By N.V.Subbaraman from Chennai
Mahakavi Bharathiyar, great patriot and national Poet with his sterling songs in Tamil, roused the peoples conscience towards, Motherland, its freedom, Mother Tongue, its greatness, Woman’s lib, its need and sanctity, social evils, need to eradicate and so on during the short span of 39 years of his life (11-12-1882 to 11 -9 -1921).
He was proud of his Motherland-India that is Bharath- its hoary culture and civilization, achievements of the ancient land and sang in praise that made everyone take pride and serve the nation.
He is equally conscious of the essential needs of the human beings physically, mentally, intellectually, spiritually and so on. He is nonetheless a fierce critic of superstitious beliefs, illogical and irrational thoughts.
Here is a beautiful poem praising the Lord Almighty creator of the world as if God himself declares under the title “I” in his original Tamil, its transliteration and translation into English and a comment.
Original in Tamil
நான்
வானில் பறக்கின்ற புள்ளெலாம் நான்
மண்ணில் திரியும் விலங்கெலாம் நான்
கானிழல் வளரும் மரம்ர்லாம் நான்
காற்றும் புனலும் கடலுமே நான். (1)
விண்ணில் தெரிகின்ற மீனெலாம் நான்
வெட்ட வெளியின் விரிவெலாம் நான்
மண்ணில் கிடக்கும் புழுவெலாம் நான்
வாரியிலுள்ள உயிரெல்லாம் நான். (2)
கம்பனிசைத்த கவியெலாம் நான்
காருகர் தீட்டுன் உருவெலாம் நான்
இம்பர் வியக்கின்ற மாடகூடம்
எழில்நகர் கோபுரம் யாவுமே நான். (3)
இன்னிசை மாத ரிசையுளேன் நான்
இன்பத்தி திரள்கள் அனைத்துமே நான்
புன்னிலை மாந்தர்தம் பொய்யெலாம் நான்
பொறையருந் துன்பப் புணர்ப்ப்ர்லாம் நான். (4)
மந்திரங் கோடி இயக்குவோன் நான்
இயங்கு பொருளின் இயல்பெல்லாம் நான்
தந்திரங் கோடி சமைத்துளோன் நான்
சாத்திர வேதங்கள் சாற்றினோன் நான் (5)
அண்டங்கள் யாவையும் ஆக்கினோன் நான்
அவை பிழையாமல் சுழற்றுவோன் நான்;
கண்டநற் சக்திக் கணமெலாம் நான்
காரண மாகிக் கதித்துளோன் நான் (6)
நானெனும் பொய்யை நடத்துவோன் நான்
ஞானச் சுடர்வானில் செல்லுவோன் நான்
ஆனபொருள்கள் அனைத்திலும் ஒன்றாய்
அறிவாய் விளங்குமுதற் சோதிநான். (7)
~*~
TRANSLITERATION
Vaanil parakkinra puLLelaam naan
MaNNil thiriyum vilangelaam naan
Kaanizhal vaLarum maramelaam naan
Katrum punalum kadalumae naan. (1)
ViNNil therikinra meenelaam naan
Vetta veLiyin virivelaam naan
MaNNil kidakkum puzhuvelaam naan
VaariyiluLLa uyirelaam naan. (2)
Kambanisaiththa kaviyelaam naan
Kaarugar theettum uruvelaam naan
Imbar viyakkinra maada koodam
Ezhilnagar goapuram yaavumae naan. (3)
Innisai maadha risaiyuLaen naan
Inbath thiraLgaL anaiththumae naan
Punnilai maandhartham poyyelaam naan
Poraiyarun thunbap puNarpelaam naan. (4)
Mandhirang koadi iyakkuvoan naan
Iyangu poruLin iyalbelaam naan
Thandhirang koadi samaiththuLoan naan.
Saaththira vaedhangaL saatrinaen naan. (5)
ANdangaL yaavaiyum aakkinoan naan
Avai pirazhaamal suzhatruvoan naan
KaNdanar sakthik kaNamelaam naan
KaasaNa maagik kadhiththuLoan naan. (6)
Naanenum poyyai nadaththuvoan naan
Njanach chudarvaanil selluvoan naan
Aana poruLgaLil anaiththilum onraay
Arivaay viLangumudhar joadhi naan. (7)
~*~
TRANSLATION
“I”
The birds that are flying in the sky are “I’
The animals that are roaming on the earth are “I”
The trees that are growing in the ground are “I”
The wind, rivers and seas are “I”. (1)
The stars that are seen on the sky are “I”
The vastness in the plain sky is “I”
The worms that are lying on the earth are “I”
The living beings in the tanks and lakes are “I”. (2)
The songs written by Kamban are “I”
The paintings that are made by the artists are “I”
The great palaces to the surprise of those in Heaven are “I”
All the beautiful towers are all “I”. (3)
In the melodious music of women there am “I”
All the pleasant accumulations are “I”
The lies that are uttered by the mean women are “I”
Problems arising out of burdens are “I”. (4)
Directing innumerable dictums is “I”
Nature of all movable materials is “I”
Strategies in thousands designer are “I”
Shastras and Vedas declarant am “I”. (5)
Creator of the worlds several is “I”
The one makes them rotate sans flaws is “I”
The powerful moments seen are “I”
The cause of all things monitored is “I”. (6)
The illusion of “I” designer is “I”
Moving in the high sky of knowledge is “I”
In all the things created on this earth
The light of knowledge seen is “I”. (7)
Comment:
The whole sum and substance of the entire twenty eight lines in this poem, beautifully crafted by Mahakavi Bharathiyar here is that God indeed is the great Creator, Protector and Destroyer and is that Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent Almighty!
Herein Mahakavi Bharathi defines who the Almighty is!
God may not like to be egoistic!
But it’s a strategy on the part of the poet to drive home the all-important fact that the Almighty is everything in this whole of Universe!
Wherever one turns to finds His presence!
Whatever knowledge is there in this world is that of the Almighty,and none else can claim over it!
Whatever power is there that exists is that of the Almighty!
A nice translation from you that spells out the details clearly!