ThoNdar adippodi aazhvaarin "vaNdinam muralum sOlai"

[Guest guest]

Sorry, I couldn't write earlier due to lack of time. In this

mail, I will briefly mention the meaning (without much

expanding upon the theme) and if I have some time, I will

probably follow-up with an extended discussion of thoNdar

adippodi aazhvaar's thirumaalai later.

 

I am sending a copy of this mail to "karamche".

 

I have also read the explanation given by Vaidehi and note

that she has made a few mistakes in interpreting the aazhvaar,

especially the last 2 lines which are in fact the most

important lines in this verse and the rest, simply used to

embellish the poem. As Vijayaraghavan rightly noticed, one

should interpret this verse along with what thoNdar adippodi

aazhvaar is trying to say in the entire work thirumaalai.

 

Before I start with the meaning, I just want to point out that

thoNdar adippodi aazhvaar is a little extreme in his views,

too extreme to my liking (as Dileepan & Mani would attest:-),

but I hope this verse will be interpreted not literally but

just in spirit.

 

here is the paasuram:

 

\bt

* 885:

* vaNdina muralum sOlai

* mayilinam aalum sOlai,

* koNdalmee thaNavum sOlai

* kuyilinam koovum sOlai,

* aNdar_kO Nnamarum sOlai

* aNithiru varanka mennaa,

* miNdar_paayn^ thuNNum sORRai

* vilakkin^aayk kidumi NneerE. (2) (14)

\et

 

 

 

vaNdu inam : the entire family/species of bees, wasps etc.

muralum : hum or drone

sOlai : garden

mayil inam : peacock/peahen and other birds in related species

aalum : dance (not to be confused with aaLum = rule)

(similar as aadum)

koNdal : clouds

meethu : over

aNavum : embrace

kuyil inam : species of nightingales, can be generally taken

to mean all those birds that sing nicely.

koovum : literally the noice that nightingales make, also

taken to mean nightingales calling each other

aNdar : Devas

kOn : king

(aNdar kOn : the king of Devas)

amarum : sit (majestically)

 

aNi : decorative jewellery

 

now to the importnat part

 

miNdar : lowly people, also to mean ingrates

paayndhu : jump

uNNum : eat

sORu : food

vilakki : take it away

naay : dog

idumin : offer (condescendingly)

 

\begin{meaning}

 

Sri Rangam [is] a beautiful garden which is like a jewel

[among the entire world], where

 

1. bees swarm and hum around the flowers,

2. peacocks dance

3. clouds embrace from the top

 

(note that one can flip 2 & 3, with 3 being the reason for 2)

 

4. nightingales rejoice with their singing and

5. the supreme Emperor of all the divine beings resides

and rules over.

 

[oh, you good minded people]! if you see any of those ingrates

-- the people of lowly life, who don't utter the name "Sri

Rangam" (which is so defined above) -- eat their food, just

take the food away from them and throw that food to dogs.

[These people don't deserve the Lord's food. Even dogs are

better than these fellows.]

 

\end{meaning}

 

The spirit of the verse, I suppose is quite obvious. The words

he uses may be unpleasant to some.

 

--badri

 

-----------------

S.Badrinarayanan

Graduate Student

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Cornell University

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