From: kat@doe.carleton.ca (Kathiravan Krishnamurthi)
Subject: Re: Kamban on SurppaNagai
Organization: Dept. of Electronics, Carleton University
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1992 16:42:25 GMT

In <9209041601.AA02540@cec1.wustl.edu> sp2@cec1.wustl.edu (Sundara Pandian) writes:


   vaNakkam! pandiarE!  Some clarifications. 
>               Kamban on SurppaNagai
>             ------------------------
>   In this posting, I have presented a comprehensive
> translation of Kamban's verse on SurppaNagai posted in the
> net by Kathiravan Krishnamurthy. I saw some interesting
> follow-ups by Natarajan Sureshbabu and N.Sundar. I agree
> with Kathiravan that this poem has a good `sandham'. Another

> \(TAMIL)
>   panchiyoLir vinchukuLir pallavam aNunga
>   sencheviya kanchanimir cheeradiya laagi
                                    ^^^^^^^
  sandhEkam! I thought it is cheeradiyaLaagi=cheer adigaL koNda vaL aagi! the feminine vaL.
 Please clarify. 
>   ancholiLa  mannaiyena annamena minnum

   In silambu also, iLango uses manynyai(peacock). I don't know how it translates into
ADAMI,
    kovalan describes kannaki's complexion(saayal) and kural (voice)
He goes like (I forgot the whole poem), but starts like

maa iru peeli maNi neRa manynyai( meaning peacock) 
>   vanchiyena nanchamena vanchamagaL vandhaaL .

> Rama's eyes. But Kamba finishes the verse with 
>      `nanchamena vanchamgaL vandhaaL'
> meaning that she is like poison, like the daughter of wickedness.
> These are internal descriptions. Kamban implies that though 
> SurppaNagai has changed her external appearance, she retains her
> wickedness in her earlier appearance. This is rather philosophical.
> Now, for a meaning :

>   In the first two lines
> ` panchiyoLir vinchukuLir pallavam aNunga
>   chencheviya kanchanimir cheeratiya laaki '
> Kamban describes the act of SurppaNagai's walking .

>   pallavam = feet ( paadham )
>   vinchukuLir = very cold 
>   panchiyoLir - this refers to beautiful drawings           
>                 decorated on women's feet. They are
>                 done with a red coloured liquid made
>                 of `sengal podi' etc., Those who have   
>                 seen `Vicco turmeric' advertisements
>                 may remember the bride's mother and
>                 her friends decorating her feet before
>                 the marriage with a red liquid.
> [ panchiyoLir pallavam means feet shining with freshly
>  painted decorations. ]
>   aNunga = do with pain
>  SurppaNagai's very cold and decorated feet are so soft
> that the act of walking on the hard ground is a pain for
> her.               

>  sencheviya =  sharp ears ( chevi = ear )
>  kanchanimir = the sound of anklet
>  cheeradiyalaagi = cheer + adi + kalaagi
>                  Some readers have translated `adi' as feet.
>                  `adi' really means `step'. This means the
>                  act of walking with short steps. `cheer'
>                  means `chiriya'= short.
>  SurppaNagai walks with short steps her anklets giving a
> musical sound which is so minute that it could be heard
> only if one has sharp ears.               
>   Having described how SurppaNagai walks, Kamban proceeds to
> describe her appearance in the next lines.
>    
> `ancholiLa mannaiyena annamena minnum vanchiyena'
>   
>    ancholiLa = am + chol + iLa
>                am = sweet, chol = words, iLa = young
>    mannaiyena = mannai + yena
>                mannai = peacock
>  We should combine `iLa' with `mannai' to take the meaning
> ` like a young peacock '. Hence, `ancholiLa mannaiyena'
> means ` a woman with sweet words, like a peacock '
>    annamena = like a swan ( annam = swan )
>  One may ask why `annam' is compared to. This comparison is 
> really beautiful. `annam' is known for its beautiful walk.
> Kannadasan has written a popular song
>  ` annam pOla nadai nadandhu aadidum mayilE'
> `mayil' = peacock as well and the comparisons to swan and 
> peacock are very appropriate and describing the beautiful
> walk of SurppaNagai. The word `mannai' is used here instead
> of `mayil' for good sound

pinnitinga saami!

kathiravan.  

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