Ainkurunooru 252 - Before the cold northern winds!

  

For the original Tamil poem and explanation, please click on this link, கூதிர்ப் பெருங்குளிர்க் காற்று வருமுன்

Ainkurunooru 252

As said to the heroine by her friend.

kundra kuravan pulvey kurambai
mandraadu ilamazhai maraikkum naadan
puraiyon vaazhi thozhi viraipeyal
arumpani alai-iya kuudhir
perunthan vaadaiyin mundhu vandhanane.

This Kurinji Thinai poem, by Sangam poet Kapilar, depicts the words said to the heroine by her friend, when she saw the hero coming back after earning money for the wedding. It's one out of the ten poems named as 'Kundra Kuravan pathu' refering to the 'ten songs beginning with 'kundra kuravan'. 

Now, to the song:

Paraphrase: The man from the mountains where the mountain dweller's grass thatched house is covered by the cap clouds is a righteous man, may he live long my friend! He has arrived before the cold northern winds arrive bringing in rapid rains with harsh dew.

Explanation: The hero went in search of wealth for the wedding, and the heroine is awaiting his arrival. And the hero returns sooner than he said he would come, before the cold northern winds with rapid rains and harsh dew sets in. Seeing his early return the heroine's friend gladly shares it with the heroine saying the hero is a righteous man and that he should live long. The foggy clouds cover and hide the mountain dweller's grass thatched house is mentioned to indicate that the hero came early avoiding distress for the heroine because she would be anxiously awaiting his arrival. 'Perumazhaipulavar' Po. Ve. Somasundaranar, says the hero did not give the heroine the distress of wondering whether the hero will return on time, by returning much earlier. By his righteous action he protected the heroine as the hovering clouds protect the humble hut from sun and rain (by not raining down). 'Urai Vendhar' Auvai Duraisamy says the hovering clouds cover the humble dwelling from sight, likewise the hero protected the heroine from unwanted gossips of the town.

Poems also express something similar to the body language, which is known as 'meippaadu' in Tamil literature. According to 'Perumazhaipulavar' Po. Ve. Somasundaranar, this poem expresses the pride in hero's early return. The benefit of the poem is called 'aatrupaduthal', meaning 'consoling'. The poem is undoubtedly consoling to the heroine ushering in joy over the hero's return. 

Synonyms: kundra kuravan - mountain dweller; pulvey kurambai - grass thatched hut; mandraadu - hovering in the sky/hovering over the garden; ilamazhai maraikkum - clouds cover; naadan - man from that land; puraiyon - righteous; vaazhi - long live; thozhi - friend; viraipeyal - rapid rains; arumpani - harsh dew; alai-iya - agonizing; kuudhir perunthan vaadaiyin - cold Northern winds; mundhu vandhanane - arrived before;

My Poem:

Long live the man who hails

From the mountains,

Where soft cap clouds cover

The grass-thatched hut 

Of the mountain dweller;

Righteous is he, my friend!

For he has arrived,

Before 

The tormenting cold northern winds 

With harsh dew and rapid rains set in!