Page:Introduction to Tamil Poetry.pdf/19

 child looks up to her for being restored to her favour. Likewise, even if you frown on me I will hold you dear".

"Even if the surgeon uses his surgical tools, the patient looks up to him with love for the curing of the disease. Likewise, even if you try me with tribulations and troubles I will only look up to you for your kind grace".

'O! Lord of Vittuvakōḍu, where can I find refuge except at your sacred Feet? After straying in all directions over the ocean just as a bird comes back to the mast of the ship for perching, wherever I might wander I shall be coming back to you, beseeching your kind grace.

That KAMBAR has understood the psychology of the characters he was portraying can be borne out by one of the padalams in Ayōdhya Kändam (Kaikėyi Cūlvinai padalam). Here according to the story, Kaikěyi remind- ing Dasarathan of his two old boons persuades him to send away to the forest his dear son, Rama by one of those boons and gets the kingdom for her own son, Bharathan by the other. The art with which this incident is narrated is worthy of admiration. Kaikėyi is represented as having been determined in her mind about the two boons she was pressing. Though Dasarathan voluntarily granted those boons at an earlier time when she had assisted him in one of his wars by charioteering for his sake and though now on being reminded he has willingly agreed to grant them, when he was told about the two actual boons required of him, he hesitated. He tried to persuade her not to be stubborn in regard to her pound of flesh. When persua- sion failed he was about to be aggressive. He fretted and fumed and said that he would kill all women because they might be as cruel as his own wife. For sometime, he vascil- lated between keeping the word and deviating from it. He says, "How cruel is Duty ! Will not truth die ?” So saying he falls down. All this is because of his inordinate love for his first and dear son, Rama. So, now he tries to escape from the promise. He falls at the feet of Kaikēyi and im-