Vanamadevi is like humanity in her intellect! Human beings let the Supreme Lord slip away from the firmament of their hearts. Then they light lakhs of lamps in the prakaras of dark temples and sanctum sanctorums in search of that Paranjyothi.
Vanamadevi also does such a clever thing every day! She lets the luminous Sun God slip out of her possession into the sea. Then she becomes worried that her husband is missing. She lights a million lamps and searches for the sun! Is she lighting only a lakh of lamps? Lighting millions of sleepless lamps, she too sleeplessly searches for the sun all night!
When Vandhiyathevan came to his senses and opened his eyes, he saw thousands of lamps shining before his eyes; He wondered in which temple they had lit lakhs of lamps in such a decorative manner. Then he realized that they were not lamps but stars shining in the sky. He found himself lying on his back in the boat, with a rope tied around his waist on a wet cloth. A cool breeze blew over his body, giving him infinite comfort and peace. The sound of Om in the calm sea brought a rare peace to his heart.
A song was heard in the midst of the melody. What anthem is that? Where and when had he heard it before?
"Stay tuned
As the breeze gently fades away,
In the car's embrace, I find my way.
What is it that makes the wind sway,
Across the seas, in rhythmic play?
The waves of the ocean ebb and flow,
But it's the deep sea that I yearn to know.
Aha! That strange girl! Poongkuzhali! He sat up straight and looked ahead. Yes, she is! She's pushing the boat! She sings that sad song and rows! Vandhiyathevan vividly remembered all that had happened the night before, like a flash of lightning flashing in the darkness and showing many things in an instant. That is, when he was adrift in the sea, Poongkuzhali also jumped into the sea and came towards him. He doesn't remember anything that happened after that. The woman must have saved her and put her in the boat. She had tied a rope around her waist to the crossbeam of the boat to prevent it from falling back into the sea when it moved. She has tied the rope around her half dress so that it does not hurt from touching the skin of her body. Vandhiyathevan touched the half roll around his waistband. He saw that the money and the letter were safe.
'Aha! What a mistake he had made in suspecting this woman! If she had any other evil intentions, there was no need to save herself. How hard it must have been for her to get her out of the sea into a boat, exhausted and unconscious. How did she do it all by herself? She is a rare woman!"
"Here she is, why? Was she approaching him because she had woken up? What is she going to do when she comes? No! No! She's doing something else. Aha! She is going to tie a mat to the sail! What hard work! Do that alone?"
"Poongkuzhali! Poongkuzhali!"
"Oh! Are you awake?"
"Untie my bandage! I'll help you, too."
"If you just keep quiet, that's a big help. If you want to untie the rope, you can untie it yourself. But don't jump into the sea again!"
Vandhiyathevan untied the rope that tied him.
Poongkuzhali raised the mat tree and stopped. She spread the mat on it and let it fly! The boat was now merry; It went quickly.
"Samuthrakumari!"
"Why?"
"I'm thirsty!"
"You've drunk salt water, haven't you? What will you do if you are not thirsty?"
Samuthrakumari came near Vandhiyathevan with a bottle of gourd.
"I even brought you some food. When you jumped into the sea, it fell too! Luckily this gourd survived."
Saying this, she removed the cork that covered the bottle of gourd and handed it over. Vandhiyathevan took it and drank water.
He cleared his throat and said, "I was mistaken about you; I am sorry for that."
"It's not a foot. Who are you? Am I somebody? We're going to part when it's daybreak."
"What time is it?"
"Look at the sky and find out. Look at Saptha Rishimandalam!" said Poongkuzhali.
Vandhiyathevan looked at the horizon in the north direction. When he boarded the boat, he saw that the Sapta Rishis had now changed places and had come in half a circle. How that Arundhati star keeps riding with Vasishtha! Wonderful! Only the Polestar did not move. The Pole Star has been standing in that place where the sky and the corner sea meet! How many ships are showing the way and direction to the sailors. Pole Star! Didn't they give it an example to someone? Who said that? Who said it? I remember; The Kudanthai astrologer said. Prince Arulmozhivarmar gave the example of the North Pole. Are we really going to have the good fortune to see the prince? Is it going to help this woman?
Poongkuzhali went to her place and sat down.
"Do you know what time it is? Half of the third jam happens. The wind had returned. We will go to Nagatheevu in the morning."
"Naga Island?" asked Vandhiyathevan with a start.
"Yes; There are many islands in the northern part of Sri Lanka. One of them is Naga Island. If we land on it, we can reach Ilankai Island by shore without having to cross the sea again..."
"What are you going to do after you drop me off?...?"
"What do you care about me?" asked Poongkuzhali.
"You've done me such a big favor, haven't you? Should I not be grateful to you? You said you were going to ask me for something in return, what was it?"
"I've changed that mind. Im not going to ask you anything. You're ungrateful."
Vandhiyathevan realized that she had a reason to accuse him like that. Once more he felt the halfcoil and was sure that the leaf was there.
"Samuthrakumari! I am ashamed that I suspected you the night before yesterday. Please forgive me for that!"
"So be it; You forget it too! Think about what needs to happen! What will you do after I drop you off in Ilankai? How will you find out where the prince is?"
"The God who helped me cross this sea will help me to do that too!"
"You seem to have a lot of faith in God. Do you think God cares about the affairs of petty mortals like us?"
"I've never done that much philosophical inquiry. If there is any difficulty or danger, I will pray to God. God will help in time. Didn't God send you to row a boat for me in this sea?"
"You don't need to be so arrogant. I'm not here to push the boat for you. God did not send me in my dream to help you..."
"Then why did you save me yesterday? Why are you pushing the boat now?"
"You don't have to ask about that. It's my own thing."
Vandhiyathevan was deep in silent thought. A thought occurred to his haughty mind. He wondered if this girl had fallen in love with him because of his heroic beauty. He immediately changed his mind. Her words and actions did not permit such an idea. There is some other mysterious reason. I want to get her mouth out and find out.
"I'm a little worried about one thing..." He said.
"What's that? Are you worried too?"
"They say there are many mountains and forests in Sri Lanka."
"More than half of Sri Lanka is a forest and a mountain."
"They say there are plenty of wild animals there."
"Wild elephants will be roaming in herds. Sometimes herds of elephants come out of the forest."
"I have heard that people in Sri Lanka are barbarians."
"That's a total lie."
"All right, then; If you say so, it will be true. We have to find out where Prince Arulmozhivarmar is in such a forest."
"Didn't you just say it wasn't difficult?"
"Yes; I said. At first I thought what the difficulty could be in finding the sun."
"Why do you think differently now?"
"The sun may have been obscured by clouds; Or it could have gone underwater."
"No cloud or sea can obscure this sun. The cloud that tries to hide Ponniyin Selvar will also get light; The sea will shine!"
How does she get excited when she talks about the prince? Like many citizens of Chola Nadu, this woman also considers him a god! What kind of charm does Arulmozhi Varmar have? - Thinking thus, he asked, "Then you are saying that it is not difficult to find a prince in Ilankai?"
"If we inquire about the whereabouts of the Chola army, we will know the location of the prince."
"How's that? Didn't I hear that half the Chola army is spread over Ilankai?"
"Yes; I also heard that the Chola army has spread from Mathottam to Pulasthya town ..."
"And then? Where is the prince in such a vast area? It may take a long time to find him through the forest. I must deliver this letter to him at once. You've seen the letter, haven't you? You know how urgent it is, don't you?"
Samuthrakumari did not respond to this and remained silent.
"If we know for sure where the prince is, we can go straight to his place without wandering in vain," said Vandhiyathevan.
"There is a way," said Poongkuzhali.
"I asked you hoping it would."
"Didn't I say I'd drop you off at Nagatheevu in the morning?"
"Yes!"
"There is a ghost island next to Naga Island."
"The name of the island is horrible to hear!"
"Don't be afraid! Originally, the island was known as Bodh Island. It is said that Lord Buddha first landed on that island when he came to Lanka on the sky route. He sat under the pipal tree and preached the Buddhadharma. Hence the name Bodha Island."
"Then it became 'Ghost Island.'"
"Yes! ' Many like you were horrified at the very mention of the name 'Ghost Island'. Then no one went to the island normally. Only those who are not afraid of the genie will go."
"I mean, brave people like you. You are not afraid of the fiery devil, are you? Okay; What do you mean by Ghost Island?"
"If you delay for an hour on the shores of Bhootha Thivu, I will inquire where Ponniyin Selvar is now in Ilankai ..."
"Who will you inquire about on Ghost Island...?"
"There's a goblin on Ghost Island. I will investigate it."
"Won't you show me that monster too?"
"That's impossible. You must not follow me into the island. If you promise to watch the boat on the shore and wait, I will go and inquire."
"Okay, so be it!" said Vallavarayan.
The wind blew pleasantly. With the help of the mast the boat tore through the sea. The roar of the sea was heard.
Rolling Vandhiyathevan's eyes, he fell asleep. He slipped slightly from wakefulness to sleep.