession and married Vasuki, an epitomic wife.

    The Sikh community is of the belief that Tirukkural of Valluvar and Guru Granth Sahib of Guru Nanak have much in common.

    Tirukkural was composed during Sangam period (500-200 BC) according to some students of Tamil history. Rajaji says that Kural belongs to a period anterior to 2nd century CE. Some scholars put it in the 1st century BC.  Some put the date between 200 BC to 800 CE. G.U.Pope puts the date between CE 800 to 1000. Rajaji says that he was not a Jain. Pope believes strongly that Christ teachings influenced Valluvar's composition. Pope also believes (wrongly, but due respect is due him) that Bhakti was an invention of Christianity and spread to India. Many sects claim that each one of them has a special relationship with Valluvar's work; that speaks of the immeasurable wealth contained in the couplets. Valluvar did not touch on the subject of Moksa because, Pope observes, that people were not ready for higher teaching. He says, "Tamil race preserves many of its old virtues, and has the promise of a noble future."   Since Valluvar taught humility, charity, and forgiveness of injuries (the very Christian qualities) and earned in the mind of Pope the adulation "we may call this Tamil poet Christian." Sir A. Grant calls the Tamils as essentially moral and noble race; it is so because Tamils grew up in the shadow of Valluvar.  Pope admits that he "tried to reproduce the rhythm in many cases, but I could not retain the inimitable grace, condensation and point of the original."  He compares the composition to a mosaic of colored glasses, gold, and precious stones. One has to walk around to catch it in all lights, take hints, revel in its revelations, enjoy the ruminations,  hold on to its symbolism and enjoy sometimes  grotesque and frequently quaint and rare beauty. 

    He has a grudging appreciation of artful sequencing of words chock full of ellipsis. He says," the poetical dialect of Tamil allows every kind and any amount of ellipsis, so that a line is often little else than a crude forms artfully fitted together" (mosaic).

    It has three parts: Aram, Porul and Inbam (virtue, wealth and love).  There are 133 Chapters, 10 couplets in each chapter and in all 1330 couplets, distich, maxim, short strophe, epigram. Kural is cognate with Sanskrit Kurr, Latin curt-us and Greek Kelp. It is said that he submitted his work to Sangam.

    His attitude towards god, man and other beings is universal; there is no sectarian overtones; that is the reason why many religions and sects see their own reflection in Tirukkural. His god can easily be the Lord, Allah, Adonai, Bhagavan or any other conceivable Supreme Entity. It is a book for all ages and eons; it encompasses life in all its aspects; the wisdom is deep and diverse and applicable to all castes, races, cultures, beliefs, and politics.  It is non-sectarian nectar in its pure form.

On top of all that, just take a look at the Tamil letters; you can sit here and look at them all day long; you will never be satiated; they have such beauty and roundedness about them.  Go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamil_script

வள்ளுவன் தன் தன்னை உலகினுக்கே தந்து

வான் புகழ் கொண்ட தமிழ்நாடு -- Subramaniya Bharati.   

Valluvan gave himself to this world; thus Tamil Country attains true and great heavenly fame.

"இறைவன் மனிதனுக்குச் சொன்னது கீதை,
மனிதன் இறைவனுக்குச் சொன்னது திருவாசகம்,
 மனிதன் மனிதனுக்குச் சொன்னது திருக்குறள்"
 - Dr.S.Jayabarathi in an Introduction to Thirukkural 

To man What God said is Gita.

To God what man said is Tiruvasakam.

To man what man said is  Tirukkural.

Love in Tamil Country.

Love (காதல்) is defined the best  in Tamil: Thannai maRandha nilaiyil uruvaagum unarvu = தன்னை மறந்த நிலையில் உருவாகும் உணர்வு = A spontaneous feeling of (overpowering earnest longing) attachment  (to God, a being, an object or an idea) that shapes up while you are in a state of forgetting yourself  and contemplating on the beauty and perfection of  God, the object, being or an idea. True love is a surge in feeling of becoming one with a being, an object or an idea.

This article is based on Tiruvalluvar's look on Love; virtue & wealth are not in this piece.

திருக்குறள்--காமத்துப்பால் = Tirukkural --Treatise on Love.

Tirukkural by Tiruvalluvar

Treatise on Love is about the budding, maturing, consummating relationship; private thoughts on their experiences without disclosure to each other; public display of their togetherness; loss of privacy; gossiping by the community;  discovery of their secret love affair; riding the palmyra wooden horse; lover leaving home on business;  inability to suffer separation; languishment from separation of the lover; loss of luster in her puffy teary eyes; ashen-grey color of her skin from separation ordeal; her constant ruminations and worry about the welfare of her lover away from home; dreaming about her lover in sleep, and waking up; the tyranny of lonely nights and loss of union; languishing body parts from lack of care and loss of sleep, and failure to pretty up in the absence of the lover; mental soliloquy; loss of patience and inability to control sexual impulses; living on memories; meeting, mating,  intimating and talking eyes upon lover's return; her confiding to her friend as to her happiness and urgency for union with her lover; mental agony that her lover is not in a hurry for union immediately upon his arrival and feeling of self-reproach in her mind; the fake out by her; her eyes speak of love sickness; her boldness in pressing her lover for union; lover asking her to wait;  her mental imagery of fake refusal upon his readiness; and separation sharpens their desire for union.

Eons ago, in Tamil country love was the glorified norm; girl meets boy and then they marry. This practice waned, stopped and was stamped out; arranged marriages are still the norm. But India is changing; the incidence of so-called love-marriage as is the custom in the west is taking its nascent roots in the Tamil society and all over India especially where the work-place contact between genders in youth is the norm.

Bible: The Song of Songs is thought by some to be an allegorical representation of the relationship of God and Israel as husband and wife. Literally, however, the main characters of the Song are simply a woman and a man, and the poem suggests movement from courtship to consummation. It is one of the shortest books in the Bible, consisting of only 117 verses. According to Ashkenazi   tradition, it is read on the Sabbath that falls during the intermediate days of Passover. In the Sephardi Jewish community it is recited every Friday night. --Wikipedia

Valluvar is the author of this monumental work. As an introduction to the author and his work, I will be offering what many Tamils, Indians and foreigners think of him and his work, interspersed with my own.

    Tirukkural = Tiru + Kural = sacred + short composition.

virtue & wealth: Here is the opinion of others on Virtue and wealth of Valluvar compositions.

    Valluvar, as Tamils call him endearingly, walked the earth (now known as Mylapore [peacock town], part of Madras or Chennai) a few centuries before Jesus Christ was born. His birth is in the mist of ancient Tamil history. The Christian adorers of Valluvar imagine that he could have walked easily the beaches of Madras with Jesus Christ. G.U.Pope observes that much of its teaching is an echo of the Sermon on the Mount. Since Valluvar lived before Christ, it is other way around.  He was a weaver by profession and married Vasuki, an epitomic wife.

    The Sikh community is of the belief that Tirukkural of Valluvar and Guru Granth Sahib of Guru Nanak have much in common.

    Tirukkural was composed during Sangam period (500-200 BC) according to some students of Tamil history. Rajaji says that Kural belongs to a period anterior to 2nd century CE. Some scholars put it in the 1st century BC.  Some put the date between 200 BC to 800 CE. G.U.Pope puts the date between CE 800 to 1000. Rajaji says that he was not a Jain. Pope believes strongly that Christ teachings influenced Valluvar's composition. Pope also believes (wrongly, but due respect is due him) that Bhakti was an invention of Christianity and spread to India. Many sects claim that each one of them has a special relationship with Valluvar's work; that speaks of the immeasurable wealth contained in the couplets. Valluvar did not touch on the subject of Moksa (liberation) because, Pope observes, that people were not ready for higher teaching! He says, "Tamil race preserves many of its old virtues, and has the promise of a noble future."   Since Valluvar taught humility, charity, and forgiveness of injuries (the very Christian qualities) and earned in the mind of Pope the adulation "we may call this Tamil poet Christian." Sir A. Grant calls the Tamils as essentially moral and noble race; it is so because Tamils grew up in the shadow of Valluvar.  Pope admits that he "tried to reproduce the rhythm in many cases, but I could not retain the inimitable grace, condensation and point of the original."  He compares the composition to a mosaic of colored glasses, gold, and precious stones. One has to walk around to catch it in all lights, take hints, revel in its revelations, enjoy the ruminations,  hold on to its symbolism and enjoy sometimes  grotesque and frequently quaint and rare beauty. 

    He has a grudging appreciation of artful sequencing of words chock full of ellipsis. He says," the poetical dialect of Tamil allows every kind and any amount of ellipsis, so that a line is often little else than a crude forms artfully fitted together" (mosaic).

    It has three parts: Aram, Porul and Inbam (virtue, wealth and love).  There are 133 Chapters, 10 couplets in each chapter and in all 1330 couplets, distich, maxim, short strophe, epigram. Kural is cognate with Sanskrit Kurr, Latin curt-us and Greek Kelp. It is said that he submitted his work to Sangam.

    His attitude towards god, man and other beings is universal; there is no sectarian overtones; that is the reason why many religions and sects see their own substance and reflection in Tirukkural. His god can easily be the Lord, Allah, Adonai, Bhagavan or any other conceivable Supreme Entity. It is a book for all ages and eons; it encompasses life in all its aspects; the wisdom is deep and diverse and applicable to all castes, races, cultures, beliefs, and politics.  It is non-sectarian nectar in its pure form.

On top of all that, just take a look at the Tamil letters; you can sit here and look at them all day long; you will never be satiated; they have such beauty and roundedness about them.  Go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamil_script.  The Tamil script is a reflection of the Tamil mind, pure, rounded, perfected angled, diverse, sophisticated, settled, knowledgeable, esthetic....

வள்ளுவன் தன் தன்னை உலகினுக்கே தந்து

வான் புகழ் கொண்ட தமிழ்நாடு -- Subramaniya Bharati.   

Valluvan gave himself to this world; thus Tamil Country attains true and great heavenly fame.

"இறைவன் மனிதனுக்குச் சொன்னது கீதை,
மனிதன் இறைவனுக்குச் சொன்னது திருவாசகம்,
 மனிதன் மனிதனுக்குச் சொன்னது திருக்குறள்"
 - Dr.S.Jayabarathi in an Introduction to Thirukkural 

To man What God said is Gita.

To God what man said is Tiruvasakam.

To man what man said is  Tirukkural.

This piece is exclusively on Love as depicted in these verses by Valluvar.

கமத்துப்பால் = Treatise on Sexual love.  Verses 1081-1330.

களவியல் = Surreptitious Love.  Verses 1081-1150.

கற்பியல் = Monogamous Marital bliss. Verses 1151-1330.

களவியல் = Surreptitious Love.  Verses 1081-1150.

The numbers indicate the original chapter sequence. Chapters on Love from 109 to 133

109) Blossoming of carnal desire, 110) Cognition of the cues, 111) Joy of consortium, 112) Beauty Extolled, 113) Love's Grandeur or excellence, 114) Abandonment of Reserve 115)  Rumor Mongering  116) Languishing and Languor  117)

Section 116 பிரிவாற்றாமை = Pangs of Separation.

Under the Division Treatise of Love (காமத்துப்பால்), this section deals with Surreptitious Love & Secret Tryst.

களவியல் = Surreptitious Love.

Section 109. தகையணங்குறுத்தல் = தகை + அணங்கு + உறுத்தல் = Beauty + Desire + Induction. Induction of Carnal Desire.

Boy sees girl

Verse 1081. Is she a goddess or a peacock?

அணங்கு கொல் ஆய் மயில் கொல்லோ கனம் குழை

மாதர் கொல் மாலும் என் நெஞ்சு. 1081

This form that stands before me: Is she a goddess!  Is she a select Peacock! is she the foremost beauty among women decked with exquisite earrings. Is it the earrings that make her more beautiful or is it that she makes the earrings more beautiful?  I am perplexed, O mind. Yes, she is looking at me; those eyes pierce my heart.

Verse 1082. Her look pierces (my heart) and my life ebbs.

நோக்கினாள் நோக்கு எதிர் நோக்குதல் தாக்கு அணங்கு

தானை கொண்ட அன்னது உடைத்து. 1082

I looked at her; her beauty caused me swoon; she looked at me.  Her looks, her eyes were spears that pierced the poor me. My life is ebbing.

Verse 1083. Beauty in the form of two eyes causes palpitation.

பண்டு அறியேன் கூற்று என்பதனை இனி அறிந்தேன்

பெண் தகையான் பேர் அமர் கட்டு. 1083

I never knew what Death was. Now I know. Her beauty came in the form of  two eyes and caused me distress.

Verse 1084. The beauty, the innocence and the eyes.

கண்டார் உயிர் உண்ணும் தோற்றத்தால் பென் தகை

பேதைக்குக் கண் அமர்த்தன. 1084.

I am the seer; she is the looker. The looks are gnawing at my soul. And yet my soul pines for her. The beauty, the innocence (of the her age), and the killer eyes: how could they ever come together?

Verse 1085. This belle is Death, Eyes, and Doe.

கூற்றமோ கண்ணோ பிணையோ மடவரல்

நோக்கம் இம்மூன்றும் உடைத்து.  1085.

Is it Death?  Are they mere eyes?  Is it a doe? This belle has all three in her.

Verse 1086. Her eyelashes conceal her eyes.

கொடும் புருவம் கோடா மறைப்பின் அடும் அஞர்

செயல  மன்னி இவள் கண்.  1086.

The curvature of her eyebrows are more convex than before, with her long eyelashes concealing the eyes a wee bit. . (Her eyebrows tighten their bow-strings with eyelashes hiding her eyes.) Now her eyes do not cause fear in me.

Verse 1087. A diaphanous veil sliding on her turgid firm rising breasts untouched by man is not unlike the elephant's frontal bilobes with the veil.

If you look at the elephant's head, at the top there are two round bumps which are compared to a woman's breasts.

Verse 1088. My prowess crumbles at the feet of a beauty.

ஒள்நுதற்கோ உடைந்ததே ஞாட்பினுள்

நண்ணாரும் உட்புகும் என் பீடு. 1088

In the battlefield, my prowess strikes fear in the enemies but sustains crushing defeat from the damsel with radiant forehead.

Verse 1089. Where beauty reigns, apparel is redundant.

பிணை ஏர் மட நோக்கும் நாணும் உடையாட்கு

அணி எவனோ ஏதில  தந்து. 1088

She has the doe's eyes with no malice and a look of modesty. Why then does she wear unneeded ornamentation and apparel?

Her doe's benign eyes and looks of modesty are her ornaments and apparel. Why would she mar her beauty with unneeded apparel and ornaments? She kindles the burning love in me. I am all inflamed with love. I am dizzy and tipsy with love. Is her beauty some kind of love potion or intoxicant?

Verse 1090. Imbibe beauty with no ill effects.

உண்டார் கண் அல்லது அடுநறா காமம் போல்

கண்டார் மகிழ் செய்தல் இன்று. 1089.

Evil toddy causes inebriation to the drinkers only, unlike beauty that gives joy to the onlookers.

It is the difference between drinking and having fun and looking and having fun. Liquor obtunds, while beauty transcends.

Destructive liquor causes inebriation; so also the beauty of jeune fille with a difference. Inebriation comes with liquor to the imbiber only. Pure joy comes to all imbibers of beauty (with eyes). Liquor causes joy, destruction and numbness. Beauty causes pure joy.  Liquor-induced joy comes only with drinking; that joy, when it comes, causes destruction. The beauty-induced joyous love comes just by imbibing with eyes and does not cause destruction.

Section 110. குறிப்பறிதல் =  Cognition of the cues.

Verse 1091. Her looks cause and cure love sickness.

இரு நோக்கு இவள் உன்கண் உள்ளது  ஒரு நோக்கு

நோய் நோக்கு ஒன்று அந்நோய் மருந்து. 1091.

 Two looks sport in her beguiling collyrium-laden eyes. One look causes love sickness. Another look is the cure for love sickness.

Collyrium = eye shadow.

Verse 1092. Her furtive glance from narrow eyes speaks of love.

கண்களவு கொள்ளும் சிறுநோக்கம் காமத்தில்

செம்பாகம் அன்று பெரிது. 1092.

Her furtive glance coming from her narrow eyes speak of love (for me). That is not the case with wide-open glance.

Verse 1093. Furtive glance and bowing head are signs of love.

நோக்கினாள் நோக்கி இறைஞ்சினாள் அஃதவள்

யாப்பினுள் அட்டிடய நீர். 1093.

She glanced at me. Glancing, she bowed her head. That action is watering of love (between us).

Furtive glance followed by bowing of the head is expression of love.

Verse 1094. Trading furtive glances.

யான்நோக்கும் காலை நிலன்நோக்கும் நோக்காக்கால்

தான்நோக்கி மெல்ல நகும். 1094.

As I look at her, she looks at the earth. When I don't look at her, she looks at me smiling softly.

Verse 1095. Giving Cues and getting ready for encounter.

குறிக்கொண்டு நோக்காமை அல்லால் ஒருகண்

சிறக்கணித்தாள் போல நகும். 1095.

Though she doesn't' see me directly, she casts sidelong glances with one eye and sports a smile.

First it was furtive glance; later alternately casting of glances with a smile and looking down, now smiling with sidelong glances: all these are cues for consensual encounter.

Verse 1096. Barring her disinterested tone and hearing no words of anger, I feel her desire to know me.

உறா அதவர் போல் சொலினும் செறா அர்சொல்

ஒல்லை உணரப் படும். 1096.

Though she talks with me in a disinterested tone, she speaks no words of anger and thus I feel her desire.

Verse 1097. Camouflage of love sickness.

சேறா அச் சிறுசொல்லும் செற்றார்போல் நோக்கும்

உறா அர் போன்று உற்றார் குறிப்பு. 1097.

Spurning advances without angry words;  feigned looks of anger; and sham lack of affliction with love sickness are signs of love sickness in a girl.

Verse 1098. Her consent is a faint smile of affection on her lips.

அசையிற்கு உண்டு ஆண்டு ஓர் ஏர் யான் நோக்க

பசையினன் பைய நகும்.

As a sign of her consent,  a beautiful incident happened. When I looked at her directly, a slight smile of affection danced on her lips.

Verse 1099. Indifferent looks are the nature of lovers.

ஏதிலார் போலப் பொது நோக்கு நோக்குதல்

காதலர் கண்ணே உள. 1099.

Casting indifferent looks (at each other) like strangers are the nature of lovers.

The poets characterize indifferent look as casting narrow eyes, winking the eye, and side glances, which actually are consent and invitation for further dallying.

Verse 1100. Eyes meet and words go silent.

கண்ணோடு கண் இணை நோக்கொக்கின் வாய்ச் சொற்கள்

என்ன பயனும் இல. 1100

When the eyes meet, words of mouth have no use.

When the lovers' eyes meet and reciprocate love, the words are redundant.

Section 111. புணர்ச்சி மகிழ்தல் = Enjoying the embrace and union. These verse are one-sided in the sense that the male only relates his experience and the female keeps her experience hidden in her heart on account of modesty. Many authors translate புணர்ச்சி  as embrace. It literal meaning is union or coitus; புணர்ச்சி (punarchi) is poetic; coitus is prosaic.

Verse 1101. Five senses and five pleasures.

கண்டு கேட்டு உண்டு உயிர்த்து உற்றறியும் ஐம்புலனும்

ஒண்தொடி கண்ணே உள. 1101

The pleasures gained by seeing with the eyes, hearing with the ears, consuming with the mouth, smelling with the nose, touching with the body abide in the bangled belle.

bangled = bangle-wearing.

The lover says, my eyes imbibed the beauty of her body; my ears enjoyed her mellifluous voice; my mouth tasted the petal-soft sweetness of her lotus lips; my nose enjoyed the divine smells of the flowers and her body; and my sense of touch enjoyed holding her in embrace. Thus all his five senses are fully deployed to enjoy her as much as she enjoyed him, though her experience is written in her heart and not read on her lips.

 Verse 1102. A belle is the cause and cure for the disease.

பிணிக்கு மருந்து பிறமன் அணியிழை

தன் நோய்க்குத் தானே மருந்து. 1102

Diseases have counter cures. A belle decked with beautiful jewels caused the cure for the disease she induced.

Valluvar says that the cure runs counter to the cause of the disease. If a person is bitten by snake, the physician administers anti-venom. If the person has fever, one has to counter the fever with wet towels. This is not so for the disease caused by belle decked with beautiful jewels; she herself is the cure for the love sickness caused by her. She is the disease and the cure.

It is common for the poets to call sensual pleasure as 'little pleasures (சிற்றின்பம்)' . If this is little pleasure, where else I can get the ''Great pleasure (பேரின்பம்)'' ? Here Great Pleasure refers to the Bliss of Liberation from the cycle of births and rebirths.

Verse 1103. Embracing his lover with soft shoulders is the ultimate bliss. How could the Heaven of Tirumal be better?

தாம் வீழ்வார் மென் தோள் துயிலின் இனிது கொல்

தாமரைக் கண்ணான் உலகு. 1103

Knowing the pleasure of embracing the soft shoulders of my lover while laying down, is the world of lotus-eyed Vishnu more pleasurable?

The world of Vishnu or Tirumal is Vaikuntam or Paramapadam, the Vaishnava Heaven. There were many religions at the time of Valluvar. They were (are) SriVaishnavam, Saivam, Buddhism, Jainism, Dvaitam, Advaitam. Tirumal is always described as Lotus-eyed Lord. He was the only one to hold that honor. His world is Vaikuntam or Paramapadam, where the liberated souls enjoy Heavenly Bliss and get to embrace the Lord with lotus eyes. Embracing or union is symbolic of  merger of the individual soul with the Universal soul. Union with the Lord is the ultimate Bliss. But our earth-bound lover opines that embracing or union in physical plane with his lover is the only bliss he has enjoyed in his life. He has not enjoyed the Heavenly Bliss and so he considers that the ultimate bliss is here on earth while he is in conjugate embrace on the soft shoulders of his lover.

Verse 1104. Paradoxical cool and heat of the Fire of Love.

நீங்கின் தொறூஉம் குறுகுங்கால் தண்ணென்னும்

தீயாண்டுப் பெற்றாள் இவள். 1104

Going further away from her causes heat; getting closer to her offers coolness. Wherefrom did she obtain this kind of fire (Fire of love)?

My lover's body has the Fire of Love which is paradoxical in the sense as I get closer to the Fire, I feel the cool and as I get further away I feel the heat.

Verse 1105. Soft cheeks, a source of all sensual pleasures.

வேட்ட பொழுதின் அவையவை போலுமே

தொட்டார் கதுப்பினாள் தோள். 1105

The shoulders of my lover with the petal-soft cheeks offers me forthwith any and all kinds of pleasures commensurate with my desires.

Here Valluvar says that the lover looks, smells, caresses, strokes, tastes, love-bites her petal-soft cheeks, which offer pleasures commensurate with his wish and act. He enjoys a beautiful cheeks by sight, the divine smell by his nose, the softness of her cheeks by his strokes and caresses, and the imagined taste of fruits by love-bites. Thus the cheeks offers up all pleasures as desired.

Verse 1106. Ambrosial shoulders sends bolts of frisson.

உறுதோறு உயிர்தளிர்ப்பத் தீண்டலால் பேதைக்கு

அமிழ்தின் இயன்றன தோள்.

As and when my lover's body grazes mine, every time my soul (life) feels the frisson and renewal anew; her shoulders are made of ambrosia.

Verse 1107. O My! embracing is self-perpetuating bliss that draws sustenance from the body.

தம் இல் இருந்து தமது பாத்து உண்ட அற்று

அம்மா அரிவை முயக்கு. 1107

My-my! embracing my love is Bliss that receives its share of sustenance from my body itself.

O My! I am in embrace with my love. For how long? I can't keep track of time that is fleeting by. My body awareness is gone. My body, mind and soul are soaking in bliss. Is this for eternity? How am I going to sustain this bliss?  Now I see. My body is sharing its energy to sustain my bliss.

This verse is full of ellipses and thus various commentators give many different interpretations. Some of them are way out of context and very contrived.

பாத்து = sharing. அரிவை = Woman between the age of 20 and 25. அம்மா = An exclamation of surprise = In English 'my-my'; mother.

Verse 1108. Our Embrace is air-tight.

வீழும் இருவர்க்கு இனிதே வளி இடை

போழப் படாஅ முயக்கு.  1108

The embrace is so close and tight that there is no air to split us apart; that is the sweetness shared by loving couple.

Verse 1109. Separation, rising fervor, and reunion are the endless amorous cycle for the lovers.

ஊடல் உணர்தல், புணர்தல் இவை காமம்

கூடியார் பெற்ற பயன். 1109

Separation, rising fervor, and reunion are love's rewards that the lovers gain.

Alternate interpretation:

Love quarrel, rising passion and reunion are love's rewards that the lovers gain.

Separation, rising fervor, and reunion are the endless amorous cycle for the lovers that keeps on giving without a pause.

Verse 1110. Every union is a new discovery in love.

அறிதோறு அறியாமை கண்டற்றால் காமம்

செறிதோறும் சேயிழை மாட்டு. 1110.

Every time union with the jeweled belle takes place, that love is anew as if it is learning something new that remained unknown or undiscovered. .

Section 112.  நலம்புனைந்துரைத்தல் =  Beauty extolled.  நலம் = Beauty.  புனைந்து = to laud, to extol;  உரைத்தல் = to speak or explain. 

Verse 1111. O Anichcham flower! My love is more delicate than you are.

நல் நீரை  வாழி அனிச்சமே நின்னினும்

மென்னீரள் யாம் வீழ் பவள். 1111

O Anichcham flower! May you prosper! Though you are delicate, my love is softer than you.

அனிச்சம் =  Anichcham = Flower supposed to be so delicate as to droop or even perish when smelt.

Verse 1112. Silent soliloquy: Garden flowers are no match to my love's flower-eyes.

மலர் காணின் மையாத்தி நெஞ்சே இவள்கண்

பலர்காணும் பூ ஒக்கும் என்று. 1112

O Mind! on seeing blossoms on public display for many to see, you are perplexed by comparing them to my love's eyes.

The gregarious blossoms in the garden and on public display are enjoyed by many by sight, smell, touch, and eye-embrace. My love's eyes are for me only to see, smell, touch, and embrace eye-to-eye. Those ordinary garden flowers are not comparable to the flower-eyes of my love. O Mind! How could you ever be so confused? What a colossal misperception on your part.

Verse 113. She is a tender sprig with pearl teeth, fragrant breath, spear-like eyes and bamboo shoulders.

முறி மேனி முத்தம் முறுவல் வெறி நாற்றம்

வேல் உண் கண் வேய்த்தோள் அவட்கு.  1113

Her body is like the tender sprig; her teeth are like pearls; her breath is naturally fragrant; her eyes with eyeliner are like the spears; her shoulders are like bamboo.

It is common to compare women to tender sprigs, and winding and creeping vines with sinuous thunderbolt-like waists. Tamil girls are glorified for their skin tone resembling the color of tender mango leaves (a color between gold, yellow and green). The girls and married women wear sandalwood paste on their body and fragrant flowers on their jet-black tresses on a daily basis. As they walk by, you know them by the waft of fragrance that clings to the air and gently soothes your olfactory senses. Bamboo is smooth and shiny with regularly placed nodes and looks like shoulders with bony bumps.

Verse 1114/1330. Lotus flowers droop their heads in shame on seeing my love's eyes.

காணின் குவளை கவிழ்ந்து நிலன் நோக்கும்

மாண் இழை கண் ஒவ்வோம் என்று. 1114.

The lotus flowers upon beholding the eyes of  my delightfully decked love and thinking that they cannot match her eyes, droop their heads down to the earth in shame.

Just imagine the skyward looking lotus flowers in a pond soaking up the sun suddenly droop their heads down in shame upon seeing the eyes of a belle.

Verse 1115/1330. The weight of the stalk of the flower on her tresses will stress her slender waist.

அனிச்சப் பூக் கால் களையாள் பெய்தாள் நுசுப்பிற்கு

நல்ல படாஅ பறை. 1115.

This verse (1115) has lent itself for more than one meaning.  Commentators interpret this verse differently, because பறை  (Parai) means both 'word' and 'drum'.  There is no word in this verse that says anything about breaking.

Though my love wears the Anichcha flower without nipping the stalk, no good words about her waist will be sounded.

.

Though my love wears the Anichcha flower without nipping the stalk, her (fragile) waist will break to the sound of a drumbeat.

My love wears on her tresses the delicate light Anichcha flower without removing the stalk or pedicle, the weight of which is heavy enough to break the fragile waist of my love to the sound of a drumbeat. Or It is a sad statement indeed about the waist of my love who wore the delicate flower with intact stalk.

I doubt that Valluvar intended to say that the girl's waist broke under the weight of the flower stalk. It is more dramatic to say that her slender, fragile, sinuous and thunder-bolt-like waist broke from under the weight of the stalk of the flower to the sound of a drumbeat. It is dramatic, tragic and macabre but not poetic, auspicious, contextual and circumstantial.  The drumbeat to sync with the breaking of the waist is an anomaly.  Syncing of the drumbeat with an auspicious event is more normal than with a tragic event. When the young man is musing in his mind about the girl, I see no call to introduce a drumbeat syncing with the paralyzing break of the waist. What follows also does not support the premise of the drumbeat and fracture of the waist. One commentator introduces the element of fear in the lover that the waist may break from under the weight of the stalk of the flower.

நல்ல = good, fine, excellent, auspicious. பறை = Drum, word or statement.

1116/1330. The stars are confused in distinguishing my love's face from the moon.

மதியும் மடந்தை முகனும் அறியா

பதியின் கலங்கிய மீன்.  1116.

The stars unable to see the difference between the moon and the maiden's face and confused about their relative position, stood in place.

1117/1330. My love has no stains on her face unlike the blotted moon.

அறுவாய் நிறைந்து அவர் மதிக்குப் போல

மறு உண்டோ மாதர் முகத்து. 1117.

Does the maid have the stains like the truncated moon waxing to its full brightness and having stains?

மறு =  maru = Stain, blot, spot, especially on the moon.

The full moon has irreducible permanent stains on its face. Does the maid have the stains on her face? The answer is No.

The moon in most of its phases is defective with missing parts except at full moon.  My love's face is never defective, unlike the moon. Besides, my love has no stain on her face as the moon has. Since my love's face has no defect and no stain, the stars are able to distinguish between the blotted moon and the stainless face of my love.

1118/1330. O Moon, Go, get you face fixed, washed or whatever.

மாதர் முகம் போல் ஒளி விட வல்லையேல்

காதலை வாழி மதி. 1118.

O Moon! If you can radiate and shine like the maiden's face, you would be loved (by some one). Then I will bless you.

O Moon!. If you can get a radiant shine like my love's, you will also become a girl worthy of love. At that point in time, I will offer my blessings to you both.

1119/1330. O Moon! Once you get flower eyes and radiant face, you must not appear in public.

மலர் அன்ன  கண்ணால் முகம் ஒத்தி ஆயின்

பலர் காணத் தோன்றல் மதி. 1119.

O Moon! If you become a maid with flower eyes and radiant face, you must not appear in public for all to see you.

O Moon! You have been wandering the firmament. Many souls are looking at you. First you must have eyes like my love. You must have a stainless radiant face. Stay home and stop wandering, being looked at by a zillion people.  As I enjoy my love's face and eyes, you stay home and be loved by your lover.

But you would never have eyes and radiant face like my love's. You are not going to stop strolling in the firmament. Your feet are getting callous and sore.  My love has very soft soles and cannot endure to step on flower petals and downy feathers. Thus she cannot roam around like you do in the firmament.

Verse 1120/1330. Petal and down are too hard on my love's tender feet.

அனிச்சமும் அன்னத்தின் தூவியும் மாதர்

அடிக்கு நெருஞ்சிப் பழம். 1120.

Anichcha flower petals and swan's downy feathers will hurt my love's feet like the Caltrop thorn.

The Aniccha flower petals and the swan's downy feathers are very soft, though they may hurt his love's feet like a thorn. That indicates the tender soft soles of his love's feet.

Section 113: காதற் சிறப்புரைத்தல் =  Love's Grandeur or excellence.

Lovers after union and separation have mental soliloquy. Five verses depict the male's thoughts and five those of the female.

1121/1330. Her milk-and-honey-sweet words sustain me.

பாலோடு தேன் கலந்த அற்றே பணி மொழி

வால் எயிறு ஊறிய நீர். 1121.

Her sweet words are a mix of honey and milk that spring like water from under her pure white teeth.

The welling saliva which springs and bathes her pure white teeth and which I drank during my union sustains and energizes me as milk, honey and her sweet words sustain me.

1122/1330. We are the soul and the body; we are one.

உடம்போடு உயிரிடை என்ன மற்று அன்ன

மடந்தையோடு எம்மிடை நட்பு.

My love with this belle is like the bond between the soul and the body.

Soul and body are the prime mover of life on earth. One without the other is unimaginable for a human being or any other being. Both are complementary. When the soul leaves the body on earth, it seeks another body; that is its nature. The soul that I am, seeks the body that is my love. One without the other is not complete. Animation of one without the other is impossible. The love that the soul has for the body is like the love I have for my damsel.

1123/1330 O image of my love. Leave forthwith from the pupil of my eye.

கருமணியில் பாவாய் நீ போதாய் யாம்வீழும்

திருநுதற்கு இல்லை இடம். 1123.

O image of the damsel in my pupil, go away. (Because of your appropriation of the pupilary space,) there is no place for my beloved with a beautiful forehead.

My love has the rightful place in the pupil of my eye; you, the image of my love, have no right to be there. O image of my love, may I gently say it to you: scram, scoot....

1124/1330. She is life of my life; her separation is death of my life.

வாழ்தல் உயிர்க்கு அன்னள் ஆயிழை சாதல்

அதற்கு அன்னள் நீங்கும் இடத்து.  1124.

The damsel decked in select jewels is like living for my life. On separation (from me) it is like death for my life.

1125/1330. Her virtuous qualities are unforgettable.

உள்ளுவன் மன்யான்  மறப்பின் மறப்பு அறியேன்

ஒள் அமர் கண்ணாள் குணம்.  1125

My love with radiant desirable eyes is of virtuous conduct, which though I forget is unforgettable and I always keep thinking.

1126/1330. He is such a fine dexterous lover, whom she keeps in her eyes.

கண் உள்ளில் போகார் இமைப்பின் பருவரார்

நுண்ணியர் என் காதலவர். 1126

He never enters my eye; he never sustains injury by the batting of my eyes. He is such a fine dexterous lover.

My lover abides in the interphase between my eyes and the eyelids. He is neither inside my eye nor outside my eye.  I am afraid whether I may injure him when I bat my eyelids. It is not so.  He is a very fine dexterous person.

She abided in the pupil of her eyes. He abides in the interphase between the eyes and the eyelids. The idea is that he is so precious to her that she keeps her lover in her eyes. He is so dexterous that he does not sustain injury by the batting of the eyelids. This is poetry at its best. His image is present on her corneas and the image does not sustain injury by the batting of her eyes.

1127/1330. Mascara, if worn, may hide my lover in my eyes.

கண்ணுள்ளார் காதல் அவராகக் கண்ணும்

எழுதேம் கரபாக்கு அறிந்து.  1127.

Since my lover is in my eyes, collyrium is not applied to my eyes. It is because I think it will hide him.

I keep my lover in my eyes in and out of sight. On days I am separated from him, I do not wear any eye make-up. (Her love sickness from separation prevents her from wearing the eye make-up. Even if she wears mascara, who has the privilege to see her eyes except her lover? Another concern is that the collyrium may hide him.) My lover is in my eye, my heart, my mind, my body and my soul. 

1128/1330. My lover abides in my heart and throat so I am afraid to eat hot foods.

நெஞ்சத்தார் காதல் அவர் ஆக வெய்து உண்டல்

அஞ்சுதும் வேபாக்கு அறிந்து.  1128.

My lover is ever abiding in my heart (throat) so I fear eating hot foods. It is because I think it will scald him.

நெஞ்சு = Nhenju = Heart, Mind, Conscience, bosom, throat.

Nhenju is throat and the rest. It is poetical to call it heart.

It is a common custom that the whole household waits until the man of the house comes home before they eat their evening meals, which is eaten very late in the evening, sometimes before bedtime. In a household with the couple only, the wife does not eat until her lover comes home. But she decks herself with fresh clothes and coiffure for the evening with mascara, sandalwood paste... waits for her lover to come with a string of woven flowers of  fragrant Jasmine and receives him. She immediately and deftly perches the flowers on her hair. There is no public demonstrations, such as kissing, hugging, and adulatory words such honey..., unless they are in absolute privacy away from prying eyes and live by themselves, which is not the case most of the time.

1129/1330.  I don't close my eyes for fear that my lover will disappear. Strangers wrongly accuse him of desertion.

இமைப்பின் கரப்பாக்கு அறிவல் அனைத்திற்கே

ஏதிலர் என்னும் இவ்வூர்.  1129.

I think my lover will disappear if I shut my eyes. The strangers in this place say that my lover has done me harm.

I stay awake all the time fearing that if I close my eyes, my lover will disappear. The strangers and family members wrongly think that my lover has deserted me causing me sleepless nights.

1130/1330. Townspeople know nothing (diddly-squat) about my lover.

உவந்து உறைவர் உள்ளத்துள் என்றும் இகந்து உறைவர்

ஏதிலர் என்னும் இவ்வூர். 1130.

What a heartless gossip of this townspeople. They disparage my lover as deserter, who abides in my heart with joy.

These townspeople are running amuck with rampant malicious gossip that my love, my life and my joy has deserted me, though he abides in my heart in love and happiness. The gossip is that he, having had surreptitious union with her, had abandoned her causing a grievous hurt and making her ineligible for marriage to another prospective suitor. People would regard her as a used commodity and would not want to associate with her.

It is not at all true. We have mutual love and respect. We are happy with each other. There is no question of desertion or lack of his love for me.

Section 114. நாணுத்துறவுரைத்தல் =  Abandonment of Reserve

In the previous section, the lovers had their own mental soliloquy and reminiscing, keeping their secret love under wraps. Later unable to engage in secretive union, their love transcended public scrutiny. Leaving aside the society-imposed modesty, they moved together in public view expressing their love for each other. This section deals with that stage in the saga of their love.

1131/1330. Having enjoyed premarital sex and suffering loss of consortium, the only comfort a boy has riding a Madal.

காமம் உழந்து வருந்தினார்க்கு ஏமம்

மடல் அல்லது இல்லை வலி.  1131.

Having experienced premarital sexual relationship, the separation is agonizing to the lover whose only comfort is riding a Madal (மடல்)

 In the days gone by, when the lovers are discovered, the parents urgently make arrangements to sanctify the relationship with marriage. If marriage is not possible for any reason, the boy is subjected to a ride on a wooden horse decorated with palm leaves, which makes the town know the secret love affair of the boy. The headmen of the town discreetly find out from the boy who the girl is and arrange marriage with the consent of the girl's parents. Riding the Madal is also an expression of regret and willingness to marry the girl.

மடல் = A wooden horse made of palmyra stems on which a thwarted lover mounts to proclaim his grief and win his love.

மடலூர்தல் = To ride a horse of palmyra stems, as a disappointed lover to win the girl of his love.

1132/1330. My soul and my body desires to ride the Madal and marry the girl.

நோனா உடம்பும் உயிரும் மடல் ஏறும்

நாணினை நீக்கி நிறுத்து. 1132.

Unable to suffer separation (from love sickness), my body and my soul leaving aside the shame (of discovery) want to ride the Madal (wooden Palmyra horse).

My body and my soul cannot bear the separation from my love, though I have been discovered. I am going to leave aside the shame and take advisement from body and soul, which say, "take the ride on Madal and marry the girl."

1133/1330. I am guilty of immodesty and lechery, ready to ride the wooden Palmyra horse.

நாணோடு நல்லாண்மை படு உடையேன் இன்று உடையேன்

காமுற்றார் ஏறும் மடல்.

Before I had modesty and manliness; today I joined the lecherous company ready to ride the Madal.

To me modesty and manliness are the things of the past. Today I am a shameless lecher ready to ride the Madal. If only my love's parents have consented for marriage, I would not be in this position. Her parents do not see a prospective son-in-law in me. My self-respect and self-image are in tatters. What am I going to do except ride the Madal? It has become a certainty for me.

1134/1330. Crossing the rapids of passion to reach the shore is impossible.

காமக் கடும்புனல் உய்க்குமே நாணோடு

நல்லாண்மை என்னும் புணை.

Could the raft of modesty and manliness help me cross the rapids of love and take me to the shore?

Modesty and manliness are the raft. The rapids of passion and love are ferocious. The raft of modesty and manliness is damaged and leaky.  I cannot cross the rapids with a leaky raft, because I will certainly drown and die. So I am left with no choice but to ride the Madal, the Palmyra horse.

1135/1330. My sweet gave me gifts of misery of lonely evenings and a prospect of a ride on the wooden horse.

தொடலைக் குறுந்தொடி தந்தாள் மடலோடு

மாலை உழக்கும் துயர். 1135.

A swirl of misery on lonely evenings and a ride on the Madal are the gifts from the belle with jeweled girdle and beautiful bangles.

I am in a swirl of misery in the evenings because I am afflicted with love sickness and worry about riding the Palmyra horse.  Lonely Evenings and hazy nights afflict me acutely because I do not have my love by my side. Her absence makes me brood on the humiliating looming ride on the wooden horse. I miss hearing the jingles of her bangles on her beautiful wrists and seeing the flashing jeweled girdle around her slender waist.

1136/1330.  My lot is that I don't get a wink of sleep on account of my sweetheart. Riding the wooden horse occupies my nightmarish thoughts.

மடலூர்தல் யாமத்தும்  உள்ளுவேன் மன்ற

படல் ஒல்லா பேதைக்கு என் கண்.  1136.

Because of the maiden, my eyes do not close. In the middle of the night, I keep thinking of ride on the wooden Palmyra horse.

1137/1330. It is noble that a girl does not ride a wooden horse.

கடல் அன்ன காமம் உழந்தம் மடல் ஏறாப்

பெண்ணின் பெருந்தக்கது இல். 1137.

Though I suffer oceanic love-misery, there is no greater noble-mindedness than a maiden who does not ride the wooden horse.

The lover regrets to note that he succumbed to love and the maiden would have had greater control over her impulses. The Girls, the lover thinks, have a greater control over the sexual impulses than boys have. Having succumbed to love, I am forced to ride the Madal. 

Now we will find out what a girl thinks about abandoning the reserve as compared to the boy, as she entertains mental soliloquy.

1138/1330. Love sickness out of the closet and on the streets.

நிறை அரியர் மன் அரியர் என்னாது காமம்

மறை இறந்து மன்றுபடும். 1138.

The Girl thinks as follows. My love sickness has come out of hiding, though the girls are supposed to have a higher restraint over their passion and are capable of compassion.

This love sickness of mine has been in hiding in my mind and now has come out in the open for everyone to know, causing me shame and distress. My reputation is in tatters in the house among my family members and on the streets among the public.

1139/1330. Love drives me mad.

அறிகிலார் எல்லாரும் என்றே என் காமம்

மறுகின் மறுகும் மருண்டு. 1139

As if the people on the street were not in the know, my passion makes me go to the streets, look here and there and appear as if I were seized by madness.

My love sickness makes me to go the streets and look for my lover, hoping he will show up.

1140/1330. Laughter is cheap if you don't know what love is.

யாம் கண்ணிற் காண நகுப அறிவில்லார்

யாம் பட்ட தாம் படா ஆறு. 1140.

On account of having not suffered love sickness and distress, the unafflicted ignoramuses laugh at me right before my eyes.

Section 115. அலர் அறிவுறுத்தல். Rumor Mongering.

The townspeople engage in rumors and derision upon seeing what is perceived as the immodest couple, who come to know of the gossip-mongering public. Five verses are the voice of the boy and five are the girl's.

1141/1330. Barring rumors, my life is steady.

அலர் எழ ஆருயிர் நிற்கும் அதனைப்

பால் அறியார் பாக்கியத்தால். 1141.

As the rumors rise and spread, my life stands steady. By Grace, many do not know that fact.

I know that there is a rumor going around about me and the girl. I kept wondering whether the girl has forgotten me after our surreptitious trysts have ended. I even thought I will end my life if I do not rejoin her. The rumor that she goes out in the streets like a crazed person, abandoning her modesty and looking for me is good news to me. My thoughts of suicide on failure to rejoin her are unknown to the townspeople, which makes me very happy indeed. All the news about me and my sweetheart are out on the streets; there is nothing more for them to know.

1142/1330. This town has cast derision one, not knowing the excellent qualities of my sweetheart.

மலர் அன்ன கண்ணாள் அருமை அறியாது

அலர் எமக்கு ஈந்தது இவ்வூர்.  1142.

Not knowing  the excellent qualities of my sweetheart with flower-like eyes, this town has cast derision on me.

1143/1330. This gossip has done me right because I feel I attained what I intended to get.

உறாதோ ஊர் அறிந்த கெளவை அதனைப்

பெறாது பெற்ற அன்ன நீர்த்து. 1143.

The deriding speech of the town's gossip makes me feel as if I gained what otherwise is unattainable. Is the gossip unfair?

This gossip has done me right because I feel I attained what I intended to get.

1144/1330. Deriding gossip made my love invigorating.

கவ்வையால் கவ்விது காமம் அது இன்றேல்

தவ் என்னும் தன்மை இழந்து. 1144.

The deriding gossip grew my love; without it, its nature would have waned and become bland.

Despite our love came into the public view and scrutiny, it thrived and flourished; otherwise its nature would be lost and become insipid.

1145/1330. Love is inebriating.

களித்தோறும் கள் உண்டல் வேட்ட அற்றால் காமம்

வெளிப்படும் தோறும் இனிது.  1145.

As inebriation with the liquor increases one's craving for more, so does passion revealed by gossip increases desire and sweetness.

Liquor induces inebriation, which feeds on more liquor feeding on more inebriation. The experience of inebriation induces desire for liquor. Any gossip about his drunkenness does not diminish or abolish his drinking, but his love for liquor increases. More he imbibes, more he gets high; higher he gets, more he drinks.

So is love and passion, which once experienced enhances the desire for more of the same. As the town gets thicker with gossip, my love for my sweetheart thickens and gives me greater and greater pleasure. I welcome this gossip, which whetted my love for my sweetheart.

1146/1330. One embrace too many: the gossip that swallowed the town as the mythical snake swallows the moon on eclipse.

கண்டது மன்னும் ஒரு நாள் அலர் மன்னும்

திங்களை பாம்பு கொண்ட அற்று.  1146.

I embraced my love only once. Yet the gossip is as if the moon was being swallowed by the mythical snake.

I united with my love only once. What of it?  The eclipse of the moon happens once a month and the enveloping dark night falls as the mythical snake RAhu swallows the moon. That is the dark night of lunar eclipse. One encounter is all that took for the derisive gossip to seize and swallow the town as Rahu does to the moon.

1147/1330. My love sickness grows on the manure of public scandal and water of harsh words of my mother.

ஊரவர் கெளவை எருவாக அன்னை சொல்

நீராக நீளும் இந் நோய். 1147.

The town gossip is the manure; mother's words are the water; thus this disease grows.

My love sickness derives its nutrition from the manure of town gossip and the water from my mother's harsh words.

Look girl!, I can't go out without someone talking about your love affair with that boy. I had it with you. How could you do this to us?  People in the bazaar make snide remarks; some say things right on my face; some giggle; some look at me with side glances and quizzical eyes. My body, mind and soul cringe every time some one walks up to me. I am always afraid that they will say something about you. Our family reputation is in the mud. How could I ever find a bridegroom for your sister or for that matter your brothers?  We are doomed. Our reputation is dragged down on the streets. You earned us the name of a family of  loose moral values.

1148/1330. Extinguishing my love with rumor is like killing the fire with clarified butter.

நெய்யால் எரி நுதுப்பேம் என்ற அற்றால் கெளவையால்

காமம் நுதுப்பேம் எனல்.

Extinguishing my love with gossip is like extinguishing the fire with clarified butter.

Derision and gossip will not extinguish my love for my lover. It is like saying that one could extinguish fire with clarified butter (gasoline in modern times). To this day all Hindu ritual fires are fed by clarified butter ranging from marriage ceremony to funeral ceremony. There is no ceremony in Hindu religion without the use of fire. Butter is the food of gods.

1149/1330. Calumny does not cause any fear in me.

அலர் நாண ஒல்வதோ அஞ்சல் ஒம்பு என்றால்

பலர் நாண நீத்தக் கடை. 1149.

"Give up fear," so he said. . My lover has remained aloof when I am subjected to public derisive gossip. Why should it cause any fear in me? (No, It doesn't.)

My lover told me once, "no matter what others say, I am here for you. Do not give in to fear."  My lover, having said that, remains away from me when I am the subject of public derision and rumor. Should I fear this gossip and calumny? ( I will not succumb to them.) The girl comforts herself as follows: "My lover having given such assurances is trying right now to get in touch with me. I am not concerned. I will remain steady. He will certainly come looking for me."

1150/1330. My lover will show up any time. The more they pile on me the rumors, the more he will attempt to reach me.

தாம் வேண்டின் நல்குவர் காதலர் யாம் வேண்டும்

கெளவை எடுக்கும் இவ் வூர். 1150.

My lover will offer me help when he desires to do so. Let this townspeople continue to engage in derisive rumor to my liking.

This is what the girl says to herself. The reason why she is beginning to like the rumor is that as its intensity rises so will the attempt on the part of her lover increase to reach her. To her it sounds beneficial that the townspeople increasingly engage in derisive rumor.

End of களவியல் = Surreptitious Love.

Division.  கற்பியல்: Monogamous Marital Bliss.

Section 116 பிரிவாற்றாமை = Pangs of Separation.

The couple are married and live a life of marital bliss. But the husband has to leave home on account of his job. This section deals with the pangs of separation as the husband says, goodbye.

1151/1330. Goodbye precipitates separation anxiety.

செல்லாமை உண்டேல் எனக்கு உரை மற்றும் நின்

வல்வரவு வழ்வார்க்கு உரை. 1151.

Tell me if you are not going somewhere; if not, talk of your imminent return to my survivors.

1152/1330. Fear of separation.

இன் கண் உடைத்த அவர் பார்வல் பிரிவஞ்சும்

புன்கண் உடைத்து புணர்வு. 1152

His countenance gives me delight; the fear of separation gives me sadness.

1153/1330 His separation makes me lose my courage and composure.

அரிதரோ தேற்றம் அறிவுடையார் கண்ணும்

பிரிவோர் இடத்து உண்மை காண்.  1153.

On account of the true love for the departing husband, even the intelligent wife cannot be courageous and contain her distress.

1154/1330. Fear of separation overwhelms her.

அளித்து அஞ்சல் என்றவர் நீப்பின் தெளித்த சொல்

தேறியார்க்கு உண்டோ தவறு. 1154.

What blame do I have, if I, trusting his words of reassurance against fear, challenge him for leaving me (for the sake of the job).

1155/1330 I cannot concur with his decision to leave.

ஓம்பின் அமைந்தார் பிரிவு ஒம்பல் மற்று அவர்

நீங்கின் அரிதால் புணர்வு. 1155.

I must prevent departure of my husband who promised security for me. If he were to leave, I cannot consent, comply and concur.

1156/1330. His departure is imminent.

பிரிவு உரைக்கும் வன் கண்ணர் ஆயின் அரிது அவர்

நல்குவர் என்னும் நசை. 1156.

If he were to have a strong will in announcing his departure, I must give up the notion that he will stay his departure in deference to my wishes.

1157/1330.  Loose bangles  jingle announcing lover's departure.

துறைவன் துறந்தமை தூற்றா கொல் முன்கை

இறை இறவா நின்ற வளை. 1157.

O Bangles, You have slid down my forearms to the creases on my wrists, threaten to swirl out of my hands and jingle announcing to the townspeople of the departure of my husband.

This is one of the moving verses that Valluvar composed.  The bangles on the forearm were tight before; because of her lover's departure, she lost weight and thus the bangles lost their hold and slid down beyond the creases of her wrists, making a jingle from the loose fit, which is announcing the departure of her lover to the gossip-prone townspeople.

1158/1330. Separation cause misery in me.

இன்னாது இனன் இல் ஊர் வாழ்தல் அதனினும்

இன்னாது இனியார்ப் பிரிவு. 1158.

It is a misery to live in a town without relatives. It is more miserable to live separated from my sweetheart.

1159/1330. Lovesickness burns upon removal of touch unlike the fire.

தொடில் சுடின் அல்லது காமநோய் போல

விடில்சுடல் ஆற்றுமோ தீ. 1159.

Fire burns only upon touch; lovesickness burns upon removal.

Fire burns on touch. Lovesickness does not burn as long as the couple are in touch; once the touch is sundered, lovesickness burns. What a paradox.

1160/1330. Separation will come to an end.

அரிது ஆற்றி அல்லல் நோய் நீக்கிப் புரிவு ஆற்றி

பின் இருந்து வாழ்வார் பலர்.  1160

Having tried hard to tolerate the misery of lovesickness on account of separation, many live happily ever after.

Section 117. படர்மெலிந்திரங்கல் = Languishing and Languor

படர் = Sorrow .  மெலிந்து =  to become weak and thin   . இரங்கல் = Weeping, crying; Lady's bemoaning her lover's absence.

Sorrow has taken over the girl; she hasn't been eating well since her husband left her on job and so became thin and weak. She sits there crying all day long. Separation of husbands happens to many newlyweds on account of job, military assignments... as happening at present in USA and elsewhere in the world (Oct/2008). The wife puts up with the separation, pines away her days and nights in memory, suppress and sublimate her natural yearnings. The wife in our saga consoles herself by saying that his return will be a reward, worth waiting for.

1161/1330. Lovesickness is a never-ending gushing stream.

மறைப்பேன் யான் இஃதோ நோயை  இறைப்பவர்க்கு

ஊற்று நீர் போல மிகும். 1161

I will hide my lovesickness, which is like a stream; the more I draw, more it gushes.

Lovesickness is a gushing stream which never seems to abate and dry up though I keep on drawing.

1162/1330. I am too basheul to send my lover a message of my lovesickness.

கரத்தலும் ஆற்றேன் இந் நோயை நோய் செய்தார்க்கு

உரைத்தலும் நாணும் தரும்.

I am unable to contain this lovesickness. I am too bashful to intimate this message to my lover who caused my sickness.

How can I, being a girl, admit my lovesickness and send a message to my lover that I am wasting away for want of love from him? Even when he stays close to me, I feel bashful to announce my desire to him. I am limited by virtue of being a girl  and so express my desires by sidelong looks, by touch, by a smile only he knows what it means, by giving him lukewarm milk at bedtime, by grazing him, by giving him pan, sweets... He, being a man, sweeps me off my feet and holds me in embrace.

1163/1330. Lovesickness and modesty are the two burdens that weigh equally on my life.

காமமும் நாணும் உயிர்காவ தூங்கும் என்

நோனா உடம்பின் அகத்து.  1163.

My unbearable lovesickness and my modesty in my body and mind are hanging like weights at the ends of the pole of my life.

Lovesickness and modesty are of equal weight hanging at the end of the bending pole of my life, which at any time can break from the heaviness of the weights. I am stuck between a rock and hard place (as the English idiom goes). My life is bent, stressed, and  creaking; it can at any time simply break.

1164/1330. Love is a ocean that needs a raft of a lover to reach the shore.

காம கடல் மன்னும் உண்டே அது நீந்தும்

ஏமப்புணை மன்னும் இல். 1164.

Love and passion is like the vast ocean; but I do not have the raft to traverse it and reach the shore.

My lover is the raft I ply in the ocean of love and passion to reach the shore.

1165/1330. His love causes me grief. What if he is unloving?

துப்பின் எவன் ஆவர் மன் கொல் துயர் வரவு

நட்பினுள் ஆற்றுபவர். 1165.

My lover's friendship causes me so much grief. If he is hostile, what will he be?

My lover's friendship causes me so much grief in his absence. What if he is unloving?

1166/1330. Joyous love is big; sorrow with no love is bigger.

இன்பம் கடல் மற்று காமம் அஃது அடங்கால்

துன்பம் அதநிற் பெரிது. 1166.

Joy that comes with love is as expansive as the ocean. If the love does not find expression, the sorrow that comes with it is larger than the ocean.

காமம் = KAmam = sexual pleasure.

1167/1330. I see no shore in this ocean of love.

காமக் கடும்புனல் நீந்தி கரை காணேன்

யாமத்தும் யானே இளன். 1167.

Swimming in this expansive ocean of love, I see no shore in these dark nights of loneliness.

1168/1330. Night spends sleepless nights with no companionship.

மன் உயிர் எல்லாம் துயிற்றி அளித்து இரா

என் அல்லத் இல்லை துணை. 1167

O Night! You make all creatures of the world go to sleep and rest but you say night is not for you and stay awake without companionship.

1169/1330. Long and slow nights without my lover are tyranny.

கொடியார் கொடுமையின் தாம் கொடிய இந்நாள்

நெடிய கழியும் இரா. 1169.

The nights, moving slow, cause me greater tyranny than that of my lover.

Absence of my lover prolongs the nights. These nights drag on for ever. The the long and slow nights are more tyrannical than the tyranny of absence of my lover. 

1170/1330. If only my eyes go the way of my mind, there will no tears.

உள்ளம் போன்று வழிச் செல்கின்பின் வெள்ள நீர்

நீத்தல் என்னோ என் கண். 1169.

If my eyes goes the way my mind goes, they would not be swimming in the flood of tears.

My mind goes seeking my lover and gets some comfort in his company. If my eyes go the way of my mind, there will not be such a torrential flood of tears gushing forth from my eyes.

118. கண் விதுப்புதல். Blurred eyes from wistful gazing

1171/1330. O Eyes, You showed him to me and caused this lovesickness. Why then are you weeping?

கண் தாம் கலுழ்வது எவன் கொலோ தண்டா நோய்

தாம் காட்ட யாம் கண்டது. 1171.

O Eyes! You caused this intractable disease I suffer, because you showed him to me. Why then are you weeping?

O Eyes, you caused the love sickness in me. You showed him to me and thus I fell in love with him. That being you fault, why then are you weeping?.

1172/1330. Lovesickness: Foolish eyes fell in love and now they cry upon his departure.

தெரிந்து உணரா நோக்கிய உண் கண் பரிந்து உணரா

பைதல் உழைப்பது எவன்? 1172

Without deliberation, desire-driven and collyrium-laden eyes fell in love with my lover, now intercedes on his behalf and suffers misery.

The eyes without deliberation fell in love with my lover not considering that he may leave you at any moment. The same eyes cry in pain and misery now that he is not here anymore.

1173/1330. Lovesickness: Befooled crying eyes draw derision.

கதுமென தாம் நோக்கித் தாமே கலுழும்

இது நகத்தக்க துடைத்து. 1173

The eyes fell in love with him the instant they saw him. Now the suddenly crying eyes draw derision.

1174/1330. Lovesickness: Eye dry from lack of tears.

பெயல் ஆற்றா நீர் உலந்த உப் கண் உயல் அற்றா

உய்வு இல் நோய் என் கண் நிறுத்து. 1174.

Having caused constant misery, these collyrium-laden eyes have become dry, unable to shed any more tears.

1175/1330. Lovesickness: vaster as ocean and sleepless eyes in distress.

படல் அற்றா பைதல் உழக்கும் கடல் ஆற்றாக்

காமனோய் செய்த என் கண்.1175

My eyes that caused lovesickness incomparable in size even to the ocean stays open without sleep and languishes in distress.

1176/1330. Sweetness in distress.

ஓஓ  இனிதே எமக்கு இந்நோய் செய்த கண்

தாஅம் இதன் பட்டது. 1176.

How sweet it is that the eyes that caused me unhappiness are in distress!

1177/1330. Eyes in love and longing go dry.

உழந்து உழந்து உள்நீர் அறுக விழைந்து இழைந்து

வேண்டி அவர்கண்ட கண். 1177.

Let the eyes that saw him in love and longing go dry from shedding tears.

 1178/1330. My lover is elsewhere. Pining eyes, no tranquility. What stupidity!.

பேணாது பெட்டார் உளர் மன்னோ மற்று அவர்க்

காணாது கண் அமைவு இல. 1178/1330

He having made love to me without real love is living elsewhere. My eyes not seeing him are pining for him without peace. What stupidity!

1179/1330 My eyes do not go to sleep whether he is with me or not. Thus, it causes distress to me.

வாராக்கால் துஞ்சா வரின் துஞ்சா ஆயிடை

ஆர் அஞர் உற்றன கண். 1179/1330

When my lover is not here, my eyes do not go to sleep; If he is here, the eyes do not go to sleep. Thus, my eyes  cause me unhappiness all the time.

1180/1330.My eyes are the doorway for the townspeople to see my lovesickness.

மறை பெறல் ஊரார்க்கு அரிது அன்று எம்போல்

பறை அறை கண்ணார் அகத்து.  1180/1330

It is not difficult for the townspeople to know the secrets of my heart from my revealing eyes (which announce my distress).

Section 119  Verses 1181-1190  பசப்பு பருவரல் Separation-pallor.

The lovers, when separated, suffer a kind of pallor peculiar to the languishing woman. The skin becomes pallid revealing the underlying undertones of her complexion. You have to see it to know it. The woman fusses over the pallor afflicting her. She soliloquizes to herself about her predicament.

1181/1330. To whom could I tell the pallor of separation?

நயந்தவர்க்கு நல்காமை நேர்ந்தேன்  பசந்த என்

பண்பு யார்க்கு உரைக்கோ பிற. 1181

I am unable to tell my beloved lover the change in my complexion. To whom else could I tell?

1182/1330. The separation-pallor is afflicting my body with great pride.

அவர் தந்தார் என்னும் தகையால் இவர் தந்து என்

மேனி மேல் ஊரும் பசப்பு. 1182.

The separation-pallor, created by my lover, reigns over me with great pride, and having spread all over rides on my body.

1183/1330. My beauty and modesty are afflicted by lovesickness.

சாயலும் நாணும் அவர் கொண்டார் கைம்மாறா

நோயும் பசலையும் தந்து. 1183.

Having given me distress and separation-pallor and in exchange, my lover has taken away my beauty and modesty.

1184/1330. My lover is on my mind and speech. Could this pallor be a deception?

உள்ளுவன் யான் உரைப்பது அவர் திறம் ஆல்

கள்ளம் பிறலோ பசப்பு. 1184.

I am thinking of my lover; I talk about him; that being so, could the separation-pallor be a deception?

1185/1330. My lover goes there; my body suffers pallor here.

உவக்காண் எம் காதலர் செல்வார் இவக்காண் என்

மேனி பசப்பு ஊர்வது.1185.

My lover goes there; my body suffers pallor here.

1186/1330. Pallor is Darkness.

விளக்கு அற்றம் பார்க்கும் இருளே போல் கோண்கன்

முயக்கு அற்றம் பார்க்கும் பசப்பு. 1186/1330

As darkness looks out for the lamp to leave, so does the pallor wait for the embrace of my lover to leave.

1187/1330. Pallor took the place of embrace of my body by my lover.

புல்லி கிடந்தேன் புடை பெயர்ந்தேன் அவ்வளவில்

அள்ளிக் கொள்வற்றே பசப்பு. 1187.

I was lying in embrace of my  lover; I was to leave it; then pallor picked my body.

1188/1330. They see pallor and yet don't admit my lover's separation.

பசந்தாள் இவள் என்பது அல்லாள் இவளைத்

துறந்தார் அவர் என்பார் இல். 1188.

She is in a state of separation-pallor, so they say. No one tells that my lover left me.

1189/1330. My lover's wellbeing is comforting though body pallor invites derision.

பசக்க மன் பட்டாங்கு என் மேனி நயப்பித்தவர்

நல் நிலையார் ஆவர் எனின். 1189.

 Considering my lover remains in good condition, having induced love in me and having separated from me, it is alright the body pallor from lovesickness invites derision.

1190/1330. Let them talk about my pallor as long as my lover's absence does not invite derision.

பசப்பு என பேர் பெறுதல் நன்றே நயப்பித்தார்

நல்காமைதூர்றார் எனின். 1190.

It will suffice if my lover's absence invites no derision. It is alright if the talk is on my pallor.

1191/1330.