How can I be sure? How do I verify?
that this is my son;
how do I verify?
Eyes are submerged in a sea of arrows,
the wreathed head severed by sword,
the bleeding mouth struck with sharp arrows
frothing for quite some time,
the chest pierced by poisoned shafts,
the thighs discoloured,
as the valiant hero lay on a bed of arrows
like a kalarci flower turned upside down!
Translated from the Tamil by P. Maruthanayagam