Meaning/Translation- Krishna Varnam in Ragam Behag

Place to go if you want to ask someone identify raga, tala, composer etc or ask for sāhitya (lyrics) or notations or translations.
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imanallen
Posts: 4
Joined: 09 Jun 2017, 22:15

Meaning/Translation- Krishna Varnam in Ragam Behag

Post by imanallen »

I need assistance in translating a varnam on Lord Sri Krishna in ragam Behag, talam Sankeera Jathi Dhruva so that I can create Bharatanatyam choreography. It is composed by Madurai R. Muralidaran. I believe the varnam is in Tamil, however I am not sure, as I have limited knowledge and can only speak English and Hindi. I have linked the audio for the varnam piece below. I know that the song is quite lengthy however, any help with is will be well appreciated. If it helps, many of the lyrics often repeat, as it is a varnam piece after all.

Link to audio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tf_TKysYJhA

If for whatever reason the video isn't loading for you, please contact me further at the following email address: [email protected]

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

Re: Meaning/Translation- Krishna Varnam in Ragam Behag

Post by rshankar »

If someone posts the lyrics, I will try to provide a translation. The music and the sound effects in the track make writing down the words from the signing very difficult.

Satishk
Posts: 2
Joined: 15 Jun 2019, 04:29

Re: Meaning/Translation- Krishna Varnam in Ragam Behag

Post by Satishk »

Hi all im looking for the same, the lyrics and english meaning for this great varnam, please can someone help me. My email:
[email protected]

Thanxxxx a lot

Lakshman
Posts: 14185
Joined: 10 Feb 2010, 18:52

Re: Meaning/Translation- Krishna Varnam in Ragam Behag

Post by Lakshman »

Corrections welcome:

mAlai nalla vELai (pv). rAgA: behAg. s/dhruva tALA. Madurai Muralidharan.

P: mAlai nalla vELai enrAl maruvi manam urugi dAnavaruDan kalandiDa
A: vELai nigar vizhi koNDa gOpiyar shUzha ADiyE vandE endan uLLam pugunda kaNNan
shOlaigaL shUzhnda maDuvin karaiyuDe poLinda kALingan talai mIdinil naTam purindE magizhndavAn
pAlai turandiDum pashuvinam shUzhavE pAnguDanE varuvAnO pAvai ivaL ennai kalandiDavE vazhi nI solvAi
(muktAyisvara)
Al nizhalin oLiyinil pani malargaL ellAm manam magizhavE manattuL mAlavan malar mukham ninaindu ninaindu
urugi dinam marugiDa ati sukham perugavE vara vENDinEn varam vENDinEn varuvanO
C: gOvindan kuzhalil gAna mazhai pozhivAn
1: pudiyOrellAm pugazh mAyavan inbam nalgum endan kaNNan
2: kanimai inimaiyO iniyum porumaiyO urugi urugi nenjam karuNai mukham kaLvan avan kali pera eNNum ivaLin kurai kELaDi
3: bhuviyOrellAm pugazh mAyavan inbam nalgum endan kaNNan pUvidazh madhuramA pongiDum amudamA
punnagai malarumA bhuviyellAm magizhumA uLLamE urugumA uvagaiyum perugumA Uruyir iNaiyumA
uravilum irugumA mukhil vaNNanin nAdattil magizh koNDavan pAdattil pugazh paN pADa

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

Re: Meaning/Translation- Krishna Varnam in Ragam Behag

Post by rshankar »

Give me a couple of days to correct the lyrics and provide the meaning.

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

Re: Meaning/Translation- Krishna Varnam in Ragam Behag

Post by rshankar »

Please note corrections to the lyrics posted (noted in red). A few of them are critical.

pallavi
mAlai nalla vELai enRAl maruvi manam urugi nan avaruDan kalandiDa
vElai nigar vizhi koNDa gOpiyar sUzha ADiyE vandE endan uLLam pugunda kaNNan

anupallavi
sOlaigaL sUzhnda maTuvin karaiyODu oLinda kALingan talai mIdinil naTam purindE magizhndavan
pAlai surandiDum pasuvinam sUzhavE pAnguDanE varuvAnO pAvai ivaL ennai kalandiDavE vazhi nI solvAi

muktAyisvara sAhityam
pAl nilavin oLiyinil pani malargaL ellAm manam magizhavE manattuL
mAlavan malar mug(kh)am ninaindu ninaindu urugi dinam
maRugiDa ati sug(kh)am perugavE vara vENDiyE varam vENDinEn varuvanO

caraNa sAhityam
gOvindan kuzhalil gAna mazhai pozhivAn

caraNasvara sAhityam 1
bhuviyOrellAm pugazh mAyavan inbam nalgum endan kaNNan

caraNasvara sAhityam 2
tanimai inimaiyO iniyum poRumaiyO urugi urugi nenjam karuNai mug(kh)am kaLvan avan kaLi pera eNNum ivaLin kuRai kELaDi

caraNasvara sAhityam 3
pUvidazh madhuramA pongiDum amudamA
punnagai malarumA bhuviyellAm magizhumA uLLamE urugumA uvagaiyum perugumA Iruyir iNaiyumA
uRavilum iRugumA mukhil vaNNanin nAdattil magizh koNDavan pAdattil pugazh paNpADa

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

Re: Meaning/Translation- Krishna Varnam in Ragam Behag

Post by rshankar »

Will provide the meaning later.

Lakshman
Posts: 14185
Joined: 10 Feb 2010, 18:52

Re: Meaning/Translation- Krishna Varnam in Ragam Behag

Post by Lakshman »

Thanks rshankar for the corrections.

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

Re: Meaning/Translation- Krishna Varnam in Ragam Behag

Post by rshankar »

My attempt at the meaning:

pallavi
mAlai nalla vELai enRAl maruvi manam urugi nan avaruDan kalandiDa
vElai nigar vizhi koNDa gOpiyar sUzha ADiyE vandE endan uLLam pugunda kaNNan

If the evening (mAlai) is considered (enRAl) a good (nalla) time (vELai), (then, it the time for) me (nAn) to embrace (maruvi), and melt in love (manam urugi) and become one (kalndiDa) with (uDan) him (avar) – that kRshNa (kaNNan) who comes (vandE) dancing (ADiyE), surrounded (sUzha) by cowherd women (gOpiyar) with (koNDa) eyes (vizhi) that flash like (nigar) spears (vElai), and has entered (pugunda) my heart (uLlam).

anupallavi
sOlaigaL sUzhnda maTuvin karaiyODu oLinda kALingan talai mIdinil naTam purindE magizhndavan
pAlai surandiDum pasuvinam sUzhavE pAnguDanE varuvAnO pAvai ivaL ennai kalandiDavE vazhi nI solvAi

(He) is the one who rejoiced (magizhndavan) as he danced (naTam purindE) on (mIdinil) the head/hood (talai) of the snake, kALIya (kALingan), who was hiding (oLinda) by the banks (karaiyODu) of a lake (maTuvin) that was surrounded (sUzhnda) by groves (sOlaigaL). Will he come (varuvAnO) to me with (uDanE) propriety (pAngu), accompanied by (sUzhavE) by milch cows (pAlai surandiDum pasuvinam) [1]? Please, you (nI) (must) show/tell (solvAi) me the way/means (vazhi) by which (he will) unite (kalandiDavE) with me (ennai), this maiden (pAvai ivaL).

muktAyisvara sAhityam
pAl nilavin oLiyinil pani malargaL ellAm manam magizhavE manattuL
mAlavan malar mug(kh)am ninaindu ninaindu urugi dinam
maRugiDa ati sug(kh)am perugavE vara vENDiyE varam vENDinEn varuvanO

I constantly think (ninaindu ninaindu) of the flower (malar)-like face (mugam) of vishNu (mAlavan) in my mind (manattuL) at the time when all (ellAm) the flowers (panimalar) [2] rejoice (manam magizhavE) [3] in the white/bright (pAl) [4] moonlight (nilAvin oLiyinil), and I melt/waste away (urugi) and am bewildered (maRugiDa) everyday (dinam). I asked/requested (vENDinEn) for a boon (varam) so that excessive (ati) happiness (sugam) may abound (prugavE). Will he come (varuvAnO)?

caraNa sAhityam
gOvindan kuzhalil gAna mazhai pozhivAn

kRshNa (gOvindan) will shower (pozhivAn) musical (gAna) torrents (mazhai) through his flute (kuzhalil).

caraNasvara sAhityam 1
bhuviyOrellAm pugazh mAyavan inbam nalgum endan kaNNan (gOvindan….)

My (endan) kRshNa (kaNNan, gOvindan), the illusionist (mAyavan) praised (pugazh) by all (ellAm) mortals (bhuviyOr) [5], who bestows (nalgum) happiness (inbam) (will shower musical torrents through his flute).

caraNasvara sAhityam 2
tanimai inimaiyO iniyum poRumaiyO urugi urugi nenjam karuNai mug(kh)a kaLvan avan kaLi peRa eNNum ivaLin kuRai kELaDi

Is solitude (tanimai) sweet (inimayO)? Should I still (iniyum) be patient (poRumaiyO), even as my heart (nenjam) is melting so much (urugi urugi)? He (avan) is a thief/rascal (kaLvan) with a compassionate (karuNai) face (muga). Please listen (kELaDi) to the woes (kuRai) of this woman (ivaLin) who is thinking of (eNNum) securing (peRa) (her) happiness (kaLi).

caraNasvara sAhityam 3
pUvidazh madhuramA pongiDum amudamA
punnagai malarumA bhuviyellAm magizhumA uLLamE urugumA uvagaiyum perugumA Iruyir iNaiyumA
uRavilum iRugumA mukhil vaNNanin nAdattil magizh koNDavan pAdattil pugazh paNpADa

Are (his) flower (pU)-like lips (idazh) sweet (madhuramA)? Or, is it overflowing (pongiDum) nectar (amudamA)? Will a smile (punnagai) blossom (malarumA)? Will the entire (ellAm) world (bhuvi) rejoice (magizhumA)? Will (his) heart (ullamE) melt (urugumA) (in love)? Will love (uvagai) gush forth (perugumA)? Will two (Ir) lives (uyir) unite/become one (iNaiyumA)? Will (they be) knotted/bound (iRugumA) in a relationship (uravilum), such that (I can) serve (paNpADa) at the feet (pAdattil) of my husband (koNDavan) [6], even as I find happiness (magizh) in the music (nAdattil) of the dark (mugil) [7]-hued (vaNNan) one.

FOOTNOTES
[1] pAlai surandiDum pasuvinam = cows (pasuvinam) that pour out (surandiDum) milk (pAlinai) – milch cows
[2] panimalar is a type of flower called the mist flower – there are many types of mist flowers
[3] manam magizhavE – as (my) heart (manam) rejoices (magizhavE)
[4] pAl nilavu – the white/pale/bright milk (pAl)-like moon
[5] bhuviyOr literally means residents of the earth (bhuvi)
[6] koNDavan – one who has accepted/taken (koNDu) a woman’s hand in marriage
[7] mugil vaNNan – one whose complexion is the color (vaNNan) of dark clouds (mugil)

Satishk
Posts: 2
Joined: 15 Jun 2019, 04:29

Re: Meaning/Translation- Krishna Varnam in Ragam Behag

Post by Satishk »

I’m super thank full thanks Sir🙏🏼

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