Connoisseur Kambar - Part 5

Borrowing money and other materials are very common these days. The interesting thing is that more banks are ready to give loans to people and are willing to put the people in debt. Apart from that people are more willing to buy an asset by getting a loan. Even I am not an exception though I write this post. In those days, borrowing was considered a sin and it was advised not to borrow anything. There is even an old saying





"Kadan Vaangi Kadan Koduthaar Kettaar"

meaning, those who borrow to pay another debt will ruin themselves.

Kadan - debt
Vaangi - get Koduthu - give;
Koduthaar - person giving something
Kettu - Spoil, ruin;
Kettaar - person spoiling themselves

Even Avaiyar, says that it is a great sin to borrow and to spend more than what one earns. Her song goes like this








"Aana Mudhalil Adhigam Selavaanaal
Maanamizhandhu Madhikettu Pona Dhisai
Ellaarkkum Kallanaai Yezhupirappum Theeyanaai
Nallaarkkum Pollaanaam Naadu"
                  - Avaiyar

meaning, the one who spends more that what he earns, that is, he gets a loan to meet out his expenses. He will lose his dignity. He will lose his mind and will be considered by all as thief in whatever direction he goes. He will be a sinner in all his births and will be a bad guy for all the good ones .

Aana Mudhalil: Aana - Completed, Attained; Mudhalil - Capital, Earned money. Adhigam: Too much, in excess
Selavu Aanaal - Expense met
Maanam Ezhandhu: Maanam - Dignity;
Ezhandhu - Lose
Madhi: Mind Sense; Kettu - Spoil, ruin
Pona - Going
Dhisai - Direction
Ellaarkkum - For all
Kallan - Thief
Yezhu pirappu - In all the births
Theeyan - Bad fellow
Nallaar - Good people
Pollaan - Bad fellow
Naadu - Compare, Understand

Kambar as usual in his exquisite style explains how it would feel to be in a debt.
Here goes his song.














    "Vidam (Visham) Konda Meenaippolum
         Venthazhal Mezhugu Polum
    Padam Konda Paanthal Vaayil
         Pattriya Thaerai Polum
    Dhidamkonda Rama Baanam
         Serukkala thutra Podhu
    Kadankondaar Nenjam Pola
         Kalanginaan Elangai Vendhan"
                  - Kambar

meaning, Like a fish that has taken in poison; Like the wax near a hot flame; Like the toad that got caught between the venomous jaws of a snake; When the brave arrows of Lord Rama flew in the war field. Ravana's feared and panicked as of the victim's position in the above situations that can be compared to the person in a debt

Vidam (Visham) - Poison
Konda - having
Meen - Fish
Polum - Like
Venthazhal - Red hot flame
Mezhugu - Wax
Padam - Snake's hood
Paanthal - Snake
Vaai - Mouth, jaws
Pattriya - Catching
Thaerai - Toad
Dhidam - Brave, solid
Rama - Lord Rama
Baanam - Arrow
Serukkalam - War field
Uttra - Flew, Enter
Kadan- debt; Kondar - person in debt
Nenjam - heart, mind
Kalanginaan - feared, panicking
Elangai - Sri Lanka, Vendhan - King (Ravana)

So our forefathers avoided borrowing and being in a debt. As the debt would force a person to do anything that is considered mean. And he has to live his life always in fear. Kambar proved his eloquence and style by picturising the effects of being in a debt. The wonder nowadays is the banks promote credit cards and force people into debt which was considered a sin. Lets put a thought about it and try to contend ourselves with what we have and escape the great sin of debt. The point of not being in a debt might not be feasible for businesses today and even for people. But the facts elucidated by Kambar cannot be denied. Lets ponder over it.

More to come, until then...