Although prosperity and joy be his, although his wife, obtained by sacrifices, be the pride of his house, although he perform strictly his devotions and be surrounded by magnificence, yet, if he be destitute of children, he is the lowest (lit.chief) of the low. கல்லாமழலைககனியூற்றகலந்துகொஞ்சுஞ் மெய்தானவணமைவிரதநதழல்வேள்விநாளுஞ் மைதாழதடங்கணமகவின்பமுமனுபாரவை செய்தாலுஞாலத்தவர்நறகதிசெனறு சொார யெய்தாதொழியிறபெறுமின்பமிவணுமில்லை மெனபால்கரைப்பயவாதவரமெய்மையாகத் தென்பால்வரதம்பசித்தீநனித்தீரக்கமாட்டார் என்பானிகழ்ந்தவினையாகிடரெய்திநின்றேன் இல்வாழ்பவர்க்குமடவரல்தியாவரின்ப நல்வாழ்வுதேசுபுகழ்யாவு நடத்துகிறபார தொல்வானவரின்மறையோரிற்றுறக்கபூமிச செல்வார்ப்பயக்கும்படி நீயருள்செய்தியென்றான் What delight can they enjoy who have no children to gladden their hearts, or to melt them by their infantile prattle, flowing from their mouths, us sweet as the juice from ripened fruit, when they run weeping to embrace them, or climb playfully on their strong shoulders? Not by the power of charitable acts, not by fusting, not by burnt offerings, can mortals obtain salvation, O Damsel of the large dark eye! unless male offspring be obtained, there is no happiness, either in this world, or the neat. Truly those who have not begotten male children, cannot effectually quench the fire of hunger by which the manes are consumed: 1 have incurred this misfortune by the fatal effect of my former deeds, but I shall live if thou hast compassion in me, O long-eyed Dansel! By whom except by their wives are the prosperity, glory and renown of householders maintained ? have thou, therefore, compassion on me, said he, and either by the gods or the sages produce those by whose means I shall reach the celestial world. NOTE. These verses allude to a famous instance of the appointment of a wife to raise up children to her husband. Pan'du the putative father of the Pandaver, whose contest with the Cauraver, the descendants of Curu the common ancestor of both families, forms the principal subject of the Baradam, had in hunting accidently wounded the Rishi Kindamen, while in amorous dalliance with his wife, and, in consequence of the angry malison of the sage, was compelled, under pain of death, to abstain during his whole life from conjugal intercourse. Despairing, therefore, of having children of his own, he intreats his wife Cun'ti Dévi, in the words of the quotation, to raise up to him male offspring by the intermediation of others. Though at first reluctant both she and his second wife, Mátra Dévì at length consent and by their intercourse with certain of the Gods the five Pándava Heroes are born: namely, to Cun'tì, by Yamen, Deruma Rájen, by Váyu, Bímen, and, by Indren, Arjunen; and to Mátra-devi, by the Aswinis (Pleiades), Naculen and Sagidéven. உயிருமுடலுமுருணமணியுந்தேசுமெனச செயிரதரகணவனுடன் சேயிழைமாரவாழ்வதலா தயலாபபிரிவுற்றணங்குகூரந்தெனபோலத் கு ரிமையெனபவதமுரைப்பதுணர்ந்தேயுமெண் யருமைமகனோடும்வமதித்தற்க்கதுவே ர மைந்தனொருவனவரவென்றுமாமகங்கள் சந்ததியைநோக்கிச் சலித்தவரைக்காணேனால் தழகிற்றமலுந்தகுதிபெறுமாடிதனில் நிழலுற்றிடுமியலு நிச்சயிக்கினொன்றன்றோ வாவியொரு நூறுதவனமானுந்துரவொன்று மன்னவரக்குவேண்டுவனமாசற்றவில்லாம் முன்வியிவைமூன்றுமுறை வந்தடுககுமுகை Richly adorned matrons live in happiness with their lords, by whom they are protected from evil, united as the soul with the body, or as brightness with the polished jewel; but what women were ever so completely overwhelmed by affliction as I am, who suffer the torment of separation from my husband. Is it a proof of wisdom to do evil to a feeble woman, who considers her husband as her god, her joy, her strength, her beauty, as every thing? if falsehood exist in thee with whom can truth be found? To those who have chaste wives belong power, fame, felicity, and every attainable quality, together with all merit proceeding from sacrifice, religious acts, virtue and the rest, as is well known to be declared in the Védam; is it worthy of thee, then, to disgrace me and my child? Whether thou livest, or dyest, or fallest from prosperity into distress, I must endure all in mental anguish; for who will protect me, or sooth the griefs with which I am overwhelmed, when forsaken by thee, like a bird which flies careless from the stream after having bathed and sported in its refreshing waters. From the desire of obtaining one child, men continually make great sacrifices and engage in a course of austere devotion, according to the strictest rules prescribed, and it is granted unto them; but I know none who beholding their child disdainfully reject him as thou hast done. From fire ariseth fire and from the mirror the image is reflected, these when duly considered are the same, O thou whose foot is adorned by the bell of victory! it is declared in the ancient books that in like manner a father is the same with his offspring; is this untrue? It is more meritorious to dig one large than one hundred small wells, one greatly desired reservoir than one hundred large wells, and to perform with zeal one sacrifice than to dig one hundred reservoirs; one son is equal to one hundred sacrifices, and one word of truth to one hundred valiant sons. It is especially needful that princes should have a faultless wife, a son of indescribable virtue, and a fixed determination to perform their promises; the three things here enumerated will accrue to three if thou receivest me with clearfulness into thy protection:-thus she said. NOTE. These verses contain part of the address of S'acuntalà when rejected by her husband Dushmanta. The story is told at length in the First Book (LAF) of the Baradam, whence Cála-dása has taken the fable of the drama translated by Sir W. Jones; in the latter the rejection is attributed to an imprecation uttered by the ir ritable Saint Durvása, which deprived the king of all recollection of his bride; but in the former to his policy, as he thereby induced her to substantiate their marriage in the presence of his court and then to remove all doubt of the legitimacy of his son, The interview concludes by her appealing to heaven to witness the Justice of her claim, when, as a virtuous wife has power over the elements and the Gods, a voice is heard in the air declaring her the lawful bride of Dushmanta and enjoining him to cherish her and her child. அ னபுடைமை CHAP. VIII. The title of this Chapter is composed of the terms On affection. affection and possession, but in this and similar compounds, the latter forms like the Sanscrit twam, an abstract from a common noun and answers to our termination ness, or the Latin tas ; the English terms lovingness or loving-kindness, therefore, convey more exactly the meaning of the Tamil.compound. I. அன்பிறகுமுண்டோ வடைக்குந்தாழார்வலர புன்கணீர் பூசறரும் (க) What bolt can love restrain? what vail conceal? " What vail conceal'_This is not expressed in the original, but the meaning is clearly deducible for means to enclose, shut up, conceal. "Will draw a flood from thine"-Parimél-azhager's translation of the latter part of this Couplet is - அனபு செய்யப்பட்டாரது துன்பங்கண்டுழிய ன்புடையார கணபொழிகின்ற புலவியகண்ணீரே யுண்ணின்றவன்பினையெ ல்லாருமறியத்தூற்றுமாதலான When those who love behold the affliction. of those who are beloved, the tears running in drops from their eyes, by increasing to a shower, discover to all the love generated in their hearts. The Latin commentator, also, adopting it is probable this interpretation, renders pluvia. I have here followed these authorities, as they give the neatest term to the thought, though I cannot reconcile it to the literal meaning of the word used in the original, which means severally to ornament, anoint, fight, produce a loud sound; either of the two last senses will suit the text, which may accordingly be rendered a tear-drop in the eye of a beloved object will excite the lover to battle, or will cause him to express his sympathy aloud. |