Rev. Fr. Beschi's Thembavani: A Rare poetry book on St. Joseph

169-170

ஒளிதவ ழசனியை யுமிழ்ந்த வில்லினா னளி தவழ் நிழல்செயு மருட்கு டையினான் வெளிதவழ் நவமணி விழுங்குந் தேரினான் களிதவழ் மதம்பொழி களிற்றி னாண்மையான்.

ஒளி தவழ் அசனியை உமிழ்ந்த வில்லினான்; அளி தவழ் நிழல் செயும் அருட் குடையினான்; வெளி தவழ் நவ மணி விழுங்கும் தேரினான்; களி தவழ் மதம் பொழி களிற்றின் ஆண்மையான்

     அவன் மின்னலின் ஒளி தவழும் இடியையே அம்பாகப் பொழிந்த
வில்லை உடையவன்; கருணை தவழும் நிழலைக் குடிகளுக்கு வழங்கும்
அருள் என்னும் குடையை உடையவன்; வெளிச்சம் தவழும் ஒன்பது வகை
மணிகளையும் விழுங்கும் தன்மையாய்ப் பதித்த தேரை உடையவன்; களிப்பு
தவழ்வதனால் மதம் பொழியும் ஆண் யானை போன்ற வீரம் படைத்தவன். 
http://www.tamilvu.org/library/l4310/html/l4310ind.htm

The stanzas of 169 and 170 describe the following:

King David was wearing hip plates which were decorated with arrows equaling to the lightening. Here he explains king’s power and warrior skills. He compares David’s arrows to the qualities of lightening, which indicates the speed, quickness, vibrant and valiant warrior-ship of David as powerful as lightening. Lightening comes sudden, quick and it attacks the targets with great speed. Likewise, king David was a great warrior in the battlefield who was a nightmare for the enemies, as he attacked them with great power and speed. He was the king of war and king of victory.

Next, the poet describes about the kind heartedness of David, which is a contrary quality to the above quality of king of war. The poet compares the kindness of King David to the qualities of an umbrella, which provides shelter, shade, and protection for people. This expression of the poet indicates that the king was loved by his people and it informs that the people trusted him and went to him for their needs and troubles. They were protected and their wellness was promoted by their king. It also indicates that king David was a king with a loving heart and dedicated deeds for his people. Further, in Tamil culture, it is a traditional literary expression to compare the kindness and justice of a good king to the qualities of umbrella. Fr. Beschi has used that traditional expression to praise the kingship of King David.

Further, the poet describes the chariot of King David. According to Fr. Beschi, King David’s chariot was decorated with nine kinds of precious stones. The chariot was shining to outweigh the glory of precious gems. Here again, Fr. Beschi has used Tamil literary tradition of describing the jewelries of kings, who ruled Tamil Nadu. It is customary, that kings used precious gems and stones in their daily attires and in their chariots. The jewelries were considered as a status symbol than beauty. The jewelries were the symbol of wealth and economical prosperities. The more the jewelries the more wealthy the king and kingdoms were.  Fr. Beschi has visualized kIng David’s chariot from Tamil king’s perspective. Although, it was a tradition of kings to wear precious gems throughout the world during King David’s time, use of nine gems, which is called as Navarathnam in Tamil[ symbol of victory and prosperity], which gives specific indication of Tamil king. I am excited by discovering the use of Tamil tradition in many ways including literary tradition, custom traditions in a detail manner by Veeramamunivar ( Rev. Fr. Beschi) in his poems. This particular discovery of mine in exploration of his writings in Thembavani makes me to wonder and encourages mw with fresh understanding of the literary impact made by Fr. Beschi to the Tamil literature. What a great way, a courageous way, a out of box way, a poetical way, an innovative way, a cultural applied way of describing King David’s glory in Tamil background, yet maintaining the authenticity of King David’s identity and qualities.

In addition, the poet continues to praise the bravery of King David. He compares king’s braveness to the male aggravated elephant. Aggravated elephant is very powerful and it destroys all that comes on its path with no discrimination what so ever. Similarly, King David was a brave king, who was like an aggravated elephant in battle fields. Here once again, the poet has used the Tamil literary expression of comparing a warrior to an aggravated male elephant. Elephants were used in wars in Tamil culture many thousands of years. Elephants were part of people life, from the cultural beliefs of Hindus considering elephant as their God of protection; Tamil kings used elephants in times of war and peace as they participated in the wars in the battle field and for helping in constructions in time of peace. Fr. Beschi has used this underpinnings of Tamil culture to highlight the glory of King David.  The benefits from this original application of  a culture to describe a king from totally another culture is an innovative technique, which highlights multiple cultures and their commonalities and differences, while staying authentic to the history and topic. Fr. Beschi's unique approach and application of poetical freedom in saying a known story in audience culture brings a fresh perspective of understanding of the history or the subject at hand. It is a great way of evangelization of taking the faith concepts and explaining them to the audiences' understanding in their own context, tradition, knowledge. Fr. Beschi's writings stand as a testament to his evangelization methods as well. His missionary works and his writings are intertwined evangelical methods of spreading the Gospel. I admire him for these great qualities of literary style and missionary orientation, which is very rare in any measure among literary and missionary worlds.  It is so fitting to compare the braveness of king David to a male aggravated elephant strength. History supports that King David was very powerful in the battle field and he won many victories for Israel.

The above stanza s from 169-170, continue to praise the glory of King David. As St. Joseph was a descendant of King David, the poet describes the majesty of King David and his call to lead the kingdom, to set a context for St. Joseph’s birth and the greatness of his kingly call and glory. The poet, Fr. Beschi laid the historical background of St. Joseph’s birth describing the reign of King David, which is in my understanding, so authentic and appropriate to compare the call of King David to lead the Israel with the call and purposeful birth of St. Joseph, who will serve a foster role of salvation, as he was the foster father of the savior, our Lord Jesus Christ. King David saved Israel from the giant Goliath and many other enemies thereafter, on the other hand St. Joseph played a great role in protecting the savior’s childhood and he was the protector of St. Mary, the mother of God, which was his call towards salvation of all creations. St. Joseph’s call contained kingly, priestly, and family attributes. So I am excited with the poet on describing King’s David’s glory as a precursor of St. Joseph’s birth, who was born in the line of David.