ABOUT THE POEM:
The poem THE UNFATHOMABLE MIGHT praises a king of immense strength and restraint, comparing them to celestial forces and the vast ocean's wealth. It highlights how some claim to understand cosmic movements and natural phenomena, yet they cannot measure the subject's depth and power. Like a fruit slipping effortlessly into an elephant's mouth, their might is concealed but undeniable. They are likened to a steadfast mast and a great ship that brings riches inland, symbolizing their unwavering presence and vital contributions. The poem concludes by emphasizing that no poet can truly capture their grandeur.
THE UNFATHOMABLE MIGHT
The sun’s bright path and weight it bears,
The whirling spheres in burning flares,
The shifting winds, the sky so bare,
They claim to know, yet truth lies rare.
None can measure your vast control,
Like fruit that slips in tusked mouth’s hold,
Your strength concealed, your might untold,
No poet’s words can thee unfold.
Like mast that bends yet does not break,
Like ships that ports and treasures take,
You stand unmoved, yet guide the stream,
A nation's wealth, a trader’s dream.
Who dares to sing your boundless might?
You halt the waves, you steer the night,
The wealth of seas, the land you bless,
A force unseen, yet none the less.
Purananuru - 30
Poet:
Uraiyur Muthukannan Sathanar.Patron:
Chola King Nalankilli.
