Posted By: Administrator
Pullāi pirandhālum
Composer:
Gopālakriṣhṇa Bhārathi (Not very sure – could be Ūtthukāḍu Véṅkaṭasubbaiyer)
Language: Thamizh
Meanings - Word
by word: Team Ambalam
Meanings -
Overall: Śhyāma Priya, USA, http://fullcircle.hummaa.com
Alignment,
Diacriticals & consequent spelling changes, Language & grammar editing,
if any and necessary, of existing meaning: Team Ambalam
Pullāi
pirandhālum Mirugādhi Jananaṅgaḷ Pasiyāri Magizhum Andro
Punḍāi Pirandhālum Pulatthiyargaḷ Konḍu Sila Piṇi Thīrthu Magizhvārandro
Kallai Pirandhālum Nallavargaḷ Miḍi Konḍu Kāṭchi Koḍutthiḍamandro
Kazhudhai Uruvāga Vandhālum Āvena Katthināl Kaikanḍa Sagunam Enbār
Ivai Ellām Illāmale Ippiravi Thandhu Ennaiyénga Viṭṭu(Viṭṭāi) Agala Nindrāi
Etthanai Piravi Varumō Appane Thillai Nagar Vāzh Naṭarājane
Īśhane Śhivakāmi Nésané Appané
Pullāi – as
grass;
pirandhālum – if
one were to be born;
Mirugādhi – the
animals and others;
Jananaṅgaḷ - living beings;
Pasiyāri – to
satisfy hunger;
Magizhum – be
happy;
Andro – is it not
so? ;
Pūnḍāi – garlic;
Pirandhālum – if
one were to be born;
Pulatthiyargaḷ - the sages;
Konḍu – to take;
Sila – for some;
Piṇi – disease;
Thīrthu – to
heal;
Magizhvārandro – they become happy;
Kallāi Pirandhālum – even if one were to be born as a stone;
Nallavargaḷ - the good people;
Miḍi – feet;
Konḍu – having placed;
Kāṭchi – the sight of god;
Koḍutthiḍamandro
– to give them the chance;
Kazhudhai – donkey;
Uruvāga
Vandhālum- come in the form;
Āvena Katthināl – if one brays;
Kaikanḍa – wished for;
Sagunam –omen;
Enbār- will say;
Ivai Ellām – all these;
Illāmale – not having;
Ippiravi – this lifetime;
Thandhu-having given;
Ennaiyénga – making me yearn;
Viṭṭu(Viṭṭāi) – having left me;
Agala Nindrāi –
stood faraway;
Etthanai – how many ever;
Piravi – lives;
Varumō – will
they come?
Appane – o father of all;
Thillai Nagar –
the city of Chidhambaram
Vāzh – resident;
Naṭarājane – oNaṭarājā;
Īśhane – O Śhiva! ;
Śhivakāmi – Pārvathi;
Nésané – the love of;
Appané - o father
of all;
Even if one were to be born as a lowly blade of grass, wouldn’t it be
delighted to alleviate the hunger of creatures like deer and others? Even if
one were to be born as a stinking piece of garlic, wouldn’t the ancient Rṣhis
rejoice when they used it to alleviate some maladies? Even if one were to be
born as a stone, wouldn’t it offer good men a vision of the deity by allowing
them to place their feet on it? Even if one were to appear in the form of a
donkey and bray people will say that it is a desired omen.
My lord, the reigning resident of Chidhambaram, the god who admits me into his
good graces after he exterminates the stains of privation that tarnish me! The
lord who is worshipped /praised/eulogized by wise men like and others.
O master of dance who resides/revels in the love of Pārvathi! You have
given me this supposedly lofty human birth without any of these positive
attributes, and have not only left me to languish as I pine/yearn to be useful
(and for you as well), but have stood away from me.
Note:
●
“Kazhudhai katthināl nalla sagunam” means
breying of a donkey is considered good omen.
●
It is correct that the human birth is the
ultimate-'aridhu aridu, manidappiravi aridhu' in Thamizh. But what the composer
meant was, all the other things mentioned are themselves useful to others even
at the cost of their own life-like when the grass is eaten by the cow, it
(grass) loses its life. In this context, man does not do anything for others,
unless he is what is described by Thiruvaḷḷuvar as- anbudaiyir enbum uriyār
pirarku'- compassionate people will even sacrifice their own bones for the
welfare of others.
●
The concept here is that is not any odd
stone, but a stone that forms a step in the front of a temple, standing on
which devotees have their darśhana. The same concept has been enunciated by
Śhrī Kulaśhekhara Āzhvār in his pāsuram- cheḍiyaya valvinaigal thīrkum neḍumale,
in which he writes of his yearning to be reborn as a step (paḍi) in front of
the sanctum sanctorum of the temple at Thirupathi.