From: selvakum@watserv1.uwaterloo.ca (C.R.Selvakumar - Electrical Engineering)
Subject: Re: Thiruppaavai Verses 18-20
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Sun, 3 Jan 1993 21:28:01 GMT

In article <1993Jan3.194845.10395@news.ysu.edu> ah724@yfn.ysu.edu (Sundara Pandian) writes:
>
>In a previous article, srin@cs.cornell.edu (Aravind Srinivasan) says:
>
>>
>>I am posting this on behalf of 
>>Dr. K. Srinivasan (srini@ireq-num.hydro.qc.ca).
>>
>>Regards,
>>Aravind.
>>
>>===================================================================
>>  [ deleted some]
>>\c \J
>>Hey lady, the daughter in law (marumagaL) of Nandagopan (nandhagOpan), who
>>does not retreat (Odaadha), just like an elephant (kaLitran) showing off
>i^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^i^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>>(undhu) his excitement (madham), who has powerful (valiyan) shoulders (thOl),
>^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>  Is it a correct translation of 
>   `undhu madha kaLiRRan Odaatha thOL valiyan..' ?
>  I think that a correct translation is,
>  `Nandagopan, who has strong shoulders, who is brave and does not retreat 
>if he encounters a wild elephant in rage..'

      I think Sundara Pandian's translation is correct. 
      'kaLiRRaan' = 'kaLiRu(elephant) + aan' means 'by the
       elephant'. NanthagOpan who is not driven out by
       elephant. The inner meaning here is 'NanthagOpan
       who is not affected by Ego'. kaLiRu = yaanai - means
       'Ego' ( yaan = I ; yaanai = I_ness). The story of
       five blind fellows trying to study an elephant actually
       refers to the attempt of trying to understand the nature
       of ego with the five senses ( referring to its futility).
       Thus 'unthu matha kaLiRRaan' refers to the 'movement of
       ego'.


>
>>You, who has a fragrant (kandham) smelling (kamazhum) head of hair (kuzhali),
>>open (thiRavaay) the door (kadai). Look (kaaN)! The hens (kOzhi) are up
>>(vandhu) and are calling (azhaiththana) everywhere (engum). Many sorts
>>(inangaL) of cukkoo birds (kuyil) are singing (koovina) several (pala) times
>>(kaal), on top of (mEl) the trellis (pandhal) of the 'kurukkaththi creeper'
>>(maadhavi). Look! (kaaN). Will you please come (vandhu) cheerfully
>>(magizhndhu) and open (thiRavaay) the door, with your red (sen) lotus
>>(thaamarai) hands (kai), and jingling (olippa) of beautiful (seer) bangles
>>(vaLai), so that we may sing (paada) the praise (pEr) of your (un) husband
>                                                                    ^^^^^^^^
>>(maiththunan), who is holding a ball (pandhu) in his fingers (viral).
>^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>  I have a question here. Is the word `machchaan' in folk Tamil derived
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>from `maiththunan' ?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

        Yes.

>> [some deleted]
>>\c \J
>>Oh wide (malar) chested (maarbaa) Lord! You who are sleeping (kida) on a soft
>   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> Does `malar' mean `wide' also? I think that another translation is
>`Oh Lord! With a chest colored like a rose..'

          I don't think 'malar' means wide nor refers to the colour.
          'malar maarbaa' means 'malar aNi maarbaa' = one who has
           garlands adoring his chest.
>
>>(eththanaiyElum). This is not (anRu) good nature (thathuvam), nor is it fair
>>(thagavEl).
>>\j
>-- 
>pax vobiscum,
>sundara pandian.
>ah724@yfn.ysu.edu
>

       anbudan
       -Selva


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