From: selvakum@watserv1.uwaterloo.ca (C.R.Selvakumar - Electrical Engineering)
Subject: Re: Thiruppaavai Verse 25
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Sat, 9 Jan 1993 18:14:13 GMT

In article <1993Jan8.165525.21698@cs.cornell.edu> srin@cs.cornell.edu (Aravind Srinivasan) writes:
>
>I am posting this on behalf of 
>Dr. K. Srinivasan (srini@ireq-num.hydro.qc.ca).
>
>Regards,
>Aravind.
>
>===================================================================
>
>\height=660 \width=460 \leftmargin=10 \C
>\(TAMIL20) 25. raagam: hamsaa nandhi
>\beginbox
>oruththi maganaay(p) piRandhu Or iravil
>oruththi maganaay oLiththu vaLara(th)
>tharikkilaan aagi(th) thaan theengu ninaindha
>karuththai(p) pizhaippiththu(k) kanchan vayitrinil
>neruppenna ninRa nedumaalE!, unnai
>aruththiththu vandhOm paRai tharudhiyaagil
>thiruththakka selvamum sEvagamum yaam paadi
>varuththamum theerndhu magizhndhElOr embaavaay
>\endbox
>
>\c \J
>Oh Lord (nedumaal), who was born (piRandhu) one (Or) night (iravu) as a son
>(magan) of one lady (oruththi) and grew up (vaLara) hiding (oLiththu) as the
>son (magan) of one other lady (oruththi); You made the idea (karuththu) of
>Kamsa (kanchan), who could not with stand (tharikkilaan aagi) you and thought
>of (ninaindha) harming (theengu) you (thaam), useless (pizhaipiththu) and
>stood (ninRa) like a fire (neruppenna) in his own belly (vayitrinil). We have
>come (vandhOm) with a great desire (aruththi) towards you (unnai). If you
                        ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
        The word 'arundhal' means 'uNNuthal' ,to eat (to feed);
        the less well known word 'aruththal' means 'uNbiththal'
        to be fed; some more words to comprehend more fully  
        the meaning:

        'aruththaapaththi' means 'solliya onRai(k) kondu
        sollaatha onRai aRithal' ( = to infer one from the one that
                                  is explicitly said);  
        'aruththapathi' means 'king' ( in the sense he feeds us all);  
                         ( aruththapathi can also mean any GREAT
                           artist; KubEran the wealthy)
        'aruththailakkaNai' = 'vittu_vidaatha ilakkaNai'; the sense is
                               the essentially 'needed' grammer;
                               ( i.e without being fed with this grammar
                                it would become meaningless)

        Thus in this light the word 'aruththi' (= great desire)
        means the 'vital desire'. Thiruvaasagam aslo uses many times
        this word 'aruththi = vital desire'.

        In Tamil 'tha' and 'cha' will used interechangably in some cases.
        examples are 'aththan' and 'achchan' both mean father etc.
        Thus if you consider word 'aruchchanai' you get the meaning that
        'prayer said with great vital love/desire' although there is
        a Sanskrit word 'archana' from which Tamil word is inspired;
        I'll quote one more imaginative word formation with true
        tamil sense inspired by Sanskrit word ( as understood by
         tamils): There is a well known sanskrit word 'darshan';
        In thamizh we say 'therisanam' coming from tamil root 'theri
        = to know' and 'anam' is a known tamil suffix. 
        
     

        
>emancipate us (paRai tharudhiyaagil), we will be free of (theerndhu) our
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

         This is a beautiful translation! The word 'paRai' means 'to say'
         and 'to depart' ( because 'to say' is considered to 'send the
         words out'; also note 'paRai aRiviththal' coming from the
         percussion instrument 'paRai' which both spiritually and 
         in a mundane sense means an instrument for announcing.
         'paRai' also means 'iRagu' ( = feather which is shed; thus
         give the semantic sense of 'depart, go out')
         'paRaichchal' = 'pEchchu' 
         'paRaithal' = sollal, 'to say'
         'paRaiththal' = 'sollal', 'nIkkuthal' ( to remove)
               ( this meaning of 'nIkkuthal' from the semantic
                 sense of 'depart, go out, remove' was used to 
                 segregate the respectable caste-people called 'PaRaiyan';
                 'paRai-thozhil' was considered  a very respectable one once,
                 because kings used them as announcers ( dependable,
                 must have accuracy of memory etc.); these 'paRaiyans' are
                 similar to spkespersons of Govts. say like
                 of whitehouse etc... It is said that if there is no
                 'agrahaaram' ( = a 'brahmin' kudiyiruppu) in a 
                 village, one of the best places is considered to be
                 a part of 'paRayan kudiyiruppu'. The 'paRaiyan's are 
                 also considered to be adepts at magic and spiritual
                 arts.
         
        Thus 'paRai tharudhiyEl' ( = if you give us emancipation)
        has a deep meaning on two accounts 
        1) in the sense if you give us 'ego_nIkkam', from the
           root sense 'paRathtal' = nIkkam. Note ego can be replaced
           with 'aRiyaamai' 'suffering' etc. etc.
        2) in the sense, if you give us the announcement of Your (nedumaal)
           coming. This from the sense of 'paRaithtal' = sollal, announce etc.
           God-realization is often described about knowing the 'Word' in
          many religions; one can also see St. John on 'Word' ..
                  
>sorrows (varuththam) and we (yaam) will happily (magizhndhu) sing (paadi)
>about your service (sEvagam) and about the beauty (selvam) of your suitable
>(thakka) match Lakshmi (thiru).
>\j


      anbudan
      -Selva