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தகை அணங்குறுத்தல்: The Pre-marital love
About this chapter
தகை அணங்குறுத்தல் is the first chapter of காமத்துப்பால் and opens the section on pre-marital love (களவியல்). The speaker throughout is the lover (தலைவன்), who has just seen the woman he will love (தலைவி) and is overwhelmed. The title means roughly "the beauty that afflicts".
The chapter reads as a series of exclamations. Kural 1081 asks whether she is a goddess, a peahen or a human woman, and says his mind is bewildered. Kural 1082 describes her returned glance as a goddess coming with an army, and Kural 1083 says he has never known what death looks like, but now sees it in a woman's guise. Kurals 1084 and 1085 return to her eyes, which seem at odds with her gentle looks, and which seem to combine death, eyes and a fawn's glance. Kural 1086 imagines her brows hiding her eyes so they would no longer trouble him. Kural 1088 says that even the might that terrified his enemies is broken before her bright brow. Kural 1089 says that for a woman adorned with modesty and a fawn's gentle gaze, other ornaments are of no use. Kural 1090 closes with a contrast with wine, which gives pleasure only to those who drink, while love gives pleasure even to those who only look.
Kural 1081 is the best opening to read, since it sets the mood of wonder.
The 10 kurals of தகை அணங்குறுத்தல்
Each kural is shown in Tamil with a transliteration and G. U. Pope's English verse translation. Open a kural for its plain English meaning.
அணங்குகொல் ஆய்மயில் கொல்லோ கனங்குழை
மாதர்கொல் மாலும் என் நெஞ்சு.
Anangukol Aaimayil Kollo Kananguzhai
Maadharkol Maalum En Nenju
Goddess? or peafowl rare? She whose ears rich jewels wear, Is she a maid of human kind? All wildered is my mind
நோக்கினாள் நோக்கெதிர் நோக்குதல் தாக்கணங்கு
தானைக்கொண் டன்ன துடைத்து.
Nokkinaal Nokkedhir Nokkudhal Thaakkanangu
Thaanaikkon Tanna Thutaiththu
She of the beaming eyes, To my rash look her glance replies, As if the matchless goddess' hand Led forth an armed band
பண்டறியேன் கூற்றென் பதனை இனியறிந்தேன்
பெண்டகையால் பேரமர்க் கட்டு.
Pantariyen Kootren Padhanai Iniyarindhen
Pentakaiyaal Peramark Kattu
Death's form I formerly Knew not; but now 'tis plain to me; He comes in lovely maiden's guise, With soul-subduing eyes
கண்டார் உயிருண்ணும் தோற்றத்தால் பெண்டகைப்
பேதைக்கு அமர்த்தன கண்.
Kantaar Uyirunnum Thotraththaal Pentakaip
Pedhaikku Amarththana Kan
In sweet simplicity, A woman's gracious form hath she; But yet those eyes, that drink my life, Are with the form at strife
கூற்றமோ கண்ணோ பிணையோ மடவரல்
நோக்கமிம் மூன்றும் உடைத்து.
Kootramo Kanno Pinaiyo Matavaral
Nokkamim Moondrum Utaiththu
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
கொடும்புருவம் கோடா மறைப்பின் நடுங்கஞர்
செய்யல மன்இவள் கண்.
Kotumpuruvam Kotaa Maraippin Natungagnar
Seyyala Manival Kan
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
கடாஅக் களிற்றின்மேற் கட்படாம் மாதர்
படாஅ முலைமேல் துகில்.
Kataaak Kalitrinmer Katpataam Maadhar
Pataaa Mulaimel Thukil
As veil o'er angry eyes Of raging elephant that lies, The silken cincture's folds invest This maiden's panting breast
ஒண்ணுதற் கோஒ உடைந்ததே ஞாட்பினுள்
நண்ணாரும் உட்குமென் பீடு.
Onnudhar Koo Utaindhadhe Gnaatpinul
Nannaarum Utkumen Peetu
Ah woe is me my might, That awed my foemen in the fight, By lustre of that beaming brow Borne down, lies broken now
பிணையேர் மடநோக்கும் நாணும் உடையாட்கு
அணியெவனோ ஏதில தந்து.
Pinaiyer Matanokkum Naanum Utaiyaatku
Aniyevano Edhila Thandhu
Like tender fawn's her eye; Clothed on is she with modesty; What added beauty can be lent; By alien ornament
உண்டார்கண் அல்லது அடுநறாக் காமம்போல்
கண்டார் மகிழ்செய்தல் இன்று.
Untaarkan Alladhu Atunaraak Kaamampol
Kantaar Makizhseydhal Indru
The palm-tree's fragrant wine, To those who taste yields joys divine; But love hath rare felicity For those that only see
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