Speaking with the Heart
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niṉaittoṉṟu collāyō neñcē yeṉaittoṉṟu / mevvanōy tīrkku maruntu.
Think, my heart, and tell me of one remedy — any one at all, whatever its kind — that will cure this grievous sickness.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“My heart, canst thou not thinking of some med'cine tell, / Not any one, to drive away this grief incurable?”
“Wouldst thou not think, O my Heart, and find out and tell me some remedy to cure me of this incurable disease?”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
நெஞ்சே= நெஞ்சே; எவ்வநோய் தீர்க்கும் மருந்து ஒன்று= இவ் எவ்வநோயினைத் தீர்க்கும் மருந்தாவது ஒன்றனை; எனைத்து ஒன்றும் நினைத்துச் சொல்லாய்= யான் அறியும் ஆ்றறல் இலன், எத்தன்மையது யாதொன்றாயினும் நீ அறிந்து எனக்குச் சொல், எ-று.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar has her say outright that she has no power to find it herself. Whatever the remedy for this wearing sickness may be, of whatever kind it turns out to be, she asks the heart to work it out and tell her. The commentator leaves the person addressed exactly as the line has it: she is speaking to her own heart, and what she asks it for is the one thing she can no longer produce.