lyrics request for 'eppaDi manam' - Arunachala Kavi

[panchi]

Hi.
Could someone please help me out with the lyrics for 'eppaDi manam' by Arunachala Kavirayar usually sung in Huseni ragam?

Thank you very much in advance,
Panchi

[meena]

P: eppaDi manam tuNindadO sAmi vanam pOi varugirEn enrAl idai ErkkumO bhUmi
A: eppirappilum piriya viDEn enru kai toTTIrE EzhaiyAna sItaiyai naTTATrilE viTTIrE
C1: karumbu murittArp-pOlE shollalAccudO orukkAlum piriyEn enru shonna shol pOccudO varundi varundi
dEvarIr vella vArtaiyAl kollAmal kolla irumbu manadu uNDAccudallavO ennai viTTup-pOghirEn enru sholla
2: annai koNDa varam ennai ennait-taLLavO azhaghuk-kOil eDuttadu nilam Unrik-koLLavO kunnamO unak-
kennai dAram koDuttavan mElallO nEram ennai iTTuk-koNDu pOvadO bhAram iduvO AN piLLaikku vIram
3: nADinIr pOyirukkm vanattin pEr sholla vENum atai nAn ninaittuk-koNDirundAl angE pirakkalAm kANum
kUDi nAm ughandirukkum kADu kuraivillA en mithilai nADu kADu nIr illAda vIDu kAlvaiyum teriyum en pADu

[panchi]

Thanks, Meena! Would you (or anyone else) happen to have a translation ? ...or feel like translating it ?

KVN seems to sing a few words slightly differently. In the Pallavi he sings 'svAmi' instead of 'sAmi'. In C1 (the only charanam he sings in the version I have), he sings "orukkAlum piriyEn enru shonna shollum pOccudO" instead of 'shonna shol pOccudO'. Also, he sings "irumbu manadu uNDAccudallO" instead of "uNDAccudallavO". The first two variations are minor, but is the last one okay ? (I haven't come accross a formation ending '-allO' in tamizh before).

Thanks,
Panchi

[meena]

panchi
The song depicts Sita's entreaty to Rama upon his announcing that he will proceed to the forest all by himself.

Shankar/arasi will help with the translation.

[rshankar]

This colloquial tamizh of yesteryear is tougher than I thought to translate. I have translated just the first caraNam

Meena is correct - according to its place in the rAmanATakam kritIs of AK, this composition reflects sItA's mental anguish when rAma goes to take leave of her, and asks her to take good care of his mothers. We all know who wins this argument!

P: eppaDi manam tuNindadO sAmi vanam pOi varugirEn enrAl idai ErkkumO bhUmi


My lord (sAmI/svAmi)! How (eppaDi) did you/your mind (manam) become so daring (tuNiandadO)? How can this earth (bhUmi) accept (ErkumO) this (idai) statement of yours that (enrAl) you are leaving (pOi varugirEn)[1] for the forest (vanam) without me?

A: eppirappilum piriya viDEn enru kai toTTIrE EzhaiyAna sItaiyai naTTATrilE viTTIrE


Did you not marry me (kai toTTIrE – literally, touched my hand) after promising me that you will not let us (vidEn enru) be apart (piriya), not just in this life, but in any life (eppirappilum)? But now, it seems as if you are abandoning (viTTIrE) this hapless woman (EzhaiAna) sItA (sItaiyai) in the middle (naTTu) of an ocean (ATrilE).

C1: karumbu murittArp-pOlE shollalAccudO orukkAlum piriyEn enru shonna shol pOccudO
varundi varundi
dEvarIr meLLLa[3] vArtaiyAl kollAmal kolla irumbu manadu uNDAccudallavO
ennai viTTup-pOghirEn enru sholla

You claimed that your word, once given was as unbreakable as a vow, but, unfortunately, am I correct in thinking that your words/speech (shollal) have become (AccudO) as easy to break (murittAr) like (pOlE) sugarcane (karumbu)? Have (AccudO) the words (shol) that you uttered (shonna) claiming that you will not be separated (piriyEn) from me even by mistake (oru kAlum) become a lie (poi)? Even after beseeching (varundi varundi) you (dEvarIr)[2] repeatedly, if you torture (kollAmal kola – killing without actually killing) me slowly (meLLa) with your words (vArtaiyAl), your heart (manadu) must have turned (UNDAccudallavO) into stone/iron (irunbu) - especially for you to say (sholla) that (enru) you will abandon (viTTu pOgirEn) me (ennai).

[1] While "(I am) going" is literally "(nAn) pOgirEn", when you take leave of someone, it is considered inauspicious to say "(nAn) pOgirEn". Instead, convention is to say "(nAn) pOi varugirEn" - (I am) going now, only to return (later)" - a la "au revoir" or "auf wiedersehen"!

[2] dEvarIr I think is a respectful way of saying 'you' (atleast, it makes sense contextually)...if I am wrong, Rajani or Arasi can help!

[3] I changed this to 'meLLa' - that is what I hear KVN and others sing! Makes more sense as 'vella' which means to conquer....

[Sundara Rajan]

vella vArthayAl kolla = kill with sweet words ( vellam=jaggary) ;
meLLa or mella = slowly also makes sense.
nattrAtrilE = in the middle of the river ( Aru= river)
kai thottIrE = grasped my hand (pANi grahaNam). ( although literal translation is touched)
dEvarIr = nIngaL or nIr in tamil instead of nI = you or hindi aap instead of thum

[arasi]

tuNidal is also to make a decision. manam tuNindadO? how could you make up your mind?
1. Ravi, all cultures seem to have this sentiment about not just going but going and coming back!
2.Yes. dEvarIR is still used in formal .vaishNavite parlance
3. meLLa is appropriate.
4. karumbu=sugarcane. You say it as sweetly (this bitter thing) as breaking a sugar cane (to eat it). You break the news so gently.

[panchi]

Thank you very much for the translation and comments, Shankar, Meena, Sundara Rajan and Arasi.
I really appreciate your time and effort in clarifying the meaning of this beautiful song

Panchi

[HariKrishna]

Can anyone offer a translation of the last two charanams?

[Rajani]

C2 :
annai koNDa varam ennai ennait-taLLavO - Is the boon sought by mother, that you estrange me?
azhaghuk-kOil eDuttadu nilam Unrik-koLLavO kunnamO unak-kennai dAram koDuttavan mElallO nEram - NOT CLEAR
ennai iTTuk-koNDu pOvadO bhAram - Is taking me along such a burden?
iduvO AN piLLaikku vIram - Is this manliness? Bravery?

C3:
nADi nIr pOyirukkm vanattin pEr sholla vENum - You must tell me the name of the forest that you are seeking to go
atai nAn ninaittuk-koNDirundAl angE pirakkalAm kANum - So that I may keep thinking of it (and die) and be born there
kUDi nAm ughandirukkum kADu kuraivillA en mithilai nADu - The forest where we are happily together is my dear faultless Mithila to me
kADu nIr illAda vIDu = The house without you is a forest
kAl vaiyum teriyum en pADu - When you enter such a house, you will see my misery

[HariKrishna]

Thank you! This is beautiful.

[HariKrishna]

So the only part that is not translated is this:

azhaghuk-kOil eDuttadu nilam Unrik-koLLavO kunnamO unak-kennai dAram koDuttavan mElallO nEram

[Ponbhairavi]

I happened to see this a couple of days back. This is my hypothesis:
In vaishnavaite recitation ன is often used for ற. For example instead of telling என்று they say என்னு. In velukudi Krishnan’s upanyasam one can find plenty of such usages. applying this றகர னகர மயக்கம் , குன்னமோ can be taken as குற்றமோ the sentence can be rewritten as
குற்றமோ உனக்கென்னை தாரம் கொடுத்தவன் நேரம் மேலல்லவோ
Is it not the fault of the timing chosen by the one who gave me to you as wife( முஹூர்த்த நேரம் ) ?
The first part of the sentence is more a puzzle.
அழகுக் கோவில் எடுத்தது நிலம் ஊன்றிக்கொள்ளவோ ?
are beautiful temples built for ( your ) permanent implantation on this earth ?
Why should Sita ask this question apparently unconnected with the context?
The implied response is :No . the Avatar on this earth is only for a short stay till the completion of the purpose of the avataram.( punish the wicked ,protect the righteous ones ) then they have to go back to the heaven.( what is found in the temple is only the archavataram--the idol )
Sita subtly reminds Rama that he is an avatar on this earth and the purpose of the avataram (Ravana vatam )cannot be achieved unless she goes with him to the forest.
The usage of the word நிலம் is also suggestive. of her own example.( she came from this Earth and she will return to this Earth at the end of the story.Arunachala kavi’s Sita seems to occasionally remember her divine origin ( ref:அந்த நாளில் சொந்தம் போல உருகினார் இந்த நாளில் வந்து சேவை தருகிறார் இன் yaro ivar yaro )
As this is a natakam, perhaps at the beginning of the play the same actors who donned the role of Vishnu and Lakshmi have now re appeared as Rama and Sita in which case the reference would be easier for the spectators to understand.
It is interesting to see How Valmiki has dealt with the same situation:
Sita gives Rama a jolt by using a harsh expression: “ ஸ்த்ரி யம் புருஷ விக்ரஹம். “
You are a woman who has taken the form of a man. The Uthaman among Purushas is called
ஸ்த்ரி by his wife who is considered as the incarnation of divine womanhood.!!.
Kanchi Paramacharya explains the context like this :
“ ராமாயணங்கள் அநேகம் இருக்கின்றன ,துளசி ராமாயணம் ,வால்மீகி ராமாயணம் ஆனந்த ராமாயணம் துர்வாச ராமாயணம் இப்படி பல ராமாயணங்கள் . இவைகளில் ஏதோ ஒன்றில் கீழ்க்கண்டவாறு சொல்லியிருக்கிறதாம் . ராமனுடைய வர்ணம் பச்சை . அம்பாளுடைய நிறமும் பச்சை வர்ணம்தான் . ஈஸ்வரி ராமனாக வேஷம் போட்டுகொண்டு வந்தாள் ஈஸ்வரன் சீதையாக வேஷம் போட்டுகொண்டு வந்தான் என்று சொல்லி இருக்கிறது .அந்தக் காலத்தில் மிகவும் சின்ன வயசில் குழந்தை களுக்கு
கல்யாணம் பண்ணுவார்கள்.பெண்ணுக்குப் பிள்ளை வேஷம் போட்டும் பிள்ளைக்கு பெண் வேஷம் போட்டும் கல்யாணம் பண்ணி ஊர்வலம் விடுவார்கள் .

அதுபோல ஈஸ்வரனும் அம்பாளும் சீதையும் ராமனுமாக வந்தார்களாம்
……….
வால்மீகி ராமாயணத்திலே கூட ஓர் இடம் வருகிறது..ராமன் ‘நான் தனியாக காட்டுக்கு போகிறேன் ‘ என்று சொன்னபோது ,சீதை ‘நானும் வருகிறேன் ‘ என்று சொல்கிறாள். ‘ நீ வரக்கூடாது ,ஆபத்து சம்பவிக்கும் ‘ என்று சொல்கிறான் ராமன் . சீதை : ஸ்த்ரி யம் புருஷ விக்ரஹம் ‘ நீ யார் ? பெண் பிள்ளையா? பெண்பிள்ளையா இப்படி வேஷம் போட்டு வந்திருக்கிறாய் ? ‘ என்று சூக்ஷ்மமாக வெளி ப் படுத்தினாளாம்’.....
ஆச்சார்யாள் சென்னை உபந்நியாசங்கள் ...பக்கம் 53.

Arunachala kavi has taken inspiration from Valmiki to make Sita utter a veiled --apparently disconnected - statement which would remind Rama of his avatara purpose..

[Pratyaksham Bala]

C2:-

அன்னை கொண்டவரம் என்ன என்னைத் தள்ளவோ
அழகுக் கோயில் எடுத்தது நிலம்ஊன்றிக் கொள்ளவோ
குன்னமோ உனக்கென்னைத் தாரம்
கொடுத்தவன் மேலல்லோ நேரம்
என்னை இட்டுக் கொண்டுபோவதோ பாரம்
இதுவோ ஆண் பிள்ளைக்கு வீரம்

annai koNDa varam enna ennait taLLavO
azhagukkO il eDuttadu nilam UnRik koLLavO
kunnamO unakku ennait tAram
koDuttavan mElallO nEram
ennai iTTuk koNDu pOvadO bAram
iduvO AN piLLaikku vIram


My take :-

annai koNDa varam enna ennait taLLavO ?
What (enna) was the purpose of the boon (varam) taken (koNDa) by your mother (annai) ? Just to get rid of (taLLavO) me (ennai) ?

azhagukkO il eDuttadu ? nilam UnRik koLLavO ?
Did you get (eDuttadu) a wife (il) just for showing off (azhagukkO) ? Or only for physical pleasure (nilam UnRik koLLavO) ?

kunnamO unakku ennait tAram koDuttavan mElallO ?
Is it not a disgrace (kunnamO) cast on (mElallO) my father who gave (koDuttavan) me (ennai) to you as your wife (tAram) ?

nEram ennai iTTuk koNDu pOvadO bAram ?
Now (nEram), is it a burdan (bAram) to take me along (ennai iTTuk koNDu pOvadO ) ?

iduvO AN piLLaikku vIram ?
Is this (iduvO) the heroism (vIram) of a male (AN piLLai) ?


Notes:-

The line அழகுக் கோயில் எடுத்தது should be read as அழகுக்கோ இல் எடுத்தது.
The word இல் means wife.
The idiom நிலம்ஊன்றிக் கொள்ளவோ means 'for the ** pleasure'.
The word குன்னம் means 'Disgrace, dishonour'.

[rshankar]

Excellent, PB! Brings the kavirAyar's poetry to life...

Goes perfectly with the explanation (not with this kRti) I have heard during the exposition on the rAmAyaNa at the IITM temple.

[Pratyaksham Bala]

rshankar:
Thanks !