Who am I?

"Who am I?", a question that has baffled and intrigued many philosophers and metaphysicists. The question that most don't find and answer. If they find an answer to this question, most would not be able to express that verbally. It is not the social identity a person is given. It is about the inner-self, the soul, your ethereal identity - rather shortly - "The Real You". A bit confusing??? Well lets a take a look at what Thirumoolar says and see our thoughts get provoked and intrigued. Here goes the song

"Ettaan Arindhilan Yaetraval Kandilal
Thattaan Arindhum Oruvarkkum Uraithilan
Pattaangu Sollum Paramanum Angulan
Kettaen Immaayaiyin Keezhmai Yevvaray"

- Thirumoolar

meaning, "The sower of the genetic seed (Father) does not know who I am. The acceptor of the genetic seed (Mother) does not know who I am. The creator (Lord Brahma), though he knows who I am, does not tell anyone about that. Even Lord Shiva - the God of Destruction, the foreteller of the end of life - is present there at that time. See! I have been spoilt and just imagine the meanness I have been put into by illusion/oblivion that caused this"

Ettaan - The person who gives; in this context, sower of genetic seed
Arindhilan - Arindhu (know) + Elan (negation a form of Ellai, masculine gender) = The referred person does not have the knowledge
Yaetraval - Yaetra (accept) + Aval (addressing the second person feminine gender) = The person who accepts
Kandilal - Kandu (See, be aware) + Elal (negation a form of Ellai, feminine gender) = The referred person is not aware
Thattaan - Blacksmith; the one who shapes object by striking; in this context, the creator - Lord Brahma
Arindhum - Having knowledge
Oruvarkkum - Even for a single person
Uraithilan - Uraithu (tell) + Elan - He will not tell
Pattaangu - End of world, life etc
Sollum - Telling
Paramanum - (Paraman - Lord Shiva) Even Lord Shiva
Angulan - Angu(there) + Ulan (exists)
Kettaen - Kettu - Become Spoilt
Immaayai - This(Im) illusion (Maayai)
Keezhmai - Lowest point, meanest
Yevvaray - imagine how

Intriguing!!! This is what great philosophers, saints and siddhars have professed all their life. Know thyself!!! A great and difficult thing to be achieved. Lets start on a journey to find who we are for ourselves!!

More to come, until then...

Rain - The elixir of life!

Rain is a natural phenomenon of water precipitating, but the interesting fact is that people associate it with good deeds, well being etc. More precisely, people tend to associate the amount of rainfall with the good deeds performed. If there are many good deeds performed then, there would be a good amount of rain and if bad deeds increase, rainfall decreases. Let us see what Tamil Literature has to offer. There is even a phrase in Tamil - "Maadham MUmmaari" meaning "three rains a month". Let's begin with Avaiyar with her song that goes,

"Nellukku Iraitha Neer Vaaikaal Vazhi Odi
Pullukkum Aangae Posiyumaam - Tholl Ulagil
Nallaar Oruvar Ularael Avar Poruttu
Ellaarkkum Peyyum Mazhai"

-Avaiyar

meaning, The water that flows in a stream to irrigate the paddy also irrigates the weeds around. Likewise, for that one good person on this old earth, it rains for the benefit of all. Now the interlingual rendition,

Nellukku - (possesive case of) Nell - Paddy
Iraitha - Poured, Irrigated
Neer - Water
Vaaikaal - Stream, a shallow passage for water to flow
Vazhi - Path
Odi - Run
Pullukkum - For the grass (Pull), in this context, weed
Aangae - There
Posiyumaam - Flow, Drip
Tholl Ulagil - Old (Tholl) Earth - (Ulagu)
Nallaar - Good persons
Oruvar - (denoting count of persons) One
Ularael - Ula - Exist ; in conjunction with Oruvar - if one such person exists
Avar Poruttu - Avar: Them, respected tone of a single person; Poruttu - For a particular purpose
Ellarkkum - For all (Ellar)
Peyyum Mazhai - pour down, used in conjunction with rain (Mazhai)


Hmm, interesting, now lets see what Vivega Chinthamani has for the rains. The first song goes like this

"Vedham Odhiya Vedhiyarkku Ore Mazhai
Needhi Mannar Neriyanukku Ore Mazhai
Maadhar Karppudaya Mangayarkku Ore Mazhai
Maadham Moondru Mazhaiyena Peyyumae"

- Vivekaga Chinthamani

The meaning, "A rain for the priests enchanting the Vedhas. A rain for the king who follows good virtues and upholds justice. A rain for the women who maintain their chastity. So in all three rains a month". As usual, the interlingual rendition

Vedham - Vedhas
Odhiya - Enchanted, Recited
Vedhiyar - Priests or persons following the Vedhas
Ore - One
Mazhai - Rain
Needhi - Justice
Mannar - (plural of Mannan) Kings
Neriyan - Follower of good virtues
Maadhar - (plural of Maadhu) Women, normally used in a collective sense
Karppu - Chastity
Mangayar - (plural of Mangai) Women
Maadham - Month
Moondru - Three
Peyyum - downpour, fall (esp rain)


This above song is a representation of the fact that if the good deeds grow and good virtues are upheld, the nature will bestow good rains that will help the planet flourish with all good things. Now, here the opposite where if good deeds dwindle, then nature punishes those act. The following song can be interpreted in two ways, one as nature grieving the situations that would have caused the persons involved to perform such acts; the other as a punishing measure for those who are expected to follow good virtues but they stray away blatantly.

"Arisi VittridUm Andhanarrkku Ore Mazhai
Varisai Thappiya Mannarkku Ore Mazhai
Purushanai Kondra Poovaiyarkku Ore Mazhai
Varudam Moondru Mazhaiyena Peyyumae"

- Vivekaga Chinthamani

the meaning, "A rain for the priests who sell rice. A rain for the kings stray away from their virtues. A rain for the women who kill their husbands (Rather in the non-literal sense, women who betray their husbands). So in all, three rains a year".

Arisi - Rice
Vittridum - Selling
Andhanarr - Priests
Varisai - Duties, Order, Queue
Thappiya - Escape, Default, Missing to perform duties
Purushan - Husband
Kondra - Kill, Destroy
Poovaiyar - (plural of Poovai) Women
Varudam - Year

Some people say, that the only one of the three rains mentioned in the first song actually happen (A rain for the women who maintain their chastity) and that too not every month. And all the three rains mentioned in the second song occur without fail. I am not sure as to the correctness of the comments. The points in the above two songs of Vivega Chinthamani and in Avaiyar's song bear some correlation - "For the purpose and the benefit of the good, nature will bestow goodness for all."

More to come, until then...