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SEPTEMBER, 1926
TWO TAMIL HYMNS FOR THE MARGAZHI FESTIVAL
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TWO TAMIL HYMNS FOR THE MARGAZHI FESTIVAL. TRANSLATED BY A. BUTTERWORTH AND PROFESSOR S. KRISHNASWAMI AIYANGAR,
THE two Tamil hymns which appear below have not, I believe, been previously translated into English prose, though a loose, metrical paraphrase of the first appeared in the Virishtadvaitin, edited by A. Govindacharya, in 1906, and Dr. G. U. Pope's T'iruvdsagam contains a good and close poetical version of the second. The hymns bear the titles Tiruppavai and Tiruembdvai respectively, and were written for the purposes of a ceremony performed by young women in the month Margazhi (December-January).
The first hymn is the work of the poetess Kodai, better known by her religious name Anda!, and may be assigned to about the eighth century. It is a curious medley of the devotional and familiar styles, and is raised out of the ranks of the commonplace by some natural touches, such as are only too scarce in Indian literature. Each verse ends with an invocation of Sri as 'the Lady,' coupled with the words el or which may be taken to be a mere refrain, although some attach a meaning to them. The hymn is supposed to be sung by a bevy of girls living in a village belonging to the caste of cowherds.
The first verse may be regarded as addressed to the Gopis of Krishna or to the girls of the village, and in it the singers profess confidence that they will obtain Salvation. .
Verses 2, 3 and 5 give the nature of the ceremony and its consequences. Verse 4 is an interjected prayer for rain addressed to Kannan, an elemental God. Verses 6 to 15 show the band of girls, bathed and ready for the ceremony, going round at dawn from house to house waking up other girls who have overslept themselves. In verse 16 the party reach
he temple, which is regarded as inhabited by Krishna and his divine and semi-divine associates, and verses 16 to 23 are occupied with requests that the temple door may be opened and that Krishna will awake and appear. Verses 24 to 29 are addressed to Vishnu in his various forms, and the last formal verse contains the name of the author of the poem.
The second of the two hymns is the work of the not inconsiderable poet Mâņikka Vâsagar, who may be assigned to the ninth century or thereabouts. It deals with the same ceremony, but from the point of view of a Saiva. The band of girls is presented singing in front of the tomple. In the first eight verses they implore the spouse, or female counterpart, of Siva to open the temple door and the God to awake. The professional devotees of Siva are also asked to show favour to the suppliants. Verse 9 describes the sort of husbands the girls want. Verse 10 is in part addressed to the dancing-girls attached to the temple. Verses 11 to 14 are descriptive of the bathing in the sacred tank. Verse 15 contains a reference to an ancient female devotee of Siva, known as the Mother of Karaikal,' whose legend is given in Dr. Pope's Tiruvasagam. Verse 16 consists of a prayer for rain and a comparison between the appearance of the goddess and the accompaniments of the monsoon storms. Verses 17 and 18 are eulogistic of the God. Verse 19 is a prayer for pious hearts and husbands. Verse 20 is the final cry of adoration. The poem is somewhat obscure in parts.-A.B.
Hymn (1). 1. In the month of Margali, on the auspicious day of the full moon,
Oye the bejewelled ones, come those of you who wish it, let us go and bathe. Oye, the dear young maidens of the prosperous herdsman's village,
He, the son of Nandagopan who doth stern deeds with his lance,
There is no direct evidence in the works of Andal for her date. It depends upon that of Poriyalvar. The historical reference to a Pandya Tér-Maran Vallabhadova will have to settle it. "
3 Attention is invited to a supplomentary note of mine at the end. The following notes are intinded to elucidate points about which some ambiguity is possible-ED.
3 The expression madiniynainda nannāl-literally, the good day when the moon is full. 4 The second word in the lino means-those who wish to go and bathe; the last term is vocative. 6 The sharp spear is that of the father Nanda, and not of the son Krishna.
