81.1 Intimacy of Longstanding Friendship

 81.1 Intimacy of Longstanding Friendship

Question:

            What is intimacy among old friends?

Answer:

The intimacy of longstanding friendship gives an old friend the privilege

of taking many liberties, which are never resented.                                          (Couplet – 801)

பழைமை எனப்படுவது யாதெனின் யாதும்

கிழமையைக் கீழ்ந்திடா நட்பு.                            (குறள் – 801)

 

Explanation:

            Valluvar defines intimacy, born of an old and longstanding friendship, as one that confers the privilege of taking liberties with the friend without rise to any attendant resentment. An incident in Mahabharata is often mentioned as an example of the intimate friendship between Dhuryodhana and Karnan.

           

                    One day Dhuryodhana's wife Bhanumathi and Karnan were playing a game of dice (a game similar to backgammon). There, Bhanumathi woke up suddenly, seeing that Dhuryodhana was coming. Karnan thought that she wanted to leave the game as she was in a losing position. So, Karnan grabbed her saree and tried to make her sit down. Then, the pearls scattered from the ornament Bhanumathi was wearing on her waist. Arriving there, Dhuryodhana said, "Shall I gather them or assemble them as a garland?" not caring that Karnan was playing with his wife or that he pulled her saree from her waist. This incident depicts the intimacy that existed between Dhuryodhana and Karnan as a result of their longstanding friendship.