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ThoNdar adippodi aazhvaarin "vaNdinam muralum sOlai"

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Badrinarayanan Seshadri • May 6, 1995 


Sorry, I couldn't write earlier due to lack of time. In this
mail, I will briefly mention the meaning (without much
expanding upon the theme) and if I have some time, I will
probably follow-up with an extended discussion of thoNdar
adippodi aazhvaar's thirumaalai later.

I am sending a copy of this mail to "karamche@scf.usc.edu".

I have also read the explanation given by Vaidehi and note
that she has made a few mistakes in interpreting the aazhvaar,
especially the last 2 lines which are in fact the most
important lines in this verse and the rest, simply used to
embellish the poem. As Vijayaraghavan rightly noticed, one
should interpret this verse along with what thoNdar adippodi
aazhvaar is trying to say in the entire work thirumaalai.

Before I start with the meaning, I just want to point out that
thoNdar adippodi aazhvaar is a little extreme in his views,
too extreme to my liking (as Dileepan & Mani would attest:-),
but I hope this verse will be interpreted not literally but
just in spirit.

here is the paasuram:

\bt
* 885:
* vaNdina muralum sOlai
*  mayilinam aalum sOlai,
* koNdalmee thaNavum sOlai
*  kuyilinam koovum sOlai,
* aNdar_kO Nnamarum sOlai
*  aNithiru varanka mennaa,
* miNdar_paayn^ thuNNum sORRai
*  vilakkin^aayk kidumi NneerE. (2)  (14)
\et



vaNdu inam : the entire family/species of bees, wasps etc.
muralum : hum or drone
sOlai : garden
mayil inam : peacock/peahen and other birds in related species
aalum : dance (not to be confused with aaLum = rule)
        (similar as aadum)
koNdal : clouds
meethu : over
aNavum : embrace
kuyil inam : species of nightingales, can be generally taken
             to mean all those birds that sing nicely.
koovum : literally the noice that nightingales make, also
         taken to mean nightingales calling each other
aNdar : Devas
kOn : king
(aNdar kOn : the king of Devas)
amarum : sit (majestically)

aNi : decorative jewellery

now to the importnat part

miNdar : lowly people, also to mean ingrates
paayndhu : jump
uNNum : eat
sORu : food
vilakki : take it away
naay : dog
idumin : offer (condescendingly)

\begin{meaning}

Sri Rangam [is] a beautiful garden which is like a jewel
[among the entire world], where

1. bees swarm and hum around the flowers,
2. peacocks dance 
3. clouds embrace from the top

(note that one can flip 2 & 3, with 3 being the reason for 2)

4. nightingales rejoice with their singing and
5. the supreme Emperor of all the divine beings resides
   and rules over.

[oh, you good minded people]! if you see any of those ingrates
-- the people of lowly life, who don't utter the name "Sri
Rangam" (which is so defined above) -- eat their food, just
take the food away from them and throw that food to dogs.
[These people don't deserve the Lord's food. Even dogs are
better than these fellows.]

\end{meaning}

The spirit of the verse, I suppose is quite obvious. The words
he uses may be unpleasant to some.

--badri

--------------------------------------------------
S.Badrinarayanan 
Graduate Student
Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
Cornell University
--------------------------------------------------