Mayilapuri Valla Karpagame

Classical Dance forms & related music
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laya2
Posts: 312
Joined: 05 Dec 2009, 03:39

Mayilapuri Valla Karpagame

Post by laya2 »

Hi

This is by Dr. Gatham Karthik. Can somebody please help me with the word to word meaning of the song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHlD8qwtZxo

thank you.

laya2
Posts: 312
Joined: 05 Dec 2009, 03:39

Re: Mayilapuri Valla Karpagame

Post by laya2 »

Can somebody help me with the meaning please.

Thank you.

rshankar
Posts: 13754
Joined: 02 Feb 2010, 22:26

Re: Mayilapuri Valla Karpagame

Post by rshankar »

This is what I hear:
Corrections (to the lyrics and the interpretation) are welcome.


pallavi
tiru mayilApuri vaLar kaRpagamE
kaNkavar kayilai kapAlISan aRpudamE/poRpadamE

Oh KarpagAmbA (kaRpagamE) [1] who resides/dwells (vaLar) in the divine (tiru) city of Mylapore (mayilApuri) [2]! One who captivates (kavar) all who cast a glance (kaN) [3] at you, (you are) the wonder/marvel (aRpudam) [4] of Lord Kapali (kapAlISan) [1] of KailAS (kayilai).

anupallavi
(kalai) payilum pAvalarkkaruL poRkuDamE
mana tuyarilum paNindOm un poRpadamE

(You) are veritably the golden (poR) pot (kuDamE) that blesses (aruL) poets (pAvalarkku) engaged in the practice and learning (payilum) the different art forms (kalai). (We) have bowed down (paNindOm) at your (un) golden (poR) feet (padam) even at times of mental (mana) turmoil/distress/grief (tuyarilum).

caraNam
svaramum layamum SRtiyum tALamum un karuNai kaNgaLanRO
panca gatiyum naDaiyum nAvil inimaiyum nin aruL selvamanRO
anga asaivum aDavum sorkkaL sukha nayamum Ananda naTanamanRO
sangIta gnyAnamum abhimAnamum palapala yOgamum un padattil
arpaNam, arcanai, abhishekam, alankAram, ArAdhanai anRO

Aren't (anRO) notes (svaramum), and rhythm (tALamum), and tone/pitch (SRti/Srutiyum), and the union of song, dance and instrumental music (layamum) [5] (the manifestations of) your (un) compassionate (karuNai) eyes (kaNgaL)?
Aren't (anRO) the five (panca) types of gaits (gatiyum) and steps (naDaiyum) [6], and the sweetness (inimaiyum) of the tongue (nAvil) [7] your (nin) blessed (aruL) treasures (selvam)?
Aren't (anRO) the movements (asaivum) of the limbs (anga), the aDavus (aDavum), and the happy (sukha) grace (nayamum) of the sollus/bOls (soRkkaL) (your) tANDavam/dance (naTanam) of bliss (Ananda)?
Aren't (anRO) musical (sangIta) knowledge (gnyAnamum), honor/self-respect (abhimAnamum), and the various types (palapala) of great fortune (yOgamum) offerings (arpaNam), homage (arcanai), anointing (abhishEkam), and adornments (alankAram) at your (un) feet (padattil)?

FOOTNOTES
[1] Parvati at the temple in Mylapore is called kaRpagAmbika/kaRpagam, the wish-granter; kaRpagam and kapAlISvar (the form of Siva with a begging bowl - seeking bhikshA) are the presiding deities of Mylapore
[2] The city of Mylapore gets its name from the myth that Parvati came to earth as a peahen (mayil) to worship Siva in this place
[3] kaNkavar is an adjective that can apply to Siva/kapALISvar as well
[4] In some sangatis aRpudam is replaced by poRpadam - golden-feet - not sure how it fits into the scheme of the composition - as pArvati is not just Siva's foot, but his left half in it entirety
[5] Since this is a composition for dance, I have interpreted layam in this way
[6] There is a whole thread on the forum trying to dissect gati and naDai
[7] I think nAvin would fit better, but I hear it as nAvil in the link posted

laya2
Posts: 312
Joined: 05 Dec 2009, 03:39

Re: Mayilapuri Valla Karpagame

Post by laya2 »

Thank you very much Shankar.

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