and American literature “warmth” is a welcome word symbolic of love and piety, and in cold countries, a fire is the sign of comfort and friendliness. Notwithstanding the probable origin of Tamilian life on the hills where the fires were kindled to keep off the cold, warmth and heat in Tamil are invariably used of anger, cruelty, or anguish, as in the lines:

where the poet says that except for the roar of the river in spate, there is no “heat” in the king’s domain. No enemy forces may reach his land, and the nearest approach to sounds of war are the roaring waters of the river. It is only in countries like India where the heat is remarkably scorching for a few months, the Summer sun would be looked upon as an unrighteous and cruel king who torments his subjects.¹¹ To one line of Vergil like,

we shall find several in the composition of the Tamil poets expressive of the kindliness of the shade, for the sun is too much with us, while of the shade we can never have enough.The shade of a tree as well as shade in general has come to be figurative of beneficent blessings. Where a Western mystic would have spoken of basking in the sunshine of God’s love, a Tamil devotee would speak of reclining under the shadow of His feet.¹³ The shade of the tree that offers hospitality to the shepherd and the wayfarer is the symbol of protection, and even of pleasure and solace and comfort:

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¹⁰  Patir; 28, 13-14.

¹¹ Kali; 1-4; Introductory lines.

¹²  Georgia, IV. 400-401; Eclogue, 11, 16.

¹³ Pari; 5, 77; 13, 47.