Poetry

Mahakavi Bharathiyar “Sidhdhantha Sami Temple”

By Mr. N V Subbaraman from Chennai

Here is a religio-philosophic beautiful poem by Mahakavi Subhramaniya Bharathiyar, one of the greatest national, patriotic poets from Tamilnadu , who lived in the early part of twentieth century. This poem talks about the TEMPLE OF A SIDHDHNTHA SAMI”- Sidhdhantha Sami is a renounced person, a mendicant, a mentor, preacher, practitioner of noble values and policies..

Original poem in Tamil:

சித்தாந்தச் சாமி திருக்கோயில் வாயிலில்

                தீப வொளி யுண்டாம் – பெண்ணே

முத்தாந்த வீதி முழுதையுங் காட்டி

                மூண்டதிருச் சுடராம்; – பெண்ணே!       (1)

உள்ளத் தழுக்கும் உடலிற் குறைகளும்

     ஒட்டவருஞ் சுடராம்; – பெண்ணே

கள்ளத் தனங்கள் அனைத்தும் வெளிப்படக்

     காட்டவருஞ் சுடராம்; – பெண்ணே!      (2)

தோன்று முயிர்கள் அனைத்தும்நன் றென்பது

     தோற்ற முறுஞ் சுடராம்; – பெண்ணே

மூன்று வகைப்படும் காலநன் றென்பதை

     முன்ன மிடுஞ் சுடராம்; – பெண்ணே!         (3)

பட்டினந் தன்னிலும் பார்க்கநன் றென்பதைப்

     பார்க்க வொளிச்சுடராம்; பெண்ணே

கட்டு மனையிலுங் கோயில்நன் றென்பதைக்

     காண ஒளிற் சுடராம்; – பெண்ணே!           (4)

 

TRANSLITERATION

Sidhdhaantha saami  thirukkoyil vaayilil

          Dheepa voLi yuNdaam – peNNae

Muththaandha veedhi muzhudhaiyung kaattida

          MooNdathiruch chudaraam; – peNNae!          (1)

ULLath thazhukkum udaliR kuRaikaLum

          Ottavarunj chudaraam; – peNNae

KaLLath thanangaL anaiththum veLippadak

          Kaattavarunj chudaraam; –  peNNae!              (2)

Thoanru muyirgaL anaiththumnan renbadhu

          Thoatranurunj chudaraam; – peNNae

Moonru vagaippadum kaalanan renbadhai

          Munna ridunj chudaraam;- peNNae!               (3)

Pattinan dhannilum paarkkanan Renbadhai

          Paarkka veLichchudaraam; – peNNae

Kattu manaiyilung koayilnan Renbadhaik

          KaaNa voLich chudaraam; – peNNae !             (4)

TRANSLATION

In the foreyard of the Divine temple

Of Sidhdhantha Swamy, blazes, Oh! Woman,

The luster of lamp and these rays divine

Shows whole all the street of heavenly homes.     (1)

Blaze forth these bright rays to chase away

Soul’s dirt and body’s blemishes, of woman;

The rays are there to expose, oh, woman

Furtive thoughts deep encased in soul inner!    (2)

Bright burn the rays to make it known, oh woman

That all embodied lives are good for sure

The luster of rays reveals, oh, woman, pure!

That time threefold is good, forever good!     (3)

The revealing rays do declare, oh, woman

That village is much better than city

And the temple to be for greater than

The building far more dwelling, oh, woman!   (4)

 

 

4 Comments

  1. Padmini Janardhanan

    God be with you in your yoman srecice. I, although an ardent Bharathi fan, had not read this refreshing poem with its typical Bharati swaying rythm. Thanks for brining it to us.

    Translation is very nice and apt.

    One typo error – I think

    In the last line of first stanza it perhaps should read as ‘oh woman’ and not ‘of woman’

    “Blaze forth……….. blemishes, oh woman”

  2. yet another great work, sir. May the almighty bless you with all health to pursue your work.

  3. O K R Sivagnanam

    The efficacy of Divine Rays beautifully revealed by the Mahakavi!
    The RAYS are so powerful that we cannot escape from their focused view!
    We may think no power on earth could find what’s inside of us, dirty feelings included!
    We are wrong, the Divine Rays pinpoint them and exhort us to correct ourselves, lest to face the consequences!

    Your translation as usual renders justice to the content of the poem!

  4. Thanks Madam Padmini, Shri CK and OKRS for your kind response.