thiruppaavai -- verse 23

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[ Today, January 7, is the 23nd day of maargazhi

(December-January). On each day of maargazhi,

one verse from Andal's divine poem ``thiruppaavai''

is savored. Today's verse is "maari malai muzhainchil".

 

What I have presented is the surface meaning.

Each verse can actually be understood in many

poetic and profoundly philosophical ways. Perhaps

others can offer further thoughts and reactions.

 

An introduction to Andal and the thiruppaavai

can be found on the Web:

 

http://www.best.com/~mani/new/andal-bio.html

http://www.best.com/~mani/andal.html

 

Pardon me for the delay. The last verse posted was

verse 22. Vacation and illness conspired against me,

and I hope to make up the missed posts in the meantime.

 

-- Mani ]

 

 

Recap

-----

 

In the first five songs, Andal described the sacred

vow (paavai nonbu) she and her friends will

undertake during the month of maargazhi to get

the "divine drum", which only the Lord of the

Universe, Narayana (Krishna), can give them.

 

In the next ten verses, she goes about waking up

her friends in the wee hours of the morning so they

can go perform this vow. In verses 16-22, Andal and

her friends gather at the doors of the household of

Krishna and ask that they rise and grace them. Her

appeals start first with his father Nandagopa and

end with Krishna himself and his wife Nappinnai.

 

Today's verse describes Krishna's awakening from

deep slumber.

 

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thiruppaavai, verse 23 -- maari malai muzhainchil

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

 

maari malai muzhainchil mannik kidandhu uRangum *

seeriya singam aRivuRRuth thee vizhiththu *

vEri mayir ponga eppaadum pErndhu udhaRi *

moori nimirndhu muzhangip puRappattup *

pOdharumaa pOlE nee poovaippoo vaNNaa * un

kOyil ninRu iNGNGanE pOndharuLi * kOppudaiya

seeriya singaasanaththu irundhu * yaam vandha

kaariyam aaraayndhu aruLElOr embaavaay.

 

[ '*' indicates the end of a line, split

both for recitation as well as to help

with the meaning. ]

 

-----------

Translation

-----------

 

As a great lion in the rainy season

Lies asleep in a mountain cave

 

United with his mate

 

And then comes to his senses

Opening his fiery eyes

Shaking his bristling mane

on

all

sides

 

Stretching

He starts out with a great roar

 

So do you, your color like a poovai flower,

Come and graciously ascend your

Great, beautiful throne in your palace

 

And kindly ask us our reason for

coming here

 

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

Word for Word meaning

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

 

maari rainy season

malai mountain

muzhainchil in a cave

mannik kidandhu lying united with his wife

uRangum sleeping

 

seeriya great

singam lion

aRivuRRu comes to senses

thee fiery

vizhi open eyes

 

vEri mayir mane

ponga shaking

eppaadum on all sides

pErndhu to move

udhaRi shivering

 

moori nimirndhu stretching

muzhangi roaring

puRappattu starts out

 

pOdharum comes

pOle like all the above

nee you

poovai poo poovai flower

vaNNaa having the color of

 

un kOyil your palace

ninRu standing, from

iNGNGanE in this manner

pOndhu aruLi coming and gracing

 

kOppu udaiya decorated

seeriya great

singaasanaththu

irundhu from the throne

 

yaam our

vandha kaariyam purpose of coming

aaraayndhu examine

aruL grace us