From one point of view, the world is a frightening place. A cholera devī may become restless in her shrine, since people have stopped offering her the worship she was accustomed to, and may spread herself out all over the villages. Wild tribesmen may be lying in wait in the forest to ambush a traveller and offer him in human sacrifice. The glance of an untouchable may ruin a complex ritual, so that the ancestors, left without food, may return as hungry ghosts into the world of man. The bite of an irate cobra may put a tragic end to the hopes of a full, rich and long life for an innocent child. Passions, unsuspectedly hibernating for many years, may suddenly burst out of the recesses of the heart and create havoc and murder.

And yet, seen from a different point of view, the world is a lovely place. A warmth and beauty pervades it that allows for a feeling of comfort and homeliness. The different categories of beings, including the tribesmen and the untouchables, the animals and devas (like Murukaṉ or Kṛṣṇ/Māyōṉ), all appear to share in one and the same grand experience of love. Whatever imperfections this love may possess in real life, poetry about it has the power to transform them and give rise to a profound aesthetic happiness. Although the human heart may frequently be fickle and infatuation can rapidly turn into ennui or even revulsion, it is also capable of a lasting and deep loyalty and attachment.