Guest guest Posted August 30, 2005 Report Share Posted August 30, 2005 Hi Sunil g, I read with great interest your reference to Mamakam, Chaver and the Zamorin. I am currently re-reading C Radhakrishnan's " theekkadal kaTanju thirumadhuram " story of ezhutthassan and how he was instrumental in creating the malayala bhasha. In this an elaborate episode is given on chavers and zamorins. It gives a realistic story of a chaver and his family. It gives a picture beyond the history and I was delighted to read it and now your posting. The book is a treasure that goes on to explain how ezhuthassan created the Harinama keerthanam to impart vedantic knowledge to people who were not ableto learn the Vedas directly. I read each page a few times as I enjoy the language and the treatment of vedanthic appraoch in life in such a profound manner. I recommend it to all. Thanks Sukumar --- Sunil Menon <menon_sunil wrote: > Thanks to Arun for sharing Jnanapaana in English. > > I like to correct a small mistake in the article. > > Angadipuram Thirumandhamkunnu Bhagavathy Temple has > special importance > in my life. My home town in Kerala is near > Angadipuram, where the > famous temple is. Being a Valluvanadan, she is my > Patron Goddess or > desha devatha. > > Thirumandhamkunnu temple is NOT the family goddess > of Zamorins > (Samoothiri) but their arch rival Valluvanad Raja > Vamsam (Valluva > konathiry or Vellattiri). > > Zamorins used to be the bitter enemy of Valluva > Konathiri and the > history of 'Mamamkam' explains the rivalry, and > fights. > > [ At the end of the rule of Perumals, the right of > mamankam was with > Vellattiri, the ruler of Valluvanad. Later the > Zamorin of Kozhikode, > took this right by force and this resulted in > dispute and bloodshed > between these two Rajas. Valluvanad Raja used to > sent Chaver warriors > to fight until death, to recapture the right from > the Zamorin, who > would stand Nilapadu at Nilapadu thara in > Tirunnavaya, Surrounded by a > large contingent of soldiers, in every 12th year. > The last of such > Mamankam, was believed to be held in 1755, when > Zamorin had an hair > breath escape from a 16 year old Chaver. (to us, > Valluvanadan's this > was cheating when one of the guards of Zamothiri's > stabbed the young > Chaver from behind - against the rules of Nilapadu) > ] > > Why we need stories of Roman emperors or Gladiators > when we have all > that in our own chilling history! I suggest folks to > read the history > of Mamamkam and visit places like Angadipuram and > Thirunavaya. These > places are some of the most beautiful places in > Kerala and with so > much of history. > > For example a Chaver-thara, still preserved at the > temple complex, is a memorium for the martyrs of > Mamankam. The Chaver warriors used to converge at > this place before going to Tirunnavaya. > > Thirumandhamkunnu temple is very famous for Mangalya > pooja (prayers > for a happy and long marriage). I will explain > about the powerful > Bhagavathy temple and rituals in another mail. > > Amme Bhagavathy, Sharanam. > > Om Namo Narayanaya: > > Sunil. > > > > > guruvayur , ARUN <haavoo> > wrote: > > Janmashtami special- Jnana Pana in English > > > > > > Poonthanam was born about four hundred years ago > in a village > called Angadippuram in Kerala. Near by is the > Thirumandan Kunnu > Bagavathy temple which is the family goddess of the > Zamorins who ruled > over a part of Kerala now called Malabar. > > > > Poonthanam is not his name but the name of the > Namboodiri family he > belonged to..His name seems to have been forgotten > in antiquity. At a > very young age Poonthanam started visiting the > temple at Guruvayoor > and became a staunch devotee of Lord > Guruvayurappan-the presiding > deity. He got married and had a son. On the child's > first birthday > when a great feast was being arranged the child fell > in the boiling > rice and died. From then on Poontanam became a > perennial visitor of > Guruvayur. Poonthanam did not know Sanskrit and so > decided to express > his innate feelings in chaste Malayalam. One of the > greatest poets of > the time was Melpattur Narayanan Bhattathippad who > later wrote one of > the greatest books of that era named " Narayaneeyam " > Melpattur was also > a great devotee of Guruvayurappan. It is told that > initially when > Poontanam requested help in editing his poetic work > " Sri Krishna > Karnamrutham " from Melpattur he refused saying that > he never read > works in Malayalam. Melpathur started > > suffering from rheumatism immediately and that > night the Lord > appeared in his dream and told how the lowly > Malayalam works of > Poonthanam were more dear to him than the Sanskrit > works of Melpathur. > There are several tales of Poontanam the great > devotee and his Lord > Guruvayrappan. > > > > Poonthanam was possibly one of the greatest fore > runners of Bhakthi > cult in Kerala and his greatest work was Jnana Pana, > Loosely it can be > translated as " Pot of Knowledge " . But " pana " here is > not pot but a > style of folk poem. This is written in a common > man's language and in > a common man's verse. It preaches the greatness of > repetition > (singing) of the Holy God's names. In between > Poonthanam wrote about > the world he saw and the world he wanted to see. > Some people term it > as the " Bhagavad Geetha of Malayalam " . > > > > Though written in a simple language , there are > many complex > statements which are obtrusive. The only > interpretation available is . > the " Tatwa deepika " which is written by > Sri.K.R.Neelakandan > Nambeesan.I have followed his interpretation in > translating the Jnana > Pana in to English.I also have given English > transliteration before > the translation as well as a brief commentary for > each verse after the > translation...I dedicate this translation to Lord > Guruvayurappan and > request his devotees to pardon any lapses that have > occurred in my part. > > > > > > Guru Nathan thuna cheiga sanththam, > > Thiru namangal navin mel eppozhum, > > Piriyathe irikkanam nammude, > > Nara janmam saphala makkeduvan. > > > > Request I, for the grace from my Guru without > fail, > > So that Lord's holy names are always on my tongue, > > > And continue to be there forever without change, > > So that this our, human birth becomes most > fruitful. > > Comment:All great Indian religious work either > start with > salutations to the teacher or to the God. > > > > Innale yolam enthannu arinjeela, > > Ini naleyum enthannu atrinjeela, > > Ini kanda thadikku vinasamum, > > Inna nearm enatharenjeela. > > > > Till yesterday we did not know it, > > Even tomorrow, we may not know it, > > The death to this trunk which is the body that we > see today, > > Know we not when it is . > > > > (We do not know what we were in the last birth, > > We do not know what we will be in the next birth, > > Even in this birth in this human body, > > Know we not when all this is going to end.) > > > > Comment:The poet brings out the ignorance filled > life of the so > called intelligent human being in this verse. > > > > Kandu kandangirikkum janangale, > > Kandilennu varuthunnathum Bhavan > > > === message truncated === __ Start your day with - make it your home page http://www./r/hs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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