My first poetic riddle! Please post your answer as a comment. :)
Dance to His tunes, even the Gods will,
For He is verily the most powerful.
Yet, rarely do we see Him sit still,
Indeed, like Him none are so playful.
Bestowing upon us countless joys,
Without us needing to even try.
Ignorant that He treats us like toys,
We fall every time He makes us cry.
Who is He?
Clue: He is replacable by She.
Saturday, September 13, 2014
A Sonnet in Tamil on Iyarkai
Soodikkolla manam niraindha malar,
Suvaikka suvaikka thidhikkum thaen.
Unnaale magizhcchi kandavargal palar,
Pinbum unnai azhippavargal iruppadhu en?
Sala salavena odikondirukkum nadhi,
Adhil vilaiyaadikondirukkum meengal.
Adhai anaigal nirutthuvadhu oru sadhi,
Adharku unnai aalaakkiyadhum naangal.
Kulirndha nizhal kodukkum perum marangal,
Kankaanum dhooratthirku irundha innaadu.
Aakkiyapin azhitthadhum idhey karangal,
Ippozhudhu mazhai indri padugindrom paadu.
Unnai edhirthu kattinom illam,
Engal peraasaikku kaaranam panam,
Orukkanatthil aditthucchendradhu vellam,
Adakki vittai engaluduya manam.
Vella mudiyum endra aanavatthaal pattom perum thollai,
Aannaal unakku nigaraana sakthi evvulagilum illai.
Interpretation in English, also as a sonnet:
To adorn us, a fragrant flower,
And honey that is sweet to taste,
Giving us many joys forever,
Yet, why do they lay you to waste?
Rivers that run so briskly,
With many a playful fish.
Dams on them are so sickly,
This does not seem our wish.
Giant trees to give us a cool shade,
Dotted this land lane after lane.
The hands that planted them have betrayed,
Leaving us yearning daily for rain.
We build houses opposing you,
Blinded by our enormous greed.
A flood destroys them out of the blue,
Humbled, to you, we concede.
Desiring to conquer you, trouble is what our arrogance brought.
But across all the worlds, a power equal to you exists not.
Suvaikka suvaikka thidhikkum thaen.
Unnaale magizhcchi kandavargal palar,
Pinbum unnai azhippavargal iruppadhu en?
Sala salavena odikondirukkum nadhi,
Adhil vilaiyaadikondirukkum meengal.
Adhai anaigal nirutthuvadhu oru sadhi,
Adharku unnai aalaakkiyadhum naangal.
Kulirndha nizhal kodukkum perum marangal,
Kankaanum dhooratthirku irundha innaadu.
Aakkiyapin azhitthadhum idhey karangal,
Ippozhudhu mazhai indri padugindrom paadu.
Unnai edhirthu kattinom illam,
Engal peraasaikku kaaranam panam,
Orukkanatthil aditthucchendradhu vellam,
Adakki vittai engaluduya manam.
Vella mudiyum endra aanavatthaal pattom perum thollai,
Aannaal unakku nigaraana sakthi evvulagilum illai.
Interpretation in English, also as a sonnet:
To adorn us, a fragrant flower,
And honey that is sweet to taste,
Giving us many joys forever,
Yet, why do they lay you to waste?
Rivers that run so briskly,
With many a playful fish.
Dams on them are so sickly,
This does not seem our wish.
Giant trees to give us a cool shade,
Dotted this land lane after lane.
The hands that planted them have betrayed,
Leaving us yearning daily for rain.
We build houses opposing you,
Blinded by our enormous greed.
A flood destroys them out of the blue,
Humbled, to you, we concede.
Desiring to conquer you, trouble is what our arrogance brought.
But across all the worlds, a power equal to you exists not.
A Sonnet on Worship
Again, feel free to take offense, but no spewing hate, please! :)
Throwing a fist of rice to the flames,
Making the air heavy with smoke.
Chanting a dozen fantastical names,
As if this is all a practical joke.
Pouring honey and milk over a stone,
Adorning it with garlands of cash.
Pretending this will let you atone,
Ha, even your God might just gnash!
On your knees four times a day,
Facing an arbitrary desert rock.
Arrogating that as the only way,
Even though 'tis basically ad hoc.
Apple after apple, you consume only the skin,
Discarding the fruit, the problem lies therein.
Throwing a fist of rice to the flames,
Making the air heavy with smoke.
Chanting a dozen fantastical names,
As if this is all a practical joke.
Pouring honey and milk over a stone,
Adorning it with garlands of cash.
Pretending this will let you atone,
Ha, even your God might just gnash!
On your knees four times a day,
Facing an arbitrary desert rock.
Arrogating that as the only way,
Even though 'tis basically ad hoc.
Apple after apple, you consume only the skin,
Discarding the fruit, the problem lies therein.
Friday, September 5, 2014
A Sonnet on Success and Failure
Easy 'tis in failure to despair,
And fall into a state of distress.
The whole world may now seem unfair,
Making you crave a life of success.
But such a life might turn out a bore,
Leaving you little cause for delight.
To your full potential, if you want to soar,
Embrace you must both light and night.
Rest assured, you will repeatedly fail,
Just learn your lessons from each mistake.
Let not your failures go to no avail,
For life will offer you another take.
Choose you can, a success of your own,
Failure it becomes, if you're complacent.
One day you will see you have grown,
And reclaimed success by being patient.
Firm up your thoughts, your words, and your deed.
And keep striving, if what you seek is to succeed. :)
And fall into a state of distress.
The whole world may now seem unfair,
Making you crave a life of success.
But such a life might turn out a bore,
Leaving you little cause for delight.
To your full potential, if you want to soar,
Embrace you must both light and night.
Rest assured, you will repeatedly fail,
Just learn your lessons from each mistake.
Let not your failures go to no avail,
For life will offer you another take.
Choose you can, a success of your own,
Failure it becomes, if you're complacent.
One day you will see you have grown,
And reclaimed success by being patient.
Firm up your thoughts, your words, and your deed.
And keep striving, if what you seek is to succeed. :)
A Sonnet on This Moment
In a prison that seems so vast,
Trapped in a state of worry.
Held by the chains of the past,
Sans hope is the mind that is blurry.
Endlessly dreaming of the future,
Why subject ourselves to this torment?
To put an end to this torture,
All we need is to be in the present.
Simply be nowhere else than here,
And be no time else than now.
Hitherto hidden hints do appear,
Leaving us speechless and how!
Nothing in this world is more potent,
Than living fully in this very moment. :)
Trapped in a state of worry.
Held by the chains of the past,
Sans hope is the mind that is blurry.
Endlessly dreaming of the future,
Why subject ourselves to this torment?
To put an end to this torture,
All we need is to be in the present.
Simply be nowhere else than here,
And be no time else than now.
Hitherto hidden hints do appear,
Leaving us speechless and how!
Nothing in this world is more potent,
Than living fully in this very moment. :)
A Sonnet on Tradition
Again, feel free to take offense, but no spewing hate! :)
Sacrifice to the fire,
Lest the Gods get angered.
No, choose the God you desire,
There is no one standard.
Dare not touch his body,
For he is a lowly outcaste.
Why, your mind is so shoddy,
You belong only in the past.
Throw her into the pyre,
For her man is now dead.
A thought like that is dire,
Again, she can simply wed.
One woman and one man,
All else should be banned.
Ha, walk down the aisle, he can,
Holding his husband's hand.
Fluid, you are, causing many so much dismay,
Grasp you, they want to, yet you flow away. :)
Sacrifice to the fire,
Lest the Gods get angered.
No, choose the God you desire,
There is no one standard.
Dare not touch his body,
For he is a lowly outcaste.
Why, your mind is so shoddy,
You belong only in the past.
Throw her into the pyre,
For her man is now dead.
A thought like that is dire,
Again, she can simply wed.
One woman and one man,
All else should be banned.
Ha, walk down the aisle, he can,
Holding his husband's hand.
Fluid, you are, causing many so much dismay,
Grasp you, they want to, yet you flow away. :)
A Sonnet on Krishna
Again, feel free to take offense, but no spewing hate! :)
Stealing pots of milk and butter,
Always getting into some trouble.
Yet, your name is all they utter,
As if they are in a big bubble.
In a land where the whitest of white,
Was said to be the most beautiful.
Your black complexion is of delight,
Even cupid pales, O, how wonderful!
Counseling even the greatest of kings,
Unafraid to use masterful cunning.
In our ears, your song still rings,
Ah, it never ceases to be stunning.
Of all the stories we deem so dear,
Like yours, none is so complete.
For you are indeed gloriously queer,
Your antics are always such a treat.
A character like you exists not, to be frank.
Whoever designed you, them, I'd like to thank. :)
Stealing pots of milk and butter,
Always getting into some trouble.
Yet, your name is all they utter,
As if they are in a big bubble.
In a land where the whitest of white,
Was said to be the most beautiful.
Your black complexion is of delight,
Even cupid pales, O, how wonderful!
Counseling even the greatest of kings,
Unafraid to use masterful cunning.
In our ears, your song still rings,
Ah, it never ceases to be stunning.
Of all the stories we deem so dear,
Like yours, none is so complete.
For you are indeed gloriously queer,
Your antics are always such a treat.
A character like you exists not, to be frank.
Whoever designed you, them, I'd like to thank. :)
A Sonnet on Confidence
Look not at the master with dismay,
Years, he slogged, honing his skill.
You too can grow into him one day,
Just work assiduously at the drill.
Even those at the top of their game,
Had to deal with their self-doubt.
Redouble efforts to reach your aim,
A new determination will break out.
Cause and effect, it is indeed both,
Molding us in to a person fearless.
What better fuel to feed our growth,
Elevating us to a state peerless.
So, drag not your feet and cause anymore delay,
Just take the plunge and swim across all the way. :)
Years, he slogged, honing his skill.
You too can grow into him one day,
Just work assiduously at the drill.
Even those at the top of their game,
Had to deal with their self-doubt.
Redouble efforts to reach your aim,
A new determination will break out.
Cause and effect, it is indeed both,
Molding us in to a person fearless.
What better fuel to feed our growth,
Elevating us to a state peerless.
So, drag not your feet and cause anymore delay,
Just take the plunge and swim across all the way. :)
A Sonnet on God
Feel free to take offense, but no spewing hate. :)
Omnipresent, omnipotent,
Omniscient, omni everything.
Without needing to be insolent,
I will say this one thing.
Soothing a mind so fickle,
Enabling a sweet delusion.
But the truth will indeed prickle,
Even if that too is an illusion.
The idea at its core is flawed,
Still, blind faith does abound.
For it appears man created God,
And not the other way around.
Metaphorical, you say, and it may very well be.
But 'tis needed for peace, that I do not agree. :)
Omnipresent, omnipotent,
Omniscient, omni everything.
Without needing to be insolent,
I will say this one thing.
Soothing a mind so fickle,
Enabling a sweet delusion.
But the truth will indeed prickle,
Even if that too is an illusion.
The idea at its core is flawed,
Still, blind faith does abound.
For it appears man created God,
And not the other way around.
Metaphorical, you say, and it may very well be.
But 'tis needed for peace, that I do not agree. :)
You / Nee (Part 2)
My first sonnet in Tamil, following up on my previous sonnet in Hindi! Enjoy! :)
"Nee Indri":
Iravenna pagalenna,
Marandhu vitten neram.
Nee indri naan enna,
Manamo vegu dhooram.
Kaadhilo undhan kural,
Andru pol olikkiradhu.
Manadhilo undhan nizhal,
Indru kooda jolikkiradhu.
Kodumai idhu pol edhu,
Selvena idhai marandhu.
Kaalam koduttha thoodhu,
Adhuve idharku marundhu.
Un ninaivu alikkum alavillaadha aanandham.
Idhu allavo kaalatthal azhiyaadha perinbam.
Interpretation in English:
"Without You":
Nights and days fly by,
I've lost sense of time.
What am I without you,
Far away is my mind.
In my ears, your voice,
I keep hearing like that day.
In my mind, your form,
Still shines without going away.
There is no torture like this,
Move on, I don't know if I will.
But time has given me a hand,
Indeed, that is my only pill.
Memories of you now give me boundless joy.
This is a feeling even time cannot destroy. :)
"Nee Indri":
Iravenna pagalenna,
Marandhu vitten neram.
Nee indri naan enna,
Manamo vegu dhooram.
Kaadhilo undhan kural,
Andru pol olikkiradhu.
Manadhilo undhan nizhal,
Indru kooda jolikkiradhu.
Kodumai idhu pol edhu,
Selvena idhai marandhu.
Kaalam koduttha thoodhu,
Adhuve idharku marundhu.
Un ninaivu alikkum alavillaadha aanandham.
Idhu allavo kaalatthal azhiyaadha perinbam.
Interpretation in English:
"Without You":
Nights and days fly by,
I've lost sense of time.
What am I without you,
Far away is my mind.
In my ears, your voice,
I keep hearing like that day.
In my mind, your form,
Still shines without going away.
There is no torture like this,
Move on, I don't know if I will.
But time has given me a hand,
Indeed, that is my only pill.
Memories of you now give me boundless joy.
This is a feeling even time cannot destroy. :)
You / Tum (Part 1)
My first sonnet in Hindi! Enjoy! :)
"Tere Saath":
Chhaa jaaye andhera,
Aa jaaye kaali raat |
Chamakta hai dil mera,
Jab tum ho mere saath ||
Karta hoon main intazaar,
Sunna hai sirf teri baat |
Hamesha hai mujhe aitbaar,
Ki tum rahoge mere saath ||
Ban gayaa main tera daas,
Hua hai mujhe sukh gyaat |
Bujhhaane ke liye meri pyaas,
Raho hamesha mere saath ||
Kyaa jaadoo hai yeh ki bhool gaya aaj aur kal |
Tere saath hoon ab, chaahta hoon sirf is pal ||
Interpretation in English:
"With You":
Let the darkness spread,
Black, let the night be.
My heart glows brightly,
When you are with me.
I am waiting for you,
Craving to listen to thee.
I will always trust that,
You will stay with me.
I have become your slave,
Now I know what is glee.
To quench my thirst,
Stay forever with me.
How magical it is that I cannot see another day transpire.
Now that I am with you, this very moment is all I desire. :)
"Tere Saath":
Chhaa jaaye andhera,
Aa jaaye kaali raat |
Chamakta hai dil mera,
Jab tum ho mere saath ||
Karta hoon main intazaar,
Sunna hai sirf teri baat |
Hamesha hai mujhe aitbaar,
Ki tum rahoge mere saath ||
Ban gayaa main tera daas,
Hua hai mujhe sukh gyaat |
Bujhhaane ke liye meri pyaas,
Raho hamesha mere saath ||
Kyaa jaadoo hai yeh ki bhool gaya aaj aur kal |
Tere saath hoon ab, chaahta hoon sirf is pal ||
Interpretation in English:
"With You":
Let the darkness spread,
Black, let the night be.
My heart glows brightly,
When you are with me.
I am waiting for you,
Craving to listen to thee.
I will always trust that,
You will stay with me.
I have become your slave,
Now I know what is glee.
To quench my thirst,
Stay forever with me.
How magical it is that I cannot see another day transpire.
Now that I am with you, this very moment is all I desire. :)
A Sonnet on Persistence
Let not change lead you astray,
Embrace each and every twist.
Rome will be done one day,
Persist, persist, persist.
Through sun, through rain,
Through spring, through mist.
Through all kinds of pain,
Persist, persist, persist.
Make the journey fun,
The world's glad to assist.
But 'tis up to you to run,
Persist, persist, persist.
Never close your mind,
It may be hard to desist.
Learn from all you find,
Persist, persist, persist.
To break through all walls of resistance,
There's no better weapon than persistence!
Embrace each and every twist.
Rome will be done one day,
Persist, persist, persist.
Through sun, through rain,
Through spring, through mist.
Through all kinds of pain,
Persist, persist, persist.
Make the journey fun,
The world's glad to assist.
But 'tis up to you to run,
Persist, persist, persist.
Never close your mind,
It may be hard to desist.
Learn from all you find,
Persist, persist, persist.
To break through all walls of resistance,
There's no better weapon than persistence!
A Sonnet on Freethought
The final freedom is of our minds,
Too many things we've been taught.
To peel away the layers of blinds,
Fearlessly embrace free thought.
Trapped for eons by blind faith,
Ignorant that it is for nought.
To reduce it down to a wraith,
Happily embrace free thought.
Defending the indefensible,
Why tie ourselves in a knot?
To appreciate the sensible,
Proudly embrace free thought.
To pull ourselves back from the brink,
The first step, as always, is to think! :-)
Too many things we've been taught.
To peel away the layers of blinds,
Fearlessly embrace free thought.
Trapped for eons by blind faith,
Ignorant that it is for nought.
To reduce it down to a wraith,
Happily embrace free thought.
Defending the indefensible,
Why tie ourselves in a knot?
To appreciate the sensible,
Proudly embrace free thought.
To pull ourselves back from the brink,
The first step, as always, is to think! :-)
My Favorites
As I mentioned in one of my previous posts, I enjoy poetry, songs and music. I listen to songs in Tamil, Hindi, English, and some other languages everyday, mostly from albums made for Indian movies or standalone albums by artists. One of the most important aspects of a song, at least for me, is the lyrics. In this post, I gather a list of my most favorite lyrical excerpts (not in any particular order).
There is no single reason why I like these lyrics - it is usually a combination of reasons that involve both substance and style, e.g., the sincerity of the emotional expression, the depth of the metaphors, the vividity of the "verbal imagery", the structure of the rhyme, the alliteration, the apt use of repetition, the "musicality" of the words, the meaning, the possibility of multiple interpretations, or even something more elusive like "how it makes me feel"! :D
Almost all of the excerpts below are in either Tamil or Hindi/Urdu. I have attempted to interpret them in English as accurately as possible, although I cannot guarantee that it is flawless. Anyway, I think Indians are very fortunate to have brilliant poets and song writers in their languages. As will be apparent from my list, my own favorite lyricists are Vairamuthu in Tamil and Javed Akhtar in Hindi. And not surprisingly, AR Rahman is the music composer for most of these songs. No wonder then that he is my favorite music composer, as I imagine to be the case for most Indians!
After writing all these down, I realized that more than half of them were about romantic love! While I realize how important love is for human beings, I find it fascinating that this single topic seems to bring out the best in most poets, even more so than God, or, nature, or whatever else. Even many of Shakespeare's famous poems are about his love for the "fair youth", said to be a man in the English aristocracy! I guess it is just an important part of being human. I think poetry, as with most forms of art, amplifies parts of our nature that we cannot, or do not want to, access otherwise! :) With that prelude, enjoy these beautiful poetic words from the masters! :)
Ishq ada hai (Ada):
Background:
A forlorn lover rues beautifully about the ravages of his/her love for his/her beloved. The same song is sung separately by a male and female singer.
Tum se hi ishq ka saaz mila hai,
Ishq se rabb ka raaz mila hai.
Ishq ada hai, ishq sada hai,
Ishq dawa hai, ishq dua hai.
- Raqeeb Alam
Interpretation in English:
From you I have gotten the meaning of love,
From love I have gotten the secret of God,
Love is grace, love is eternal,
Love is a medicine, love is a prayer.
Vennilave vennilave (Minsara Kanavu):
Background:
A couple about to fall in love sing playfully to the moon at night, asking it to come play with them.
Ettadha uyaratthil nilavai veitthavan yaaru?
Kaiyodu sikkamal kaatrai veitthavan yaaru?
- Vairamuthu
Interpretation in English:
Who put the moon at such an unreachable height?
Who made the air such that it cannot be held in our hands?
Innisai paadi varum (Thulladha manamum thullum):
Background:
A lover longs to see her beloved, whose takes care of her and sings to her, when she was blind. Somehow, after she gets new eyes, her lover eludes her and she keeps searching for him persistently to thank him.
Thedal ulla uyirgalukke dhinamum pasi irukkum,
Thedal enbadhu ulla varai vaazhvil rusi irukkum,
Ada paadal pola thedal kooda oru sugame.
-Vairamuthu
Interpretation in English:
Only those lives that keep searching have a daily hunger,
As long as the search continues, life will remain sweet,
Indeed, as with a song, searching also provides a certain joy.
Kadavul paadhi (Alavandhan):
Background:
A schizophrenic and psychopathic murderer sings to himself about his delusional state of existence.
Ovvoru thuliyum, ovvoru thuliyum, uyiril vergal kulirgiradhey.
Ellatthuliyum kulirumbodhu, iruthuli mattum sudugiradhey.
Nandhakumara, Nandhakumara, mazhai neer sudaadhu theriyaadha?
Kannam vazhigira kanneer thulidhaan venneer thuli ena arivaaya?
Sutta mazhaiyum, sudaadha mazhaiyum, ondrai kandavan needhaane.
Kanner mazhaiyil thanneer mazhaiyai kulikka vaitthavan needhaane.
- Vairamuthu
Interpretation in English:
Each and every drop of rain is as cold as the roots of life itself.
But when all the drops are cold, two drops alone are warm.
Nandhakumara, rain drops cannot be warm, don't you know that?
Do you realize that the tears rolling down your cheeks are the warm drops?
Only you have seen drops that are both warm and cold.
Only you have drenched the rain drops in your tear drops.
Man mohana (Jodha Akbar):
Background:
An ardent Krishna devotee professes her deep love of Krishna and desperately prays to him to appear in front of her to assuage her longing.
Raas rachaiyan brindavan ke gokul ke basi,
Raadha tumhri daasi,
Darshan ko hai pyaasi,
Shaam salone nand lala Krishna banwari,
Tumhri chhab hai nyaari,
Mein to hoon tan man haari.
Interpretation in English:
Adorned with a headdress, O cowherd of Brindavan,
Raadha is (I am) your slave,
Yearning for you to appear,
O Krishna, you play in the forests in the evening like a child,
Your magnificence is immeasurable,
I have lost my mind and body to you.
Kappaleri poyachu (Indian):
Background:
Set during the time of independence, the lover returns from fighting against the British to meet his beloved in his home village. He confesses his longing and his love for her, and vows to be with her for the rest of their lives.
Anname anname naan solli, vandhadhaa thendralum nettru?
Unnaiye unnaiye naan enni, vendhadhai sonnadhaa poongaattru?
Undhan kaalin metti pol kooda nadappen,
Undhan kannukku kanneer pol kaaval iruppen,
Maali soodi, thozhil aadi,
Kai thottu, mei thottu, unnil ennai karaippen.
- Vaali
Interpretation in English:
My dear, did the breeze meet you yesterday, as I had asked?
Did it tell you of my suffering, consumed by my desire for you?
I will walk every step with you like your toe ring,
I will protect you as your tears protect your eyes,
Exchanging garlands, rocking the cradle,
Touching hands, with a true touch, I will dissolve myself in you.
Vennila siragadikka (Ponniyin Selvan):
Background:
A girl tries to console her friend, who is depressed about something by giving uplifting lyrical advice. But he rebuts all her consolations with his own lyrical retorts.
Mazhaiyin sattham, mazhalai muttham, atthanaikkum aasai padu,
Aasai vandhaal avasthai varume, arivuraiyai maatri vidu.
- Vijay
Interpretation in English:
(Girl) The sound of rain, the kiss of kids, have a desire for all these good things.
(Guy) If we have desire, suffering soon follows, so change your advice.
Maahiya (Awarapan):
Background:
A happy-go-lucky girl explains to her friends through a joyous song about her hopes and expectations for meeting the man of her dreams.
Kabse uske aane ki main raah takoon?
Kabse chhupa ke use dil mein rakhoon?
Mere dil ne taraasha use jaisa, milega vahi yaar maahiya, hai mujhe aitbaar maahiya.
- Sayeed Quadri
Interpretation in English:
How long do I keep going out of my way to find him?
How long do I keep hiding this in my heart?
I trust that I will get a man exactly like how my heart has sculpted him.
Fitna dil (Shikhar):
Background:
Not really sure, and never bothered to find out! :)
Kyon kisi se haarna dil, kyon kisi ka jeetna dil?
Kyon kisi se jodna dil, kyon kisi ka todna dil?
Dillagi dil kee lagi se karke na mar mitna dil.
Maaf kar aye fitna dil, aye fitna dil, aye fitna dil.
- Chandrashekhar Rajit
Interpretation in English:
Why lose your heart to someone, why win someone's heart?
Why join your heart with someone, why break someone's heart?
Do not get destroyed or killed by engaging with the heart.
Forgive the seductive and fickle heart.
Mukundha mukundha (Dasavatharam):
Background:
Another Krishna devotee sings of her love for Krishna.
Mayil peeli soodi nirkum mannavane,
Mangaikku endrum neeye manavaalane.
- Vaali
Interpretation in English:
My king, standing adorned with a peacock's feather,
You are the one the woman (I) always wants to marry.
Jannat jahaan (Jannat):
Background:
Again, not sure, and never bothered to find out! :)
Roz naya khwaab de de zindagi,
Aisi haseen saza de,
Jannat jahaan, jannat yahaan!
- Neelesh Mishra
Interpretation in English:
May life give a new dream every day,
May it give such a beautiful punishment.
Where is heaven, here is heaven!
Haule haule (Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi):
Background:
A guy sings in elation about his wife slowly falling in love with him after she was unhappy about being forced in to a marriage with him by her father due to circumstances.
Pal pal yeh dil ghabraaye, pal pal yeh dil sharmaaye,
Kuchh kahta hai, aur kuchh kar jaaye.
Kaisi yeh paheli, muh dil mar jaana,
Ishq mein jaldi, bada jurmaana.
- Jaideep Sahni
Interpretation in English:
Moment after moment, my heart is afraid, my heart is shy,
It says one thing, but does something else.
What a riddle this is, my heart might as well die.
But soon, it will be well due to love.
Kanaa kaanum kaalangal (7G Rainbow Colony):
Background:
A guy and a girl trying to resist falling in love with each other sing of their agony as love wins and begins to consume them.
Thaayodum sila thayakkangal irukkum, thozhamaiyil adhu kidaiyaadhe,
Thaavi vandhu sila viruppangal kudhikkum, thadutthidave ingu vazhi illaiye.
Adhikaalai neram ellam thoongaamal vidigiradhey,
Vizhi moodi thanakkul pesum maunangal pidikiradhey.
Nila nadukkam, adhil kodumaigal illai, mana nadukkam, adhu miga kodumai.
- Muthukumar
Interpretation in English:
(Girl) I hesitate to share certain things even with my mother, but not in our companionship.
Some desires come leaping at me, and I am unable to prevent them.
(Guy) All my early mornings are beginning to pass without any sleep.
I am beginning to speak to myself in silence with eyes closed.
(Both) Even the ground shaking is not as torturous as a shaken mind.
Tera mera rishta (Awarapan):
Background:
A guy laments about how the memories of his dead lover torment him everyday.
Bechain din mere, bechain raat hai,
Kya main karoon kuchh bataa.
Yeh mere paanv hi, khud mere bediyaan,
Mujh se mujhe tu chhudaa.
- Sayeed Quadri
Interpretation in English:
Restless are my days, restless are my nights,
What do I do, tell me something.
My own feet have become my chains,
Free me from myself.
Konji konji alaigal oda (Veera):
Background:
A guy sings about song and music to win a singing contest.
Maadhavan poonguzhal mandhira geedhatthil,
Maadhar thammai marandhaada.
Aadhavan karangalin aadharavaal ponne,
Aatril pon pol alaiyaada.
- Panju Arunachalam
Interpretation in English:
Krishna's flute, in a magical musical enchantment,
Forgets itself and plays randomly on its own.
But when it is held in the hands of God himself,
It yields golden music like ripples in a river.
Kya mujhe pyaar hai (Woh Lamhe):
Background:
Again, not sure, and never bothered to find out! :)
Tere hi sapne andheron main ujaalon mein,
Koi nasha hai teri aankhon key pyaalon mein.
Tu mere khwaabon mein, jawaabon mein, sawaalon mein,
Har din chura tumhe laaton hain main khayaalon mein.
- Neelesh Misra
Interpretation in English:
I have dreams only about you all days and all nights,
There is some intoxicant in the lids of your eyes.
You are in my dreams, my answers, my questions,
I steal you and bring you in to my thoughts every day.
Vidigindra pozhudhu (Raam):
Background:
A girl sings about the agony of unrequited love towards a lover that fails to recognize her love.
Pacchai nilam paalaivanam aanadhada.
Poovanamum porkalamaai maarudhada.
Kaalam kooda kangal moodi kondadhada.
Unnai vida kallaraiye pakkamada.
- Snehan
Interpretation in English:
Deserts have turned into green pastures.
Flower gardens have turned into warzones.
Time itself seems to have closed its eyes.
Yet, the cemetery seems more attainable than you.
Uyirin uyire (Kaakha kaakha):
Background:
A guy sings about his suffering when he is away from his lover.
Ninaivu engo neendhi chella,
Kanavu vandhu kannai killa.
Nizhal edhu, nijam endhu,
Kuzhambinen, vaa penne!
- Thamarai
Interpretation in English:
My thoughts are drifting away elsewhere,
Dreams come and fill my eyes.
What is delusion, what is reality,
I am confused, come to me, my dear!
Thottu thottu pogum thendral (Kaadhal Konden):
Background:
A guy sings about the agony caused by the awareness that he cannot possess his lover since she is in love with someone else.
Vinnum odudhey, mannum odudhey,
Kangal sivandhu thalai sutriyadhey.
Idhayam valikkudhey, iravu kodhikkidhey,
Idhu oru sugam endru purigiradhey.
- Muthukumar
Interpretation in English:
The sky races away, the ground races away,
My eyes are red and my head is spinning.
My heart aches, the nights are scorching,
But I have realized there is a joy in these.
There is no single reason why I like these lyrics - it is usually a combination of reasons that involve both substance and style, e.g., the sincerity of the emotional expression, the depth of the metaphors, the vividity of the "verbal imagery", the structure of the rhyme, the alliteration, the apt use of repetition, the "musicality" of the words, the meaning, the possibility of multiple interpretations, or even something more elusive like "how it makes me feel"! :D
Almost all of the excerpts below are in either Tamil or Hindi/Urdu. I have attempted to interpret them in English as accurately as possible, although I cannot guarantee that it is flawless. Anyway, I think Indians are very fortunate to have brilliant poets and song writers in their languages. As will be apparent from my list, my own favorite lyricists are Vairamuthu in Tamil and Javed Akhtar in Hindi. And not surprisingly, AR Rahman is the music composer for most of these songs. No wonder then that he is my favorite music composer, as I imagine to be the case for most Indians!
After writing all these down, I realized that more than half of them were about romantic love! While I realize how important love is for human beings, I find it fascinating that this single topic seems to bring out the best in most poets, even more so than God, or, nature, or whatever else. Even many of Shakespeare's famous poems are about his love for the "fair youth", said to be a man in the English aristocracy! I guess it is just an important part of being human. I think poetry, as with most forms of art, amplifies parts of our nature that we cannot, or do not want to, access otherwise! :) With that prelude, enjoy these beautiful poetic words from the masters! :)
Ishq ada hai (Ada):
Background:
A forlorn lover rues beautifully about the ravages of his/her love for his/her beloved. The same song is sung separately by a male and female singer.
Tum se hi ishq ka saaz mila hai,
Ishq se rabb ka raaz mila hai.
Ishq ada hai, ishq sada hai,
Ishq dawa hai, ishq dua hai.
- Raqeeb Alam
Interpretation in English:
From you I have gotten the meaning of love,
From love I have gotten the secret of God,
Love is grace, love is eternal,
Love is a medicine, love is a prayer.
Vennilave vennilave (Minsara Kanavu):
Background:
A couple about to fall in love sing playfully to the moon at night, asking it to come play with them.
Ettadha uyaratthil nilavai veitthavan yaaru?
Kaiyodu sikkamal kaatrai veitthavan yaaru?
- Vairamuthu
Interpretation in English:
Who put the moon at such an unreachable height?
Who made the air such that it cannot be held in our hands?
Innisai paadi varum (Thulladha manamum thullum):
Background:
A lover longs to see her beloved, whose takes care of her and sings to her, when she was blind. Somehow, after she gets new eyes, her lover eludes her and she keeps searching for him persistently to thank him.
Thedal ulla uyirgalukke dhinamum pasi irukkum,
Thedal enbadhu ulla varai vaazhvil rusi irukkum,
Ada paadal pola thedal kooda oru sugame.
-Vairamuthu
Interpretation in English:
Only those lives that keep searching have a daily hunger,
As long as the search continues, life will remain sweet,
Indeed, as with a song, searching also provides a certain joy.
Kadavul paadhi (Alavandhan):
Background:
A schizophrenic and psychopathic murderer sings to himself about his delusional state of existence.
Ovvoru thuliyum, ovvoru thuliyum, uyiril vergal kulirgiradhey.
Ellatthuliyum kulirumbodhu, iruthuli mattum sudugiradhey.
Nandhakumara, Nandhakumara, mazhai neer sudaadhu theriyaadha?
Kannam vazhigira kanneer thulidhaan venneer thuli ena arivaaya?
Sutta mazhaiyum, sudaadha mazhaiyum, ondrai kandavan needhaane.
Kanner mazhaiyil thanneer mazhaiyai kulikka vaitthavan needhaane.
- Vairamuthu
Interpretation in English:
Each and every drop of rain is as cold as the roots of life itself.
But when all the drops are cold, two drops alone are warm.
Nandhakumara, rain drops cannot be warm, don't you know that?
Do you realize that the tears rolling down your cheeks are the warm drops?
Only you have seen drops that are both warm and cold.
Only you have drenched the rain drops in your tear drops.
Man mohana (Jodha Akbar):
Background:
An ardent Krishna devotee professes her deep love of Krishna and desperately prays to him to appear in front of her to assuage her longing.
Raas rachaiyan brindavan ke gokul ke basi,
Raadha tumhri daasi,
Darshan ko hai pyaasi,
Shaam salone nand lala Krishna banwari,
Tumhri chhab hai nyaari,
Mein to hoon tan man haari.
Interpretation in English:
Adorned with a headdress, O cowherd of Brindavan,
Raadha is (I am) your slave,
Yearning for you to appear,
O Krishna, you play in the forests in the evening like a child,
Your magnificence is immeasurable,
I have lost my mind and body to you.
Kappaleri poyachu (Indian):
Background:
Set during the time of independence, the lover returns from fighting against the British to meet his beloved in his home village. He confesses his longing and his love for her, and vows to be with her for the rest of their lives.
Anname anname naan solli, vandhadhaa thendralum nettru?
Unnaiye unnaiye naan enni, vendhadhai sonnadhaa poongaattru?
Undhan kaalin metti pol kooda nadappen,
Undhan kannukku kanneer pol kaaval iruppen,
Maali soodi, thozhil aadi,
Kai thottu, mei thottu, unnil ennai karaippen.
- Vaali
Interpretation in English:
My dear, did the breeze meet you yesterday, as I had asked?
Did it tell you of my suffering, consumed by my desire for you?
I will walk every step with you like your toe ring,
I will protect you as your tears protect your eyes,
Exchanging garlands, rocking the cradle,
Touching hands, with a true touch, I will dissolve myself in you.
Vennila siragadikka (Ponniyin Selvan):
Background:
A girl tries to console her friend, who is depressed about something by giving uplifting lyrical advice. But he rebuts all her consolations with his own lyrical retorts.
Mazhaiyin sattham, mazhalai muttham, atthanaikkum aasai padu,
Aasai vandhaal avasthai varume, arivuraiyai maatri vidu.
- Vijay
Interpretation in English:
(Girl) The sound of rain, the kiss of kids, have a desire for all these good things.
(Guy) If we have desire, suffering soon follows, so change your advice.
Maahiya (Awarapan):
Background:
A happy-go-lucky girl explains to her friends through a joyous song about her hopes and expectations for meeting the man of her dreams.
Kabse uske aane ki main raah takoon?
Kabse chhupa ke use dil mein rakhoon?
Mere dil ne taraasha use jaisa, milega vahi yaar maahiya, hai mujhe aitbaar maahiya.
- Sayeed Quadri
Interpretation in English:
How long do I keep going out of my way to find him?
How long do I keep hiding this in my heart?
I trust that I will get a man exactly like how my heart has sculpted him.
Fitna dil (Shikhar):
Background:
Not really sure, and never bothered to find out! :)
Kyon kisi se haarna dil, kyon kisi ka jeetna dil?
Kyon kisi se jodna dil, kyon kisi ka todna dil?
Dillagi dil kee lagi se karke na mar mitna dil.
Maaf kar aye fitna dil, aye fitna dil, aye fitna dil.
- Chandrashekhar Rajit
Interpretation in English:
Why lose your heart to someone, why win someone's heart?
Why join your heart with someone, why break someone's heart?
Do not get destroyed or killed by engaging with the heart.
Forgive the seductive and fickle heart.
Mukundha mukundha (Dasavatharam):
Background:
Another Krishna devotee sings of her love for Krishna.
Mayil peeli soodi nirkum mannavane,
Mangaikku endrum neeye manavaalane.
- Vaali
Interpretation in English:
My king, standing adorned with a peacock's feather,
You are the one the woman (I) always wants to marry.
Jannat jahaan (Jannat):
Background:
Again, not sure, and never bothered to find out! :)
Roz naya khwaab de de zindagi,
Aisi haseen saza de,
Jannat jahaan, jannat yahaan!
- Neelesh Mishra
Interpretation in English:
May life give a new dream every day,
May it give such a beautiful punishment.
Where is heaven, here is heaven!
Haule haule (Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi):
Background:
A guy sings in elation about his wife slowly falling in love with him after she was unhappy about being forced in to a marriage with him by her father due to circumstances.
Pal pal yeh dil ghabraaye, pal pal yeh dil sharmaaye,
Kuchh kahta hai, aur kuchh kar jaaye.
Kaisi yeh paheli, muh dil mar jaana,
Ishq mein jaldi, bada jurmaana.
- Jaideep Sahni
Interpretation in English:
Moment after moment, my heart is afraid, my heart is shy,
It says one thing, but does something else.
What a riddle this is, my heart might as well die.
But soon, it will be well due to love.
Kanaa kaanum kaalangal (7G Rainbow Colony):
Background:
A guy and a girl trying to resist falling in love with each other sing of their agony as love wins and begins to consume them.
Thaayodum sila thayakkangal irukkum, thozhamaiyil adhu kidaiyaadhe,
Thaavi vandhu sila viruppangal kudhikkum, thadutthidave ingu vazhi illaiye.
Adhikaalai neram ellam thoongaamal vidigiradhey,
Vizhi moodi thanakkul pesum maunangal pidikiradhey.
Nila nadukkam, adhil kodumaigal illai, mana nadukkam, adhu miga kodumai.
- Muthukumar
Interpretation in English:
(Girl) I hesitate to share certain things even with my mother, but not in our companionship.
Some desires come leaping at me, and I am unable to prevent them.
(Guy) All my early mornings are beginning to pass without any sleep.
I am beginning to speak to myself in silence with eyes closed.
(Both) Even the ground shaking is not as torturous as a shaken mind.
Tera mera rishta (Awarapan):
Background:
A guy laments about how the memories of his dead lover torment him everyday.
Bechain din mere, bechain raat hai,
Kya main karoon kuchh bataa.
Yeh mere paanv hi, khud mere bediyaan,
Mujh se mujhe tu chhudaa.
- Sayeed Quadri
Interpretation in English:
Restless are my days, restless are my nights,
What do I do, tell me something.
My own feet have become my chains,
Free me from myself.
Konji konji alaigal oda (Veera):
Background:
A guy sings about song and music to win a singing contest.
Maadhavan poonguzhal mandhira geedhatthil,
Maadhar thammai marandhaada.
Aadhavan karangalin aadharavaal ponne,
Aatril pon pol alaiyaada.
- Panju Arunachalam
Interpretation in English:
Krishna's flute, in a magical musical enchantment,
Forgets itself and plays randomly on its own.
But when it is held in the hands of God himself,
It yields golden music like ripples in a river.
Kya mujhe pyaar hai (Woh Lamhe):
Background:
Again, not sure, and never bothered to find out! :)
Tere hi sapne andheron main ujaalon mein,
Koi nasha hai teri aankhon key pyaalon mein.
Tu mere khwaabon mein, jawaabon mein, sawaalon mein,
Har din chura tumhe laaton hain main khayaalon mein.
- Neelesh Misra
Interpretation in English:
I have dreams only about you all days and all nights,
There is some intoxicant in the lids of your eyes.
You are in my dreams, my answers, my questions,
I steal you and bring you in to my thoughts every day.
Vidigindra pozhudhu (Raam):
Background:
A girl sings about the agony of unrequited love towards a lover that fails to recognize her love.
Pacchai nilam paalaivanam aanadhada.
Poovanamum porkalamaai maarudhada.
Kaalam kooda kangal moodi kondadhada.
Unnai vida kallaraiye pakkamada.
- Snehan
Interpretation in English:
Deserts have turned into green pastures.
Flower gardens have turned into warzones.
Time itself seems to have closed its eyes.
Yet, the cemetery seems more attainable than you.
Uyirin uyire (Kaakha kaakha):
Background:
A guy sings about his suffering when he is away from his lover.
Ninaivu engo neendhi chella,
Kanavu vandhu kannai killa.
Nizhal edhu, nijam endhu,
Kuzhambinen, vaa penne!
- Thamarai
Interpretation in English:
My thoughts are drifting away elsewhere,
Dreams come and fill my eyes.
What is delusion, what is reality,
I am confused, come to me, my dear!
Thottu thottu pogum thendral (Kaadhal Konden):
Background:
A guy sings about the agony caused by the awareness that he cannot possess his lover since she is in love with someone else.
Vinnum odudhey, mannum odudhey,
Kangal sivandhu thalai sutriyadhey.
Idhayam valikkudhey, iravu kodhikkidhey,
Idhu oru sugam endru purigiradhey.
- Muthukumar
Interpretation in English:
The sky races away, the ground races away,
My eyes are red and my head is spinning.
My heart aches, the nights are scorching,
But I have realized there is a joy in these.
An Ode on Human Rights
Of the few things in the world that get me worked up, dehumanization of human beings is probably one of the most powerful. The denial of our common humanity and the basic dignity of our fellow human beings lies at the root of some of the most grotesque crimes in history such as The Holocaust. After witnessing the horrific consequences of such industrial-scale dehumanization, all of humanity came together to codify and enshrine what I consider to be the most important document ever produced in the history of human civilization - The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
Of course, a codification of "moral" values that need to be protected is nothing new. Prima facie, the UDHR might sound suspiciously similar to what dozens of religions have tried to do (with varying degrees of success) - produce a document of moral authority for all humanity. Many religions have risen and fallen with the goal of uniting humanity under the pretext of having codified a bunch of moral values with "divine" legitimacy, albeit without any proof or evidence whatsoever. But I think such religions are almost always the proverbial wolves in sheep's clothing! :) Not one religion was born out of a global, consensus-driven, and inclusive approach, which is exactly what the codification of human rights has achieved. I, for one, think that we do not need any supernatural entities (a God or Gods) to dictate what "morality" should be. Us imperfect human beings are perfectly capable of doing that job! :) All we need is an acceptance of our common humanity, a prevalence of sanity, and evidence-based reasoning to take its course. Hence, I think it is absolutely imperative upon all of us to protect the human rights, not just of our own, but of our fellow human beings as well. As Martin Luther King Jr. put so eloquently, injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere! With that prelude, I write an ode on human rights as a tribute to people around the world who still have their human rights denied, and who still suffer dehumanization and discrimination on a daily basis.
They may raze your home in the West Bank,
Using nothing less than a loaded tank.
They may arrest you for being a Kurd,
But your resolve, it will only be stirred!
They may disempower you for being Baloch,
Pretending not to hear all the reproach.
They may silence your voice in Xinjiang,
But you will keep sounding freedom's clang!
They may shoot you down in Kashmir,
And use faux democracy as a veneer.
They may destroy your culture in Tibet,
But your obedience, they will never get!
They may war against you for being Tamil,
Kill the innocent in cold blood, they will.
They may segregate you for being Dalit,
But you will only use it to grow your grit!
They may throw you away for being a girl,
Not knowing that you are very much a pearl.
They may mock you just because you are Black,
But your courage, they can never crack!
They may threaten you for being openly gay,
Ignorant that they will lose the fight one day.
They may have crushed your body in Dachau,
But you knew your spirit will never bow!
Sane words of justice, they may refuse to hear,
But remember, the only thing you lose is your fear.
Indeed, the cause of human rights has no peer,
Stand tall, and the dawn of your day will be near!
- Dedicated to the brave people of Palestine, Kurdistan, Balochistan, Xinjiang, Kashmir, Tibet, and Tamileelam as well as Dalits, Women, Blacks, Gays, and Jews.
Of course, a codification of "moral" values that need to be protected is nothing new. Prima facie, the UDHR might sound suspiciously similar to what dozens of religions have tried to do (with varying degrees of success) - produce a document of moral authority for all humanity. Many religions have risen and fallen with the goal of uniting humanity under the pretext of having codified a bunch of moral values with "divine" legitimacy, albeit without any proof or evidence whatsoever. But I think such religions are almost always the proverbial wolves in sheep's clothing! :) Not one religion was born out of a global, consensus-driven, and inclusive approach, which is exactly what the codification of human rights has achieved. I, for one, think that we do not need any supernatural entities (a God or Gods) to dictate what "morality" should be. Us imperfect human beings are perfectly capable of doing that job! :) All we need is an acceptance of our common humanity, a prevalence of sanity, and evidence-based reasoning to take its course. Hence, I think it is absolutely imperative upon all of us to protect the human rights, not just of our own, but of our fellow human beings as well. As Martin Luther King Jr. put so eloquently, injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere! With that prelude, I write an ode on human rights as a tribute to people around the world who still have their human rights denied, and who still suffer dehumanization and discrimination on a daily basis.
They may raze your home in the West Bank,
Using nothing less than a loaded tank.
They may arrest you for being a Kurd,
But your resolve, it will only be stirred!
They may disempower you for being Baloch,
Pretending not to hear all the reproach.
They may silence your voice in Xinjiang,
But you will keep sounding freedom's clang!
They may shoot you down in Kashmir,
And use faux democracy as a veneer.
They may destroy your culture in Tibet,
But your obedience, they will never get!
They may war against you for being Tamil,
Kill the innocent in cold blood, they will.
They may segregate you for being Dalit,
But you will only use it to grow your grit!
They may throw you away for being a girl,
Not knowing that you are very much a pearl.
They may mock you just because you are Black,
But your courage, they can never crack!
They may threaten you for being openly gay,
Ignorant that they will lose the fight one day.
They may have crushed your body in Dachau,
But you knew your spirit will never bow!
Sane words of justice, they may refuse to hear,
But remember, the only thing you lose is your fear.
Indeed, the cause of human rights has no peer,
Stand tall, and the dawn of your day will be near!
- Dedicated to the brave people of Palestine, Kurdistan, Balochistan, Xinjiang, Kashmir, Tibet, and Tamileelam as well as Dalits, Women, Blacks, Gays, and Jews.
A Tribute to Love
This is the final part of my poetic trilogy. After my recent posts on truth and knowledge, this post is about one of the most powerful and humanizing of emotions - love. I consider love as the most important among the concepts in my trilogy. Hence, instead of just couplets, I have written sonnets! This is not the first time I have written about love though. In the distant past, I had argued how all notions of God can be distilled into a couple of simple but popular adages: "Deus Caritas Est" in Latin, which means "Love is God", and "Anbe Sivam, Anbe Satthiyam" in Tamil, which also translates to "Love is God, Love is Truth". Enough said; let us get right to the poems now. :-)
English:
The slayer of logic and reason,
Truth and knowledge bow to this.
Shining bright no matter the season,
Yielding us beautiful eternal bliss.
We get it from a spouse, a friend,
From family, even from a pet.
Verily, it does not have an end,
Indeed, that I am willing to bet!
So, share your heart forever and now,
With all you think worth loving.
For a life that is rich in love,
Is indeed the life worth living.
What good is professing if we don't realize its value?
Just affirm to your loved ones, I love you, I love you!
Tamil:
Anbe sivam, anbe satthiyam,
Anbe santhosham, anbe nitthiyam.
Anbaale suttrugiradhu nam bhoomi,
Anbai vida sirandhadhedhoru saami?
Anbinaal varum aanandha mayakkam,
Anbudan irukka en indha thayakkam?
Anbenbadhu alla verum vaarthai,
Anbirundhaale sezhikkum vaazhkai.
Interpretation in English:
Love is God, Love is truth,
Love is happiness, Love is eternal.
Love makes the world go round.
Is there a God as great as Love?
Love gives us beautiful bliss.
So why hesitate to live with Love?
Love is not just another word,
Love alone makes life lively!
English:
The slayer of logic and reason,
Truth and knowledge bow to this.
Shining bright no matter the season,
Yielding us beautiful eternal bliss.
We get it from a spouse, a friend,
From family, even from a pet.
Verily, it does not have an end,
Indeed, that I am willing to bet!
So, share your heart forever and now,
With all you think worth loving.
For a life that is rich in love,
Is indeed the life worth living.
What good is professing if we don't realize its value?
Just affirm to your loved ones, I love you, I love you!
Tamil:
Anbe sivam, anbe satthiyam,
Anbe santhosham, anbe nitthiyam.
Anbaale suttrugiradhu nam bhoomi,
Anbai vida sirandhadhedhoru saami?
Anbinaal varum aanandha mayakkam,
Anbudan irukka en indha thayakkam?
Anbenbadhu alla verum vaarthai,
Anbirundhaale sezhikkum vaazhkai.
Interpretation in English:
Love is God, Love is truth,
Love is happiness, Love is eternal.
Love makes the world go round.
Is there a God as great as Love?
Love gives us beautiful bliss.
So why hesitate to live with Love?
Love is not just another word,
Love alone makes life lively!
A Tribute to Knowledge
Recently, I wrote a quadrilingual series of couples as a tribute to truth - one of the most eulogized ideas in Indian literature, and the idea that matters the most in science as well.
Continuing along those lines, I have decided to make a poetic trilogy! :)
In this post, which is part 2 of my trilogy, I pay tribute to what is arguably the single most important idea in Indian culture - knowledge.
For example, consider the Vedas - the central authoritative literature in Vedic Brahminism (a polytheistic Hindu religion), and among of the important pieces of literature in the other theistic Hindu religions such as Shaivism, Shaktism, and Vaishnavism (all monotheistic Hindu religions) as well as Advaita Vedantism (a monistic Hindu religion) - but notably not in Sikhism (another monotheistic Hindu religion), Jainism, and Buddhism (both atheistic Hindu religions).
The word Veda is derived from the word "Vedam" in Sanskrit, which literally means knowledge, wisdom, and understanding.
No wonder then that a strong emphasis on education and learning is integral to the way of life of most Indians, cutting across all boundaries.
In fact, it might be safe to say that most Indian parents, no matter how poor, would not hesitate to sacrifice their own lives if it means that their children would get a good education.
The opposite of knowledge is, of course, lack of knowledge, i.e., ignorance. As can be expected, ignorance is probably the single most criticized idea in Indian literature, and fittingly so. In fact, in all the Hindu religions, be it theistic or atheistic, the root of all evil is ignorance (not some supernatural entity as in the Abrahamic religions). It is ignorance that gives rise to fear. It is ignorance that gives rise to anger. It is ignorance that gives rise to suffering. Indeed, it is ignorance that gives rise to hatred. For example, I contend that it is ignorance of our shared humanity and common human experience that leads to discrimination of all sorts - racism, casteism, religious/ethnic/linguistic discrimination, misogyny, homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, xenophobia, etc. However, I do not view the above as an unqualified shunning of ignorance - after all, ignorance can also give rise to bliss sometimes! :) In my opinion, ignorance becomes an evil only when there is a need to know, but a person refuses to learn and/or lives in denial and delusion. Obviously, the way to mitigate ignorance and overcome evil is through knowledge, through enlightening one's self and others. Of course, knowledge comes in various forms - scientific, spiritual, relational, creative, etc. - and is indeed limitless. It is impossible for any one person to know everything, but it is indeed possible to keep learning and growing - the journey is itself as important.
With that prelude, let me now present my couplets on knowledge. Enjoy! :)
Tamil:
Ariyaamai agilamum azhitthuvidum,
Aridhale adhanai agattrividum.
Adhanaal arivom anaitthaiyum,
Aramudan anbum amaidhiyum.
Interpretation in English:
Ignorance can destroy everything,
Knowledge alone can remove it.
Thus, let us keep learning,
Rightly with love and peace.
Sanskrit:
Nirvaasa kuru tamassadaa, prajnaanenevam vijnaanen saha |
Naasti loke eshaa jyoti, Jnaanameva paramajyoti ||
Interpretation in English:
Keep banishing the darkness of ignorance with spiritual and scientific knowledge.
For there is no light in this world that is as bright as the light of knowledge.
Hindi:
Padhkar sunkar thak gayaa,
Samajh na paayaa haai |
Karke anubhav paa liyaa,
haan yeh hai sacchaaii ||
Interpretation in English:
Reading and hearing only got him tired,
Alas, he could not understand.
Action and experience got him inspired,
And he knew the truth was at hand.
English:
Here and now is heaven, and indeed hell.
Just know the difference enough to tell.
You can choose to walk any path you will.
But beware ignorance is the root of evil.
In closing, I would like to add another observation that I find interesting. Owing to their emphasis on knowledge vanquishing ignorance, all the Indian religions have generally been pro-science and technology. In fact, in India, the political right (the Hindutva nationalists) have pretty much the same policies on science and technology as the left and center. In contrast, in Western democracies, particularly the USA, the political right (the Republicans) is often considered to be anti-science. For example, the American right is infamous for living in denial (or perhaps, hypocrisy) with regard to the large body of scientific evidence on humanity-induced climate change, whereas the entire Indian political spectrum generally includes protection of the environment and tackling climate change as part of their agenda. And finally, here is an even more telling example - the right in Western democracies, largely driven by Abrahamic religious dogma, rail against Darwin's theory of evolution - one of the most celebrated ideas in all of science that rightly commands unanimity in the scientific community based on overwhelming evidence. In contrast, Hindus, especially Vaishnavites (Vaishnavism is generally considered a conservative Hindu religion), often point out (sometimes smugly, if I may add! :D) that the Dashavatar of Vishnu are sort of a "prescient" statement by the Hindu religions that evolution as discovered and articulated by Darwin is indeed true! :)
The opposite of knowledge is, of course, lack of knowledge, i.e., ignorance. As can be expected, ignorance is probably the single most criticized idea in Indian literature, and fittingly so. In fact, in all the Hindu religions, be it theistic or atheistic, the root of all evil is ignorance (not some supernatural entity as in the Abrahamic religions). It is ignorance that gives rise to fear. It is ignorance that gives rise to anger. It is ignorance that gives rise to suffering. Indeed, it is ignorance that gives rise to hatred. For example, I contend that it is ignorance of our shared humanity and common human experience that leads to discrimination of all sorts - racism, casteism, religious/ethnic/linguistic discrimination, misogyny, homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, xenophobia, etc. However, I do not view the above as an unqualified shunning of ignorance - after all, ignorance can also give rise to bliss sometimes! :) In my opinion, ignorance becomes an evil only when there is a need to know, but a person refuses to learn and/or lives in denial and delusion. Obviously, the way to mitigate ignorance and overcome evil is through knowledge, through enlightening one's self and others. Of course, knowledge comes in various forms - scientific, spiritual, relational, creative, etc. - and is indeed limitless. It is impossible for any one person to know everything, but it is indeed possible to keep learning and growing - the journey is itself as important.
With that prelude, let me now present my couplets on knowledge. Enjoy! :)
Tamil:
Ariyaamai agilamum azhitthuvidum,
Aridhale adhanai agattrividum.
Adhanaal arivom anaitthaiyum,
Aramudan anbum amaidhiyum.
Interpretation in English:
Ignorance can destroy everything,
Knowledge alone can remove it.
Thus, let us keep learning,
Rightly with love and peace.
Sanskrit:
Nirvaasa kuru tamassadaa, prajnaanenevam vijnaanen saha |
Naasti loke eshaa jyoti, Jnaanameva paramajyoti ||
Interpretation in English:
Keep banishing the darkness of ignorance with spiritual and scientific knowledge.
For there is no light in this world that is as bright as the light of knowledge.
Hindi:
Padhkar sunkar thak gayaa,
Samajh na paayaa haai |
Karke anubhav paa liyaa,
haan yeh hai sacchaaii ||
Interpretation in English:
Reading and hearing only got him tired,
Alas, he could not understand.
Action and experience got him inspired,
And he knew the truth was at hand.
English:
Here and now is heaven, and indeed hell.
Just know the difference enough to tell.
You can choose to walk any path you will.
But beware ignorance is the root of evil.
In closing, I would like to add another observation that I find interesting. Owing to their emphasis on knowledge vanquishing ignorance, all the Indian religions have generally been pro-science and technology. In fact, in India, the political right (the Hindutva nationalists) have pretty much the same policies on science and technology as the left and center. In contrast, in Western democracies, particularly the USA, the political right (the Republicans) is often considered to be anti-science. For example, the American right is infamous for living in denial (or perhaps, hypocrisy) with regard to the large body of scientific evidence on humanity-induced climate change, whereas the entire Indian political spectrum generally includes protection of the environment and tackling climate change as part of their agenda. And finally, here is an even more telling example - the right in Western democracies, largely driven by Abrahamic religious dogma, rail against Darwin's theory of evolution - one of the most celebrated ideas in all of science that rightly commands unanimity in the scientific community based on overwhelming evidence. In contrast, Hindus, especially Vaishnavites (Vaishnavism is generally considered a conservative Hindu religion), often point out (sometimes smugly, if I may add! :D) that the Dashavatar of Vishnu are sort of a "prescient" statement by the Hindu religions that evolution as discovered and articulated by Darwin is indeed true! :)
A Duel in Rhyme
Recently, I had scheduled a rehearsal run for a talk of mine early on a Monday morning. This was at the place I do research - a lab called GSL. My friend, B (name withheld upon request :D), offered to attend and give feedback but was kinda shocked that it was so early. So, I replied to B in rhyme! :D Little did I expect it to set off the duel that came afterwards! I present it here just for fun. Enjoy! :)
A, over email at 10.52pm:
Indeed, it may be thus.
But 'tis no cause for a fuss.
Hence, do come to the talk.
For so will the GSL flock!
B, replying at 11.34pm:
Aha, this is indeed nice
Makes me want to play dice
And then discuss about people's vice
And all their various guise
But then I should now refrain
For if I go on with this thought-train
Fried will be thou brain
And I will be classified as a pain
:P
A, replying at 11.55pm:
:D
Sabaash, idhu sariyaana potti,
Vari irukkum pozhudhu en petti?
Vaarthaigalaal adippom lootti,
Maditthu kattinen en vetti!
Karte rahein kya baat,
Mere paas hai poori raat!
Ab mujhe hua hai gyaat,
Ki tum khelogi mere saath!
(Interpretation in English of the Tamil and Hindi stanzas:
Awesome, this is quite a contest,
Why mere words when we have rhyme?
So let us play with words in jest,
I am game and ready to chime!
We can continue our chat,
I can spend all night.
I have now understood that,
You too are game for a fight!)
Now, not expecting B to be awake after midnight, I crash. Later at night, (at 12.22am!) B comes back with this:
Lol Lol Lol
I can talk till my alarm rings its bell
But then there is so much to tell
That years are inadequate for my tells (tales)
Par ham ko chahiye bhi sona (sleep)
Kyun ki uske ke bina nahi kamapayenge woh sona (gold)
Jisko paakar aatha hai behtar sona (sleep)
Arey yaar, anth mein is sone (gold) ke peeche me, mein bhool gayi sona (sleep)!
You have to forgive my broken Hindi though.
(Interpretation in English of the Hindi stanza:
But we do need to get adequate sleep.
Without it we cannot work and earn money.
With more money, we will get better sleep.
Oh dear, but I have lost sleep in search of money!)
Not getting a response from me for a while, late at 12.54am (!), B declares the following:
Looks like Arun got tired
And for the day, retired
But he said he will talk to me all night
Ha, now I am gonna take this as a slight
Now now, don't worry I am just talking light
Sleep tight, have a good night!
LOL! Of course, it was a tiring day - I have a lot of work! So I was fast asleep. After waking up, I saw the above in my email, and laughed! :D So, I conceded at 8am the next day.
A:
OMG, I think you have gone crazy,
For you were actually up all night.
If only I were not so lazy,
I would have continued the fight.
I did not want a monster loose,
So, no sleep did not seem right.
I am ready to call this a truce.
And I raise my flag that is white!
:D _/\_
B 1 - A 0? Next time, B. Next time. :P
A, over email at 10.52pm:
Indeed, it may be thus.
But 'tis no cause for a fuss.
Hence, do come to the talk.
For so will the GSL flock!
B, replying at 11.34pm:
Aha, this is indeed nice
Makes me want to play dice
And then discuss about people's vice
And all their various guise
But then I should now refrain
For if I go on with this thought-train
Fried will be thou brain
And I will be classified as a pain
:P
A, replying at 11.55pm:
:D
Sabaash, idhu sariyaana potti,
Vari irukkum pozhudhu en petti?
Vaarthaigalaal adippom lootti,
Maditthu kattinen en vetti!
Karte rahein kya baat,
Mere paas hai poori raat!
Ab mujhe hua hai gyaat,
Ki tum khelogi mere saath!
(Interpretation in English of the Tamil and Hindi stanzas:
Awesome, this is quite a contest,
Why mere words when we have rhyme?
So let us play with words in jest,
I am game and ready to chime!
We can continue our chat,
I can spend all night.
I have now understood that,
You too are game for a fight!)
Now, not expecting B to be awake after midnight, I crash. Later at night, (at 12.22am!) B comes back with this:
Lol Lol Lol
I can talk till my alarm rings its bell
But then there is so much to tell
That years are inadequate for my tells (tales)
Par ham ko chahiye bhi sona (sleep)
Kyun ki uske ke bina nahi kamapayenge woh sona (gold)
Jisko paakar aatha hai behtar sona (sleep)
Arey yaar, anth mein is sone (gold) ke peeche me, mein bhool gayi sona (sleep)!
You have to forgive my broken Hindi though.
(Interpretation in English of the Hindi stanza:
But we do need to get adequate sleep.
Without it we cannot work and earn money.
With more money, we will get better sleep.
Oh dear, but I have lost sleep in search of money!)
Not getting a response from me for a while, late at 12.54am (!), B declares the following:
Looks like Arun got tired
And for the day, retired
But he said he will talk to me all night
Ha, now I am gonna take this as a slight
Now now, don't worry I am just talking light
Sleep tight, have a good night!
LOL! Of course, it was a tiring day - I have a lot of work! So I was fast asleep. After waking up, I saw the above in my email, and laughed! :D So, I conceded at 8am the next day.
A:
OMG, I think you have gone crazy,
For you were actually up all night.
If only I were not so lazy,
I would have continued the fight.
I did not want a monster loose,
So, no sleep did not seem right.
I am ready to call this a truce.
And I raise my flag that is white!
:D _/\_
B 1 - A 0? Next time, B. Next time. :P
A Sonnet on Balance
My first sonnet! :)
She keeps ruing the past,
Others do pity her plight,
As time flies by fast,
How can she get it right?
Trapped by many fears,
Can she shed her fright?
Hearing all the cheers,
Indeed, she just might!
She cannot see in the dark,
Nor can she in pure light.
The contrast is too stark,
But balance gives her sight.
So onward she marches free,
To be who she wants to be.
She keeps ruing the past,
Others do pity her plight,
As time flies by fast,
How can she get it right?
Trapped by many fears,
Can she shed her fright?
Hearing all the cheers,
Indeed, she just might!
She cannot see in the dark,
Nor can she in pure light.
The contrast is too stark,
But balance gives her sight.
So onward she marches free,
To be who she wants to be.
A Tribute To Truth
I have started to really appreciate beautiful poetry and even started writing some of my own! :-)
I have always enjoyed the beautiful and meaningful lyrics of many of the Tamil and Hindi songs that I routinely listen to on my phone. I had forgotten that I used to really enjoy the poetry that I studied way back in my school days, particularly in English and Hindi.
Personally, I have a special fondness for the poems of the Romantic Era poets of England as well as north India's own saint-poet Kabir and his "dohey" (couplets of wisdom). Outside of the school curriculum, I have studied the Bhagavad Geeta in Sanskrit on my own, and have derived inspiration from its profound wisdom. The Bhagavad Geeta, of course, is a masterpiece of Hindu spiritual literature that even great scientists such as Albert Einstein and Robert Oppenheimer have praised eloquently. And in my own native language, Tamil, I have studied the Thirukkural - more couplets of wisdom by another saint-poet, Thiruvalluvar, from south India. Between them, I think the Thirukkural, Bhagavad Geeta, and Kabir ke dohey cover most of India's profound, and yet stunningly simple, philosophical and spiritual "wisdom of the ages".
So, it is perhaps not surprising that the first topic that came to my mind when I thought of writing poetry was one of the most eulogized ideas in Indian literature, and the idea that matters the most in science as well - Truth. In fact, India's national motto is "Satyameva jayate" in Sanskrit from the Mundakopanishad, which translates to "Truth alone triumphs". Hence, my first batch of poems is a quadrilingual series of couplets on truth - in English, Tamil, Hindi, and Sanskrit - the 4 languages that I speak and love (in decreasing order of my proficiency :D). To pay tributes to the great poets/poems that I admire, I adopt the style and meter of the above greats, but infuse them with my own substance and content. Enjoy! :-)
English:
Dogma, dogma everywhere,
And all the minds did shrink;
Dogma, dogma everywhere;
Nor any moment to think.
- My tribute to Samuel Coleridge's The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.
Hindi:
Sat sampatti donon khade,
Kake laagu paai?
Sat bin sampatti kyaa kare,
Sat omkaar bataai|
Interpretation in English:
Truth and money stand before me,
Who gets a bow of mine?
Of what use sans truth is money,
For truth alone is divine.
- My tribute to Kabir's Dohey.
Tamil:
Poipporul eththanai murai ketpinum,
Apporul meiporul aaguvadhedhu?
Interpretation in English:
No matter how often a lie is heard,
How can it ever become the truth?
- My tribute to Thiruvalluvar's Thirukkural.
Sanskrit:
Satyam pashyatu karmaani, Bhayam tyaktvaa manushyaaha|
Sarvalokaanaam yuge yuge, Satyameva sadaa jayate||
Interpretation in English:
Seek the truth in your work, Without any fear whatsoever, O humans.
For across the world through the ages, Truth alone always triumphs.
- My tribute to Sri Krishna's Bhagavad Geeta.
Of course, wherever there is language, there is likely to be poetry. But interestingly, among the various forms of artistic and creative expression, poetry has always had an exalted status in the Indian religions and culture. Most of the important pieces of Hindu literature -- the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Puranas, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the Tripitakas, the Mahayana Sutras, and the Guru Granth Sahib -- are all composed as poetry (I consider songs too as poetry). In contrast, Abrahamic literature, particularly Judaic and Christian, mostly favor prose, although Islamic literature in Arabic and Farsi seem to use an interesting mix of both prose and poetry, often in the same text! India, of course, also has a rich tradition of Islamic poetry, particularly in Urdu, which is another beautiful language that I hope to pick up some day so that I too can write couplets in that language! Of course, till then I will keep enjoying the poetry and songs that Indian movies serve us! :D
Note: I have moved all my poetry from my previous blog to this new blog.
So, it is perhaps not surprising that the first topic that came to my mind when I thought of writing poetry was one of the most eulogized ideas in Indian literature, and the idea that matters the most in science as well - Truth. In fact, India's national motto is "Satyameva jayate" in Sanskrit from the Mundakopanishad, which translates to "Truth alone triumphs". Hence, my first batch of poems is a quadrilingual series of couplets on truth - in English, Tamil, Hindi, and Sanskrit - the 4 languages that I speak and love (in decreasing order of my proficiency :D). To pay tributes to the great poets/poems that I admire, I adopt the style and meter of the above greats, but infuse them with my own substance and content. Enjoy! :-)
English:
Dogma, dogma everywhere,
And all the minds did shrink;
Dogma, dogma everywhere;
Nor any moment to think.
- My tribute to Samuel Coleridge's The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.
Hindi:
Sat sampatti donon khade,
Kake laagu paai?
Sat bin sampatti kyaa kare,
Sat omkaar bataai|
Interpretation in English:
Truth and money stand before me,
Who gets a bow of mine?
Of what use sans truth is money,
For truth alone is divine.
- My tribute to Kabir's Dohey.
Tamil:
Poipporul eththanai murai ketpinum,
Apporul meiporul aaguvadhedhu?
Interpretation in English:
No matter how often a lie is heard,
How can it ever become the truth?
- My tribute to Thiruvalluvar's Thirukkural.
Sanskrit:
Satyam pashyatu karmaani, Bhayam tyaktvaa manushyaaha|
Sarvalokaanaam yuge yuge, Satyameva sadaa jayate||
Interpretation in English:
Seek the truth in your work, Without any fear whatsoever, O humans.
For across the world through the ages, Truth alone always triumphs.
- My tribute to Sri Krishna's Bhagavad Geeta.
Of course, wherever there is language, there is likely to be poetry. But interestingly, among the various forms of artistic and creative expression, poetry has always had an exalted status in the Indian religions and culture. Most of the important pieces of Hindu literature -- the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Puranas, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, the Tripitakas, the Mahayana Sutras, and the Guru Granth Sahib -- are all composed as poetry (I consider songs too as poetry). In contrast, Abrahamic literature, particularly Judaic and Christian, mostly favor prose, although Islamic literature in Arabic and Farsi seem to use an interesting mix of both prose and poetry, often in the same text! India, of course, also has a rich tradition of Islamic poetry, particularly in Urdu, which is another beautiful language that I hope to pick up some day so that I too can write couplets in that language! Of course, till then I will keep enjoying the poetry and songs that Indian movies serve us! :D
Note: I have moved all my poetry from my previous blog to this new blog.
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