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thiruppaavai -- verse 25

From the Bhakti List Archives

Mani Varadarajan • January 9, 1998 


[ Today, January 9, is the 25nd day of maargazhi
  (December-January).  On each day of maargazhi,
  one verse from Andal's divine poem ``thiruppaavai'' 
  is savored. Today's verse is "oruththi maganaay pirandhu".

  What I have presented is the surface meaning.
  Each verse can actually be understood in many 
  poetic and profoundly philosophical ways. Perhaps
  others can offer further thoughts and reactions.

  An introduction to Andal and the thiruppaavai
  can be found on the Web:

  http://www.best.com/~mani/new/andal-bio.html
  http://www.best.com/~mani/andal.html 

  Pardon me for skipping some verses.
  Vacation and illness conspired against me,
  and I hope to make up the missed posts in the meantime.

  -- Mani ]


Recap
-----

In the first five songs, Andal described the sacred 
vow (paavai nonbu) she and her friends will 
undertake during the month of maargazhi to get
the "divine drum", which only the Lord of the 
Universe, Narayana (Krishna), can give them.  

In verses 5-15, she goes about waking up 
her friends in the wee hours of the morning so they 
can go perform this vow. In verses 16-22, Andal and 
her friends gather at the doors of the household of 
Krishna and ask that they rise and grace them.  Her
appeals start first with his father Nandagopa and 
end with Krishna himself and his wife Nappinnai.  

As they awaken and cast their glances on the girls
who have gathered, Andal tells Krishna why they
have gathered there.

----------------------------------------------------
thiruppaavai, verse 25 -- oruththi maganaay pirandhu
----------------------------------------------------

oruththi maganaayp piRandhu * Or iravil
oruththi maganaay oLiththu vaLarath *
tharikkilaan aagith thaan theengu ninaindha *
karuththaip pizhaippiththuk kanchan vayiRRil *
neruppenna ninRa nedumaalE! * unnai
aruththiththu vandhOm paRai tharudhiyaagil *
thiruththakka selvamum sEvagamum yaam paadi *
varuththamum theerndhu magizhndhElOr embaavaay.

  [ '*' indicates the end of a line, split 
     both for recitation as well as to help
     with the meaning. ]


-----------
Translation
-----------

Born to one mother one night, then
Hiding and living as another's son

Unable to bear your existence
Kamsa sought to do you harm 

You falsified his plots and
stood like a fire in his belly

O Great Lord!

We have come here your beggars
Asking for the drum

We shall sing of your valour and wealth
Befitting the Goddess of Wealth herself
And crossing over all our sorrows
We shall rejoice!

---------------------
Word for Word meaning
---------------------

oruththi	one lady (Devaki)
maganaay	a son
piRandhu	born

Or iravil	during one night
oruththi	one lady (Yashoda)
maganaay	a son
oLiththu	hiding
vaLara		while growing

tharikkilaan aagi
		unable to bear
thaan		Kamsa himself
theengu		to harm
ninaindha	thinking

karuththai	intention
pizhaipiththu	to falsify
kancan vayiRRil	in the belly of Kamsa
neruppenna	like a fire
ninRa		standing
nedumaalE	Great Lord of all

unnai		towards you
aruththiththu	begged
vandhOm		we have come
paRai tharudhiyaagil
		to get the drum

thiru thakka	appropriate to Thiru (Lakshmi)
selvamum	wealth
sEvakamum	valour
yaam		we
paadi		sing

varuththamum	sorrows (because of separation from you)
theerndhu	crossing over
magizhndhu	happily