From: ah724@yfn.ysu.edu (Sundara Pandian)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.tamil,soc.culture.indian
Subject: Re: Thiruppaavai Verses 18-20
Summary: Some corrections in the Thiruppaavai verses 18 and 19
Date: 3 Jan 93 19:48:45 GMT
Article-I.D.: news.1993Jan3.194845.10395
Expires: Wed, 20 Jan 1993 05:00:00 GMT
Reply-To: ah724@yfn.ysu.edu (Sundara Pandian)
Organization: St. Elizabeth Hospital, Youngstown, OH


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.
>
>===================================================================
>
>\height=660 \width=460 \leftmargin=10 \C
>\(TAMIL20) 18. raagam: kaapi
>\beginbox
>undhu madha kaLitran Odaadha thOL valiyan
>nandhagOpan marumagaLE nappinaay
 ^^^^^^^^^^^            ^^^^^^^^^
   There are two typos here. The second line is
 `nandhagOpaalan marumagaLE nappinnaay'.
  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^            ^^^^^^^^^^

>kandham kamazhum kuzhali kadai thiRavaay
>vandhu engum kOzhi azhaiththana kaaN maadhavi(p)
>pandhal mEl pala kaal kuyilinangaL koovina kaaN
             ^^^^^^^^^
   There is a typo here. This line is 
 `pandhal mEl palkaal..'.
             ^^^^^^^^^^


>pandhu aar virali un maiththunan pEr paada(ch)
>chendhaamarai(k) kaiyaal seeraar vaLai olippa
>vandhu thiRavaay magizhndhElOr embaavaay.
>\endbox
>
>\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..'

>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' ?

>\j
> 
>\height=660 \width=460 \leftmargin=10 \C
>\(TAMIL20) 19. raagam: ataaNaa
>\beginbox
>kuththu viLakkeriya kOttu(k) kaal kattilin mEl
                                   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  A typo here. It is `kattil mEl'.


>meththenRa pancha sayanaththin mEl ERi(k)
>loththalar poonguzhal nappinai kongai mEl
                      ^^^^^^^^^^
  Typo. `nappinnai'.

>vaiththu(k) kidandha malar maarbaa vaay thiRavaay
>mai(th) thadam kaNNinaay nee un maNaaLanai
>eththanai pOdhum thuyilezha ottaay kaaN
>eththanaiyElum pirivu aatragillaayaal
>thaththuvam anRu thagavElOr embaavaay
>\endbox
>
>\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..'

>(meththenRa) cotton (panchu) mattress (sayanam), on (mEl) a bed (kattil) with
>legs (kaal) made of ivory (kOttu), keeping (vaiththu) your forehead  near the
>chest (kongai) of your consort (nappinai), who is wearing bunches (koththu) of
>flowers (alar) on her head (kuzhal), with 'kuththu vilakku' lamps lighted
>(eriya) all around; please open (thiRavaay) your mouth (vaay). Oh! you
>consort, your eyes (kaNNinaay) decorated (thadam) with 'mai', you (nee) do not
>seem to let us (ottaay) wake up (thuyil ezha) your (un) husband (maNaaLan),
>for such a (eththanai) long time (pOdhum). Look (kaaN)! You do not want
>(illaayaal) to be separated (pirivu aatra) even for little while
>(eththanaiyElum). This is not (anRu) good nature (thathuvam), nor is it fair
>(thagavEl).
>\j
-- 
pax vobiscum,
sundara pandian.
ah724@yfn.ysu.edu
Newsgroups: soc.culture.tamil