From: selvakum@watserv1.uwaterloo.ca (C.R.Selvakumar - Electrical Engineering)
Subject: Re: Kamban, VaLLuvan and KaNNadhaasan
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 22:58:24 GMT

In article <9208272123.AA01028@cec1.wustl.edu>, sp2@cec1.wustl.edu (Sundara Pandian) writes:
> Natarajan Sureshbabu writes :
> ---------------------------
> > kat@doe.carleton.ca (Kathiravan Krishnamurthi) writes:
> 
> >>>   "yeNNarum nalathinAL inaya niRuzhi
> >>>    kaNNodu kaNNinaik kavvi ondRiyondRu
> >>>    uNNavum nilaipeRAthu uNarvum ondRida
> >>>    aNNalum nOkinaan, avaLum nOkinaaL"
> >>>
> >>>   kamban
> 
> >>exchanged)
> >>
> >>"kaNNodu kaNNinai nOkkokin vaaichsoRkaL
> >>yenna payanum ila."
> >>
> >>.
> 
> >ThiruvaLLuvar also talks about the opposite. i.e., the 
> >lovers do not see each other eye to eye.
> 
> > yAnOkkun kAlai nilannOkkum yanOkkakkal
> > thanOkki mella nagum.
> > Bye
> > Babu.
> 
>    Allow me to correct the errors that you have made in
> the above kuRaL. The correct one using K.Srinivasan's
> ADAMI transliteration scheme is,
>  
>   `yaan-nOkkum kaalai nilan-nOkkum nOkkaakkaal
>    thaan-nOkki mella nagum.'
> 
>    The usage of the word `nagum' may be thought about.
>  I think that `avaL nagum' is grammatically incorrect.
                 ^^^^^^^^^^
>  The correct form is `avaL nagaiththaaL'. `nagum' is
                        ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>  used for `onRan paal' [ adhu, idhu, mudhaliyana.]
>  May be, that such grammatical rules are relaxed for
   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>  poems. 
  ^^^^^^^

          Please allow me to observe that ThiruvaLLuvar
          *does not* say 'avaL nagum'. If you read the 
          kuRaL carefully, you can perceive that VaLLuvar
          means "kaathaliyin uLLam" or her deeper feeling
          and not mere external facial "nagai". There is
          a deeper import and a more sublime love-feeling
          in vaLLuvar's words. I don't think vaLLuvar made
          any grammatically incorrect thodar in this kuRaL
          NOR is it any poetic licence. I honestly feel that
          vaLLuvar conveys a more sublime deeper love-feeling
          that's all. 

          In colloquial Tamil "thambi vanthathu"
          ( thambi came) is regularly used in many circles 
          to show the affectionate way of saying "thambi
          vanthaan". addressing children, God and loved ones
          as "athu" "ithu" is very common. Referring to a girl
          or a young man the elders often say "athukku enna
          theriyum"  "athai ENdaa vambukku izhukkkiRaai" and
          and such expressions. Even in German
          language where there are separate words for respectful
          "you" ( Sie) and informal or no-special-respect "you"
          (du), the no-special-respect "you" (du) is used 
          for the loved ones. Addressing a girl "vada" =come!
          and to a boy as "enna machchi" are other examples of 
          showing affection. 

>     Kaviyarasu KaNNadhaasan copied this kuRaL in his song
>  `nEtru varai nee yaarO, naan yaarO
>   inRu mudhal nee vERO, naan vERO..'
>  to write the lines,
>   
>  ` unnai naan paarkkum pOdhu maNNai nee paarkkinRaayE
>    viNNai naan paarkkum pOdhu ennai nee paarkkinRaayE..'.
>  
>                                                 S.Pandian
>                                          sp2@cec1.WUSTL.edu
>  
> ---------------------------------------------------------------	
>         isaindhaal nam iruvarin swaramum namadhaagum
>         dhisai vEraayinum yaazh-isai aarugaL
> 	mughilaay mazhaiyaay pozhivadhu-pOl 
>         isai, nam isai..
> ---------------------------------------------------------------


          anbudan
          Selva Selvakumar