'After the Battle'

‘After the Battle’

(Rendered from Tamil by P. N. Appuswami)

[On the battle-field, an old lady seeks for the body of her son among the corpses of the slain. To her mute question, the following is the answer. This small poem of eleven lines is taken from Purattirattu, an anthology of about fifteen hundred poems compiled about five hundred years ago and now being published for the first time by Mr. Vaiyapuri Pillai, Reader in Tamil in the University of Madras. Purattirattu gives this as a selection from Tagadur Yattirai. The latter is available in fragments only, occurring either as quotations in the commentaries, or as selections in Purattirattu. It is a pity that this noble war-poem is lost, for the available fragments are of high quality.]

Is it your son you seek, old lady of the silver locks, with body bent, and wrinkled face, and withered paps?

Could this be your son, I wonder?

This hero, I know, fought for his Emperor-King; and in fierce battle did his duty.

Here he lies couched and pillowed on the once-loud wardrums. Proudly spurning the elephant, his sturdy leg is stretched stiff in death.

The hovering kites form a thick canopy over him.

Mounds of his slain surround him like a barrier.

And alas! the vultures eat his fair body.

I wonder, lady, if this hero is not the son, whom you seek!