We would have see the Power of Aram in the previous posts of this blog, that is primarily the power to prove that truth always wins. There can be a remedy to the consequences caused by the power of Aram (Truth), but curse in most cases is not remediable. The person has to undergo the trials and tribulations of a curse. Curse can come by the way of the victim cursing the criminal/defaulter verbally and by the way of one's own action. The latter has more impact and bad effect than the former. We would have heard about the famous Curse of King Tutankhamun. Though that one is disputable if that is actually a curse or not, the ones that Thirumoolar says, in his masterpiece Thirumandhiram, definitely is. Especially the curse gotten by one's action of insulting or hurting his/her Guru, who showed the way to enlightenment and knowledge.
The curses Thirumoolar explains are songs so strong and potent, that we can realise why such acts carry with them such a strong and powerful curse. It does not need to be that the Guru will utter the curse, the act itself carries with it such a curse. Now let us see those songs that are really mind blowing and awe-inspiring. In fact the acts that we should not do or allow our younger generations to do.
meaning, The person who insults/hurts the heart of the Guru, who taught or gave the meaning and knowledge about the one lettered universal Mantra - OM - and the universal being - The Brahmam, by vituperating about the Guru will be born as a dog that wanders aimlessly in the country. And then as a parasite creatures for a Yugam in this earth.
Ore Ezhuthu - One letter, in this context, the Mantra OM Ore Porul - One thing, in this context, The universal being Unara - Realise Kooriya - Explain, utter Seer Ezhuthaalar - refer the Guru (Teacher) Sidhaiya - Destroy, hurt badly Seppinor - Utter Ooridai - in the country, place Sunganan - Dog Pirandhu - Being born Angu Ore Ugam - There for for Yugam Paar - Earth Kirumi - Bacteria, Parasitic Creatures Pazhaguvar - get used to Mannilae - In the soil or sand or earth
This really frightens most of us. The next one is even harsher, it goes like this
meaning, Those who hurt the feelings of the noble family persons and the persons considered as knowledgable nobles/divines making them worry, will have their wealth and their life wiped out within a year. And promising on Lord Shiva, it is the real truth.
Pathini Paththar - People who lead a noble family life Thathuvam - Great Thought Gnani - Wise man, Holy person Siththam - Mind Kalanga - Disturb Sidhaivu - Destruction Seidhavar - Person who does something Aththam - Wealth Aavi - Life, the soul Aandu Ondru - One Year Maandu - Die Sathiyam - Truth Sadhanandhi - other name for Lord Shiva Aanai - Promise, rule
The next one song applies not only to a person but to a country, the king and his subjects
meaning, if the minds of the devotees of Lord Shiva are hurt, then the country, its state and its fame will be destroyed completely. Even Lord Indran's throne and the thrones of the great emperors will be destroyed. These are the truths that could be promised on Lord Shiva.
Easan Adiyaar - Lord Shiva (Easan), Devotees (Adiyaar) Idhayam - Heart Kalangida - Disturb Dhesamum - Country Naadu - State, also refers to country and used synonymously with Dhesam Sirappu - Fame, Popularity Azhindhidum - Destroy Vaasavan - Lord Indran Peedam - Throne Maamannar - Emperor Naasam - Destruction Aagum - Happen Nann Nandhi - Divine Nandhi (Lord Shiva)
The next song is more stricter in a sense that it describes about what happens if one lies to his Guru.
meaning, if one utters a lie to the great guru who inculcated great virtues and righteousness, then his righteousness will decline, along with his knowledge. Also, he will forget the traditional values and virtues. Then all his ways for livelihood will get destroyed and will result in misery for life
Sanmaargam, Nanmaaragam - Virtue, Righteousness Sarrguru - Great Guru Sannidhi - Sanctum Poi - Lie Varin - coming Kundri - decline Thangaadhu - Negation Thangum which means staying or remaining Thonmaarga - Traditional Virtues Thurai - Area of study, department, etc Marandhittu - Forgetting Panmaargamum - Others ways of virtuous life and livelihood Kettu - Spoil Panjam - Misery, Famine
The songs that Thirumoolar has given us intimidates at the outset, but those songs are not to intimidate but to realise the fact the people who should be held in high regards should not be denigrated or insulted. If so, the result of such insult will automatically be attributed to the person insulting. Those consequences are really bad putting people in difficulty for a long period of time. And through songs like these, Thirumoolar inculcates righteousness that has to be followed in everyone's life. The songs are a forerunner to the realisations of truth, because those consequence puts the defaulter into an oblivion that he/she will not have a chance know the reason for the suffering. These righteousness are simple and easy to follow that keeps us out of trouble for ever.
We have seen morals being depicted in various ways, that are being passed from our ancestors since time immemorial. Morals are depicted as pictures, drawings and even in religious stories. In fact even in our schools, there was a subject called Moral Science (Ozhukka Kalvi) that taught about virtuous behaviour etc. In many of its forms, the morals being presented, the expression through fables is the most fascinating and interesting and still loved by many. The way the fables are expressed arouses the interests of many. At times, there is even a subtle humour involved in it, so that it is remembered for a long time. Even Tamil literature has these fascinations represented umpteen songs. Lets see some of the songs that have a subtle humour in them.
meaning, a greedy fox that planned on eating the dead elephant, the dead hunter and the dead snake all by itself, bit the string of the bow and died.
Kari - Elephant Oru - One Thingal - Month, Moon, Monday Aaru - Six Kaanavan - Person living in the forest, Hunter Irithalai - Run quickly Putru - Snake mound Naagam - Snake, Cobra Indru - Today Unum - Eating Irai - Food Eedhu - Referring to the subject Virithalai - The head with hairs untied Vedan - Hunter Kayil - Hand Vil - Bow Narambu - String in the bow Kavvi - Grab by mouth Nariyanaar - Fox Patta Paadu - Troubles faced Naalaiyae - Tomorrow Paduvar - Feel, experience Maadho - An interjection
The story behind the song is as follows. Once a hunter went to a forest to hunt an elephant, he found an elephant and threw a spear at it killing the elephant. While throwing the spear, a snake bit the hunter and he fell dead. The hunter fell on the snake while falling dead and killed the snake too. A fox that came by, saw these three dead and being a treasure trove of food. It went greedy and thought of having all the food by itself. So it started planning, it thought that it will eat the elephant for six months, the hunter for three days and the snake as today's meal. So it wanted to pull out the snake that was underneath the hunter. But mistakenly, it bit the string of the bow that the hunter was carrying. The string was cut and the bow stretched rapidly killing the fox. The greedy fox died in an instant. The moral is that greediness puts people in trouble and at times even puts an end to them. The humour part is the fox biting the string of the bow instead of the snake. If we imagine the sequence of events happening in our mind we can feel the humour and the moral inculcated in this song.
The next one is similar to an one old saying that is
"Dhushtanai Kandaal Dhoora Vilagu"
meaning, get away from a bad guy, because he will bring trouble to us unnecessarily. The following song illustrates such concept and if we correlate the this saying with the song, we can see the subtle humour involved
The song illustrates, a monkey drenched in rain, destroying the nest of the weaver bird when the bird advised the monkey.
Vaanaram - Monkey Mazhai - Rain Nanaiya - Drenched, become wet Thookkanam - Weaver bird Thaan - a reflexive pronoun Oru - One Neri - Moral, Solla - Telling Pithidum - Break or destroy something Gnanam - Knowledge Kalvi - Education Navindra - Learnt, studied Nool - Texts Eenar - mean people Uraithal - Telling, teaching Edar Adhu Aagumae - will result in trouble
The story behind this song goes like this. Once a monkey drenched in the rain was walking in the forest. A weaver bird saw the monkey drenched, and advised the monkey that if it had built a home like the nest it had, the monkey would not have been drenched in the rain. On hearing this, the monkey destroyed the weaver bird's nest. Likewise, giving advice about knowledge and education to mean people results in trouble.
If we correlate the above saying and the events in the songs, along with bringing a visual image of the event, the subtle humour could be understood along with the moral. Had the weaver bird kept its mouth shut, it would have saved its nest. So the moral is before giving advice, understand the character of the person getting the advice. If the person happens to be mean, the advice will result in trouble.
Though people at times don't to hear morals just because it is boring and irritating , but these fables mingled seamlessly with a moral is interesting always.
Expressing love, is what young, enthusiastic and vibrant lovers apply their thoughts and brains to impress each other. The creativity that comes out is always admired and awaited by the opposite party. The suspense/hidden clues in such expressions of love are the interestings bits that really takes people close to each other. Discovering the hidden pieces is the real blast of the such expressions, that gives each other the adrenaline booster. More cryptic the message, more is the entertainment in deciphering it.
There is one such cryptic love message, in Tamil, where the guy write to his lover a cryptic message that is very interesting to decipher. The song is from the famous Viveka Chintamani, the author of this work is unknown, but the message is really out of this world and deciphering requires a real effort, the result of which is really astounding. The song goes like this
The message is that the guy asks his lover for a kiss. If she agrees, she will win his heart. But the poet has used his creativity and put in a really interesting puzzle to solve. That his request requires a lot of thought and intelligence to decrypt the message.
Oru, Ore - One Naangu - Four Arai - Half, Eer - Two, so Eer Arai - Two Halves Kaetaen - Ask Iru - Two Moodru - Three Solvaai - Tell Immozhi - These words, request Kaetapadi - As requested Eendhaai Aayin- Give as requested Peru - Big, Dominant Aru - Six Peruvaai - Obtain, Receive Pennae - Girl, Young lady Pinnae - Later Mozhi - Language, Speech Pugala - Utter Vendaam - Negation of an action Indrae - Today Sari - Correctness, Exactness Paththu - Ten Padhinaindhu - Fifteen Sagikka Mudiyadhu - Intolerable En - My Sagiyae - Friend, An Equal Partner Maanae - Deer
Lets get the literal meaning first so that we could uncover the clues one by one, that we get the pleasure of solving an interesting puzzle, rather the one that relates to love :)
The literal meaning is,
"One Four plus Two Halves plus One (Six) Hear to what I say Truly I requested for Five Halves and a Half (Three) You tell Two Fours plus Three plus One (Twelve) If you hear to these and give as requested You will get a big Four plus six Fours (Twenty Eight), young lady You don't not tell anything else today Because of the Four plus Ten plus One Fifteen (Twenty Nine) I am not able to tolerate it, my deer like soft young lady"
The numbers are really cryptic ain't it? Especially, the total in the brackets. Now lets, decipher the numbers and solve the puzzle. The clue to all the answers in this song lies in the concepts used in astrology.
The first line totals to Six - One Four + Two Halves (One) + One. In this song the poet refers to the sixth zodiac sign which is the Virgo (Kanni in Tamil), and refers to the virgin, the young lady.
The second line totals to Three - Five Halves + Half. Here, the third day of the week, Tuesday (Sevvaai in Tamil, which also means mouth with rosy lips)
The third line totals to Twelve - Two Fours + Three + One, which refers to the Zodiac star called Uththiram that also means Acceptance, Consent in Tamil
Line four is already translated, so we will see the fifth line, which totals to Twenty Eight - Four + Six Fours that refers to the twenty eighth year in the Tamil Calendar which is Jaya that means Victory.
We will skip the sixth line and move on the the seventh that totals to Twenty Nine - Four + Ten + Fifteen, that refers the again to the year in the Tamil Calendar. Manmadha (A person similar to Cupid). The last line is done.
Now lets gather our clues and put them together to find out the solution to the puzzle. The guy says, "You young lady, I request you to give me your rosy lips. If you accept and heed to what I request, you will have victory in winning my heart. You need not tell me anything else (reasons or denial) today because, I am not able to torelate the effects of manmadha arrow (cupid's arrow)."
Spectacular puzzle and the answer to it!!! If such creativity could be found in old texts like Viveka Chinthamani, our language and tradition has a very rich and excellent stuff to be admired for years to come. I am not sure if the girl consented to this, or even decrypted this message, but the creativity and the intelligence of the guy is truly amazing and out of this world.
