We are not your mother’s daughters’ in law that you can do this to us!!!!
- Andal to Krishna seated atop the Kurundu Tree
While in the previous decad, she questioned his intention of dismantling the castles made of sand, here she turns a little more aggressive and asks if it is fair on his part to indulge in acts such as deceitfully taking away the clothes of the women.She gives a background to this to explain their hardship – both physical and mental.
It is interesting that she expresses both anger and love in the same verse. While they are furious at his act of trying to dishonour them, they are still not able to take away their eyes from him for he is always adorable.
Good to Bathe in the Pond before Dawn
Rising to the call of the cocks early in the morning, the girls woke up and walked a long way to the lake for a bath pre dawn. As one can imagine, it was pretty chilly and cold and dark. With the clothes off, the young girls entered the lake confident that no one was around on that dark morning. And they began enjoying their bath.
கோழியழைப்பதன்முன்னம்குடைந்துநீராடுவான்போந்தோம்
We will never enter the lake again!!!
As they were thus having a ‘cool bath’, it was time for the Sun to rise. And as the light began to hit the moving waves of the lake and they were at the end of their bath, they found to their horror that their clothes had gone missing. She accepts their ignorance of not guessing his likely presence and promises that they will never enter the lake again for a bath, if he returns their clothes this one time!!!!
She seems to indicate that they have forgotten him just for a moment in the joy of their cool bath and says that along with her friends, she offers her sincere and devoted prayers to him and pleads with him to return their clothes.
ஏழைமையாற்றவும்பட்டோம்இனியென்றும்பொய்கைக்குவாரோம்
தோழியும்நானும்தொழுதோம்துகிலைப்பணித்தருளாயே
In this decad, Andal sings praise of Lord Krishna and his very many brave acts but questions if he considered this particular act as one such (act of bravery) for this seemed to her to be a little demeaning!!! While they were suffering in embarrassment, this mischievous boy was there up on the Kurundu tree with all their clothes.
She explains to him the severe consequences that might arise if they were to return without the clothes.
She asks the Lord who is happily enjoying from the tree as to whether he realises the embarrassment he has caused. How would they be able to come out of the water in this current state. Further, she is worried as to how the parents will react. And she is certain that they will have to face wild reaction from the mothers that morning if they were to go back without the clothes.
எம்மனைமார்காணிலொட்டார்
பொல்லாங்குஈதென்றுகருதாய்
பூங்குருந்தேறியிருந்தி
What job does he have around the lake?
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She then enquires as to the reason he came to the lake this early in the morning. And she acknowledges their ignorance in not noting his presence around the lake. She wonders as to how he actually made his way to this far off lake that early in the morning with darkness all around.
Bribes Krishna
Seeking a quick solution, Andal says that the young girls are ready to give him anything he wants provided he returns their clothes. This she now sees as the only way that will help them return home unnoticed.
நீவேண்டியதெல்லாம்தருவோம்
பல்லாரும்காணாமேபோவோம்
பட்டைப்பணித்தருளாயே
From inside the lake, all the young girls of Gokulam are looking around with their eyes wide open to see if anyone (the residents of Gokulam) is around. Andal describes the sadness in the young girls that morning. ‘It is a public pond and we have to look all around to ensure that others do not know our current plight’. There is fear in their eyes. As one looks at their eyes, tears have started rolling down in shock of what might happen if anyone finds them in their current state.
பறக்கவிழித்துஎங்கும்நோக்கியபலர்குடைந்தாடும்கனையில்
அரக்கநில்லாகண்ணநீர்கள்அலமருகின்றவா பாராய்
Having tried to psyche him by questioning his embarrassing act and then trying to bribe him, Andal also uses the threatening technique to see if her beloved would move. She says that their parents and friends are likely to come striking at him if they come to know of his acts.
Physical Pain inside the lake
In successive decads, Andal describes the physical pain that they are experiencing.They express their distressed state of their extended stay inside the pond. The fishes are biting their legs. The lotus stalks are rubbing against their legs and that is pricking their legs. She compares this feeling to one’s pain when one would be stung by a poisonous Scorpio.
காலைக்காதுவிடுகின்றகயலொடுவாளைவிரவி
வேலைப்பிடுத்தேன்னைமார்களோட்டில்என்னவிளையாட்டோ
தடதவிழ்தாமரைப்பொய்கைத்தாள்கள்எம்காலைக்கதுவ
விடத்தேளெறிந்தாலே போலவேதனைஆற்றவும்பட்டோம்
Praising his various playful acts such as tossing up the pots and his exquisite dance, she says that this particular act is beyond their game. This one is too difficult for them to bear. They accept that have been deceived by this game and want him to save any further embarrassment.
She explains that their bodies have become tired standing inside the chilly early morning water. She calls his current deeds as being very unfair. With their homes far away from the pond, how would they return in their current state with the Sun shining bright on the streets of Gokulam. She says that there is a very angry feeling to shout out at him. And yet they love him as he is just so adorable.
But that aside if their mothers see their current situation, all the girls are going to be shouted at and given a verbal beating for their careless act.
நீரிலேநின்றுஅயர்க்கின்றோம்நீதியல்லாதனசெய்தாய்
ஊரகம்சாலவும்சேய்த்தால்ஊழியெல்லாம்உணர்வானே
ஆர்வம்உனக்கேயுடையோம் அம்மானையார்காணில்ஒட்டார்
She says that he is looking at this only as a sport but unfortunately their mothers will not look at it in a similar vein. For him it is only a simple mischievous play.
Praising his Valarous Acts
It was valorous to escape that treacherous Kamsa who was looking to kill him on birth, but this act even Yashoda, who normally is very supportive of him, will rebuke and will not gain her approval. Andal prays with folded hands asking him to return their clothes.
An angry remark
In a beautiful verse, she says that ‘we are not your mother’s daughters-in-law that he can play around like this (Interestingly in the earlier decad, she had praised him and suggested that him becoming his mother’s son in law would solve all the problems). The fact that they are all fond of him does not entitle him to such a mischievous game. She tells him in no uncertain terms that what he is doing is not right.
மாமியார்மக்களேயல்லோம்மற்றும்இங்குஎல்லாரும்போந்தார்
சேமமேலன்றிதுசாலச்சிக்கெனநாம்இதுசொன்னோம்
And wants him to return their clothes!!!