saidevo
04 February 2008, 02:46 AM
In the 20th century Tamil Literature, after Mahakavi Subramanya Bharati, Kaviarasu Kannadasan ('kaNNadAsan') is considered the most talented poet. Kannadasan may not have the range of Bharati in spirituality, but his best poetry does have the depth of philosophy and mysticism conveyed in astonishingly simple and ordinary words and phrases. While Bharati had his songs actually sung by the people during the days of struggle for India's independence, and posthumously popularized when they were set to tune in the Tamil films, Kannadasan wrote more than half his poetry for the films and won enormous popular adulation and recognition from all classes and ages of people. Kannadasan's filmy numbers won appreciation as much for their tunes and the people who sang and played and set the scores, as for their own words and phrases.
As Wikipedia says, Kannadasan "did not live a cocoon-type of life. He dipped into everything that Tamil Nadu could offer--wine, women, drugs, gambling, politics, polemics, atheism and religious sanctuary. After enjoying everything, what he did was remarkable--he composed verses about all his experiences, with reflective self-deprecating humour, irony, and biting sarcasm. These verses touched the sympathetic chords of Tamils from all walks of life--school boys, undergrads, housewives, farmers, manual labourers, plantation workers, middle class representatives and even upper class elites."
When he was Muthiah, which was the name his parents gave him, he was a staunch atheist. "He once read the Thiruppavai of Andal, and was amazed at its mystic poetry, that was to have a deep and everlasting impact on him. After a lot of introspection, he decided to reconvert back into Hinduism, christened himself Kannadasan, dug deep into understanding Hinduism, and wrote his series of books on Hinduism." Kannadasan died at the age of 54.
In this thread, we shall enjoy the nuances and depth of some of Kannadasan's spiritual and philosophical film songs. I shall also give the link to the audio files where I can find them, so the readers can enjoy them in their original score of music even when reading out the words in transliteration, thereby verily worshipping the Nada Brahman.
From the film 'Karnan' ('karNan')
Directed by the veteran B.R.Panthulu, this movie portrays the life of Karna(n), the unknown eldest brother of the Pandavas and the son of Surya, the Sun God and Kunti, and an unforgettable character of the Mahabharata. Shivaji Ganesan played the role of Karna(n). The film has most melodious lyrics composed by Kannadasan and set to tune based on the classical Hindustani and Karnatic ragas by the inimitable music director duo Viswanathan-Ramamurthy.
Here is a link for the song where the poet extols Karna(n)'s virtue of dAna-dharma (generosity). The song sung by Sirkazhi Govindarajan, P.B.Srinivas and chorus is based on the Hindolam raga (its Hindustant equivalent is the Malkhauns raga), and starts with the phrase 'Mazhai Kodukkum'.
http://www.hummaa.com/songlistings.php?aid=9993&tp=singer&pg=&md=21931&lg=14&lc=singer&artist=Seerkazhi+Sivachidambaram
The song speaks of Karna(n)'s generosity as superior to that of the rain which gives for only two months in a year; that of the paddy field that gives for only three months in a year; that of the cow that gives for only four months.
Womens' eyes turned red with shyness; poets' legs turned red by wandering all over the lands (seeking alms from the kings); jnAnis' (the wisemen) hearts turned red in search of the truth; and by giving, every day, the great king Karna(n)'s holy hands blushed!
While other kings take an article and give it away, Karna(n) shows a plateful of them for the receiver to take. His left hand does not know what his right gives away. Even before the receiver starts wondering what the king will give him, Karna(n) would give him the gold and riches; and if they were not enough, the great king, the dayA-nidhi (treasure of compassion), would even give his life.
After this narration follows a hymn sung by the king along with his men to the Sun God that winds up the song. Poet Kannadasan has written this hymn in simple words with Upanashadic connotations.
Here is the Tamil hymn in JPG format and in normal transliteration:
337
Aayiram karangal neetti
Anaikkindra thaaye potri!
Arul pongum mugathai kaatti
Irul neekam thanthai potri!
Thaayinum parinthu saala sagalarai anaippai potri!
Thazhaikkum or uyirkatkellam, thunaikkaram koduppai potri!
Thooyavar idayam polath thulangidum oliye potri!
Dooratthey neruppai vaithu, saaratthai tharuvai potri!
Gnayire nalame vazhga, Nayagan vadivey potri!
Naanilam ula naal mattum, potruvom potri potri!
Here is the transliteration using the Baraha software scheme which is similar to the ITRANS Sanskrit transliteration scheme:
Ayiram kara~ggaL nITTi
aNaikkinxrxa tAye porxrxi!
aruLpO~ggum mukattaik kATTi
iruL nIkkam tantAy porxrxi!
tAyinxum parintu cAla cakalarai aNaippAy porxrxi!
tazhaikkum or uyirkaTkEllAm, tuNaikkaram kODuppAy porxrxi!
tUyavar idayam polat tula~ggiDum OLiye porxrxi!
dUratte nEruppai vaitthu sArattait taruvAy porxrxi!
~jAyirxe nalame vAzhga nAyakanx vaDive porxrxi!
nAnxilam uLanAL maTTum porxrxuvom porxrxi porxrxi!
Here is an English version that I have made up to nearly match the tune of the original Tamil song:
A thousand hands stretching forward
you embrace us Mother we adore you!
Grace-welling face you show us
and darkness all you clear we adore you!
More than a mother, compassionate, you caress us all, we adore you!
For the life that sprouts you give, your helping hands, we adore you!
Like the heart of the pure and noble, you shine O Light we adore you!
In distance you keep your fire, its essence you give us, we adore you!
O Sun God, you live in welfare, the form of Almighty we adore you!
So long as this world goes on, we will adore you and adore you!
As Wikipedia says, Kannadasan "did not live a cocoon-type of life. He dipped into everything that Tamil Nadu could offer--wine, women, drugs, gambling, politics, polemics, atheism and religious sanctuary. After enjoying everything, what he did was remarkable--he composed verses about all his experiences, with reflective self-deprecating humour, irony, and biting sarcasm. These verses touched the sympathetic chords of Tamils from all walks of life--school boys, undergrads, housewives, farmers, manual labourers, plantation workers, middle class representatives and even upper class elites."
When he was Muthiah, which was the name his parents gave him, he was a staunch atheist. "He once read the Thiruppavai of Andal, and was amazed at its mystic poetry, that was to have a deep and everlasting impact on him. After a lot of introspection, he decided to reconvert back into Hinduism, christened himself Kannadasan, dug deep into understanding Hinduism, and wrote his series of books on Hinduism." Kannadasan died at the age of 54.
In this thread, we shall enjoy the nuances and depth of some of Kannadasan's spiritual and philosophical film songs. I shall also give the link to the audio files where I can find them, so the readers can enjoy them in their original score of music even when reading out the words in transliteration, thereby verily worshipping the Nada Brahman.
From the film 'Karnan' ('karNan')
Directed by the veteran B.R.Panthulu, this movie portrays the life of Karna(n), the unknown eldest brother of the Pandavas and the son of Surya, the Sun God and Kunti, and an unforgettable character of the Mahabharata. Shivaji Ganesan played the role of Karna(n). The film has most melodious lyrics composed by Kannadasan and set to tune based on the classical Hindustani and Karnatic ragas by the inimitable music director duo Viswanathan-Ramamurthy.
Here is a link for the song where the poet extols Karna(n)'s virtue of dAna-dharma (generosity). The song sung by Sirkazhi Govindarajan, P.B.Srinivas and chorus is based on the Hindolam raga (its Hindustant equivalent is the Malkhauns raga), and starts with the phrase 'Mazhai Kodukkum'.
http://www.hummaa.com/songlistings.php?aid=9993&tp=singer&pg=&md=21931&lg=14&lc=singer&artist=Seerkazhi+Sivachidambaram
The song speaks of Karna(n)'s generosity as superior to that of the rain which gives for only two months in a year; that of the paddy field that gives for only three months in a year; that of the cow that gives for only four months.
Womens' eyes turned red with shyness; poets' legs turned red by wandering all over the lands (seeking alms from the kings); jnAnis' (the wisemen) hearts turned red in search of the truth; and by giving, every day, the great king Karna(n)'s holy hands blushed!
While other kings take an article and give it away, Karna(n) shows a plateful of them for the receiver to take. His left hand does not know what his right gives away. Even before the receiver starts wondering what the king will give him, Karna(n) would give him the gold and riches; and if they were not enough, the great king, the dayA-nidhi (treasure of compassion), would even give his life.
After this narration follows a hymn sung by the king along with his men to the Sun God that winds up the song. Poet Kannadasan has written this hymn in simple words with Upanashadic connotations.
Here is the Tamil hymn in JPG format and in normal transliteration:
337
Aayiram karangal neetti
Anaikkindra thaaye potri!
Arul pongum mugathai kaatti
Irul neekam thanthai potri!
Thaayinum parinthu saala sagalarai anaippai potri!
Thazhaikkum or uyirkatkellam, thunaikkaram koduppai potri!
Thooyavar idayam polath thulangidum oliye potri!
Dooratthey neruppai vaithu, saaratthai tharuvai potri!
Gnayire nalame vazhga, Nayagan vadivey potri!
Naanilam ula naal mattum, potruvom potri potri!
Here is the transliteration using the Baraha software scheme which is similar to the ITRANS Sanskrit transliteration scheme:
Ayiram kara~ggaL nITTi
aNaikkinxrxa tAye porxrxi!
aruLpO~ggum mukattaik kATTi
iruL nIkkam tantAy porxrxi!
tAyinxum parintu cAla cakalarai aNaippAy porxrxi!
tazhaikkum or uyirkaTkEllAm, tuNaikkaram kODuppAy porxrxi!
tUyavar idayam polat tula~ggiDum OLiye porxrxi!
dUratte nEruppai vaitthu sArattait taruvAy porxrxi!
~jAyirxe nalame vAzhga nAyakanx vaDive porxrxi!
nAnxilam uLanAL maTTum porxrxuvom porxrxi porxrxi!
Here is an English version that I have made up to nearly match the tune of the original Tamil song:
A thousand hands stretching forward
you embrace us Mother we adore you!
Grace-welling face you show us
and darkness all you clear we adore you!
More than a mother, compassionate, you caress us all, we adore you!
For the life that sprouts you give, your helping hands, we adore you!
Like the heart of the pure and noble, you shine O Light we adore you!
In distance you keep your fire, its essence you give us, we adore you!
O Sun God, you live in welfare, the form of Almighty we adore you!
So long as this world goes on, we will adore you and adore you!