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govindhan gunam paadi en aavi kaaththiruppen - post 10

From the Bhakti List Archives

M.G.Vasudevan • February 12, 2002 


Dear Srivaishnava perunthagaiyeer,

In the previous post we saw periyaazhvaar saying "krishna, the beautiful, my
young boy" learnt the pure form of dance - thooya nadam payilum sundhara, en
siRuvaa. We also had Swamy desikan confirming he learnt the new dance called
navaneetha naatyam. 

A doubt came to the mind that krishna learnt these two dances only or more
types also. Another aazhvaar confirms he learnt many types. See verse-
 
kadu vidam udaiya kaaLiyan thadaththaik
kalakki mun alakkazhiththu avan than
padam iRap paainthu pal maNi sinthap
pal nadam payinRavan kOil
padavara algul paavai nallaargaL
payiRRiya naadagaththu oli pOi
adai pudai thazhuvi aNdam ninRu adhirum
thiru veLLiyangudi adhuvE 
	4-10-3 periya thirumozhi of thirumangai aazhvaar

meaning: Yes. This temple in the dhivya kshEthram of thiru veLLIyangudi is
the temple where krishna stays, who 
	stirred the pond where the deadly poisonous snake kaaLiyan lived, 
	made that snake waver for his life, 
	made him spread the hood with difficulty 
	spit all that jewels [naaga raththinam] what he holds in his poison
bags of his mouth, 
	learnt many types of dances on the hoods.
This temple is also the place where the ladies [who have spread hips like
the hoods of snake] make so much noise in the drama they enact, that
reverberates in all the worlds, that drama on the deeds of krishna.  

The important point here is that krishna learnt many types of dances - pal
vagai nadam payinRavan- pal nadam. Perhaps this aazhvaar knows better for he
has seen krishna in different forms in different kshEthrams and also learnt
directly from lord krishna.

To a good extent, we can say these two - periya and thirumangai aazhvaars
are so much attached to kaNNan that they may say very high of their pet
krishnan, gOvindhan. 

Here is a confirmation from thirumazhisaip piraan who considered lord as
"lord" only- naathan- more vEdhaantham oriented aazhvaar - saying krishna
learnt dance on the snake hood.

kadangalanthavan kari maruppu osiththu Or poigai vaai
vidankalantha paambin mEl nadam payinRa naathanE
kudam kalantha kooththanaaya koNdal vaNNa thaN thuzhaai
vadam kalantha maalai maarba kaalanEmi kaalanE 
- 38 thiruchchandha viruththam of thiru mazhisaip piraan

saadu saadu padhanE salam kalantha poigai vaai
aadaraavin van pidar nadam payinRa naathanE
thOdu needu kaiya seyya paadha naaLum uLLinaal
veedanaaga mei seyaadha vaNNam enkol kaNNanE
86 thiruchchantha viruththam

The main point in these two verses is that krishNa learnt dance on the hoods
of the poisonous snake kaaLiyan. [for detailed meaning I request readers to
refer commentaries]. Also he learnt a new dance form called kudam kalantha
kooththu- kudak kooththu- pot dance- keeping a pot on the head and dance.
[We will have more references on this kudak kooththu subsequently].

Also see this krithi by the poet who lived along with us and left us to
enjoy that krishna by staying very near him - Smt Ambujam Krishna - she
combines different dances in one krithi what kaNNan performed. 

This krithi is in raaga maalika

Pallavi:
aadina aravindhap padham uRu thuNaiyE aiyan un
aadina aravindhap padham uRu thuNaiyE

meaning: your lotus feet, oh my lord, which danced is my closest companion. 

anupallavi:
aadum thottilil aRiyaab baalanaai uruNdu
Odum sagadam udhaiththu nee viLai [aadina]

Meaning: You played with that rolling wheel asuran, from the hanging cradle,
by kicking him with your lotus feet to death. Such lotus feet are my closest
companion.

CharaNam 1:
thaa thaa enak kazhal silambu olikka
thaa thaa enach chevvai sol isaikka
thaa thaa enach chiram asaiya vizhi genja
thaa thaa enak karam veNNaik kEtkath
thaLar nadaiyittu niRka
thaai yasOdhai mei maRakka
dhaaraNiyOr kaNdu ugakka [aadina]

meaning: 
The anklets in your feet make beautiful music thaa thaa. 
The small lovely mouth of you oh krishna says thaa thaa musically
The head of you makes movements, which indicate thaa thaa, 
also your eyes begs as though they are saying thaa thaa
the hands asks butters saying thaa thaa
the young shaky legs walks across, 
mother yasOdha simply forgets her world in enjoyment of seeing you
the people of this world seeing you simply enjoys themselves
such dancing lotus feet are my closest companion

charaNam 2:
suruL kuzhal madhi nudhal puraNdida
karu vizhi iraNdum suzhanRu arul pozhinthida
naRu malar maalai maarbil ilangida
araithanil oLir pattaadai asainthida kaaLiyan
siraththai midhiththu thaththiththOm 
thiththOm thOm thagaNathOm thaahathajam 
thari tka thagita thaka  enRu oru 
padham niRuththi eduththu  [aadina]

meaning:
the curling hair just falling on the moon like face of you
the black eyes rollicking to pour the grace
sweet smelling flowered garlands dangling in the chest
the waist just adorns the shining silk clothes
pressing the head of kaaLiyan snake with one leg
and lifting other leg you danced with various jathis
such lotus feet are my closest companion.

charaNam 3:
veLLamena amudham pozhiyum nilavilE
thuLLum keNdai paayum yamunaik karaiyilE
meLLa varum iniya kuzhalin isaiyilE
uLLam urugi onRaaik koodum vELaiyil
konjum vizhiyilE anjuga mozhiyilE
nenjak kalappilE minju kaLippudanE
thaththithadhingiNathOm thiththadhingiNathom
thadhingiNathom thingiNathom giNathom Nathom thomenru [aadina]

meaning: 
the moon light floods the area with cool light
in that river banks of yamuna where fish jumps from water 
in the slowly reaching flute music
the heart throbs and slowly mingles with you at that time
with loving eyes 
with parrot like language
mind enjoying union with you and in that residual bliss
you danced with various jathis- such lotus feet are my companion 
- oh krishna

Some points I want to share with you all on this krithi. But already
elongated length of this post forces me to postpone these to next
communication. So kindly bear with me.

Till the time you receive the next post you enjoy this guNam of dancing of
gOvindhan -  pleasing bhakthaas by dancing.

Dhasan 

M.G.Vasudevan




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