Poetry

Obeisance to the Goddess of Knowledge

By N.V. Subbaraman

In continuation of my article on Bharathiyar in the 26thh February issue of INDIAN PERIODICAL, we are going to have Part 4 dealing with Bharathiyar’s obeisance to the Goddess of Learning and knowledge –SARASWATHI. Mahakavi Bharathiyar has sung in praise of GODDESS SARASWATHI in many heads… Two of his songs in original and my translation in English are given in this week’s Indian Periodical issue.

Translated Version in English

In every door face of an art

In every street a couple of schools

In every station of the nation

Many many schools with passion

In a place sans education

Burn it down and destroy sure!

Remove the evils, my Mother pure

Shown us the path to prosper!

Dwells the Mother of knowledge and power

On the pretty petals of lovely lotus!

Original in Tamil.

வீடு தோறும் கலையின் விளக்கம்

வீதி தோறும் இரண்டொரு பள்ளி,

நாடு முற்றிலும் உள்ளன வூர்கள்

நகர்க ளெங்கும் பலபல பள்ளி;

தேடு கல்வியி லாததொரூரைத்

தீயி னுக்கிரை யாக மடுத்தல்

கேடு தீர்க்கும், அமுதமென் அன்னை

 கேண்மை கொள்ள வழியிவை கண்டீர்!

Pronunciation:

Veedu thoarum  kalaiyin viLakkam

                Veedhi thoarum iraNdorupaLLi

Naadu mutrilum uLLana oorgaL

                Nagarka Lengum pala pala paLLi

Thaedu kalvi yilaadho dhooraith

                Theeyinukkirai yaaga maduththal

Kaedu theerkkum amudhamen annai

                KaeNmai kola vazhiyivai kaNdeer.

Translated version in English

Nations small and big around

China, Japan Greece and Persia

Turkey and countries beyond the seas

The Goddess of knowledge and power to bless!

May Her grace spread beyond the shores

And knowledge spread all over the world!

Dwells the Mother of knowledge and power

On the pretty petals of lovely lotus!

Original in Tamil

ஊணர் தேசம் யவனர்தந் தேசம்

உதய ஞாயிற் றொளிபெறு நாடு

சேண கன்றதோர் சிற்றடிச் சீனம்

செல்வப் பார சிகப்பழந் தேசம்

தோண லத்த துருக்கம் மிசிரம்

சூழ்க டற்கப் புறத்தினில் இன்னும்

காணும் பற்பல நாட்டிடை யெல்லாம்

கல்வித் தேவியின் ஒளிமிகுந் தோங்க!

Pronunciation

OoNar dhaesam yavanar dhaesam

     Udhaya ngaayit roLiperu naadu;

SaeNakat radhoar sitradich cheenam

     Selvap paara sigappazhan daesam

ThoaNal laththa thurukkam misiram

     KaaNum parpala naattidai yellaam

Kalvith dhaeviyin oLimigun dhoanga!

About the Author: Mr. N V Subbaraman from Tamilnadu is a bilingual poet, a Versatile Blogger, writer, scholar, trainer and communicator with thirty seven books to his credit including 16 translated works in prose and verse

2 Comments

  1. O K R Sivagnanam

    It’s Bharathiyar’s vision that no village should be there without a school to offer education to its inhabitants!
    It’s where, he opines that arts in various forms flourish surely!
    Education is the key to eradicate whatever evils that the society may be afflicted with, and it’s the right tool to show the righteous path for prosperity to all!

    Being a Universalist, Bharathiyar wishes other countries too are blessed with the right education by the Goddess of Learning, for the even spread of knowledge throughout the world!

  2. Thanks Sivagnanam for your kind appreciation.