ABOUT THE POEM:
The poem THE MAGNANIMOUS KING KUTTUVAN KOTHAI is a heartfelt tribute by a Pandya country poet to Chera King Kuttuvan Kothai, an exemplary monarch celebrated not only for his power and grandeur, but also for his generosity and accessibility to poets and the learned. The poet refers to him reverently as “Our King”, indicating a deep sense of belonging, admiration, and pan-Tamil unity among the ancient kingdoms.
The poem opens with a comparison that suggests opulence walking with dignity. The king, adorned with wealth and royal bearing, maintains a noble demeanour, yet ensures that the gates of his palace remain ever open to poets and men of letters whose lives are modest. For such men, gaining an audience with the king is not a struggle; rather, it is as effortless as entering the open daylight. This reveals the king’s intellectual hospitality and respect for scholarship.
He is portrayed as a ruler whose generosity is spontaneous and boundless—his hand is forever turned downward, not in arrogance, but in the act of giving. The image evokes a king whose hand is constantly in motion to distribute wealth, kindness, and support to those in need. His bounty is compared to the sky itself—limitless, vast, and impartial.
Moreover, he is not merely a benevolent patron but also a formidable warrior, mounted on horseback, ready to defend his land. His fame and might are such that even rival kings who scheme and deceive dare not venture into his territory. The fear he inspires is likened to that of herdsmen avoiding a tiger’s cave—silent, yet ominously powerful. This metaphor captures both the awe and dread his enemies feel.
In sum, the poem celebrates a monarch who embodies the highest ideals of kingship: regal dignity, generosity without bounds, openness to poets and seekers of wisdom, and a fearsome reputation that keeps traitors at bay. Through carefully crafted images and comparisons, the poet offers a portrait of King Kuttuvan Kotai as the very epitome of munificence, nobility, and power.
THE MAGNANIMOUS KING KUTTUVAN KOTHAI
The Pandya land’s poet,
in reverence, calls him —
“Our King.”
Like wealth itself
walking with noble grace,
his royal court
is open to us,
poets whose lives
cling to humble means—
no guards, no gates,
only welcoming ears.
He stands with ease
before the needy,
his hand tilted downward—
not in pride,
but in unending giving.
Boundless
as the sky he reigns under,
his generosity
knows no fence,
no measure.
A horseman of might,
his sword gleams with honour.
Kings who whisper deceit
and stir conflict
dare not tread
his country’s soil—
as herdsmen
fear to wander
near a tiger’s cave
where silence
spells danger.
PURANANURU - 54
POET :KONATTU ERICHALUR MATALAN MADURAI KUMARANAR
PATRON : CHERA KING KUTTUVAN KOTHAI
