From: selvakum@watserv1.uwaterloo.ca (C.R.Selvakumar - Electrical Engineering)
Subject: Re: A ThEvaaram verse (translation)
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 15:35:35 GMT

In article <1993Jan25.204512.25214@ultb.isc.rit.edu> snreee@ritvax.isc.rit.edu writes:
>
>          Thanks for this explanation. However, is "vaNdu" used for
>          sangu in the literature? What does the dictionaries say?
                                    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

     The meaning of 'sangu' ( shell) for 'vaNdu' _was_ from Kazhaga
     thamizh agaraathi. The semantic root of 'vaN' = 'hard' is my
     suggestion. I am not aware of any literary use of 'vaNdu' = sangu
     elsewhere but it is my guess that if one searches one can find.
     I am aware of another place in ThEvaaram where 'vaNdaRai' is
     used by ThiruNYaanasambandar. This is because 'vaNdaRai' has 
     an inner spiritual meaning. Many words like 'maalai', 'muththu
     maalai', kongai, aravam, karumbu, vINai .. etc. have hidden
     meanings and there is no point in knowing the meanings without
     _realizing_ what is said - the wise say... 

     For example 'nariyai pari aakkiya kathai' ( = the story of
     transforming the jackals into horses; one of the playful
     deeds {thiruviLaiyaadal} of Siva - this is said to have
     been played for MaaNikka vaasagar). There is a hidden meaning
     here. The 'nari' signifies the vital force flowing DOWN ( down
     means towards the normal sexual organ).
     The 'pari' ( = horse) signifies the vital force flowing
     UP ( towards the head - sahasradaLam also called poo )
     Thus we also have another meaning for the word 'pari_baashai'
     ( code language ) :)

     Let me quote an appar thEvaaram ( Thirunaavukkarasar)
     sung in ThiruvaarUr ( paN ( raagam): kaanthaaram);
     appar is said to have lived before MaaNikkavaasagar:

          nariyai kuthirai seyvaanum
               naragarai thEvu seyvaanum
         viratham koNdaada vallaanum
               vichchinRi naaRu seyvaanum
         murasathirn(dh) thaanai munnOda
               munpaNin(dh) anbargaL Eththa
         aravarai saaththi ninRaanum
               aarUr amarntha ammaanE

     Where from the first line you can see that 'nariyai kuthirai
     seyvaanum' means one who makes a jackal into a horse. if you
     take this with the 'puraana' story then MaaNikkavaasagar
     is _earlier_ than thirunaavukkarasar ( appar) [ I hope
     Sundara PaaNdian reads this ! ] Appar is said to have
     lived in 6-7th century A.D. 

     I should also point out that there are many more places
     where 'nari-pari' is used. There is another song 'naripuri kaadarangaa.."
     In any case, there is a very elaborate symbolism in
     Tamil religious songs ( Saivam and Vaishnavam) which
     is extremely rich and deeply thought-provoking, but
     there is not much point in dwelling on these without
     real actual inner flowering. 

       
     
>          May be "moosu vaNdu" is a pure Tamil word for visha vaNdu
>          as you are suggesting by "poisonous stinging vaNdu".
>          In any case, the general meaning of "moosu vaNdaRai" is 
>          becoming clear now.
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