SyAmaLA daNDakam - 1

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

I was requested by Mr. Ramachandran to translate ShyAmaLA daNDakam. I am

making an attempt to translate the same. Initially I thought it would easy

to do it but, it proves to be a difficult task.

 

It is a difficult task to find out how many syllables are there in each pAda

of ShyAmaLA daNDakam. I have tried in many ways to split the entire prose

portion equally, but in vain.

 

With Her grace I hope to give a word to word translation of the prose

portions, taking one adjective after another.

 

This definition of a daNDaka is taken from

www.ramanuja.org/sv/acharyas/desika/stotras/stotras18.html#Garudadandakam

 

"A form of versification in which more syllables than 26 to a quarter (pAda)

are found is known as daNDakam in Sanskrit prosody."

 

Let me start with the first

 

mANikyavINAm upalAlayantIM madAlasAM ma~njulavAgvilAsAm .

mAhendranIladyutikomalA.ngIM mata.ngakanyAM manasA smarAmi ..1 ..

 

I reverentially think in my mind the daughter of Sage mata.nga. She has a

vina made of mANikya (rubies) on her lap, Her walk is slow (and graceful),

Her speech

is sweet and Her tender body has a dark (blue) lustre.

 

(I have found that mAtangakanyAm is more popular than matangakanyAm - I

think the latter is correct. The Goddess was born as the daughter of sage

matanga and hence known as mAtangI. Further metre of the sloka is also not

disturbed if it is mata.nga.)

 

corrections/comments please.

 

Aarathi.

[Guest guest]

, "Visalakshi Sankaran" <aarathisankaran> >

Let me start with the first

>

> mANikyavINAm upalAlayantIM madAlasAM ma~njulavAgvilAsAm .

> mAhendranIladyutikomalA.ngIM mata.ngakanyAM manasA smarAmi ..1 ..

>

> I reverentially think in my mind the daughter of Sage mata.nga. She

has a

> vina made of mANikya (rubies) on her lap, Her walk is slow (and

graceful),

> Her speech

> is sweet and Her tender body has a dark (blue) lustre.

 

namaste Aarathi:

 

Thanks a lot for this new series.

 

1) How did you translate madAlasAm? I think it can be interpreted in

a different way.

 

2) Does upalAlayantiiM explicitly have lap in it (forgive my

ignorance)?

 

2) I remember that some time back I looked at brahmaaNDa puraaNa to

find out about maatangi.

 

/message/257

 

If I am not mistaken, SHE was born in matanga kula, but to the sage

mAtanga who is matanga's son. I may be wrong, as my memory is poor. I

do vaguely remember that I was confused on this aspect. Any

clarifications and corrections are welcome.

 

Thanks again for your kind help.

 

Sincerely,

 

Ravi

 

> (I have found that mAtangakanyAm is more popular than

matangakanyAm - I

> think the latter is correct. The Goddess was born as the daughter

of sage

> matanga and hence known as mAtangI. Further metre of the sloka is

also not

> disturbed if it is mata.nga.)

>

> corrections/comments please.

>

> Aarathi.

[Guest guest]

, "Visalakshi Sankaran" <aarathisankaran>

wrote:

> 1) How did you translate madAlasAm? I think it can be interpreted in

> a different way.

>

> The literal sense of madAlasA is a person who is intoxicated and

slow or

> lazy. I just extended it to mean to slow and graceful. Please feel

free give

> your interpretation.

 

In this context, where ambaaL is playing viiNa, madAlasa could mean

intoxicated with the bliss of Self or aatman. That is SHE is turned

inward and slow to the external world. Or the intoxication could be

due to the sheer beauty of what SHE is singing about. ambaaL likes to

sing and hear the glories of HER beloved Lord shiva, that adds

sweetness to the sweetest. Probably that is why HER exceedingly sweet

voice becomes even more sweet and auspicious (manjuLa vaagvilaasaam).

 

 

Even in the literal sense, intoxication with wine is not ruled out as

the rules governing the behavior are different for humans and devataa-

s (on a side note, consider the humorous usage of this by vaLLuvar in

the verse devar anaiyar kayavar avarum thaan mevana

cheythozhugalaan). What is correct for them (devata-s) may be wrong

for us (humans).

 

 

> 2) Does upalAlayantiiM explicitly have lap in it (forgive my

> ignorance)?

>

> It means fondling or caressing. It explicitly does not say lap.

 

It may be also in front of HER (as the picture of maatangi we have on

our website), and the way SHE plays may be like fondling or

caressing, that is dealing with it with immense love as one plays

with a child.

 

 

My 2c. I take this opportunity to thank you with immense gratitude

for all your wonderful contributions to . Sometimes I think

people like you, Satish Raja, and Sridhar who contribute so often,

are indeed a great blessing to all of us from ambaaL.

 

With respects,

Ravi