Chapter 2 - Thiruthuraiyur or Tirutturaiyur (Hymn 13)

I

The second hymn which is sung at Thiruthuraiyur is included as the 13th. After the spiritual revolution, there is naturally a revulsion of feeling against the world. He, therefore, prays in this hymn for the path of renunciation and sacrifice (Tava neri). Here again, he addresses the Lord in endearing terms of worldly relationship, as the lover (1), the father (2), the mother (3), the brother (9), the master (7), the Guru or Sista (6), a loving friend (4), an elder brother or chief (Aiya) (8), and God (10); in short, as one who assumes all forms or roles (Vetam) (5). The poet’s love of nature, representing, as it were, the concrete form of the Lord, is definitely expressed in this hymn, for, in all the verses, the first three lines are taken up by this description of Turaiyur, on the banks of the river Pennar, wherein bathe bhaktas and beautiful damsels. The saint has reached a state of self-confidence. No more does he condemn himself as a liar. He assures us, in the last verse, that he will never speak any falsehood and that those who follow Him will attain nothing but truth.

II

If Venneinallur is on the southern bank of Pennar, Turaiyur is on its northern bank. The mountain streams roll together as the unique Pennar pushing along precious gems and dashing them against its banks (1); thrusting along the white tusks of the elephant, bringing and dashing the pearls, runs Pennar (2); thrusting along the sandal and black ‘akil’, casting their fragrance all round, the red cool waters of Pennar descends (3); uprooting champakam and mallikai, full of buds and bringing them and casting them away with force for the bees to swarm and enjoy, runs Pennar (4); tossing down the mangoes and jack fruits on the sides, it casts them away for the whole country to feast on them (5); pulling down the konrai of honeyed flowers and vanni,

it brings and dashes them all so full of buds (6); rushing along with the beautiful peacock feathers and white foam, it brings them full of pollen dust and dashes them all (7); pushing down venkai and konku, of unplucked flowers, it brings and dashes them to fill up the fields (8); the clouds of the sky stand and shower their rain and the river brings and dashes the water to enrich the lands with alluvial soil (9).

III

On its northern bank stands Turaiyur wherein bathe in the waters the damsels of broad collyrium-fed eyes (8), and the doll-like virgins (9) of waists adorned with mekalai (1) speaking musical words like sugarcane (4). It is thus surrounded by ponds full of flowers blooming and ready to bloom (7)—this is the state of beauty. Many monkeys dance—even the animals seem to imitate the dancing Lord (3). The music of songs, dance and drum, does not cease (6). Bhaktas frequent the place praising and worshipping the Lord (2). Human art is not absent; the palaces full of gold surround the temple (5).

IV

The pattern of the verses is as follows: the first two lines describe the Pennar and the third line Turaiyur. The fourth line, as already stated, ends with the words ‘Unai ventikkolven tava neriye’. The first line ends in ‘unti’ (1, 2, 3, 7) or ‘cati’ (4, 5, 6, 8) or ‘poliya’ (9). The second line ends in the words “Konarnterriyor Pennai vatapal’ except in verse 3 which ends in the words ‘Punal vantili Pennai vatapa’ and the 5th which ends in ‘Vanterri or Pennai vatapal’. If ‘erri’ is taken as a conjunctive participle, there is no other verb with which it can go, unless we take ‘or as one such in the sense of ‘coming to senses and cogitating’. Therefore, it has to be taken as a noun (that which dashes) put in apposition with Pennai. Or, it must be changed into some other verbal form such as ‘erra’ making thus possible the beauty described in the third line. The 10th verse, we had suggested (in our essay on Numbers), may be an interpolation and it does not follow the pattern. The uniformity of the pattern extending even to lines, stamps this hymn as an early poem of our saint, inspite of the reference to Tapas which naturally does not mean renunciation.

V

In the first hymn, our poet gave out his name as Aruran but did not specify any good emanating from its recitation. In this hymn, he states that those who are masters of this, of Uran of untailing or neverlying Tamil, (or, it may mean the Tamil of Uran who never speaks falsehood), will truly be blessed with the path of Tapas. Our poet, in singing the hymn, has experienced the attainment of this path of Tapas and that is why he assures the readers that they will undergo the same experience (11).