The River Speaks

by Elizabeth Rani Segran

  ‘The Lustrous One’—Velli (Venus); ‘the Bull’—Erriyal (Taurus)

  Line 10

  ‘the Earth’s Son’—Cevvay (Mars).

  Line 11

  ‘the One that gives knowledge’—Punti (Mercury); ‘the Twins’—Gemini.

  Line 15

  ‘the Sage’—Jupiter.

  Line 17

  ‘the One Who Walks Slowly’—Saturn.

  Line 18

  ‘the brother of Yama, the Lord of Death’—Saturn.

  Line 20

  ‘the Archer’—Sagittarius.

  Line 21

  ‘The Snake’—Iraku or Rahu—the ascending node of the moon, believed to have the form of a snake which devours the moon, causing an eclipse to occur. The descending node of the moon is called Ketu.

  Lines 9–22

  On the day when the lustrous Venus meets Taurus, Mars meets Aries, Mercury meets Gemini, with the Pleiades constellation at its zenith early in the morning, with Jupiter going beyond Capricorn and Aquarius—the two houses of Saturn—and as Saturn who has Yama as his elder brother reaches Capricorn which is beyond Sagittarius, and when Iraku hides the moon … By this is indicated the full moon day corresponding to the star Avitta [the Dolphin constellation] in the month of avani [the fifth month of the Tamil calendar]. Thus, we understand that the moon and Iraku reside in Capricorn while Ketu is situated in the seventh house, viz., Cancer. [In the above lines it is said that] when the planets reside in their zodiacal houses as described on the day corresponding to the star Avitta in the month of avani, the Snake seizes the full moon. (Pari. 11:4–10)

  Lines 23–25

  ‘The Sage of Potikai’—the star Canopus, of which Akattiya is the sage. He is said to reside in the Potikai hills (a mountain in the land of the Pantiyas).

  the star Akattiyan leaving its zenith and reaching Mitunam [Gemini] (Pari. 11:11–12)

  Line 28

  ‘the high mountain’—The poem uses the phrase puraikelu caiyam, which Pari. glosses as:

  rains in the high caiyam mountain (Pari. 11:12–14)

  This is not clear to us. Used as a proper noun, caiyam in Tamil literature generally refers to the mountain that is the source of the river Kaviri (Cauvery). In our translation, we understood the word as a common noun, meaning ‘mountain’.

  Lines 31–39

  These lines describe the various trees and flowers carried by the river; ‘blooming water lilies’—o22ilam. See, for a comparison, Paripāṭal XII:7–14.

  Line 44

  Tirumarutamunturai—the bathing area of the Vaiyai; see, for a comparison, Paripāṭal VII:159, XXII:76, Compilation:136.

  Lines 1–60

  The heroine’s companion, happy at the prospect of the heroine’s marriage, praises the Vaiyai by saying all this. In the following, she quotes other onlookers (Pari. 11:24–28)

  Lines 70–71

  The moon as food for the celestials—see, for a comparison, Paripāṭal X:134.

  Lines 74–78

  Referring to the river as ‘you who have come from afar, etc.’ alludes to the river’s magnanimity by hinting that the river flows to benefit others, unmindful of its own suffering (Coma. 11:31–40)

  Lines 77–78

  Swaminatha Aiyar’s edition of the text reads nin yanar iru nal pera: [for the world] to receive (pera) your wealth (nin yanar) in both seasons (iru nal). The commentator says,

  For the world to benefit from your wealth not only when you flow bountifully [that is, during the rainy season] but also when your flow recedes [that is, during the summer] (Pari. 11:31–40)

  Based on this, Coma. suggests that the correct version of the text should be iru nal—dry season; that is,

  O Vaiyai!

  you who have come from afar

  flowing over mountain slopes

  for the world to receive your wealth

  in the dry season

  Lines 83–84

  ‘abandoning their clandestine love’—the text reads kaman kalavittu, which Pari. glosses as

  forsaking clandestine love distinguished by the pleasure of lovemaking (Pari. 11:31–40)

  ‘wedlock, that lowlier phase in life’—the text reads kaikol karpurrena, which is glossed as

  to take on marital fidelity which is lower (Pari. 11:31–40)

  Here, the poem refers to kalavu (premarital) clandestine love and karpu, marital fidelity. The former is often praised as a situation unique to Tamil culture. For instance, in his notes on the Paripāṭal, Swaminatha Aiyar writes,

  The discussion of poetics is unique to Tamil grammar, and within Tamil poetics, the treatment of kalavu is unique. This can be seen from the following examples: the poet Kapilar, who takes it upon himself to educate the Aryan king Pirakattan on the nuances of Tamil, sang the Kuriñcippattu—a poem which speaks about the clandestine union between lovers. The relationship between Tamil and clandestine love can be understood further upon studying the Civaka Cintamani, and Naccinarkkiniyar’s commentary of this text. There, Naccinarkkiniyar glosses inramiliyarkaiyinpam [the natural pleasure of sweet Tamil] as iniya tamil kuriya iyarkaippunarcciyakiya inpam [the pleasure from natural 13 union spoken of by sweet Tamil]. Similarly, in the commentary on Kalaviyal, it is said ‘The name Kalaviyal obtains from its [kalavu’s] pre-eminence. How so? It is the intention of this author to declare that between the two kinds of conduct observed between lovers, viz., kalavu and karpu, kalavu is superior.’

  The ninth Paripāṭal poem declares this in more explicit terms.

  O you men wise in the unwritten speech!

  You who illustrate the glory of the four Vedas

  reciting them tunefully!

  Listen to that which is superior.

  Amongst desires, it is that that which is fuelled by love—

  sexual union between those united by their love.

  (Paripāṭal IX:12–15)

  Commenting on these lines, Coma. writes,

  [by addressing those who recite Vedas] the poem refers to those wise in the Northern tongue—a language not distinguished by poetics. Since Vedic recitation is distinguished by the mode of chanting, he [the poet] says ‘reciting them tunefully’; ‘unwritten speech’ refers to the Veda. ‘Wise in the Vedas’ is implied. The idea is, ‘Since your language does not have this superior aspect, listen to my words.’ Best among sexual desires is the desire which accompanies love. Desire without love includes kaikkilai [infatuation for a girl who is still unaware of her sexuality], peruntinai [love which violates rules dictated by custom], the false embraces of women who seek wealth, etc. These are called kamakkamam [those that spring from sexual desire alone] (Coma. 9:12–15)

  Lines 81–90

  The Vaiyai is compared to a woman who is now married and observes chastity.

  O Vaiyai! Like those women beautiful as peacocks who were united with their lovers in secret; and who now have given it up favouring that lowly state of chastity, it is a disgrace for you to leave your birthplace, the mountains, and go by yourself to your hero’s home, the sea (Pari. 11:41–44)

  While it is appropriate for women to elope with their husbands, it does not befit a woman to go alone to her husband’s home (Coma. 11:41–49)

  Lines 91–96

  This is a common description in caṉkam poetry. The lovers elope and the woman’s family confronts them in the wastelands (curam).

  Lines 103–04

  The swords and lances are made from pith, etc. (Pari. 11:50)

  Lines 109–11

  [They muddy the waters] by leading these animals into the swirling waters (Pari. 11:52–53)

  Lines 123–24

  ‘the one who captures horses’—a reference to the Pāṇṭiyaṉ king.

  Lines 101–24

  The above lines describe the festivities during the rainy season [that is, the months of avani and Purattaci]. In the following, early summer [that is, the months of Cittirai and Vaikaci] will be described (Pari. 11:54–59)

  Line 126


  ‘breasts like mountains’—the text uses the phrase varai akam (mountain chest). We read it as an elliptical compound where the sign of comparison is implied. Coma. proposes an alternative reading: ‘breasts with figures drawn on them’ (Coma. 11:62–71).

  In this case, the phrase varai akam is to be understood as an elliptical compound with varai being the verbal root (‘to draw’).

  Lines 133–35

  Making love like the Nakas [a class of celestial beings] who have accrued merit, owing to their virtuous deeds (Pari. 11:62–71)

  These lines convey the idea that men and women on the riverfront enjoy pleasure worthy of celestial beings. Naka—likely from the Sanskrit naka, which means heaven.

  Lines 131–39

  thus showing that this river [the Vaiyai] is a place where pleasure is derived from all five sensory perceptions (Pari. 11:62–71)

  Lines 140–43

  These lines also convey the meaning that the men and women riding boats on the Vaiyai resemble the celestial beings riding chariots in the sky.

  Lines 144–46

  In lines 121–22, the muddy river is compared to a battlefield while lines 140–43 imply that the waters of the river are clear. These lines clarify this apparent contradiction. See also, the annotation for lines 101–24.

  Lines 151–56

  Pari. identifies Pirkulam with Markali, a lunar month in the Hindu calendar.

  [When] the rainclouds no longer resound with thunder, during early winter, when the sun does not scorch and when [the world] shivers in cold, in Markali, the month of the last rains, on the day of Tiruvatirai when the moon is large with its blemish … Since Atittan [the Sun] resides in Puttatam [lit. flower-pond], Tiruvatirai being a full moon day, he [the poet] refers to the month Markali when this happens as Kulam [lit. pond] (Pari. 11:74–77)

  Tiruvatirai, Atirai—Betelgeuse, a star in the Orion constellation. It is the sixth lunar mansion in Hindu astronomy. According to Swaminatha Aiyar, Puttatam refers to Punarppucam (a star in the Gemini constellation).

  Lines 157–59

  The priests who know the Akamas [scriptures] begin the festival of the God who is the deity of the Tiruvatirai star (Pari. 11:78)

  This is a reference to the god Siva; see annotation for line 3.

  Lines 163–74

  Ampavatal—the name of a religious observance. According to Pari., it is performed by young women with their mothers and hence the name; ampa—mother (from the Sanskrit amba) and atal—bath.

  With the elderly Brahmin women who know the rites showing them how to observe the rites, the maidens who observe Ampavatal bathe at dawn in the cold winter. And as the chill wind blows on the sands along the flowing waters, they go round the flames stoked according to the ways of the Vedas, by Brahmins who reside on your banks. There, these finely decorated women dry their wet clothes in those flickering flames. O Vaiyai! The oblations the Brahmins offer to the fires befit you (Pari. 11:81–87)

  Tainniratal [the ritual bath during the months of Markali and Tai] is called Ampavatal, as it is done (by the young women) with their mothers (Pari. 11:81)

  By saying that the oblations offered to the sacrificial fires suit the fire, the poem suggests that the Vaiyai is as sacred as the sacrificial fire. This idea is stated again subsequently; see, for a comparison, lines 184–91.

  Lines 177–79

  The little boys are called malapulavar (lit. child poets).

  By malapulavar are meant small boys who have just begun their studies (Coma. 11:88–92)

  In our translation, we used the phrase ‘pretending they are poets’, since the poem refers subsequently to little girls who pretend they are older women.

  The poem uses the phrase maiyatal in describing the young boys’ sport. Mai is the ink used in darkening the palm leaves used for writing; atal is play.

  maiyatal—practising to hold texts such as the alphabet written on palm leaves darkened by ink. Understand that the ancients called the practice of holding palm leaf manuscripts maiyatal. Mai [ink] stands for the palm leaves that are smeared with it. Or, it can be understood as follows: the act of smearing the palm leaves with ink so as to make the letters legible. Today, this practice is called cuvati tukkutal (Coma. 11:88–92)

  Lines 180–83

  Since the innocent girls are not aware of clandestine union and their sport is devoid of sexual desire, he [the poet] says poiyyatal atum [playing make-believe] (Pari. 11:89)

  Lines 184–91

  The poem suggests that the virtues of the ceremonial bath in the Vaiyai during the month of Tai are superior to the merits earned by fire sacrifices. Implicit is the idea that one has to have earned such merits in previous lives before being blessed with the opportunity of bathing in the Vaiyai. Hence Coma. says, ‘is it because they [the young women] gained these merits in previous lives’ (Coma. 11:88–92); see, for a comparison, lines 163–74.

  Pari.’s commentary on these lines is incomplete.

  Lines 207–10

  The two blue flowers on her ears resemble eyes; in addition to her natural eyes, she now looks like she has four eyes (Coma. 11:93–105)

  Lines 211–14

  The mark of the tilakam, being red, resembles fire which is the eye on her [the goddess’s] forehead (Pari. 11:99)

  Tilakam most likely refers to the vermilion mark on women’s foreheads commonly seen in south India even today.

  Lines 242–45

  People say, ‘O waters of the Tai month! Unlike those red waters [in the rainy season], you are clear. Hence, you are fit for our sport’ (Pari. 11:115)

  Lines 246–52

  Given the context of this stanza and the next (lines 253–56), the word ‘lovers’ (in both stanzas) is to be understood as referring to husbands.

  ‘Excellence’—the poem uses the word viluttakai, which Pari. glosses as viru or excellence, pre-eminence, etc. (Pari. 11:117); Coma. writes: ‘viru, that is, beauty unmatched by another’ (Coma. 11:115–21).

  Lines 253–54

  Since women are like flowers and men are like bees, he [the poet] says, ‘like bees seeking other flowers’ … The analogy implies that the women say, ‘may our husbands never desert us for their lovers’ (Coma. 11:115–21).

  Lines 257–60

  ‘twilight of our days’—the poem uses the phrase elkaru (lit. the seventh stage).

  The seventh stage, viz., perilampen; the seven stages [in a woman’s life] are petai, petumpai, mankai, matantai, arivai, terivai, perilampen. Since the women who pray thus belong to the third stage, their prayer should be understood to mean, ‘may we always retain the youth of this stage’ (Coma. 11:115–21)

  petai—a girl between the ages of five and seven. This word is often used to mean ‘simple’ or ‘innocent’.

  petumpai—a girl between the ages of eight and eleven.

  mankai—woman; a girl between the ages of twelve and thirteen.

  matantai—woman; a girl between the ages of fourteen and nineteen.

  arivai—a woman between the ages of twenty and twenty-five.

  terivai—a woman between the ages of twenty-five and thirty-one.

  perilampen—a woman between the ages of thirty-two and forty. The word perilamai usually means middle age.

  ‘never call us old’—the poem says kilavar kilaviyar ennatu.

  Lines 261–99

  she [the heroine’s companion] now describes an onlooker pointing to things that captivate him (Pari. 11:121)

  Lines 268–77

  The image of bees buzzing around honey-laden flowers is commonly used in Tamil literature. In caṉkam poetry, this image usually refers to men seeking women’s love. Here, the poem says (see lines 253–56) that the bees are undeterred even though the women flick them away.

  Line 272

  ‘blue honey’—the text uses the phrase niney (nila—blue; ney—honey). Pari. glosses the line saying,

  women wearing garlands with flowers containing blue-coloured honey (Pari. 11:124–25)

  C
oma. writes,

  blue-coloured honey refers to aged and mellow honey. That such honey is blue in colour and is called ori can be inferred from a reference to it in the Malaipatukatam 14 (Coma. 11:122–33)

  Lines 279–80

  The poem qualifies pālai (line 280; the name of a melody) by saying kural konta kilaikku urra ulai … pālai. We do not understand this completely. Kural, tuttam, kaikkilai, ulai, ili, vilari and taram are the names of the seven fundamental tones in Tamil music.

  Pari. writes,

  the marutam melody which derives from the arumpālai melody which has for its first note the ulai, which note is the fifth of ili, which [in turn] is the fifth of kural (Pari. 11:126–27)