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From: Mani Varadarajan (mani_at_be.com)
Date: Fri Jan 09 1998 - 12:34:56 PST
[ Today, January 9, is the 25nd day of maargazhi
(December-January). On each day of maargazhi,
one verse from Andal's divine poem ``thiruppaavai''
is savored. Today's verse is "oruththi maganaay pirandhu".
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 skipping some verses.
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 verses 5-15, 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.
As they awaken and cast their glances on the girls
who have gathered, Andal tells Krishna why they
have gathered there.
----------------------------------------------------
thiruppaavai, verse 25 -- oruththi maganaay pirandhu
----------------------------------------------------
oruththi maganaayp piRandhu * Or iravil
oruththi maganaay oLiththu vaLarath *
tharikkilaan aagith thaan theengu ninaindha *
karuththaip pizhaippiththuk kanchan vayiRRil *
neruppenna ninRa nedumaalE! * unnai
aruththiththu vandhOm paRai tharudhiyaagil *
thiruththakka selvamum sEvagamum yaam paadi *
varuththamum theerndhu magizhndhElOr embaavaay.
[ '*' indicates the end of a line, split
both for recitation as well as to help
with the meaning. ]
-----------
Translation
-----------
Born to one mother one night, then
Hiding and living as another's son
Unable to bear your existence
Kamsa sought to do you harm
You falsified his plots and
stood like a fire in his belly
O Great Lord!
We have come here your beggars
Asking for the drum
We shall sing of your valour and wealth
Befitting the Goddess of Wealth herself
And crossing over all our sorrows
We shall rejoice!
---------------------
Word for Word meaning
---------------------
oruththi one lady (Devaki)
maganaay a son
piRandhu born
Or iravil during one night
oruththi one lady (Yashoda)
maganaay a son
oLiththu hiding
vaLara while growing
tharikkilaan aagi
unable to bear
thaan Kamsa himself
theengu to harm
ninaindha thinking
karuththai intention
pizhaipiththu to falsify
kancan vayiRRil in the belly of Kamsa
neruppenna like a fire
ninRa standing
nedumaalE Great Lord of all
unnai towards you
aruththiththu begged
vandhOm we have come
paRai tharudhiyaagil
to get the drum
thiru thakka appropriate to Thiru (Lakshmi)
selvamum wealth
sEvakamum valour
yaam we
paadi sing
varuththamum sorrows (because of separation from you)
theerndhu crossing over
magizhndhu happily