game of waiting 1

[Guest guest]

Dear srivaishNavap perunthagaiyeer,

 

Generally evenings are always welcome for all. For that brings down the 'heat'

of the day, in all its senses,

* be it weather,

* physical heat in the body due to hard work during the day

* mental heat due to the heavy thinking strain during the day's work

by the soothing comfort of a cool temperature or a flow of cool air or a good

music or due to closure of the working hours in the evening. The arrival of

evening also announces the closing or end of the day's strenuous work. So also

it is sweet for the working class, like you and me.

 

For birds and other animals, it is their time to return to their nests and cages

for the much-needed respite after the day's collection of food and reminding

them it is time to feed the young ones waiting at the nests. Another set of

people, generally, young lovers welcome the evening for that is the time they

anticipate a meeting of their beloved, and look forward for the time for

enjoying the 'togetherness'. So everybody welcomes the evening for one reason or

other.

 

That is why it is a good practice to wish all those, whom we meet, with a 'good

evening Sir or Madam'.

 

For a lady awaiting the arrival of her lover in the evening, it appears to be a

very long 'waiting time'. So she feels that good evening as 'bad evening'. She

is anticipating her lover at her doorsteps. But there is no sign or trace of his

arrival. However his companions who went with him in the morning, have all

arrived. That adds fuel to fire already springing up inside her. So she starts

expressing her feelings to her friend nearby, who is also helping her in the

love affair. See paasuram of nam aazhvaar -

 

maalaiyum vandhadhu maayan vaaraan

maamaNi pulamba vallERu aNaindha

kOlam nal naagugaL ugaLum aalO

kodiyana kuzhalgaLum kuzhaRum aalO

vaaloLi vaLar mullai karumugaigaL

malligai alambi vaNdu aalum aalO

vElaiyum visumbil viNdu alaRum aalO

en solli uyvan ingu avanai vittE - 9 - 9 - 10 nam aazhvaar

 

Since this verse is not to be enjoyed alone, we will see the previous one also,

so that the real taste increases.

 

oodhum aththeenguzhaRkE uyyEn naan

adhu mozhindhu idaiyidaith than sei kOlath

thoodhu sei kaNgaL koNdu onRu pEsi

thoomozhi isaigaL koNdu onRu nOkki

pEdhuRu mugam seidhu nondhu nondhu

pEdhai nenju aRa aRap paadum paattai

yaadhum onRu aRigilam amma amma

maalaiyum vandhadhu maayan vaaraan - 9 - 9 - 9 - nam aazhvaar

 

The evening has come, but that lover has not arrived. He is maayan. So may do

some trick before he arrives. Now let us see the meaning of both verses.

 

9-9-9th verse: He, my lover, that krishNa, has not come, but the evening has

come. Also came is that flute music which he pours out [that music which cuts

the 'oodal' - the praNaya kalaham - the small love exchanges] - I cannot survive

for that flute music, in which, in between the sweet flow, he expresses his love

and his intentions. His eyes also express his love and intentions like that

music. His, [as well my] eyes are nicely decorated for the evening [generally],

for these only go as ambassadors of love between we two, express the amount of

love, the passion behind, expressions which the face wants to convey. While

playing the music as well through his eyes, he expresses himself, which I am

unable to enjoy, because he has not yet come.

 

9-9-10th verse: The evening has come. KrishNa has not come. The cows have

returned jumping and enjoying their return to homes, for they enjoyed mating

with their bulls, these bulls have 'suffering and sounding bells' hanging around

their neck. The flutes of krishna's companions and himself pouring out music

also hurt my feelings instead of comforting. The flowers which blossom in

evening like white jasmine, mullai, the karumugai, etc have the bees ringing

inside their pollens drinking the sweet honey. But I cannot enjoy all these,

[the sight of happy cows, the flowers the music etc] for my krishNa has not

come, his separation kills me.

 

[May be my translation of the meaning in tamil has not come out so nicely or

correctly for the tamil of Sri B.R.Purushoththama naidu has long winding tamil

sentences, (whose commentary of thiruvoimozhi I am using), when broken into

small, does not lead to a coherent correct translation or it is my incapacity to

do that. So please excuse me. I do not want to repeat those here in

transliterated form]

 

While writing the aachaarya hrudhayam series of thiruvoimozhi commentary, sri

vanamaamalai padmanabhan swamy gives the following as commentary on this 9-9

padhigam: "LOVE IS BUT A GAME OF WAITING - [the waiting for one evening is equal

to] padhinaalaaNdu, pathu maasam, oru pagal poRuththavargaL, oru maasadhina

sandhyailE padumadhu kshaNathilE aaga irangugiRa thwaraikku eedaaga.. - [means

equal to that moment, how after waiting for 14 years, bharathan decided for

entering the fire just at the returning moment of raama]. It is commonplace to

see, hear, that love for one makes the waiting pleasant, the waiting is

necessary, but at the same time waiting is painful. We hear of stories and also

see in movies that one of the couples wait for the other interminably, which in

fact aggravates the longing for the other. Why does one wait? Why don't they

just walk off, without waiting? It is matter of expectation. It is the

reflection of love and affection. It is the immense love for one another and it

is a matter of faith. Love is but a game of waiting. That waiting is not new,

and is an established one. There are several precedents, which go to prove this

point". [matter in brackets are by MGV to explain]

 

Dear bhakthaas, You may ask why all these which are already known. Love, that

game of waiting, is so expressive in this simple tamil krithi - what aazhvaar

has put it - evening has come but not that maayan Krishnan - here also she again

waits for same krishna's arrival - yet another reason added for his non-arrival

- may be some girls snatched my lover while he was treading to my place -[ for

he is loved by all]

 

Composer - smt. Ambujam krishNa

- song in raga rEvathi

 

pallavi:

pozhudhu miga aachchuthE ennai vittup

pOna kaNNan innum varak kaaNEnE sakhee - pozhudhu

 

meaning: the time has gone very much, he, that krishna left me early, but has

not yet returned - oh friend

 

anupallavi:

kuzhal Osai kEttu koodidum mangaiyar

vizhiyaal azhaiththuch chenRanarO -- pozhudhu

meaning: the girls who assemble to listen to his music - have they pulled him by

their eyesight and taken him to some place?

 

charaNam:

puzhuvena naan ingu pulambith thavikkaiyilE

poovaiyarudan angu pEsich chirikkap pOmO

paingiLi unnaik kaNam piRigilEn enRa

anthap pEchchum maRanthaanO

pEdhaiyaith thuRanthaanO - pozhudhu

 

meaning: can he laugh with those young girls when I am struggling here awaiting

him like a worm [in fire]? Has he left me in lurch forgetting those assuring

words he said, "Hey darling, I will not like to be separated from you even for

a moment".

 

Just feel the intense moments of love, waiting for the arrival of Krishna, till

we receive the next post.

 

Dhasan

Vasudevan mg.