Monday, December 27, 2010

Austere Avvaiyar - Part 2

The first thing that everyone remembers on hearing the name Avvaiyar is Aathichudi. Aathichudi is said to have been written by the later Avvaiyar. Aathichudi stands as a crown for tha works of Avvaiyar. Its simplicity and the moral values it inculcates has a wide acceptance among people. It is so simple that is even taught to kids just out of kindergarten, and even used by people as quotes during their ordinary day to day talks or speeches.

Aathichudi has 109 verses explaining the morals. The beauty is that it is organized in such a way that each verse is in the order of the vowels (Uyir Ezhuthu), consonants (Mei Ezhuthu) of the Tamil alphabets and the combinant alphabets (Uyir Mei Ezhuthu).


அறம் செய விரும்பு    
Aram seyya virumbu
 
Desire doing righteous deeds

ஆறுவது சினம்    
Aaruvadhu Sinam
 
Anger is to be controlled

இயல்வது கரவேல்    
Iyalvadhu Karavael

Help others in whatever ways you can
 

ஈவது விலக்கேல்    
Eevadhu Vilakkael
 
Never prevent others from providing charity
 

உடையது விளம்பேல்    
Udaiyadhu Vilambael

 Never proclaim/boast what you have
 

ஊக்கமது கைவிடேல்    
Ookamadhu Kaividael

 Never give up the confidence and hope
 

எண் எழுத்து இகழேல்    
Enn Ezhuthu Egazhael

 Never despise learning
 

ஏற்பது இகழ்ச்சி    
Yaerpadhu Igazhchi

 Accepting alms (begging) is despicable
 

ஐயமிட்டு உண்    
Ayyamittu Unn
 
Share your food with the needy, before you eat
 

ஒப்புர வொழுகு    
Oppuravu Ozhugu
 
Act virtuously
 

ஓதுவது ஒழியேல்    
Odhuvadhu Ozhiyael

 Never stop learning
 

ஒளவியம் பேசேல்    
Ouviyyam Paesael

 Never gossip about others
 

அஃகஞ் சுருக்கேல்    
Akkam Surukael

 Never cheat on quantity of items you sell
 

The name Aathichudi is because of the head verse is in praise of Lord Shiva and Lord Ganapathy, who is adorned with the Aathi flowers.
 
ஆத்திசூடி  அமர்ந்த  தேவனை
ஏத்தி  ஏத்தி  தொழுவோமே

Aathichudi Amarndha Devanai
Yaethi Yaethi thozuvomae

 

meaning, we will praise the The God (Lord Vinayaka) who sits in the lap of the Lord (Lord Shiva) who wears the Aathi flowers

The simplicity of these verses are not only easy to comprehend but also easy to remember. Very easy for learning kids, that they remember through out their life.

Another work, the Kondrai vendhan, is also by the later Avvaiyar, which is similar to the Aathichudi in many respects. The same one-liner style, along with the order of the alphabets makes it easy to read and remember too. This is praise of Lord Shiva, who is adorned with the Kondrai flowers, and Lord Vinayaka. Usually all Tamil poems being with a song that is in praise of the poet's favourite God. This verse is called the Kadavul Vaazhthu. Now, the verses from Kondrai Vendhan.
 
கொன்றை  வேந்தன்  செல்வன்  அடியினை
என்றும்  ஏத்தி  தொழுவோம்  யாமே

Kondrai Vendhan Selvan Adiyinai
Endrum Yaethi Thozhuvom Yaamae
 
We will ever worship and praise the Son (Lord Vinayaka) of the Lord (Lord Shiva) who wears the Kondrai flowers.
 
அன்னையும்  பிதாவும்  முன்னறி  தெய்வம்
Annaiyum Pidhavum Munnari Dheivam
 
The mother and the father are the Gods to be realised first
 
ஆலயம் சென்றடல்  சாலவும்  நன்று
Aalayam Sendridal Saalavum Nandru

 It is good and noble to worship the God in temples
 
இல்லறம் அல்லது  நல்லறம்  அன்று
Illaram Alladhu Nallaram Andru
 
It is ignoble to not follow a peaceful marriage
 
ஈயார்  தேட்டை  தீயார்  கொள்வர்
Eeyaar Thaetai Theeyaar Kollvar

 The belongings of the miserly will be plundered by the evil-minded
 
உண்டி  சுருங்குதல்  பெண்டிருக்கு  அழகு
Undi Surungudhal Pendirukku Azhagu

 Reducing the quantity of food intake, by women is good for them
 
ஊருடன்  பகைக்கின்  வேருடன்  கெடும்
Oorudan Pagaikkin Verudan Kedum
 
Hostility with the society/country will destroy everything one has right from the root
 
எண்ணும்  எழுத்தும்  கண்ணென  தகும்
Ennum Ezhuthum Kannena Thagum

 Education and knowledge is like the eye for everyone
 
ஏவா மக்கள்  மூவா  மருந்து
Yaeva Makkal Moova Marundhu

 Children who do the right things without the parents' guidance are like curative medicine
 
ஐயம்  புகினும்  செய்வன  செய்
Aiyyam Puginum Seivana Sei

 Even under impecuniousness do your duties
 
ஒருவனை  பற்றி  ஓரகத்து  இரு
Oruvanai Pattri Oragathu Iru
 
Marry one and be loyal the spouse
 
ஓதலின்  நன்றே  வேதியர்க்கு  ஒழுக்கம்
Odhalin Nandrae Vedhiyarkku Ozhukkam

 Discipline is more important to a priest than uttering the sacred hymns
 
ஔவியம்  பேசுதல்  ஆக்கத்திற்கு  அழிவு
Auviyam Pesudhal Aakkathirkku Azhivu

 Gossiping is destructive to one's fame
 
அஃகமும்  காசும் சிக்கென தேடு
Akkamum Kaasum Sikkena Thaedu

 Earn cultivation lands and the money soon in your life

The beauty of these verses are their simplicity and the greatness of the values they inculcate in such curtness. Moreover, all of these are easy to remember as they have been composed in the order of the Tamil  Alphabets, that one can easily related to these verses based on the alphabets.

Children and kids find it very easy to take it by heart, also explaining these to them does not take much effort as they are easily understood.

I will try to post the meaning of the other verses too in the upcoming posts. The complete verses can be downloaded here.

There are more fascinating songs by Avvaiyar that served as technological insights to great construction feats like the Brahadeeshwara Temple at Thanjavur. We will see those in the upcoming posts.

More to come, until then...

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Prabhu, am your great fan of your blogs...
Ur explanations are very simple to understand...
when i first tried to gather information about aathichudi... urs was the best source...
very well explained...
Auvvai was great...
I never remember learning aathichudi in school days...
I think it should made a repeatable course from 1st to +12..
only then it will get into people's mind...

keep writing...

R. Prabhu said...

@Anonymous
Thank you very much

Anonymous said...

forgot to leave my name in above comment.. My name is Ganesh...
Think ur busy now a days... no blogs for past 2 months...

When one of friend was feeling very rejected, i send here ur blog about "Sorrows -part1, part2", u wont believe she became all ok from then..
:-)

Awaiting for more blogs from u...

Ganesh

R. Prabhu said...

Thank you very much Ganesh. Yeah, I have been a little busy over the past few months. Will start to write the other parts of the post soon.

I am really happy to hear that some of the posts help consoling your friend.

Thanks once again!

Hariharan R said...

Hi Prabhu...
Great job u have done.
The meanings of aathichudi given by u very easy.
Used to write some messages in notice board, when i searched for aathichudi, urs i find best.

Congrats and continue your job...
thank u.

R. Prabhu said...

Thanks Hariharan!

paed said...

sir, i am dr.sundar from salem. i read some of your translations of famous quotes told by our ancestors. good work sir. keep continuing. i need the english translation of our famous avvaiyar quote "arithu, arithu manidarai pirathal arithu; athanin goon, kurudu, sevidu neengi pirathal arithu". sir please send me as early as possible to my email id: chinsunsundar@yahoo.co.in

R. Prabhu said...

Sundar Sir,

Nice to get in touch, and glad to hear that you liked the blog. I have posted your requested song in a subsequent post. http://rprabhu.blogspot.com/2011/05/austere-avvaiyar-part-6.html

Raja said...

ங ப்போல் வளை - இதற்கான சரியான விளக்கமென்ன?

R. Prabhu said...

@Raja

தமிழில் 'ங' வரிசையில் 'ங்' என்ற எழுத்து தவிர எதுவுமே வழக்கத்தில் இல்லை. (சங்கு, தங்கம்). இந்த எழுத்தும் இல்லாமலிருந்தால் 'ங' வரிசையே தமிழ் எழுத்துக்களிலிருந்து எடுக்கப்பட்டிருக்கும். ஒரு எழுத்து அதன் வர்க்கத்தையே காப்பாற்றிக்கொண்டிருக்கிறது. அவ்வாறு ஒருவன் தன்னை சேர்ந்தவர்களை காப்பாற்ற வேண்டும் என்று பொருள். தமிழில் 'வளைதல்' என்றால் காப்பாற்றுதல் என்று ஒரு பொருள் உண்டு.

Hope that helps!

Anonymous said...

Hi,Prabhu.. I know this Quote but i didnt know the meaning of it. Thanks for letting us know the meaning..keep up your good work.

R. Prabhu said...

Thanks Anonymous!

Anonymous said...

Meaning of 'koodippiriyel'?

R. Prabhu said...

Koodi Piriyael means "After becoming friends with someone, don't part with them"

Anonymous said...

Hi prabhu,
You are doing a great job. I am not that good in Tamil. In my daughters current school Tamil is compulsory. She is in 2nd std , for teaching her ur explanations are simple n easy. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

http://www.lulu.com/shop/vidyuth-publications/auvaiyaars-aathisoodi-translated-into-english/paperback/product-21244029.html

d said...

nice work, tnx for the same.....ippani sirakka vaazhthukkal

R. Prabhu said...

Thanks D!

Anonymous said...

Thanks Prabhu,
Repeating and explaining the work of Great Souls to common people is equivalent to the Great Souls themselves.

R. Prabhu said...

Thanks Anon!

Unknown said...

Very nice work.
Keep up the good work.

R. Prabhu said...

Thanks Manoharan!

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Albert wilson said...

Thank you very much. your work is helpful and great service to the society.

R. Prabhu said...

Thank you Albert!