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Arunachala Kavirayar Lyrics
Arunachala Kavirayar Lyrics
Arunachala Kavirayar Lyrics
Meaning:
A: In the city of mitilai (King Janaka’s capital) which is resplendent with glamour and glory, wherein clouds cast a
beautiful transient canopy, who is this person who is standing at the front of the balcony of the kannimADam
(gynoecium)?
C1: Her breasts appear as though they have been uniquely designed and installed in her body. She is surrounded by a
band of friends with sweet chatter. In thought and appearance (complexion) she looks like the goddess seated on lotus,
viz., Lakshmi. Who is she?
C2: One must have earned a lot of merit to have the audience of this woman. To have that opportunity right here is
really significant. Her nose is long and eyes are wide. When other girls look at her they are so captivated by her charm
and cannot take their eyes off her.
C3: She is glancing at me with her moon-like face. It appears that this is due to a past connection between us. It is
because of such a primeval connection that she is appearing in front of me now!
rAmanaik-kaNNAra. rAgA: mOhana. Adi tALA.
C1: veLLamAna vAnara varga naDuvE tambi mEru malai pOl arugE nirkka pUNillA mArbam
puLLivil pODAda mEgham okkat-tOL vaLai nIkkip-pUTTillA mandaram pOl shObhikka mUnru lOkamum
kaLLa arakkar dinam kiLLik- kiLLi arundak-koLLai koDuttamarar tuLLit-tuLLi varunda
vaLLalAgi murai uLLapaDi tirundap-paLLi aravaNaiyait-taLLi ezhundirunda
C3: bhUmi tanil aDikkaDi vIzhndu sUriyanaik-kaNDa pUmalar pOl mukha prabhai shUzhndu rAkSasakula
Anmai ellAm vara varat-tAzhndu sAmi kaDaikkaN Ananda samudram tanil Azhndu sundaram uLLa
kAmanai udaviya mAmanait-tuLasiyantAmanaittirumukha sOmanai bhujabala
vImanai jAnaki vAmanai dEvargaL Amanai varum paNi bhUmanai dasharatha
C3: aDal shErum vAliyai vAnulagilE kUTTi avaniyai sugrIvan Ala muDi shUTTi
uDanE nI tUdu pO enra shol amudUTTi un ezhil …….. pArATTi
viDavanda anumantan nAn enru shIrATTi vivaram sholla uyir koNDirukkirAL shImATTi
diDamA lakSmaNan sheida parNashAlai vITTil dEvAdi dEvA un tiruvAzhitanik-kATTi
En paLLI koNDIrayya. rAgA: mOhana / rAgamAlikA. Adi tALA.
(for the rAgamAlikA, the following rAgAs are used: pallavi, C1/mOhana;
C2/kApi; c3/not given)
Meaning:
A: You are resting (in the island) between the two rivers (branches of the river KAvEri) which originated from the
pool, in the mountain, which is full of water lilies. (Ambal= water lily). Why?
C1: Is it because you obeyed the order of the sage KOsikan (Viswamitra) (to protect his yagnA from the demons)?
Is it because you killed the demoness tATakai by striking her at her abdomen with your arrow?
Is it because you broke the bow of lord Shiva (to win Sita's hand)?
Is it because you subdued Parasuraman's (another incarnation of vishnu--prior to Rama) arrogance?
Is it due to your long tiresome walk with chaste Sita (the daughter of Janaka, mitilEsan, the king of the city mitila)?
Is it due to the arduous task of crossing the Ganga in the boat of blemishless Guhan?
Is it due to your long stay in the CitrakUTa mountain range?
Is it due to your tiresome chase of mArIcan (uncle of Ravana) (who took the form of the golden deer) all over the
place?
Did you get tired after chasing him?
Is it because you got tired looking for your dear wife all over?
Is it due to piercing the seven trees with a single arrow (this refers to Rama's proving his valor to Sugreevan by
sending an arrow through seven trees straight)?
Is it due to bridging the ocean (to cross into Lanka)?
Is it because you were sorry to have demolished the fortress of Lanka?
Is it due to your fatigue (or regret) from having destroyed Ravana and his gang?
C1: veLLamAna vAnara varga naDuvE tambi mEru malai pOl arugE nirkka pUNillA mArbam
puLLivil pODAda mEgham okkat-tOL vaLai nIkkip-pUTTillA mandaram pOl shObhikka mUnru lOkamum
kaLLa arakkar dinam kiLLik- kiLLi arundak-koLLai koDuttamarar tuLLit-tuLLi varunda
vaLLalAgi murai uLLapaDi tirundap-paLLi aravaNaiyait-taLLi ezhundirunda
C3: bhUmi tanil aDikkaDi vIzhndu sUriyanaik-kaNDa pUmalar pOl mukha prabhai shUzhndu rAkSasakula
Anmai ellAm vara varat-tAzhndu sAmi kaDaikkaN Ananda samudram tanil Azhndu sundaram uLLa
kAmanai udaviya mAmanait-tuLasiyantAmanaittirumukha sOmanai bhujabala
vImanai jAnaki vAmanai dEvargaL Amanai varum paNi bhUmanai dasharatha
rAmanukku mannan. rAgA: Anandabhairavi. aTatALacApu tALA.
C1: inda vArtai shonnAi enakkevar nEraDi brahmAdiyargaLum varuvAraDi iduvE nalla shIraDi vAyADAdE pAraDi
AraDi enakku sari
C2: parashurAman garvam tIrttavaNDi nammai ellAm kAttavanDi paTTam kaTTa nAlu pEril mUttavanDi avanDi en
kaNamaNi
C3: bharatan paTTam kaTTAviTTAl naTTiyO avan sharkkaraik-kaTTiyO en piLLai rAma eTTiyO nAn tAnenna
maTTiyO veTTip-pODuvEn unnai
C2: vIra rAman kai tINDiyE iDum pOdavan men kai piDikka vENDiyE amman kaiyAn
vArIca malar virittuk-kATTum sUriyan pOl mANikkak-kankaNam tarittu
shOra naDai kaNDu nErAghAmal mettaduvaLum annangaL pOlak-kavari mangaiyar shuTra
shrI rAmanai viDuttu Ar Arukkum tuyya deivam ivaL enreNNik-kaigaL anjali sheyya
C3: shIviya kUndal mElE pUrNa candran pOl terindiDa oruk-kAlE mAlika shUDi
taravillAmal munnAlE dEvargaL sheida tavam veLi vandArppOlE mUvulagum
sheluttum rAvaNanukkup-paNDu mukti koDukka vanda cittira vaDivaikkoNDu
dEvi ivaL enrAl rAghavan inda cinna shilaiyO oDippAn Ezhu malaiyum oDippAn enna
Meaning:
C1: sundarap-pAdam vaikkavE rattina shilambin jyOti nilattil moikkavE bhUmiyAgiya
tan tAi magaLukkenavE
virittadE mAn-taLir pOla engum minnavE anda amritam kaNDa indran pOlE dAgam Agiya rAmar munnE tOgaiyar
naDuvAga
gandha malark-kai vaLai jyOtiyinAlE reNDu kaDaikkaN koNDu rAman vaDivangaL kaNDu koNDu
As she placed (vaikkavE) her beautiful (sundara) feet (pAdam) on the ground, the light (jyOti) from precious stones
(rattina) in her anklet (Silambin) was reflected (moikkavE) off the ground (nilattil). It looked (pOl) like her (tan)
mother (tAi), this earth (bhUmi Agiya), had spread (virattadu) a carpet of tender mango (mAn) shoots (taLir) that
shone (minnavE) everywhere (engum), just for (enavE) her daughter (magalukku) to walk on. She finally arrives in the
midst (naDuvAga) of her beautiful companions (tOgaiyar) in front (munnE) of rAma who looks like (pOlE) a thirsty
(dAgam Agiya) indra (indran) who has caught sight (kaNDa) of a pot of that (anda) nectar (amritam) of immortality.
While very becomingly keeps her eyes downcast, she is watching/appreciating (kaNDu koNDu) rAma’s features
(vaDivangaL) from the corner (kaDai) of both (reNDu) her eyes (kaNN koNDu) as they are reflected in the sparkle
(jyOtiyinAlE) of the bangles (vaLai) that adorn her fragrant (gandha), delicate (malar – flower-like) arms (kai) [1].
[1] This could also mean, arms (kai) bearing the varmAlA of fragrant (gandha) flowers (malar).
(rAgA: kalyANi)
P: enakkun irupadam ninaikka varamaruLvAi
shrI rAmacandrA enakkun irupadam ninaikka varamaruLvAi
C7: irukkum hanumantan turaikka nishicarar irukkai arinda pin eritta kaDalilE
perukka aNai sheidu varukkam varukkamA pelatta arakkanait-tolaitta deivamE
(rAgA: SaNmukhapriyA)
C8: koDiya indajittan bhrahastan mudalAghak-koLLum mUla bala veLLa arakkar tam
muDiyum kumbhakarNam muDiyum rAvaNan muDiyum poDiyAga viDu pungavanE.
(rAgA: madhyamAvati)
C9: ninaittapaDi vibhISaNark-karashu pera nirutti oru puSpa rathattil Eri vandu
dhanattil uyar tarum ayOddhiyilE simmAdanattir-irukkum raghukulak-kumaranE
Meaning:
P: Give me the boon to think about your two feet, Oh Ramachandra, give me the boon to think about your two feet.
C1: Bless me so that I can dwell on your feet. You were born to the king Dasarathan, and in the (sylvan)abode of the
rishis you slew the rAkshasi. (I don't know who the rAkshasi is in this context. Also the word that appears in the text is
"avaditta"--but I think it could be "vadaitta" meaning slaying).
C2: While walking through the forest you gave life to Ahalya (who was turned into a stone by a curse from her sage-
husband Gautama (?)). You broke the bow (siva dhanus) of the MithilA king Janakan and married Janaki. You brought
Parasuraman to his knees by subduing him.
C3: You gave up your crown in favor of Bharathan. You crossed the river with Guhan and went into the forest range of
CitrakUTam with Janaki in the company of your brother, Lakhsmanan.
C4: When Bharathan came to you with folded hands to offer the kingdom back to you, you refused and finally gave
your slippers to him as a substitute for you to be put on the throne and sent him away back to Ayodhya. You also killed
the demon VirATan in the forest.
C5: You met JaTAyu and established the relationship with him (Was Jatayu the grandfather or some such relation to
Rama?) and then went to PancavaTi. There you slew Kara and Dhushana who were sent by Surpanaka to win you over
to her.
C6: When MArIsan (uncle of Ravana) came in the guise of a golden deer, you not only killed him but also blessed him
afterwards. Through the intervention of Hanuman you helped SugrIvan by killing vAli and supported the army of
monkeys.
C7: After Hanuman set the city of Lanka on fire (after his tail was set on fire by Ravana's assistants) and also burnt
part of the ocean, you got a bridge built across the ocean and then destroyed the legions of the demons in Lanka.
C8: You also destroyed Indrajit, Brahstan and other demons in addition to beheading Kumbakarnan.
C9: As promised, you crowned Vibhishana as the king of Lanka, got on an aerial chariot, reached Ayodhya and
occupied the throne-- Oh, the gem of ragu dynasty!
Give me the boon to dwell on your two feet!
In caraNam 1 the rAkshasi AK's referring to is probably tATakA, the demoness rAma & lakshmaNa encountered as
they accompanied sage viShvAmitrA en route to his hermitage to protect his yAga.Therefore, the word should be
"vadaitta," which corresponds with MSSs'rendering(BTW, the rAgas are: kalyANi, bhairavi, kEdAragauLa, tODi,
mOhanam, dhanyAsi, sahAnA, shaNmugapriyA & madhyamAvati).
In C2, sage gautama cursed ahalyA for her supposed cheating on him, turning her into a stone (AFAMU, Indra was
said to have set his eyes on ahalyA and the Moon supposedly was an accomplist), but did specify that Lord vishNu in
the his rAmAvatAr will liberate her (nIlA rAmamUrti, pApanAsam Sivan's daughter, describes this in her rAmAyaNa
tAlATTu: "pAdayilE oru kalluruvAy nindRa pAvaikkaruL Sheyda bAlanEt tAlO").
C8: IIRC, prahasta was killed by nala. There are different interpretations and I am open to read others' understanding.
P:shrI rAmacandranuku jaya mangaLam nall divya mukha candranukku shubha mangaLam
(shrI)
A: ariya vibhISaNan angE arakkanAlum ingE iru shevi kETka vAi viTTu rAghavA enru kUppiTTu
C3: shankarA abhayam enrAnE mArkaNDan avan pongiya kAlanai venrAnE vangaiyO Idenna
vIriyam mAruti shonnadE kAriyam angavan vandennai mEva azhaittu vA nI sugrIvA