Tkl 3 1 01

Created by Jijith Nadumuri at 11 Oct 2011 11:13 and updated at 11 Oct 2011 11:13

TIRUKKURAL of Tiruvalluvar, the Tamil poet

BOOK 3

LOVE

DIVISION 1

3.1 The Pre marital Love

ADHIKARAM 1

3.1.1 Mental Disturbance caused by the Beauty of the Princess

1081
Goddess? or Peafowl rare? She whose Earse rich Jewels wear,
Is she a maid of human kind? All wildered is my mind!
Is this Jewelled Female a celestial, a choice peahen, or a human being My mind is perplexed.

1082
She of the beaming Eyes, To my rash look her glance replies,
As if the matchless Goddess hand Led forth an armed band.
This Female Beauty returning my looks is like a celestial Maiden coming with an Army to contend against me.

1083
Death s form I formerly Knew not; but now tis plain to me;
He comes in Lovely Maiden s guise, With Soul subduing Eyes.
I never knew before what is called Yama; I see it now; it is the Eyes that carry on a great fight with (the help of) Female qualities.

1084
In sweet simplicity, A Woman s gracious form hath she;
But yet those Eyes, that drink my life, Are with the form at strife!
These Eyes that seem to kill those who look at them are as it were in hostilities with this feminine simplicity.

1085
The light that on me gleams, Is it death s dart? or eye s bright beams?
Or fawn s shy glance? All Three appear In form of Maiden here.
Is it Yama, (a pair of) Eyes or a hind Are not all these Three in the looks of this maid

1086
If cruel eye brow s bow, Unbent, would veil those gLances now;
The shafts that wound this trembling Heart Her Eyes no more would dart.
Her Eyes will cause (me) no trembling Sorrow, if they are properly hidden by her cruel arched eye brows.

1087
As veil over angry Eyes Of raging Elephant that lies,
The silken cincture s folds invest This Maiden s panting Breast.
The cloth that covers the firm bosom of this Maiden is (like) that which covers the Eyes of a rutting Elephant.

1088
Ah! woe is me! my might, That awed my Foemen in the fight,
By Lustre of that beaming brow Borne down, lies broken now!
On her bright brow alone is destroyed even that power of mine that used to terrify the most fearless Foes in the Battlefield.

1089
Like tender fawn s her eye; Clothed on is she with Modesty;
What added Beauty can be lent; By Alien Ornament?
Of what use are other Jewels to her who is adorned with Modesty, and the meek looks of a hind

1090
The Palm tree s fragrant wine, To those who taste yields joys divine;
But Love hath rare felicity For those that only see!
Unlike boiled honey which yields delight only when it is drunk, Love gives Pleasure even when looked at.

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