nirppaduvE nadappaDuvE - composer Bharathiyar

smala · Post by **smala** » 14 Aug 2009, 22:14

Can someone please post lyrics. Meaning would be helpful too. Thanks.

Lakshman · Post by **Lakshman** » 14 Aug 2009, 23:10

nirppaduvE. rAgA: simhEndramadhyam. k/Adi. Composer: Subramania Bharati.

1: nirppaduvE naDappaduvE parappaduvE nIngaLellAm sorppanam tAnA paladOTra mayakkangaLO
karpaduvE kETpaduvE karuduvadE nIngaLellAm arpa mAyaigaLO ummuL Azhnda poruLillaiyO
2: vAnagamE iLa veLiyilE mara serivE nIngaLellAm kAnalinirO verum kATSip-pizhai tAnO
pOnadellAm kanavinaip-pOrp-pudaittazindE pOnadanAl tAnum Or kanavO inda jnAlamum poi tAnO
3: kAlam enrE oru ninaivum kATSiyenrE pala ninaivum kOlamum poigaLO angu guNangaLum poigaLO
shOlaiyilE marangaLellAm tOnruvadOr vidaiyil enrAl shOlai poyyAmO idai sholloDu sErppArO
4: kANbadellAm maraiyumenrAl maraivadellAm kANbamanrO vIN paDu poyyilE nittam vidhi toDarndiDumO
kANbaduvE urudi kaNDOm kAnbadalAl urudiyillai kANbadu shaktiyAm inda kATSi nittiyamAm

smala · Post by **smala** » 14 Aug 2009, 23:54

Thanks, Lakshman-ji. Now hoping someone can help with the meaning....

smala · Post by **smala** » 17 Aug 2009, 22:19

Any takers ?

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 18 Aug 2009, 00:19

Shyamala,

This is a very tough philosophical composition of the poet. If I am interrpretting it right, in this composition, the mahAkavi takes a shot at our conceptions, ideas and notions - at how they can be deceptive. He addresses his question to the perceptions directly, and wonders if what we 'see', 'hear', 'feel', are illusions, then is this life itself a dream (somehow, I don't think that his take was the same as that in the nursery rhyme, and meant for us to reach for oars

).

I am going to start off with the first 2 verses, and wait for comments.

caraNam 1

The sights that we see (pArpadduvE), the things in front of us (nirppaduvE), and events that we witness (naDappaduvE), please tell me if all (ellAm) of you (nIngaL) are merely (tAnA) dreams (sorppanam), or, are you powerful (p(b)aladOTRa) delusions (mayakkangaLO)? Concepts we've learn/study (karpaduvE), things we hear (kETpaduvE), and ideas/thoughts we have (karuduvaduvE) are you insignificant (arpa) illusions (mAyaigaLO)? Is there not (illayO) some deep (Azhnda) meaning (poruL) inside (uL) of you (um)?

caraNam 2

Oh open skies (vAnagamE), Oh dense trees in a forest (mara SerivE) that flourishes in open spaces (iLa veLiyilE), are you (nIngaLellAm) a mirage (kAnaliniro) [1] or merely (tAnO) a simple (verum) fault (pizhai) of my vision (kATSi)? Since all aspects (ellAm) of the past (pOnadu) have been buried (pudaittu) and obliterated (azhindE) with out a trace, like (pOl) a nightmare (kanavinai), does it mean that this (inda) very present/world (jnyAlam) we live in is itself (tAnum) a (Or) lie (poi tAnO) or a dream (kanavO)?

[1] kAnalnIr is a mirage (of water) - not sure what kAnal inirO means...

Lakshman · Post by **Lakshman** » 18 Aug 2009, 01:05

rshankar: I checked in the book and the word is kAnalinIrO.

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 18 Aug 2009, 04:11

Ravi,
The word is paRappaduvE (those which fly);
pala tOtRa (of many images)
iLa veyilE (?) gentle sun
tAnum oru kanavO=the self--is it a dream? not necessarily a nightmare--a fleeting thing.

kAnal nIr, no doubt.

The poem is beautiful. See how as it progresses, he sees the light again after self-doubts and questions about external phenomenon.

smala · Post by **smala** » 18 Aug 2009, 06:42

It was the musical rhyme and the wording that got me first. Now I see that it is very beautiful and picturesque as well, Ravi. The tough composition unravels, with your deft touch...Thank you for the effort. The idea of a "Mirage" seems to fit right in with the delusory nature of things, it seems..........thanks Ravi.......http://www.hummaa.com/search/search.php ... nirpathuve

smala · Post by **smala** » 13 Oct 2009, 09:44

Ravi -- looking forward to your continuing the translations -- caranam 3 and 4.......thanks!

Rajani · Post by **Rajani** » 05 Nov 2009, 18:42

Here is my attempt at C3

kAlam enrE oru ninaivum - The one thought of Time,
kATSiyenrE pala ninaivum - and the many thoughts of sights
kOlamum - this sight/reality
poigaLO - are these falsehoods?
angu guNangaLum poigaLO - Are their attributes falsehoods too?
shOlaiyilE marangaLellAm tOnruvadOr vidaiyil enrAl - If all the trees of a grove appear from a seed,
shOlai poyyAmO - will then the grove be considered an illusion or falsehood?
idai sholloDu sErppArO - Will people take this argument as valid?

Rajani · Post by **Rajani** » 05 Nov 2009, 18:51

C4

kANbadellAm maraiyumenrAl - If things that we see can disappear,
maraivadellAm kANbamanrO - then wouldn't all things that disappear appear too?
vIN paDu poyyilE nittam vidhi toDarndiDumO - Will our destiny follow(be entwined with) destructible falsehoods?
kANbaduvE urudi kaNDOm - We see/realise that what we see is real/firm,
kAnbadalAl urudiyillai - there is nothing real apart from what we see.
kANbadu shaktiyAm - All that we see is (manifestations of) Goddess Shakti ( or energy)
inda kATSi nittiyamAm - and hence all these sights are permanent.

The song seems to stem from Bharatiyar's disapproval of dismissing the world as Maya or just an illusion. Corrections and comments are welcome.

smala · Post by **smala** » 05 Nov 2009, 22:58

Thanks, Rajani !