Sunday, October 15, 2006

Solving Sorrows - Part 2

Laughing away the sorrows is not an easy task and everyone cannot take it that way because most are quite bound by their emotions that a verbal statement will not bring an effect immediately. It requires some practice and the mind needs to get trained to treat sorrows and joys equally. It requires a more composed state of mind to see those two as delusions in life rather than life itself. So what does Tamil literature has to offer for these people. Yes indeed it does have another way, though not a way for the atheists. Well, to summarise what it is - think every event, joyous or sad, to be an act of God, submit yourself to God continue with your work and that will save yourself from worries. A song by Avaiyar illustrates this point










"Ittamudan (Ishtamudan) Enn Thalayil Innapadi Ezhuthivida
Easanum Seththi Vittaano MuttaMutta

Panjamae Aanaalum Baaram Avanukku Annaai

Kalangaadhae Nee Manamae"


-- Avaiyar

meaning, Did Lord Shiva willingly determine to write the fate on my head that I should suffer, and He wrote so? Even if I suffer and fail in all my attempts in life, it is the burden of the God (Lord Shiva) I believe to relieve me out of the troubles. So don't worry my heart.


Ittamudan (Ishtamudan) - Willingly
Enn - My

Thalaiyil - in the head (Thalai: head)

Innapadi - Being so according to the context
Ezhuthivida - Determined to write (Ezhudhu - Write)
Easanum - Lord Shiva
Seththi - Consider, thinking

Vittaano - Wrote
Mutta Mutta - expression used to indicate repetitive attempts

Panajam - Failure, Misery

Aanaalum - Happen to be so
Baaram - Burden

Avanukku - For Him (Lord Shiva in this context)
Annaai - A state of activity

Kalangaadhae - Don't Worry

Nee - You
Manamae - Heart, Mind


So as the song explains, leave all your troubles to God and carry on with your work. Troubles would not hurt you much. There is yet another belief that still solves troubles better. That is, the thought that troubles are an act of God to test us. If you endure those toughness in life, you will shine as gold. Troubles and sorrows are rather things that shape us and brings out of us rare talents within, that makes who we are. There is short story that speakers in some Upanyasam used to tell the gathering. Though the story might sound fictional, it has great meaning in it.


One day a man went to the temple and talked to the God statue. He told that he is facing a lot of troubles and worries in his life. There does not even seem to be any benefit to him in worshipping the God either. So he wanted an answer for it and needs a solution to his problems and live a peaceful life.

The God statue replied, "Long before I was carved into a statue and people started worshipping me, I was a solid rock lying in the mountains. There was no one to help me or heed to my troubles. I was under the hot sun, pouring rains and the cold winters. Later, a sculptor found me and carved me into a statue. Had I not tolerated the baking Sun, the lashing rains, the chilly winters and apart from those, the hammer and the chisel of the sculptor; I would not have been worshipped now by many who come to this temple. So troubles in life are to shape what you are. Facing and tolerating them takes you to a new dimension you never expected."


Now satisfied with answer that the God Statue gave, the man got encouraged and started to live his life bravely.


To even illustrate this concept, there is a song written by the greatest poet of recent times. Rather the king of poets in the 20th century, Kavi Arasu Kannadhasan (Kavi Arasu means King of Poets). The song goes like this
























"Pirappil Varuvadhu Yaadhena Kaetaen

Pirandhu Paar Yena Iraivan Panithaan

Irappil Varuvadhu Yaadhena Kaetaen

Irandhu Paar Yena Iraivan Panithaan


Vaazhvil Varuvadhu Yaadhena Kaetaen

Vaazhndhu Paar Yena Iraivan Panithaan


Anubavithae Thaan Vaazhvadhu Vaazhvenil

Aandavanae Nee Yaen Yena Kaetaen

Aandavan Sattrae Aruginil Vandhu

Anubavam Enbathae Naanthaan Endran"

-- Kavi Arasu Kannadhasan


meaning,

I asked God, what do we realise in being born; God instructed me to be born.
I asked God, what do we realise in dying; God instructed me to die.

I asked God, what do we realise in living; God instructed me to live.

I asked God, if experiencing everything is what life is all about, then why are you here.

God came a little bit closer and said, Experience is none other than me!

Pirappil - Birth
Varuvadhu - Derive, realise, come

Yaadhena - What

Kaetaen - Ask

Pirandhu - Be born

Paar - See

Yena - So

Iraivan - God

Panithaan - Instructed

Irappil - Death
Irandhu - Die

Vaazhvil - Life

Vaazhndhu - Live

Anubavithae Thaan - Experiencing

Vaazhvadhu - Living

Vaazhvenil - Life

Aandavan - God

Nee - You

Yaen - Why

Sattrae - A little bit
Aruginil - Close
Vandhu - Came

Anubavam - Experience

Enbathae - is what

Naanthaan - Me

Endran - Act of Person Saying something


A great concept, in simple words! You just consider that all the experiences in life are not only act of God but God himself. The shifting of burden from ourselves to God, gives us the real strength to fight all the tussles and tribulations in life. Although atheists may question the existence of God, they might not feel the benefit they derive out of the invisible means of support. So Tamil literature offers numerous ways to solve troubles and sorrows. It is up for the peoples' mind to choose what they can and what they need. But enduring the troubles makes us what we are and takes us to a new unimaginable dimension.

More to come, until then...


14 comments:

kvijayendran said...

Very nice blog da, especially the poem by Kannadasan is too good.

Anonymous said...

What a profound thought! I really enjoy reading ur articles. Looks like u belong to a different dimension all together. Thanks Prabhu.

I have a set of songs from Patinathar, which are 29MB and 32 MB in size (wma files). I couldn't find any translations or even the peoms of Patinathar online. I was wondering if you can translate few for the benefit of all. Pls do let me know how to email those songs to u. Below is one such song

track 1 ->11.20 minutes
-----------------------
mannum thanal aara
vaannum pughai aara
en ariya thaayum ellaiparra
pannum nayathai aara un adiyen
kaalar unanbu kandar aiya thiruvaiyarar

R. Prabhu said...

@Vijayendran
Thanks Vijayendra! Yeah an in-depth meaning in such a short song!

@Isha
Thanks Isha! Am happy to see that you enjoy reading the posts! Well, it would be my pleasure to translate those songs. Indeed pattinathar is in the list of my future posts, but not in the immediate future. Am collecting some information about him and it is not yet complete. Also I need to find time across my busy schedules :-).

I don't think yahoo or any other mail provider would allow such huge files. Rather you could use esnips.com and let me know the link at rprabhu_gac [AT) yahoo [DOT) com

Thanks! once again!

Ravi said...

Prabhu, romba naala pudhu post-e kanom?? Eagerly awaiting your posts.

R. Prabhu said...

Thanks Ravi! Have put up a new post! :-)

Anonymous said...

Prabhu I like your folder in esnips.This blog is good. Rare coming across such good blogs. Keep it up.

R. Prabhu said...

Thanks Raj!

Unknown said...

Hi Prabhu..
Excellent da.. I really enjoyed it...
Amal

R. Prabhu said...

Thanks Amal!

Anonymous said...

Super prabhu-balaji

R. Prabhu said...

Thanks Balaji

Unknown said...

Sir i would like to know the movie name in which the following lyrics are used:
"Pirappil Varuvadhu Yaadhena Kaetaen
Pirandhu Paar Yena Iraivan Panithaan

Irappil Varuvadhu Yaadhena Kaetaen
Irandhu Paar Yena Iraivan Panithaan

Vaazhvil Varuvadhu Yaadhena Kaetaen
Vaazhndhu Paar Yena Iraivan Panithaan

Anubavithae Thaan Vaazhvadhu Vaazhvenil
Aandavanae Nee Yaen Yena Kaetaen

Aandavan Sattrae Aruginil Vandhu
Anubavam Enbathae Naanthaan Endran"

-- Kavi Arasu Kannadhasan"

Nethra said...

Vanakkam Prabhu. Inga neenga kuduthrukara Avvaiyar padal yendha thoguppula varudhu nu solla mudiyuma :) Nandri.

R. Prabhu said...

@Nethra - Vanakkam, Ingae kuripittulla Avvaiyar padal, "Avvaiyar Thanipaadalgal" engira thoguppil ullana