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APRIL 5, 1872.]
1'AMIL POPULAR POETRY.
101
Movarálum ariyonata
Muttolir pagapporul, KAvalaks ummule
Kalant' iruppat' unmeiyê.
Indra madu tan kaluttil
Ita pottanangal pôl, Mândru nálu sileiyei
Mudint' avilkum mudarkål, Mandru 18gamum kadantu
Mutti nindra Sathiyei Undri, Andri, nir mudinta
Unmei yenna unmeiyê ? V&damittu mani kilukki,
Mikka tubam itume, Tedi veitta sembellam
Tiralpadapparappiyê ; Adu kondru, pangu veittu,
Arattru maru pôlave, Pôdu putpum, ita pujei,
Pujei yenna pujeiye ? Tantirangal ettinei!
Davangal seyta nirkinum, Mantirattei Adaruttu,
Mandapangal tedinum, Antirattil nindra Joti
Y&varum arintilar, Sin teiyil ttelin ttidil
Siva patangal sêralam Pavum nirum yen manum ;
Poruntu kðvil yen ulum ; Avi pida lingamây
Akandatengum anaté ; Mêvukindra eivarum
Vilangu tiba tibamay, Adukindra kuttanukkôr
Andi sandi illeiyê.
He who createth all things
Preserveth, layeth low, The Indivisible Substance,
Whom the Triad cannot know, Himself to thy hearts safe keeping
He truly can bestow. When cows have calved, with bundles
Their throats ye idly deck; Thus, fools, your oft-wrapt lingas
Ye carry round your neck. Intent, heart-fixed, thus can ye
Enkerchief, and sustain The Light whom earth and heaven
And hell cannot contain! Your garb, your bells' quick tinkle,
Your incense floating far, Your copper gods, that by you
Array'd in order areAs men arrange in markets
Mutton in lumps, and bawl IThe flowers ye cast, this worship
What is it after all ?t How many your devices !
Although ye mortify Your bodies, go through mantras,
To temple-choultries hie, Ye will not know the Splendour
Who hath in space his seat; They with minds cleared can only
Reach the true S'iva's foet. My thoughts are flowers and ashes,
In my breast's fane enshrined, My breath too is therein it
A linga unconfined : My senses, too, like incense
Rise, and like bright lamps shine, There too my soul leaps ever
A dancing-god divine If Clearing a place, an altar
Ye raise upon the site, And heaping ashes on it
Perform ye many a rite: Austerities perform ye;
But tell me this I pray,The god whom ye thus limit,
Where dawns his wisdom's ray? How localized this wisdom ?
Know this—then homage pay. This, in my opinion, is one of the finest stanzas penned by Sivavakkiyar. The drift of it is this You popular Hindus, you have your temples, you have your flowers and Mcred when you have your phallus, or emblem of divine creative power, you have also your incense and lampa, and you have your divine dancer, S'iva- I too have my flowers and ashes, but they are of the mind! I too have my linge, but it is my breath or spirit! I too have my incense and lampe, but they are my five senses! And I too have my deity leaping in divine sport within me, but that is my soul. In a word, mine is the true spiritual wonibip!
Idangal panni sutti seyta
Itta pida mitile Adanga nirum puje seytu
Arun davangal pannuvir Odungukindra näthanår
Utikkum Gnanam evidam ? Adangukindra t'evitam ?
Arintu pujei seyyumê.
• I know of as such custom, but content myself with translating the Tamil word pottanum literally. I am inclined to think the word charms is meant. Conch-shells are froquently tied round the necks of bullocks as charms to ward off the effects of the evil-eye, one of which supposed effects is to decrease the flow of milk. I have made enquiries of shepherds, and find three kinds of charms are in use, viz. - shells, pieces of leather perforated in the middle, and pieces of cocon-nut shell, but of any "bundles" thus wed, I could obtain no information.
1 This stanza will be noted as one which describe the worship of gods in some ordinary little village temple briedly yet very felicitously.
