THE HINDU articles on Thiruppaavai (part 2 of 4)

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Tiruppaavai-songs of devotional ecstasy

 

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17-12-1995 :: Pg: 38 :: Col: a

 

Cl: Religion

 

The Paavai Nonbu (the rites performed by young maidens

during the month of Maargazhi, corresponding to December-January)

is a unique cultural tradition in Tamil Nadu, going back to the

ninth century. The personal aspiration of young maidens to secure

worthy spouses was very much behind the religious austerities.

Even more important in the rituals was the pragmatic social

concern for timely onset of rains and for good harvests and

plentiful supply of milk.

 

AndaalUs devotional outpourings in the form of thirty

hymns, collectively called Tiruppaavai are an incredible

synthesis of literary brilliance, lyrical elegance, philosophical

intuition and anecdotal richness.

 

Hymns 7-12 which are covered in this part are evocative

of idyllic pastoral scenes of rare charm. Birds shrieking at

dawn, women doing the morning chore of churning curds, buffaloes

in their leisurely moves towards the dew-covered meadows and the

front passages of houses filled with slush and slime with young

buffaloes rushing to feed their calves P all these are vividly

brought to mind through phrases which are the very grammar of

compressed verse.

 

Girls calling their friends to awake from their sleep and

join the procession to the river for the Paavai Nonbu, use a

variety of verbal tactics. Friendly persuasion, cajoling,

admonition, sarcasm and remonstration are all part of their

mission.

 

HYMN 7

 

Keechu keechu enru engum aanaichaathan kalandhu

Pesina Pecharavam kettilayo peyppennay!

Kaasum pirappum kalakalappa-k-kai perthu

Vaasanarumkuzhal aaichiar maththinaal

Osaipadutha thayir aravam kettilayo?

Nayaka-p-penn pillai! Naarayanan moorthy

Kesavanai-p-paadavum nee kette kidaththiyo!

Thesamudayai! Thiravel or empaavai!

 

You, deluded girl! Don't you hear the screeching chatter

of the king-crows? And the sound of the cowherd women wearing

fragrant flowers in their locks of hair churning the curd in the

urns, using both their hands, with their bracelets and other

ornaments clashing against one another and producing that

jingling sound? Oh, prominent damsel! How can you keep on

sleeping even after you have heard our singing of our Lord

Naarayana (who is also called Kesava for having slain the demon

Kesi in his incarnation as Sri Krishna)? Dear girl of radiant p73

presence! Come on, open the door!

 

HYMN 8

 

Keezh vaanam vellendru! erumai siru veedu

Meyvaan paranthana kaan! mikkulla pillaikalum

Poovan pokinraarai-p-pokaamal kaathu unnai-k

Koovuvaan vandhu ninrom! kothu kalamudaya

Paavaai! ezhunthiraai! paadi-p-parai kondu

Maavai-p-pilanthaanai, mallarai maatiya

Devaathi dhevanai chenrunaam sevithal

Aa Aaa enru aaraindhu arul-el-or empaavaai.

 

Wake up, you vivacious young girl! The Eastern sky has

already brightened. The buffaloes have already set out to feed

themselves on the dewy grass. We have even kept the other girls

from moving ahead, for your sake and here we are, at your

doorstep. Come, let us march singing the praise of our Lord of

Lords who killed the demon Kesi who came in the guise of a horse

by cleaving his mouth and who slew the wrestlers sent by Kamsaa.

Our Lord will surely bestow His grace on us after due

consideration for our devotion.

 

HYMN 9

 

Thoomani maadathu sutrum vilakkeriya

Dhoopam kamazha thuyil anai mel kann balarum

Maamaan magale! mani-k-kadavam thaalthiravaai!

Maameer! Avalai ezhuppeero! Un magal thaan

Oomayo? anri-ch-chevido? ananthalo?

Ema-p-perum thuyil manthira-p-pattalo?

Maa maayan, Maadhavan, Vaikuntan, enrenru

Naamam palavum navinru el or empaavaai.

 

Dear maternal cousin! How long are you going to be asleep

on your luxurious bed in the gem-studded mansion, surrounded by

lights all around and bathed in the fragrance of incense? Open

the lever lock of that ornamental door (After a pause). Aunty!

Won't you wake her up, please? What is wrong with her? Is she

gone dumb or deaf or is she just exhausted? Or has she fallen

into a deep trance as a result of some magical incantation? Shall

we chant the thousand and odd names of our Lord-God of the great

mystic power, the spouse of Goddess Mahalakshmi, the supreme Lord

of Vaikunda and so on and on and get her to wake up?

 

HYMN 10

 

Notru Suvargam pugugima ammanai!

Maatramum thaaraaro vaasal thiravaadaar

Naatrathuzhaai mudi Naraayanan; nammaal

Potra-p-parai tharum punniyanaal pandorunaal

Kootrathin Vaai veezhnda Kumbakarananum

Thotrum unakke perum thuyilthan thandehaano

Aatra ananthal udayaai! arumkalame

Thetramaai vandhu thira el or empaavai p73

 

Oh dear! You? Striving to enter heaven through practising

austerities? If you can't open the door, can't you at least

respond to our call? Have you, by any chance, taken on the habit

of Kumbakarna, of virtually interminable slumber, the Raakshasa

who was felled by Naarayanaa (in the incarnation of Sri Rama),

our Lord, the protector and the benefactor of all living beings,

who is bedecked with fragrant tulasi leaves on His head? Come on,

our precious gem! Shake off your inertia and come with a clear

head! Do open the door!

 

HYMN 11

 

Katru-k-karavai kanangal pala karandhu

Setrar thiral azhiya-ch-chenru seru-ch-cheyyum

Kutram onrilladha kovalar tham porkodiye!

Putraravu algul punamayile! podharaai!

Sutrathu thozhimaar ellarum vandu nin

Mutram pugundhu mugil vannan perpaada

Sitraadhe pesaade selva-p-pendaatti nee

Etrukku urangum porul? el or empaavai.

 

Oh, beautiful damsel, the pride of the guileless cowherd

community! Our menfolk are justly famed for their energy for

milking ever so many milch cows at a stretch and for their valour

in going all out to destroy powerful foes. You, charming peacock-

like darling with your waist resembling the hood of the snake! Is

it proper for you to lie motionless and without response to so

many of us, your relations and friends who have gathered in the

court-yard of your house, when we sing the praise of our Lord

Naaraayana in chorus?

 

HYMN 12

 

Kanaithu ilam katrerumai kanrukku irangi

Ninaithu mulai vazhiye ninru paal sora

Nanaithu illam seraakkum narchelvan thangaai!

Paniththalai veezha nin vaasal kadai-patri

Sinathinaal then Ilangai-k-komaanai-ch-chetra

Manaththukkiniyaanai paadavum nee vaaithiravaai!

Iniththaan ezhundiraai, eethenna perurakkam!

Anaithu illaththaarum arindhu el or empaavaai.

 

Oh, younger sister of the prosperous cowherd! The mansion

is filled with mud and slush with the buffaloes pouring forth

milk from their udder in their yearning to suckle their young

calves. Here we are at your threshold unmindful of dew falling on

our head, singing the glory of our beloved Lord (Rama), who

destroyed, out of righteous indignation the King of Lanka, in the

South. What about you? Not a word in response to our call! All

the residents are awake and about. What is all this deep slumber?

At least now, get up and get going!

 

Correction

p73

In the first part of the series on TIRUPPAVAI which was

published on December 10, the transliteration of Hymn 3, was

inadvertently left incomplete. The last line "Neengada selvam

niraindu el or empaavai" was left out. In Hymn 2, in the

transliteration, it should have read Rmalar ittu naam mudiyomS

and not as published. In the English translation of Hymn 4, the

reference is to the conch called Panchajanya and not as

published. The transliteration of the hymn 4 should have read

"ninru adhirndu" in the fifth line. The word "empaavai" at the

end was omitted by mistake.

 

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