Shame Shame!
An Overview of Periya Tirumadal
• March 29, 1996
We have seen that the person performing madal ERudhal attempts to spread some gossip about his/her lover. parakaala naayaki, in siRiya thiru madal (STM) merely threatens what she is planning to do:
…. родро╛рооро░рпИрокрпН рокрпЛро▒рпН роХрогрпНрогро╛ройрпИ роОрогрпНрогро░рпБроорпН роЪрпАро░рпНрокрпН
рокрпЗро░рпН роЖропро┐ро░роорпБроорпН рокро┐родро▒рпНро▒ро┐рокрпН рокрпЖро░рпБроорпН родрпЖро░рпБро╡рпЗ
роКро░ро╛ро░рпН роЗроХро┤ро┐ро▓рпБроорпН роКро░ро╛родрпБ роТро┤ро┐ропрпЗройрпН роиро╛ройрпН
ро╡ро╛ро░рпНро░ро░рпН рокрпВроорпН рокрпЖрогрпНрогрпИ роороЯро▓рпН.
…. thaamaraip pOR kaNNaanai eNNarum seerp
pEr aayiramum pidhaRRip perum theruvE
ooraar ikazhilum ooraadhu ozhiyEn naan
vaarrar poom peNNai madal.
I will hurl thousands of unimaginable insults
at the lotus eyed one and thus blabbering,
I will ride the beautiful palmyra stem
through the big streets
even if the whole town speak ill of me!
We have heard of the ‘sahasranaama’ about Him, and in fact every aazhvaar seems to have mentioned about these complimentary epithets (aayira naamam solli, naamam aayiram Eththa ninRa naaraNaa, etc.) but this is a novel concept, this ‘sahasra dhooshaNam’!
parakaala naayaki gives us some hint about what this novel sahasranama is, in periya thiru madal (PTM). Let me attempt to translate the relevent portions here:
The threat
родройрпН роЕро░рпБро│рпБроорпН роЖроХроорпБроорпН родро╛ро░ро╛ройрпЗро▓рпН родройрпНройрпИ роиро╛ройрпН
рооро┐ройрпН роЗроЯрпИропро╛ро░рпН роЪрпЗро░ро┐ропро┐ро▓рпБроорпН ро╡рпЗродро┐ропро░рпНроХро│рпН ро╡ро╛ро┤рпНро╡ро┐роЯродрпНродрпБроорпН
родройрпН роЕроЯро┐ропро╛ро░рпН роорпБройрпНрокрпБроорпН родро░рогро┐ роорпБро┤рпБродрпБ роЖро│рпБроорпН
роХрпКро▓рпН роиро╡ро┐ро▓рпБроорпН ро╡рпЗро▓рпН ро╡рпЗроирпНродро░рпН роХрпВроЯрпНроЯродрпНродрпБроорпН роиро╛роЯрпНроЯрпБ роЕроХродрпНродрпБроорпН
родройрпН роиро┐ро▓рпИроорпИ роОро▓рпНро▓ро╛роорпН роЕро▒ро┐ро╡ро┐рокрпНрокройрпН …
than aruLum aakamum thaaraanEl thannai naan
min idaiyaar sEriyilum vEdhiyarkaL vaazhvidaththum
than adiyaar munbum tharaNi muzhudhu aaLum
kol navilum vEl vEndhar koottaththum naattu akaththum
than nilaimai ellaam aRivippan …
If he refuses me his grace,
I will expose him and his misdeeds
to the young women with narrow waists,
to the brahmins who chant the vedas,
to his very own devotees,
to the kings who rule the entire world,
to those brave soldiers with sharp spears,
and to the people in every city!
Now, we are intrigued. We can not stand the suspense anymore. We want the juicy bits of gossip. We beg parakaala naayaki for the inside scoop! What did He do?
The scoop
…. родро╛ройрпН роорпБрой роиро╛ро│рпН
рооро┐ройрпН роЗроЯрпИ роЖропрпНроЪрпНроЪро┐ропро░рпН родроорпН роЪрпЗро░ро┐роХрпН роХро│ро╡ро┐ройрпН роХрогрпН
родрпБройрпНройрпБ рокроЯро▓рпН родро┐ро▒роирпНродрпБ родропро┐ро░рпН ро╡рпЖрогрпНрогрпЖропрпН
родройрпН ро╡ропро┐ро▒рпБ роЖро░ ро╡ро┐ро┤рпБроЩрпНроХ роХрпКро┤рпБроорпН роХропро▓рпН роХрогрпН
рооройрпНройрпБ роороЯро╡рпЛро░рпНроХро│рпН рокро▒рпНро▒ро┐ роУро░рпН ро╡ро╛ройрпН роХропро┐ро▒рпНро▒ро╛ро▓рпН
рокро┐ройрпНройрпБроорпН роЙро░ро▓рпЛроЯрпБ роХроЯрпНроЯрпБрогрпНроЯ рокрпЖро▒рпНро▒ро┐роорпИропрпБроорпН
…. thaan muna naaL
min idai aaychchiyar tham sErik kaLavin kaN
thunnu padal thiRandhu thayir veNNey
than vayiRu aara vizhunga kozhum kayal kaN
mannu madavOrkaL paRRi Or vaan kayiRRaal
pinnum uralOdu kattuNda peRRimaiyum
Once upon a time, stealthily, this thief
jumped the fence into a cowherdess’ house.
While stealing and eating butter and curds,
the women with fish like eyes caught him redhanded.
They grabbed him and tied him tightly
with a small rope to a wooden mortar.
He was not even able to free himself!
Shame! Shame!
And then,
роЕройрпНроирпНродрпБ роУро░рпН рокрпВродрооро╛ропрпН роЖропро░рпН ро╡ро┐ро┤ро╡ро┐ройрпН роХрогрпН
родрпБройрпНройрпБ роЪроХроЯродрпНродро╛ро▓рпН рокрпБроХрпНроХ рокрпЖро░рпБроорпН роЪрпЛро▒рпНро▒рпИ
роорпБройрпН роЗро░рпБроирпНродрпБ роорпБро▒рпНро▒ родро╛ройрпН родрпБро▒рпНро▒ро┐роп родрпЖро▒рпНро▒рпЖройро╡рпБроорпН
annadhu Or boodhamaay aayar vizhavin kaN
thunnu sakadaththaal pukka perum sORRai
mun irundhu muRRa thaan thuRRiya theRRenavum
Another time, during Indra’s festival,
carts and carts piled up plenty of food.
Taking the shape of a huge imp, this man,
gobbled the entire lot of food!
Others didn’t get even a single bite!
Shame! Shame!
And then,
рооройрпНройро░рпН рокрпЖро░рпБроорпН роЪро╡рпИропрпБро│рпН ро╡ро╛ро┤рпН ро╡рпЗроирпНродро░рпН родрпВродройро╛ропрпН
родройрпНройрпИ роЗроХро┤рпНроирпНродрпБ роЙро░рпИрокрпНрокродрпН родро╛ройрпН роорпБрой роиро╛ро│рпН роЪрпЖройрпНро▒родрпБро╡рпБроорпН
mannar perum savaiyuL vaazh vEndhar thoodhanaay
thannai ikazhndhu uraippath thaan muna naaL senRadhuvum
Once upon a time, he was running
little errands for the mighty Pandavas!
The world laughed and made fun of him,
when he went as a messenger boy
to the courts of the Kauravas
full of proud Kings!
What a shame!
And then,
рооройрпНройрпБ рокро▒рпИ роХро▒роЩрпНроХ роороЩрпНроХрпИропро░рпН родроорпН роХрогрпН роХро│ро┐рокрпНрок
роХрпКро▓рпН роиро╡ро┐ро▓рпБроорпН роХрпВродрпНродройро╛ропрпНрокрпН рокрпЗро░рпНродрпНродрпБроорпН роХрпБроЯроорпН роЖроЯро┐
роОройрпН роЗро╡ройрпН роОройрпНройрокрпНрокроЯрпБроХро┐ройрпНро▒ роИроЯрпБ роЕро▒ро╡рпБроорпН
mannu paRai kaRanga mangaiyar tham kaN kaLippa
kol navilum kooththanaayp pErththum kudam aadi
en ivan ennappadukinRa eedu aRavum
To please the aayar women, he danced the kooththu,
with pots in his hands and a noisy little drum
tied to his waist!
The women laughed at him and his dance.
Oh! How shameful it was!
And then,
родрпЖройрпН роЗро▓роЩрпНроХрпИ ропро╛роЯрпНроЯро┐ роЕро░роХрпНроХро░рпН роХрпБро▓рпНрокрпН рокро╛ро╡рпИ
рооройрпНройройрпН роЗро░ро╛ро╡рогройрпН родройрпН роиро▓рпН родроЩрпНроХрпИ ро╡ро╛ро│рпН роОропро┐ро▒рпНро▒рпБродрпН
родрпБройрпНройрпБ роЪрпБроЯрпБ роЪро┐ройродрпНродрпБроЪрпН роЪрпВро░рпНрокрпНрокрогроХро╛ роЪрпЛро░рпНро╡рпБ роОропрпНродро┐
рокрпКройрпН роиро┐ро▒роорпН роХрпКрогрпНроЯрпБ рокрпБро▓ро░рпНроирпНродрпБ роОро┤рпБроирпНрод роХро╛роородрпНродро╛ро▓рпН
родройрпНройрпИ роиропроирпНродро╛ро│рпИродрпН родро╛ройрпН роорпБройро┐роирпНродрпБ роорпВроХрпНроХрпБ роЕро░ро┐роирпНродрпБ
рооройрпНройро┐роп родро┐рогрпН роОрогро╡рпБроорпН ….
then ilangai yaatti arakkar kulp paavai
mannan iraavaNan than nal thangai vaaL eyiRRuth
thunnu sudu sinaththuch choorppaNakaa sOrvu eydhi
pon niRam koNdu pularndhu ezhundha kaamaththaal
thannai nayandhaaLaith thaan munindhu mookku arindhu
manniya thiN eNavum ….
When SoorppaNakaa, the beauty from Lanka,
Ravana’s fond sister, with teeth sharp like daggers,
who is always angry at her enemies,
with uncontrolled passion and lust approached him,
this angry man cut her nose off!
He even thinks that is a great achievement!
How shameful! And then,
….. ро╡ро╛ропрпНродрпНрод рооро▓рпИ рокрпЛро▓рпБроорпН
родройрпН роиро┐роХро░рпН роТройрпНро▒рпБ роЗро▓рпНро▓ро╛род родро╛роЯроХрпИропрпИ рооро╛роорпБройро┐роХро╛родрпН
родрпЖройрпН роЙро▓роХроорпН роПро▒рпНро▒рпБро╡ро┐родрпНрод родро┐рогрпН родро┐ро▒ро▓рпБроорпН рооро▒рпНро▒ро┐ро╡рпИродро╛ройрпН
роЙройрпНройро┐ роЙро▓ро╡ро╛ роЙро▓роХрпБ роЕро▒ро┐роп роКро░рпНро╡ройрпН роиро╛ройрпН
роорпБройрпНройро┐ роорпБро│рпИродрпНродрпБ роОро┤рпБроирпНродрпБ роУроЩрпНроХро┐ роУро│ро┐ рокро░роирпНрод
рооройрпНройро┐роп рокрпВроорпН рокрпЖрогрпНрогрпИ роороЯро▓рпН.
….. vaayththa malai pOlum
than nikar onRu illaadha thaadakaiyai maamunikaath
then ulakam ERRuviththa thiN thiRalum maRRivaithaan
unni ulavaa ulaku aRiya oorvan naan
munni muLaiththu ezhundhu Ongi OLi parandha
manniya poom peNNai madal.
Just at the merest excuse, when Vishvamitra asked him,
he immediately dispatched the mountain like thaadakai
to the land of Yama! He does excel in killing and
maiming the women. What a brave kshatriya he is!
His brave acts like this are too many to count!
I will make these deeds known all over the world
riding on a beautiful palmyra stem!
—Badri Seshadri
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