Chapter 89 - Thiruppunavayil or Tiruppunavayil (Hymn 50)

I

This is another temple in the Pandya country, on the sea shore—an ancient city with its gate overlooking an upland jungle tract (punam). Here again, the poet speaks of desolation and of frightful life. This hymn is addressed to the mind advising it to think of the Lord every day, to think of Punavayil, the ancient city of the Lord.

Two points are emphasized in this hymn about this place: One is the following, that it has become pestered with hunters and jungle (5). The songs of the owls occupying the hollow of the trees do not cease (1); nor does the commotion caused by the courageous hunters fighting with the company of the merchants (2); nor does the noise of the ‘utukkai” resounding in the commotion (7). The hunters tease the groups of deer with their sharp arrows of their bows, and the meek animals frightened go and enter their places of hiding (5). It is a place of hillocks of stones, wild bushes, and cruel expanse of space (9), all looking gloomy and colourless amidst those trees on the sea beach. Even the ‘kolli’ gets dried up, the grasses become scorched in the heat and destroy the heated jungle (8). Seeing this, the dotted deer rush to hide themselves in safety (8). The male dove gets to the top of the tall but forked branch of the new born kalli and calls its mate in that golden dry fields of that place (6). In the dark jungle tract of the rocky bushes the black cock roams about for food. It goes and gets up to the top of the ant hill [reminding of the ‘kuppaikkoli’ (Kurun. 305) of the Cankam poetry], and sends its call of ‘ku ku (9). In that holy place the boar of sharp tusks in its mouth shining like a torch, and in the place torn by its tusk, the big precious gem comes up and blinks like fire (8). There is not the fright and alarm of the Koti hymn; the poet is contemplating on this desolation with a detached romantic poetic outlook.

The other point emphasized by our poet about this place is that these devotees do not cease worshipping the temple even in the midst of all this desolation. The Bhaktas in good numbers, sing and dance in that ancient city (1). It is the place where stay Vanavar or Devas of the ‘marutam’ or city (2). (It is not clear whether this is a reference to the Bhusura or Brahmins or to the Bhaktas). The lovers of His feet enter this place. Their praises do not cease even as the song of the owl and commotion of hunters do not cease (1). It is the place where sing and dance those who have been freed from their fetters (7). The people of all the countries come and bow down before the Lord, day and night (7).

II

Therefore, our poet begs of his mind quarrelling, cursing and swearing at him, to leave off this and to think of the place of the Lord even as these Bhaktas do. For, it is His place which He frequents most (5). He is our patron-Piran (3), our Lord—Emperuman (4), who has accepted us as His servants (5). He is the good person (5). He is all our relationships and aeons of time (6). We do not want anything more than the death and extinction of the chronic and irremovable karmas (9). “This He will effect; for He makes us all alike unto Himself. Does not the crow on reaching the mountain of gold become itself gold? (That is an old tradition) (4). Therefore, this Holy place is our refuge. O, mind of cogitation think of Him; contemplate on Him; consider the pros and cons and weigh all the groups of facts (tokku—aya; aya means ayka (3). Be firm; this is our refuge. Pray stand (without vascillation—5). Pray do not forget (6). Think of Him with a great longing (or freed from your faults) (7). In whatever way, pray only think of Him” (2). (Erru (9) may also be taken as an exclamation of pity or wonder).

III

The puranic descriptions also come in as intensifying this desolation—the Lord’s covering of an elephant’s skin (1), His riding on the bull (2), His ash besmeared form (10), His waistcord of the serpent (3) and His great naked or smiling form (nakkan—3), (perhaps on the chariot whilst burning to ashes the three cities).

IV

Our poet describes himself as Uran of Naval, the slave of the servants of the Lord—an emphasis once again on the cult of Bhaktas. In this hymn the poet has been describing the joyous song and dance of the Bhaktas freed from karmas, even in this desolation becoming like unto God. Those who can study this hymn without any laziness and praise the Lord, will get their karmas extinguished and become the citizens of the city of God, singing and dancing; they will become pure and perfect without any defect whatever—that is the assurance given by our poet (10).