What the Heroine Said to The Hero

This is song number six of Aganaanooru, written by Paranar, a noted and respected poet of the Sangam era.

The setting of the song is in Marutham thinai, or the agricultural land.

This song again talks about the town called Uranthai, which today goes by the name Uraiyur.

Uraiyur was the ancient capital city of Cholas, situated on the banks of the river Kaveri.

River Photo by Dan Roizer on Unsplash

There lived a couple with their son. The hero of this poem was a womanizer who met other women.

He comes back after spending some time with his lovers.

He speaks with enticing words to his wife, addressing her as the mother of his son.

And he tries to win her over by saying that some pallor was on her face.

To this, the woman replies,

Yesterday, you spent time with your lover, who was wearing bright bangles, earrings, and garlands made of fragrant flowers that crushed on your chest.

Your face was very happy, like an elephant that sported in the ponds.’

Here, she is alluding to the fact that they spent time together in a waterbody.

‘You were indulging in the city of Uranthai or Uraiyur, which is ruled by the Chola king Thitthan, who has a daughter by the name of Aiyai. Aiyai’s hands were like bamboo stems, and she was wearing jingling anklets and garlands woven with white water lilies.’

‘It is difficult to cross the river Kaveri with a bamboo stick when it is in spate.’

‘And you are now coming back to me and wooing me with words full of love and feigned care.’

‘You are insulting my age and maturity. My youth is long gone, and I have become wiser.’

‘Like the otter that eats the vaalai fish in stagnant water, my youth has long left me, unnoticed by others.’

The stagnant pond refers to the finite time a man can live. If the water body had been depicted as flowing, it might have meant infinity.

So, the youth had to vanish, and it was hunted down under water by the otter, where it was not witnessed by the outside world.

Likewise, the heroine alludes that her limited life span is almost over and she has lost her youth and says that she will not fall for his praises anymore.

Now I have become wiser to fall for your false words of praise.

The song is given hereunder

அரி பெய் சிலம்பின் ஆம்பல் அம் தொடலை அரம் போழ் அவ் வளைப் பொலிந்த முன்கை, இழை அணி பணைத்தோள், ஐயை தந்தை, மழை வளம் தரூஉம் மா வண் தித்தன், பிண்ட நெல்லின் உறந்தை ஆங்கண், 5 கழை நிலை பெறாஅக் காவிரி நீத்தம், குழை மாண் ஒள்ளிழை நீ வெய்யோளொடு, வேழ வெண்புணை தழீஇப் பூழியர் கயம் நாடு யானையின் முகன் அமர்ந்து ஆங்கு, ஏந்து எழில் ஆகத்து பூந்தார் குழைய 10 நெருநல் ஆடினை புனலே இன்று வந்து ஆக வன முலை அரும்பிய சுணங்கின், மாசு இல் கற்பின் புதல்வன் தாய் என மாயப் பொய்ம்மொழி சாயினை பயிற்றி, எம் முதுமை எள்ளல் அஃது அமைகும் தில்ல, 15 சுடர்ப் பூந்தாமரை நீர் முதிர் பழனத்து அம் தூம்பு வள்ளை ஆய் கொடி மயக்கி, வாளை மேய்ந்த வள் எயிற்று நீர்நாய் முள்ளரைப் பிரம்பின் மூதரில் செறியும் பல் வேல் மத்தி கழாஅர் அன்ன எம் 20 இளமை சென்று தவத் தொல்லஃதே, இனிமை எவன் செய்வது, பொய்ம்மொழி எமக்கே? 22