Lyrics for "Vennilakkanni"

arunakalyan · Post by **arunakalyan** » 16 Oct 2008, 11:23

Pl. provide lyrics for Vennilakanni in raga Mand, composition of Ramalinga Swamigal.
Thanks. ([email protected])

Lakshman · Post by **Lakshman** » 20 Oct 2008, 01:17

Corrections welcome:

tannaiyarindimbamura (kaNNigaL). rAgA: mAND. Adi tALA.

tannaiyarindinbamura veNNilAvE oru tantiram nI solla vENDum veNNilAvE
nAdar muDi mElirukkum veNNilAvE angE nAnum vara vENDuginrEn veNNilAvE
saccidAnanda kaDalilE veNNilAvE nAnum tANDu vizha vENDuginrEn veNNilAvE
rAppagaLil AviDattE veNNilAvE nAnum irukkai eNNi vADuginrEn veNNilAvE
Adi antam enruraittAl veNNilAvE anda Adi antam Avadenna veNNilAvE
vittillAmalE viLainda veNNilAvE nItAn viLainda vaNNam Edu sollAi veNNilAvE
ambalattil AduginrAr veNNilAvE avar ADuginra vaNNamenna veNNilAvE
antarattil AduginrAr veNNilAvE avar ADum vagai eppaDiyO veNNilAvE

arunakalyan · Post by **arunakalyan** » 20 Oct 2008, 07:58

Thanks Lakshman

arunakalyan · Post by **arunakalyan** » 26 Nov 2008, 13:00

Can someone provide the meaning for this song. Also, why does this song not follow the format of Pallavi, Anupallavi & Charanam.???
Lji has mentioned it as "kaNNigaL"- does this mean anything?

Aruna

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 26 Nov 2008, 21:00

Aruna,

Vidya, Rajani or Arasi can tell you the literary characterization of this type of composition. I think it is more along the lines of kiLLikani/kiLLikanni. So, it is not arranged as p, ap, and c, which is something one finds only in kritis (especially those comopsed after Sri Tyagaraja's time).

Here is my attempt at a superficial translation. In this piece, the composer is addressing a pean to the moon, and through it, to Lord Siva, that he is ardently seeking a union with the Supreme.

tannaiyarindinbamura veNNilAvE oru tantiram nI solla vENDum veNNilAvE Oh moon (veNNilAvE)! You (nI) have to (vENDum)teach/tell (Solla vENDum) me a strategy (tantiram) so that I can experience the bliss (inbam ura) that comes from having realized (arindu) Him (tannai) - the all pervading Siva.
nAdar muDi mElirukkum veNNilAvE angE nAnum vara vENDuginrEn veNNilAvE Oh silvery moon (veNNilavE) who resides (irukkum) a-top (mEl) my Lord's (nAdar/nAthar) matted locks (muDi), I too (nAnum) am intensely desirous (vENDugirEn) of joining you/coming there (angE).
saccidAnanda kaDalilE veNNilAvE nAnum tAzhndu vizha vENDuginrEn veNNilAvE Oh pale moon (veNNilAvE)! I (nAnum) want to (vENDugirEn) to fall (vizha) into the ocean (kaDalilE) of bliss (saccidAnanda) [1] even as I realize my inferior status (tAzhndu).
rAppagal illAviDattE veNNilAvE nAnum irukkai eNNi vADuginrEn veNNilAvE Oh Moon (veNNilAvE)! I am withering away (vADugirEn) consumed by thoughts (eNNi) that I too (nAnum) would like to come/live (irukkai) in that place (iDattE) where my Lord lives - a place where there is no night (rA) or day (pagal).
Adi antam enruraittAl veNNilAvE anda Adi antam Avadenna veNNilAvE Why is it, my dear moon (veNNilavE), that when I utter (urittAlE) the name (enru) of the one without a 'beginning (Adi) or end (antam)', the beginning (Adi) becomes (Avadenna) the end (antam)?
vittillAmalE viLainda veNNilAvE nItAn viLainda vaNNam Edu sollAi veNNilAvE Oh crescent moon (veNNilavE) who grows(viLainda) without (illAmalE) any apparent means (vittu), you are the only one (nItAn) who can instruct me (SollAi) on the means (Edu) to be productive (viLainda vaNNam)/pray productively (viLainda vaNNam).
ambalattil ADuginrAr veNNilAvE avar ADuginra vaNNamenna veNNilAvE Oh moon! My Lord (avar - he) is dancing (ADuginrAr) in the open space/assembly/theater/temple (amabalattil)! Can you tell me the nature (vaNNam enna) of his (avar) dance (ADuginra)?
antarattil ADuginrAr veNNilAvE avar ADum vagai eppaDiyO veNNilAvE He is dancing (ADuginrAr) in the open space/sky (antarattil) [2], Oh Moon! Can you please tell me how (vagai eppaDiyO) he (avar) dances (ADum)?

FOOTNOTES
[1] saccidAnanda = sat+cit+Ananda = existence+perception/consciousness+bliss
[2] antaram can also mean 'inner space' - The allusion is to the fact that natarAja/Siva dances in the open space of our consciousness - the cit sabhai

EDITED with information provided by Rajani.

VK RAMAN · Post by **VK RAMAN** » 26 Nov 2008, 21:19

What does kannigal mean? - I see several kannigal lyrics in dakshin sampradaya bhajan too.

Rajani · Post by **Rajani** » 26 Nov 2008, 21:40

Ravi, thanks for the beautiful translation

some corrections ( from my school's song book) (within **)

saccidAnanda kaDalilE veNNilAvE nAnum *tAzhndu* vizha vENDuginrEn veNNilAvE

*rAppagal illA iDattE* ( a place which has no day or night - echoes the Upanishad verse of "where the Sun does not shine nor does the moon or stars...")

Also here are 2 more stanzas . Please translate these too if possible

yArum aRiyAmalingE veNNilAvE
aruLALar varuvArO sollAy veNNilAvE
antaranga sEvai seyya veNNilAvE - engaL
ayyar varuvAro sollAy veNNilAvE

vEdamuDi mElirukkum veNNilAvE - pala
vEdai-yulAvEdu sollAy veNNilAvE
kuNDalippAl ninRilangum veNNilAvE - anda
kuNDalippAl vENDugirEn veNNilAvE

Rajani · Post by **Rajani** » 26 Nov 2008, 21:43

kaNNi originally means a garland strung with flowers, rather, short strands meant for wearing in one's hair. In this context it refers to those verses whose stanzas are uniform throughout like flowers placed next to each other in a garland.

Corrections /additions sought.

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 26 Nov 2008, 22:06

Rajani,

Thanks for those corrections. I will edit my post shortly. And I will try to translate the other 2 as well - they are beautiful!

vidya · Post by **vidya** » 26 Nov 2008, 22:34

Rajani,
Vallalarspace.com should have the lyrics.

Kanni:
An element that occurs in the sinduppAsl (common term for a family of musical meters or isaippAs) . Kanni is a couplet or two lines common types are with etukai or second syllable correspondence. So Any song composed of couplets is termed a KaNNi.

A KiLikkaNNi is a subtype of Sindu, the length of the elements composing it which ranges between a kuraL and a four-liner.

arunakalyan · Post by **arunakalyan** » 27 Nov 2008, 06:55

Thanks All. A wonderful translation.

Aruna

rshankar · Post by **rshankar** » 27 Nov 2008, 09:51

yArum aRiyAmalingE veNNilAvE aruLALar varuvArO sollAy veNNilAvE Oh bright moon (veNNilAvE)! Please tell me/let me know (SollAy) if that great benefactor (aruLALar), Siva, will come (varuvArO) here (ingE) to me in secret/without the knowledge (ariyAmal) of anyone (yArum).
antaranga sEvai seyya veNNilAvE - engaL ayyar varuvAro sollAy veNNilAvE Oh moon (vaNNilAvE)! Tell me (SollAy) if our (engaL) Lord (ayyar) will come (varuvArO) to me so that I can perform (Seyya) personal and intimate (antaranga) services (sEvai).
vEdamuDi mElirukkum veNNilAvE - pala vEdai-yuLavEdu sollAy veNNilAvE Oh bright moon (veNNilAvE) that is established (irukkum) on top (mEl) the locks (muDi) of the Lord who is the very embodiment of the vEdAs (vEda)! Please tell me (SollAy) if there are any (Edu) expedient means (uLavu) to get rid of the many (pala) maladies (vEdai) that affect me.
kuNDalippAl ninRilangum veNNilAvE - anda kuNDalippAl vENDugirEn veNNilAvE Existing (ninru) beside (pAl) the snake (kuNDali) that adorn my lord, Oh moon (veNNilAvE) that shines so brightly (ilangum)! It is that (anda) proximity (pAl) to the snake (kuNDali) [3] that I yearn for/request/wish for (vENDugirEn).

[3] May mean that Sri Ramalinga Adigalar is yearning for the awakening of the kuNDalini Sakti in himself - that will lead to the ascent of the kuNDalini, piercing of the various cakras until it pierces his consciousness and liberates him (the pinnacle of yOga). Rajani or Vidya can explain better.

arunakalyan · Post by **arunakalyan** » 27 Nov 2008, 11:15

Excellent song and beautifully explained. Thanks

Rajani · Post by **Rajani** » 27 Nov 2008, 20:21

Thank you - Lakshman Sir, Ravi and Vidya for all the valuable inputs.