Fiddling Around
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Posted by bharath on Monday, January 23, 2006
Amba Irakkam : papanasam sivam
amba nee iyarangayenil pugal edhu?
andha naathan maarbil uraithiru
Amba, where can I take refuge, if you won't have mercy on me?
aren't you the one that resides in His heart?
thaayirangavidil seiyuyir vaazhumo?
sagala ulagirkum nee thayallavo?
can the child have a life if not for the mercy of the mother?
Aren't you the mother of the entire world/creation?
irakkam (iranguthal in irangaayenil) really means mercy. So the poet likens the devotee's relationship with amba to that of a child and its mother. In that context, I find the usage of mercy instead of love, a very interesting view of the relationship. This mercy is not like the one victor has on vanquished, but more like what a good soul will have for a defenceless being. Thus,drawing a parallel between mother-child relation and kind and powerful to defenceless relation.
--More to sort of complete the poem I started to translate
paarkadalil udhitha thirumaniye
sowbagyalakshmi ennai kadai kaniye
You are a pearl from the grand ocean.
You, the possessor of all wealth, won't you also look at me a little, even form the corner of your eyes. (that is won't you give me a lil' something of what you have, the ocean of all wealth that you are!)
[[There is for kadaikan a song of its own ...
kadaikan parvaai adhu pothume
en idukkan yavum theerume
which means, if I can have a little attention even from the corner of your eyes, it would be enough to save me from all my troubles. Though this is aimed towards almighty, it can also be imagined as a lover saying to his beloved in an endearing sort of way]]
naarkaviyum pozhiyum pulavorkum
mei nyaniyarkum uyar vaanaverkum
amba nee irangayenil pugal edhu?
All the saints, sages, and the devas sing your praise
amba and look for refuge in your mercy
(the last one is general praise like that of a prayer)
PS: didn't include word meanings, as I would pretty much have to do it for each word. ¶ 6:09 PM 6 stomped here! links to this post
andha naathan maarbil uraithiru
Amba, where can I take refuge, if you won't have mercy on me?
aren't you the one that resides in His heart?
thaayirangavidil seiyuyir vaazhumo?
sagala ulagirkum nee thayallavo?
can the child have a life if not for the mercy of the mother?
Aren't you the mother of the entire world/creation?
irakkam (iranguthal in irangaayenil) really means mercy. So the poet likens the devotee's relationship with amba to that of a child and its mother. In that context, I find the usage of mercy instead of love, a very interesting view of the relationship. This mercy is not like the one victor has on vanquished, but more like what a good soul will have for a defenceless being. Thus,drawing a parallel between mother-child relation and kind and powerful to defenceless relation.
--More to sort of complete the poem I started to translate
paarkadalil udhitha thirumaniye
sowbagyalakshmi ennai kadai kaniye
You are a pearl from the grand ocean.
You, the possessor of all wealth, won't you also look at me a little, even form the corner of your eyes. (that is won't you give me a lil' something of what you have, the ocean of all wealth that you are!)
[[There is for kadaikan a song of its own ...
kadaikan parvaai adhu pothume
en idukkan yavum theerume
which means, if I can have a little attention even from the corner of your eyes, it would be enough to save me from all my troubles. Though this is aimed towards almighty, it can also be imagined as a lover saying to his beloved in an endearing sort of way]]
naarkaviyum pozhiyum pulavorkum
mei nyaniyarkum uyar vaanaverkum
amba nee irangayenil pugal edhu?
All the saints, sages, and the devas sing your praise
amba and look for refuge in your mercy
(the last one is general praise like that of a prayer)
PS: didn't include word meanings, as I would pretty much have to do it for each word. ¶ 6:09 PM 6 stomped here! links to this post
Posted by bharath on Sunday, January 15, 2006
Pennies from Heaven : Book Reviews
Wow! It is a beautiful sketch of the life of a Geisha. True or not, beautiful it is. The author brings to you not a story but a journey and you get to take it through all four seasons.
Firstly its a fairy tale of sorts, but the setting is exotic and described in exquisite detail or so it feels, the tea house, Geisha life and how they train and entertain. It is the exotic component that will make you hang on to the story. The narration does not lag or sag for one moment, flowing effortlessly like life of the Geisha itself. The beauty of the Geisha's dresses gets a big attention to detail from the author's researches. I wish the book had pictures :)
One thing that the author excels in is the exasperating amount of similes and metaphors ... she walked like spring winding its way through the mountains, etc. If you are one for such poetic extravagance, you will like it. Actually it is quite well paced and you don't feel it, except at times, when it fills pages. Though I can see why it actually adds beauty to the book.
One time I was at a painting exhibition standing before the portrait of a lady whose face was absorbed in sadness, so much so, my gaze was fixated on her expression than the surroundings. After a while, I saw that the surrounding was a cemetry with a mournful desserted feel. It was as if the lady's sadness had oozed out into the surrounding to make it look mournful than the other way. So I was saying ... the author wanted you to feel the characters' emotions, at the same time drawing into the picture the surrounding to accentuate the effect. He has done it extremely well.
I, for one, like Gorky and his poetic way of making even the saddest picture look no more poignant than it needs to be. Even to the level of being surreal, that it won't affect you in a sick way. Arthur Golden does just that but for a fairy tale.
The book holds tremendous promise of a exciting journey for the reader. For a debut, it is certainly a highly commendable effort.
Another book I recommend is :
Title: Jonathan Livingston Seagull
An excellent fable, that leaves the possibility for many interpretations, each one provoking and beautiful as the flight of Jonathan, the Seagull. Very little more to say. The story lasts only 20 or so pages. ¶ 6:01 PM 4 stomped here! links to this post
Wow! It is a beautiful sketch of the life of a Geisha. True or not, beautiful it is. The author brings to you not a story but a journey and you get to take it through all four seasons.
Firstly its a fairy tale of sorts, but the setting is exotic and described in exquisite detail or so it feels, the tea house, Geisha life and how they train and entertain. It is the exotic component that will make you hang on to the story. The narration does not lag or sag for one moment, flowing effortlessly like life of the Geisha itself. The beauty of the Geisha's dresses gets a big attention to detail from the author's researches. I wish the book had pictures :)
One thing that the author excels in is the exasperating amount of similes and metaphors ... she walked like spring winding its way through the mountains, etc. If you are one for such poetic extravagance, you will like it. Actually it is quite well paced and you don't feel it, except at times, when it fills pages. Though I can see why it actually adds beauty to the book.
One time I was at a painting exhibition standing before the portrait of a lady whose face was absorbed in sadness, so much so, my gaze was fixated on her expression than the surroundings. After a while, I saw that the surrounding was a cemetry with a mournful desserted feel. It was as if the lady's sadness had oozed out into the surrounding to make it look mournful than the other way. So I was saying ... the author wanted you to feel the characters' emotions, at the same time drawing into the picture the surrounding to accentuate the effect. He has done it extremely well.
I, for one, like Gorky and his poetic way of making even the saddest picture look no more poignant than it needs to be. Even to the level of being surreal, that it won't affect you in a sick way. Arthur Golden does just that but for a fairy tale.
The book holds tremendous promise of a exciting journey for the reader. For a debut, it is certainly a highly commendable effort.
Another book I recommend is :
Title: Jonathan Livingston Seagull
An excellent fable, that leaves the possibility for many interpretations, each one provoking and beautiful as the flight of Jonathan, the Seagull. Very little more to say. The story lasts only 20 or so pages. ¶ 6:01 PM 4 stomped here! links to this post
