Austere Avvaiyar - Part 3

The next of the famous works of Avvaiyar come Moodhurai and Nall Vazhi, these were the works of the later Avvaiyars. The beauty of these two works the lines in the verses are still being used as a quote by people even today. Though people don't remember full verses, but the lines in those verses stand as a testimony to truth and values, for example, "Kettalum Maen makkal maen makkalae" meaning "People who are noble will never lose their nobility even during tough times/penury". In this post, we will see the verses from Moodhurai.

As with most Tamil poems, the first song/verse will be in praise of the God, usually Lord Vinayakar; Moodhurai and Nall Vazhi begin with a song that is in praise of Lord Vinayakar


 வாக்குண்டாம் நல்ல மனமுண்டாம்  மாமலராள்
நோக்குண்டாம் மேனி நுடங்காது பூக்கொண்டு
துப்பார் திருமேனித் தும்பிக்கையான் பாதம்
தப்பாமல் சார்வார் தமக்கு

Vaakundaam Nalla Manamundaam Maamalaraal
Nokkundaam Meni Nudangaadhu Pookkondu
Thuppaar Thirumeni Thumbikkaiyaan Paadham
Thappaamal Saarvaar Thamakku
 

meaning, People who worship the elephant trunked God, Lord Ganesh, with flowers will have good command of words and knowledge, good heart and mind, the blessings of the Goddess of wealth and prosperisty, Goddess Lakshmi and good health.

Vaakundaam - Vaaku + Undaam - Word, Knowledge
Nalla Manamundaam - Good Heart, Mind
Maamalaraal - Goddess Lakshmi
Nokku Undaam - Sight, Blessings
Meni - Body
Nudangaadhu - Will not become weak or have ailments
Pookondu - With flowers
Thuppaar Thirumeni - The body of Lord Ganesh which is bright in colour
Thumbikkaiyaan - Lord Ganesh - Thumbikkai - elephant's trunk
Paadham - Feet
Thappaamal Saarvar - People who worship Lord Ganesh's feet without fail
Thamakku - A pronoun referring the people who worship Lord Ganesh

We would have come across the next two song, in one of the earlier posts however, it is worth repeating them here, because of the moral they inculcate about the good deeds

நன்றி யொருவற்க்குச் செய்தக்கால் அந்நன்றி
என்று தருங்கொல் எனவேண்டா  நின்று
தளரா வளர்தெங்கு தாளுண்ட நீரை
தலையாலே தான் தருதலால்

Nandri Oruvarrkku Seidhakkaal Annandri
Endru Tharungol Ena Vendaa Nindru
Thalaraa Valar Thengu Thaal Unda Neerai
Thalaiyaalae Thaan Tharudhalaal
 
meaning, deeds done in time of need, however small, without expecting a favour in return, will pay off someday like the coconut tree that gives benefit carrying on its head, though you pour the water to its feet.

Nandri - Good deeds, gratitude
Oruvarukku - for someone
Seidhakkaal - Act done
Endru - When
Tharungol - Benefit, pay in return
nindru thalaraa valar thengu - The coconut tree (thengu) that stands tall and steady
Thaal - Feet
Unda - Drank, intake
Neerai - Water
Thalaiyalae - On top of the head
Tharudhalaal - provide 


நெல்லுக்கிறைத்த  நீர்  வாய்கால்  வழியோடி
புல்லுக்கும்  ஆங்கே  பொசியுமாம்  தொல்லுலகில்
நல்லார்  ஒருவர்  உளரேல்  அவர்பொருட்டு
எல்லார்க்கும்  பெய்யும்  மழை

Nellukku Iraitha Neer Vaaikaal Vazhiyodi
Pullukkum Aangae Posiyumaam Thollulagil
Nallaar Oruvar Ularael Avarporuttu
Ellarrkkum Peiyyum Mazhai
 
meaning, The water that is pumped to irrigate paddy also irrigates the weeds and grass. Likewise, just for the one good person on earth, rain falls for the benefit for everyone on earth. Good deeds are so powerful that even for good deeds done by a few, everyone in this world gets benefitted.

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)

 அட்டாலும் பால்சுவையிற் குன்றா தளவளய்
நட்டாலும் நண்பல்லார் நண்பு  அல்லர்
கெட்டாலும் மேன்மக்கள் மேன்மக்களே சங்கு
சுட்டாலும் வெண்மை தரும்

Attaalum Paal Suvaiyil Kundraadhu Thalavalai
Nataalum Nanballaar Nanbu Allar
Kettaalum Maenmakkal Maenmakkalae Sangu
Sutaalum Venmai Tharum
 
meaning, Certain things done in this world don't change even if the circumstances change. Like milk that still tastes good, even after boiling it in fire. People who are not friends will never be friends even if they are placed nearby each other. People who are noble and magnanimous will never lose their magnanimity even in times of adversity. Likewise the conch shell will be white inside, even if charred by hot fire

Attaalum - Boil
Paal - Milk
Suvai - Taste
Kundraadhu - Not deteriorate
Nataalum - Place nearby
Nanbu - Friendship; Allaar - Negation
Kettaalum - Fall into adversity, worsen in situation
Maenmakkal - Magnanimous People
Sangu - Conch
Suttalum - Burn
Venmai - Whiteness

Some of Avvaiyar's songs strongly support the concept of destiny and fate. In the next two songs, Avvaiyar's point that things won't happen until time is ripe and things destined to happen will happen 


அடுத்து முயன்றாலும்  ஆகு  நாளன்றி
எடுத்த  கருமங்கள்  ஆகா  தொடுத்த
உருவத்தால்  நீண்ட  உயர்மரங்கள்  எல்லாம்
பருவத்தால்  அன்றி  பழா

Aduthu Muyandraalum Aagu Naalandri
Edutha Karumangal Aaga Thodutha
Uruvathaal Neenda Uyarmarangal Ellaam
Paruvathaal Andri Pazhaa.

meaning, even if you attempt again and again, things that should happen only a specified time will not happen until the time is ripe, like the trees that stand tall, though they are big in size, will not bear fruit until it is the right time.

Aduthu Muyandraalum - Even if tried again and again
Aagu naal - Ripe time/Destined day
Edutha Karumangal - Tasks taken
Thodutha uruvathaal - In their grown appearance
Neenda uyar marangal - the tall and lengthy trees
Paruvathaal - Season
Andri Pazhaa - Will not bear fruit until that time 


எழுதியவாறே  காண்  இரங்கும்  மடநெஞ்சே
கருதிய  வாராமோ  கருமம்  கருதிப்போய்
கற்பகத்தை  சேர்ந்தோருக்கு  காஞ்சிரங்காய்  ஈந்தேல்
முற்பவத்தில்  செய்த  வினை

Ezhuthiyavaarae Kaan Irangum Madanenjae
Karudhiya Vaaraamo Karumam Karudhippoi
Karpagathai Saernthorkku Kaanjirangaai Eendhael
Murpavathil Seidha Vinai
 
meaning, Hey you wailing heart. Things will happen the way they are destined to happen. Will they happen the way you imagine them to happen? Even if you reach the Karpaga tree - (the mythological tree that gives you anything when you are under it) - and if it gives the Ettikaai (Poisonous fruit), then it is what it has been destined for you from your past actions.

Ezhuthiya - Written
Kaan - See
Irangum - Wailing, Despondent
Mada Nenjae - Foolish Heart/Mind
Karudhiyavaaru  - Imagined
Aamo - Happen
Karumam - Act, Result
Karpagam - Mythological tree that gives anything wished for
Saernthu - Reach
Kaanjirankaai - Ettikaai (Strychnos Nuxvomica)
Murpavam - Past life
Seidha - Done
Vinai - Actions/Sin 


கான  மயிலாட  கண்டிருந்த  வான்கோழி
தானும்  அதுவாக  பாவித்து தானுந்தன்
பொல்லாச்சிறகை  விரித்து  ஆடினாற் போலுமே
கல்லாதான்  கற்ற  கவி

Kaana Mayilaada Kandirundha Vaankozhi
Thaanum Adhuvaaga Paavithu Thaanum Thann
Polla Siragai Virithu Aadinaar Polumae
Kallaadhaan Katra Kavi

meaning, The turkey that saw a peacock dancing with its feathers spreadout. On seeing that the turkey started spreading out its feathers imitating the peacock and started dancing. This can be compared to a poem being learnt by a fool

Kaana - Forest
Mayil - Peacock
Aada - Dance
Vaankozhi - Turkey
Thaanum Adhuvaaga Paavithu - Considering it as peacock
Thaanum Thann - Pronoun referring the turkey
Polla Siragu - Incomplete or Insufficient feathers
Virithu - Spread
Aadinaal - Dance
Kalladhaan - Illiterate
Katra Kavi - learned poem

The next song illustrates the prominence for education and knowledge. The most popular phrase "Katrorukku Sendra Idam Ellam Sirappu" which means "The learned and scholarly will be praised wherever they go" is from this song



மன்னனும்  மாசற  கற்றோனும்  சீர்தூக்கின்
மன்னனில்  கற்றோன்  சிறப்புடையன்  மன்னனுக்கு
தன்தேசம்  அல்லால்  சிறப்பில்லை  கற்றோருக்கு
சென்ற  இடமெல்லாம்  சிறப்பு

Mannanum Maasara Kattronum Seerthookin
Mannanil Katron Sirappudaiyan Mannanukku
Thann Desam Allaal Sirappillai Katrorukku
Sendra Idam Ellam Sirappu
 
meaning, if you compare a King and a Scholar, a Scholar has more prominence that the King. The King is popular and prominent only in his kingdom and outside of his kingdom, he is not; but a scholar is popular and prominent at all places wherever he goes

Mannan - King
Maasara Katron - Scholar
Seerthookin - Compare
Sirappudaiyan - Prominent, Popular, Better
Thann - His
Desam - Country
Sendra Idam - Places gone

Not only are the songs in Moodhurai are simple to understand, the moral values they inculcate are great and are still being used by parents and elders to educate their children about the moral values the Tamil Civilization had thousands of years ago.

More to come, until then...