Request for lyrics and meaning Arabhi Varnam by R Muralidharan

[poonmahe]

Namaste Rasikas,

I have 2 requests to make,

1. If you know any suggestions for Varnam or songs that are in Thamiz and is not based on any deity(suitable for Bharatnatyam)?

2. May I please request lyrics and word to word meaning of this varnam in Arabhi Ragam by R Muralidharan. Below is youtube link to the composition
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3c36TMc ... AG&index=4

Writing translations in a mammoth task especially for Varnam. My gratitude for all the work produced so far here by you all.

Sincerely;

[Lakshman]

Corrections welcome:

talai nimirndu (pv). rAgA: Arabhi. s/tripuTa tALA. Madurai Muralidharan.

P: talai nimirndu nillaDi dhAraNiyil taniyAi ninru vellaDi tAzhvinum ennaDi
A: puyal tannil vizhundAr-pOl puDal inrAyE unnatamAna peNNi ena uNarndiDuvAye nI
malai iDindAlum ennaDi nilai kulaindiDal AgumO sollaDi pennE
valai virittAlum vanjakam seidAlum vilai pOgAdu vIruDanE sellaDi
(muktAyisvara)
ariyA vayadil tuLLi tirindu pEdaiyaDi puriyA vayadil kUppEeriya perum vayadil
azhagAi illaram Endiya mangai nIyaDi mArbil paNivAi vaNNaiyum mArgamAnavaLi
mazhalai matiyil ENdi magizhnda maDandai nIyaDi matiyAl teLinda mantitriyAga
arivaiyumAnAi nidhigaL muraigaL niraigaL arindu terivaiyAginAi paruvam palavAi
tiramAi kaDandm pErinam pENAi irundAi sIruDanE nimirndu nI
C: manam taLandiDal AgumO inda mati keTTuzhuzhalum mAndarin maDamai kaNDu
1: maNNil tOnrum mAndar yAvarumE manadanamIdEDiyada mangaiyenum mAribillA maNiyE
2: inru pavaranrum inrum onrE avarai ninaiyAdirundAl paNamaDi mAnattuDan vAzhvadE paNamaDi
ninri pagai enrum nanrE AnAl adavum tuyarvAi irundAl manamaDi vArellAm un kAlil vizhumaDi
3: kavik-kalaimagaLE tAyE kavi migu OviyamE selva tirumagaLE nIyE inda kuLiroLiyE
uLLat-timirOngum tIyE mAdE malai magaLE veLLattuvagai tarum mAyE mAniDar karumaramE
unnata magaLAnAi tangaiyAi tamakkaiyAnAi tannigarillA tAyAi kAttavaLE deivamAi piraviyAi
vandanai tarum karuNai uLam vaittu malarndavaLE kAkkum tiram Akkum tiram kONDu sErtiyE

[poonmahe]

Thank you so much for the lyrics. Willl someone be able to help with word to word meaning?

[rshankar]

Yes. I will be able to do that. But first, the lyrics have to be corrected.

[rshankar]

Lakshman-ji - please note the corrections based on what I hear. It is a beautiful composition that celebrates women.

talai nimirndu (pv). rAgA: Arabhi. s/tripuTa tALA. Madurai Muralidharan.

pallavi
talai nimirndu nillaDi dhAraNiyil taniyAi ninRu vellaDi tAzhvinum ennaDi
puyal tannil vizhundAr-pOl uzhalginrAyE unnatamAna peN nI ena uNarndiDuvAyaDi

anupallavi
malai iDindAlum ennaDi nilai kulaindiDal AgumO sollaDi pennE
valai virittAlum vanjakam seidAlum vilai pOgAdu vIRuDanE nI sellaDi
(muktAyisvara)
aRiyA vayadil tuLLi tirinda pEdaiyaDi puriyA vayadil kUppEndiya pedumbaiyaDi
azhagAi illaRam Eviya mangai nIyaDi paNbin vaDivAi annaiyumAga AnavaL nI
mazhalai maDiyil ENdi magizhnda maDandai nIyaDi madiyAl teLinda mantiriyAga
arivaiyumAnAi nIdigaL muRaigaL nilaigaL aRindu terivaiyAginAi paruvam palavAi
piravuTai kaDandum pEriLam peNNAi irundAi sIruDanE nimirndu nI

C: manam taLandiDal AgumO inda madi keTTuzhalum mAndarin maDamai kaNDu

1: maNNil tOnRum mAndar yAvarumE maRandiDa iyalA mangaiyenum mAsillA maNiyE

2: nindipavar anRum inRum onRE avarai ninaiyAdirundAl balamaDi mAnattuDan vAzhvadE vaLamaDi
sindipadu enRum nanRE AnAl adavum suyamAi irundAl nalamaDi pArellAm un kAlil vizhumaDi

3: kalvik-kalaimagaLE tAyE kavin-migu OviyamE selva tirumagaLE nIyE illattoLiroLiyE
uLLattinil Ongum tIyE mAdE malai magaLE veLLattuvagai tarum mAyE mAniDar karu maramE
unnata magaLAnAi tangaiyAi tamakkaiyAnAi tannigarillA tAyAi kAttavaLE deivamAm pirabaiyAi
vandanai tarum karuNai uLam vaittu vaLarndavaLE Akkum tiram kAkkum tiram kONDa saktiyE

[rshankar]

Here you go. A very lovely composition. I think the composer meant the nAyika (the protagonist of this varNam) to be a mature, confident, and independent lady (I hesitate to call her svAdhInapatika, because there is no mention of a man at all - it is all about a woman who is complete, powerful, proud, and fulfilled, just by herself), 55+ years of age, with youthfulness and beauty untouched by time.

pallavi
talai nimirndu nillaDi dhAraNiyil taniyAi ninRu vellaDi tAzhvinum ennaDi
puyal tannil vizhundAr-pOl uzhalginrAyE unnatamAna peN nI ena uNarndiDuvAyaDi
Please stand (nillaDi) [1] with your head (talai) held up high (nimirndu); please excel/be victorious (vellaDi) by being independent (taniyAi ninRu) [2] in this world/earth (dharaNiyil); so what (ennaDi) if you fail (tAzhvinum) sometimes?
You seem to be churning (uzhalginrAyE) like (pOl) someone who is caught/fallen into (vizhundAr) in a storm (puyal); please realize/be aware (uNarndiDuvAyE) that (ena) you (nI) are an eminent/outstanding (unnatamAna) woman (peN).

anupallavi
malai iDindAlum ennaDi nilai kulaindiDal AgumO sollaDi peNNE
valai virittAlum vanjakam seidAlum vilai pOgAdu vIRuDanE nI sellaDi
So what (ennaDi) if a mountain (malai) crumbles/is demolished (iDindAlum)? Is it appropriate (AgumO) to come apart/become unraveled (nilai kulaindiDal) [3], tell (sollaDi) me, dear girl (peNNE)? Even if a net (valai) is cast/spread (virittAlum), or if deceit (vanjakam) is practiced (seidAlum), (your) principles, ideals, and beliefs will not be for sale (vilai pOgAdu) [4]. So, you (nI) go forth (sellaDi) with distinction (vIRuDanE).

muktAyisvara sAhityam
aRiyA vayadil tuLLi tirinda pEdaiyaDi puriyA vayadil kUppEndiya pedumbaiyaDi
azhagAi illaRam Eviya mangai nIyaDi paNbin vaDivAi annaiyumAga AnavaL nI
mazhalai maDiyil Endi magizhnda maDandai nIyaDi madiyAl teLinda mandiriyAga
arivaiyumAnAi nIdigaL muRaigaL nilaigaL aRindu terivaiyAginAi paruvam palavAi
piravuTai kaDandum pEriLam peNNAi irundAi sIruDanE nimirndu nI (talai nimirndu nillaDI….)
You were a girl of 5-7 years of age (pEdaiyaDi) [5] when you frolicked about (tuLLi tirinda) at the age (vayadil) of innocence (aRiyA); at an age (vayadil) of ignorance (puriyA), you were a girl between the ages of 8 and 11 (pedumbaiyaDi) with hands raised (Endiya) in prayer (kUppu). You (nIyaDi) were a girl between 12 and 13 years of age (mangai) when you took charge (Eviya) of your household (illaram) with excellence (azhagAi). You (nI) are the one who also became (AnavaL) a mother (annaiyum), the very embodiment (vaDivAi) of goodness/nobility (paNbin). You (nIyaDi) were the woman between the age of 13 and 19 (maDandai) who was delighted (magizhnda) to hold (Endi) a baby (mazhalai) in (your) lap (maDiyil). You matured and became (AnAi) a woman between the ages of 20 and 25 (arivaiyum) and provided wise counsel (mandiriyAga) [6] with a clear (teLinda) mind (madiyAl). And then, having learned/understood (aRindu) about justice (nItigaL) and customs/conduct (muRaigaL), you became (AginAi) a woman between the ages of 25-31 years (terivai). After achieving several (palavAi) more milestones (paruvam) [7] and, having crossed (kaDandum) the ages of 31-55 years, you remained (irundAi) a very youthful (pEriLam) woman (peNNAi). So, with supreme confidence and an excellent reputation (sIruDanE), you should stand up with your head held high.

caraNa sAhityam
manam taLarndiDal AgumO inda madi keTTuzhalum mAndarin maDamai kaNDu
Will it be appropriate (AgumO) to become disheartened (manam taLarndiDal) [8] when you see/behold/realize (kaNDu) the ignorant follies (maDamai) of these (inda) foolish (madi keTTu) humans (mAndarin) who spin/churn (uzhalum) aimlessly?

caraNasvara sAhityam 1
maNNil tOnRum mAndar yAvarumE maRandiDa iyalA mangaiyenum mAsillA maNiyE (manam taLandiDal….)
Oh blemishless (mAsillA) gem (maNiyE) called (enum) a woman (mangai) who cannot be (iyalA) forgotten (maRandiDa) by any (yAvarumE) human (mAndar) born (tOnRum) in this land (maNNil), (is it appropriate to become disheartened by the ignorant follies of foolish humans?)

caraNasvara sAhityam 2
nindipavar anRum inRum onRE avarai ninaiyAdirundAl balamaDi mAnattuDan vAzhvadE vaLamaDi
sindipadu enRum nanRE AnAl adavum suyamAi irundAl nalamaDi pArellAm un kAlil vizhumaDi
People who find fault/censure/scorn (nindipavar) today (inRum) are the same (onRE) as those in the past (anRum). It is beneficial (balamaDi) if you don’t think (ninaiyAdirundAl) about them (avarai). Living (vAzhvadE) with (uDan) honor and pride (mAnam) is the only way to be productive (vaLamaDi). Thinking (sindippadu) is always (enRum) good (nanRE), but if it (aduvum) is (irudAl) also one's own/self-generated (suyamAi) thought, it is even better (nalamaDi). The entire (ellAm) world (pAr) will prostrate (vizhumaDi) itself at your (un) feet (kAllil). (So, is it appropriate to become disheartened by the ignorant follies of foolish humans?)

caraNasvara sAhityam 3
kalvik-kalaimagaLE tAyE kavin-migu OviyamE selva tirumagaLE nIyE illattoLiroLiyE
uLLattinil Ongum tIyE mAdE malai magaLE veLLattuvagai tarum mAyE mAniDarkk-aru marundE
unnata magaLAnAi tangaiyAi tamakkaiyAnAi tannigarillA tAyAi kAttavaLE deivamAm pirabaiyAi
vandanai tarum karuNai uLam vaittu vaLarndavaLE Akkum tiram kAkkum tiram kONDa saktiyE (talai nimirndu...)
Oh goddess of learning (kalvi) and art (kalaimagaLE) [9], mother (tAyE), who is a painting (OviyamE) brimming (migu) with poetry (kavi)! Oh divine goddess (tirumagaLE) of wealth (selva) [10], you (nIyE) are the light/brilliance (oLiyE) that is so resplendent (oLir) in your household (illatu), you are the incendiary flame/fire (tiyE) that is flourishing (Ongum) in (my) heart/mind (uLLatinil)! Oh lady (mAdE), the daughter (magaLE) of the mountains (malai) [11], the supreme illusionist (mAyE), who grants (tarum) torrential (veLLatu) [12] joy and love (uvagai), (you are) the ambrosia (aru-marundE) [13] for humans (mAniDarkku)! You have become (AnAi) the pre-eminent (unnata) daughter (magaL), younger sister (tangai), and older sister (tamakkai). You were the one who protected (kAttavaLE) as the mother (tAyAi) without (illA) an equal (tannigar). You grew up (vaLarndavaLE) with a heart (uLam) filled with compassion (karuNai), as the divine (deivamAm) luster (pirabaiyAi) that grants (tarum) reverence (vandanai)! You are the supreme power/all-powerful one (SaktiyE) with the capability/strength (tiram) to create (Akkum) and protect (kAkkum)! (So, is it appropriate to become disheartened by the ignorant follies of foolish humans?)

FOOTNOTES
[1] The varNam is littered with the suffix aDi – implying that the composer is addressing his nAyika with intimate familiarity
[2] taniyE ninRu – standing/existing (ninRu) alone/by oneself (taniyE) – i.e., being totally independent, without the need for anyone or any form of support
[3] nilai kulaindiDal - literally means disheveled (kulaindiDal) condition (nilai) - translated as becoming urnalled
[4] vilai pOgAdu - literally means not for sale - uncompromising principles, ideals, and beliefs
[5] Sri Muralidaran has cleverly used words like pEdai, maDandai, arivai, terivai, etc. that refer to girls/women of specific ages, as well as women in general to describe the various stages in his nAyika’s life, and he confers eternal youthfulness on her
[6] mandiriyAga – as (Aga) a minister (mantiri) – a minister is supposed to provide wise counsel to the king/governor
[7] paruvam typically is used to indicate periods of time, but it also refers to stages in a person’s life – I have therefore translated it as milestones
[8] manam taLandiDal – letting the heat (manam) grow weary (taLandiDal) – contextually translated as becoming disheartened
[9], [10], [11] – in the last caraNasvara sAhitya passage, the composer likens the nAyika to Sarasvati (kalaimagaL), Lakshmi (tirumagaL), and Parvati (malai magaL), but concludes by likening her to the all-powerful force that creates and protects
[12] veLLam means a flood, literally
[13] Changed based on Rajani's input to aru marundE (from karu maramE)

EDITED with inputs from Rajani

[Rajani]

Very nice Ravi.

C should have manam taLarndiDal. Yes disheartened is perfect.

vilai pOthal - means being up for sale. So here by saying vilai pOgAdu , the author means without compromising etc.

Guessing that 13 could be mAniDarkku+arumarundE = mAniDarkkarumarundE . It means amrita to mankind.

[poonmahe]

Sincere thanks for the support here Lakshmanji and Raviji. Heartfelt thank you.

[rshankar]

Thank you Rajani! Illuminating input as usual!

Thank you Poonam - please note the edits I have made based on Rajani's input.

[poonmahe]

Absolutely. Thank you Rajani ji!!