THE TIRUKKURAL OF TIRUVALLUVAR

SECTION - 110

VERSES 1091 TO 1100

Æ÷¨çªç÷¨êùª      Reading the Signs

 

¬ÕîåèæÐÆ ¬ôÓúªæúª ãóªóÊ øÕîåèæÐÆ 1091
îåèáªîåèæÐÆ øäª×íåÐîåè᪠ëÕåÐÊ

¬ÕîåèæÐÆ   bifocal vision
¬ôóª ãúª  æúª  in her eyes painted with collyrium
ãóªóÊ   is of the nature of
øÕîåèæÐÆ   one aspect
îåèáªîåèæÐÆ   that sickens
øäª×   the other
íåÐîåè᪠ ëÕåÐÊ  antidote for that

Her looks have a twofold effect. One causes a fever; and
the other is the soothing medicine (1091).

æúªæó² âæèóªÓëª ò¨×îåèæÐæëª æèëêÐê¨ùª 1092
âòëªçèæëª íäª× âçõ¨Ê

æúª   her eyes
æó² âæèóªÓ몠  stealthily
ò¨×îåèæÐæ몠  furtive glances
æèëêÐê¨ùª   of love
âòëªçèæ몠  one half
íäª×   is not
âçõ¨Ê   but much more
 


Her furtive glance is not just half, but the
greater part of love (1092).

îåèæÐæ¨äèóª îåèæÐæ¨ ¬é÷¢ªò¨äèóª íþÊíôóª 1093
áèçªç¨Äóª íìªïá å©õÐ

îåèæÐæ¨äèóª   glanced at me
îåèæÐ樠 ¬é÷¢ªò¨äèóª   after seeing, cast her eyes down
íþÊ   that
íôóª   she
áèçªç¨Äóª   (for growth of the love) between us
íìªïá  å©õÐ  the water that nourishes

She looked at me and then cast her eyes down in modesty. That
was like the water that nourishes the love between us (1093).

áèäªîåèæÐÆëª æèéù å¨ùäªîåèæÐÆëª îåèæÐæèæÐæèùª 1094
êèäªîåèæÐæ¨ âëùªù åÆëª

áèäªîåèæÐÆ몠  I look at her
æèéù   when
å¨ùäªîåèæÐÆ몠  (she) casts her glances on the ground
îåèæÐæèæÐæèùª   when I do not see her
êèäªîåèæÐ樠  she looks at me
âëùªù  åÆëª  (and) smiles gently

When I look at her, she casts her glances down; when I
look elsewhere she looks at me and smiles (1094).

Æ÷¨æÐâæèúªÌ îåèæÐæèéë íùªùèùª øÕæúª 1095
ò¨÷æÐæú¨êÐêèóª îçèù åÆëª

Æ÷¨æÐâæèúªÌ   not directly
îåèæÐæèéë  íùªùèùª   though not looking at me
øÕæúª   with a furtive glance
ò¨÷æÐæú¨êÐêèóª  îçèù  sidelong
åÆëª   smile
 
A glance that is not direct but sidelong, is
given away by the smile (1095).

ã÷èí êôõÐîçèùª âòèù¨Äëª âò÷èíõÐâòèùª 1096
øùªéù ãúõçª çÌëª

ã÷è íêôõÐîçèùª   like a stranger
âòèù¨Ä몠  though harshly worded
âò÷èíõÐâòèùª   the words of those without malice
øùªéù   soon enough
ãúõ窠 çÌëª  will be realised
 
The true meaning of words that appear like those of a stranger,
can be readily recognized when they come from the beloved (1096).

âò÷èíòÐ ò¨×âòèùªÙëª âò÷ª÷èõÐîçèùª îåèæÐÆëª 1097
ã÷èíõÐîçèäª× ã÷ª÷èõÐ Æ÷¨çªµ

âò÷èíòР ò¨×  without malice
âòèùªÙ몠  (harsh) words
âò÷ª÷èõÐîçèùª   like an enemy
îåèæÐÆ몠  looks
ã÷èíõÐîçèäª×   appearing hostile
ã÷ª÷èõР  of affection
Æ÷¨çªµ   are indicators

Words, glances and behaviour that are seemingly indifferent
or hostile are signs of deep love within (1097).

íéòá¨á÷ªÆ ãúªÌ ÍúªîìèõÐÖöõÐ áèäªîåèæÐæçª 1098
çéòá¨äóª éçá åÆëª

íéò¬á÷ªÆ   the one with a melting nature
ãúªÌ   it has
ÍúªÌ   in that smile
ØõÐ Ö öõР  a certain beauty
áèäªîåèæÐæ   when I look (at her)
çéòá¨äóª   turning loving
éçá åÆ몠  with smile blossoming

When she melts and smiles at my imploring look, that
has a certain charm (1098).

Öê¨ùèõÐ îçèùçª âçèÊîåèæÐÆ îåèæÐÆêùª 1099
æèêùèõÐ æúªîú ±ó

Öê¨ùèõР îçèù  like unacquainted people
âçèÊîåèæÐÆ   generally
îåèæÐÆêùª   looking at
æèêùèõР  for lovers
æúªîú   on their part
ãó   exists

Lovers are good at disguising their glances
as those of strangers (1099).

æúªâúèÌ æúªú¨éú îåèæÐÆøæÐæ¨äª ôèáªòÐâòè÷ªæóª 1100
öäªä çáÄëª ¬ù

æúªâúèÌ   eyes
æúª ¬éú   when eyes meet
îåèæÐÆ   if the looks
øæÐæ¨äª   if they correspond
ôèáªòÐâòè÷ªæóª   the spoken words
öäªä çáÄ몠  use of any sort
¬ù   is not there
 


When the eyes of lovers have rached an understanding,
words are no longer necessary (1100).  


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