Another (!) Subhashita search (the trouble with ali)

[N. Ganesan]

There is one more place where beetles leaving is painted negatively.
Kamban, in his epic Ramayanam, describes the sethubandhanam
by monkeys and bears. VAnaras throw hills and hill-like elephants
into the sea. The beetles swarming to taste the elephants' musth rise
above the sea. The beetles leaving the elephants to death is
compared to prostitutes leaving their patrons once the purses
go dry. In the next song, the beetle/prostitute behaviour is
contrasted to family(kula) ladies who are like the creepers hugging
the big trees even when the hills get submerged into the sea.

1) mUcu vaNTu in2am, mum mata mAvin2pin2
   Acai koNTan2apOl toTarntu ATiya,
   Ocai oN kaTal kun2RoTu avai puka,
   vEcai maGkaiyar Am en2a, mINTavE.

2) nilam araGkiya vEroTu nEr paRittu,
   alamarum tuyar eytiya Ayin2um,
   vala maraGkaLai viTTila, mAcu ilAk
   kula maTantaiyar en2n22, koTikaLE.

Regards,
N. Ganesan

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