Purananuru # 043

The saints do ascetics for the happiness of the people.

In an ancient kind of chess play the poet being a partner hide a coin in an illegal manner. The other partner, the king’s brother beat him throwing a coin. Poet is a Brahmin by birth. The poet scorns. He points out the king’s dynasty never did such a deed against Brahmins. The partner feels shy as he did wrong. The poet confuses for his illicit words.

Pointing these happenings the poem reads on.

• While pointing the dignity of the king’ dynasty the poet reveals a historical event of past. One king of the Chola dynasty differentiated by Aatthi-wearing-flower offered his entire body to save two birds; more than the goodness the saints do.
• The saints do ascetics for the happiness of the people.
• The king scarifies himself for the benevolence for the non-human lives.

A dove detaching itself from a kite’s hold fell on the king’s thigh. He realized it is his duty to save both the birds. He offered some flesh cutting from his thigh to equalize the weight of the dove asylum on his rule weighing in a scale. – This is the historical event the poet points out.

• At last the poet hails the king’s brother to live long more than the number of years that the number of sands notched in river Cauvery.

   

Poem by: Taamappal Kannanaar

Poem to: Maavalatthaan, the young brother of king Soozan Nalan-Killi

Message: praising the habit

Refer the original poem in Tamil with annotation