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Thiruk-Kural On Women Who Know No Bounds: Canto 92 Varaivin Makalir K913,K919 and K920
Thiruk-Kural On Women Who Know No Bounds: Canto 92 Varaivin Makalir K913,K919 and K920
The THIRUK-KURAL on Women who know no bounds : Canto 92 – K913, K919 and K920
(Thiru-Valluvar comes down heavily on women of the « oldest profession in the world » in this Canto 92 consigned within Book Two since the stress laid on the wishes and practices of such women are based on WEALTH, the theme of the section, i.e., PORUDPAAL or ARTHASASTRA. Whilst in other couplets, including those mainly in Book Three : KAMATHTHUPPAAL, he is quite won over by the charms of the fairer sex in their innate innocent behaviour, and responsiveness to male attention, here he demonstrates no compassion for women of easy virtue. What is at stake here is not so much the rigours and dictates of the puritanical society in which he so quite obviously lived (and commented upon), but the material motivations of profit associated with personal and emotional sentiments underlying interpersonal relations between the sexes. To him, a woman bartering her flesh for money was a despicable creature.)
K913: porudpendir poymmai muyakkam irudduaraiyil
Ethil pinamthalii iyartru
As one in darkened room, some stranger corpse in arms,
Is he who seeks delight in mercenary women’s charms. (Transl. G.U. Pope)
The false embraces of wealth-loving women are like (hired men) embracing a strange corpse in a dark room. (Transl. Drew & Lazarus)
Pecuniary-minded women’s embraces resemble those (men experience) while making love to corpses in a dark room. (Transl. T. Wignesan)
K919: varaivuilaa aanilaiyaar menthOl puraiilaap
pUriyarkal aalum alaru
The wanton’s tender arm, with gleaming jewels decked,
Is hell, where sink degraded souls of men abject. (Transl. G.U. Pope)
The delicate shoulders of prostitutes with excellent jewels are a hell into which are plunged the ignorant base. (Transl. Drew & Lazarus)
Limitlessly devoid of excellence, those who fawn over enticing shoulders of women decked in jewels remain mired in vile depths. (Transl. T. Wignesan)
K920: irumanap pendirum kallum kavarum
Thiru*niikkap paddaar thodarpu
Women of double minds, strong drink and dice; to these giv’n o’er,
Are those on whom the light of Fortune shines no more. (Transl. G.U. Pope)
Treacherous women, liquor, and gambling are the associates of such as have (been) forsaken by Fortune. (Transl. Drew & Lazarus)
Indulging in women given to duplicity, drink and dice will cause men to be devoid of any grace (deserted by the Goddess Lakshmi*).
(*Thiru = prosperity, wealth, fortune, represented by the Goddess of Lakshmi)
© T. Wignesan – Paris, 2017
Copyright © T Wignesan | Year Posted 2017
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