namaste everyone.

In this thread I shall post my English rendition of some popular devotional
songs. I would request members to give me feedback/comments on the
pieces posted.

kuRai onRum illai

Chakravarti RajagopAlAcharyAr, popularly called Rajaji, the author of this lyric, was a
perfect example of a 'gRuhasta' shining as a 'jnAni'.

This song is unique in many respects which include:

• Rajaji was not a regular composer of lyrics or known as a musician, only as a statesman
and a sage; yet this song became a masterpiece and will be sung for ever in the Hindu
world.

• The Tamil word kuRai has several overtones of meaning. Here the word is used to mean
that the devotee has no wants to ask for, finds no blemishes in the Lord's creation, or
has no grievances at not being able to see the Lord as the JnAnis do.

• Usually, a devotee prays to the Lord to get things done for him/her. Here, the devotee
realizes that God is always there to grant him his/her wishes, so requires nothing.

• The names Krishna (KaNNA in Tamil), Kesava, Venkatesa, Govinda are used interchangeably
for the one and the same God.

• This song was sung by MS Subbulakshmi at her United Nations concert in 1969 arranged by
the then UN Undersecretary-general C.V.Narasimhan. The song was set to music by
Kadayanallur Venkataraman who has worked with MS for decades. It is now a highly popular
song in the concert circuit. Almost every musician keeps it in his/her repertoire to be
rendered either as a regular item towards the end or to be rendered at the request of the
audience.

I have with all humiliation, attempted an English versified translation of the lyric,
which can be sung in the same tune as the original composition in Tamil. I have presented
the English transliteration and my translation in stanzas one after another, with the
corresponding pauses marked with a vertical bar (|). I have retained the Tamil form of the
Lord's 'nAmAvaLi' to have the same devotional fervor.

The best way to try the English translation is to sing along with the original Tamil song,
an mp3 file of which can be downloaded at:
http://www.ecse.rpi.edu/Homepages/shivk ... originals/

English Transliteration (Baraha scheme)
rAgaA: rAgamAlikA
tAlam: Adi
Lyrics: Chakravarti RajagopalAcharyAr
Artiste: M.S.Subbulakshmi
Music: Kadayanallur Venkataraman

rAgA: shivaranjani
pallavi:
kuRai onRum illai | maRaimUrtti kaNNA,
kuRai onRum illai kaNNA | AAA,
kuRai onRum illai | gOvi~ndA!

No blemishes are there, | MaRaimUrtti KaNNA,
No regrets for me KaNNA | Ah Ah Ah,
No grievance for me | GOvindA!

anupallavi:
kaNNukkut teriyAmal | ~niRkinRAy | kaNNA,
kaNNukkut teriyAmal | ~ninRAlum | enakku,
kuRai onRum illai | maRaimUrtti kaNNA!

Invisible to the eyes | standing there | KaNNA,
Invisible to the eyes | though you be | for me,
No grievance is there | MaRaimUrtti KaNNA!

charaNam 1:
vENDiyadait ta~ndiDa | vE~gkaTEsan enRirukka,
vENDiyadE vERillai | maRaimUrtti kaNNA,
maNivaNNA malaiyappA | gOvi~ndA gOvi~ndA!

To grant all that's prayed for | as Venkatesan you are there,
None else is needed | MaRaimUrtti KaNNA
MaNivaNNA MalaiyappA | GOvindA GOvindA!

rAgA: kApi
charaNam 2:
tiraiyin pin | ~niRkinRAy | kaNNA,
kaNNA | tiraiyin pin | ~niRkinRAy | kaNNA--unnai
maRai Odum | ~jAniyar maTTumE | <b>kANbAr</b>,
tiraiyin pin | ~niRkinRAy | kaNNA--unnai
maRai Odum | ~jAniyar maTTumE | kANbAr,
enRAlum kuRai onRum | enakkillai | kaNNA,
enRAlum kuRai onRum | enakkillai | kaNNA!

Veiled in you | stand there | KaNNA
KaNNA | veiled in you | stand there | KaNNA--only
Veda-chanting | JnAnIs will always | see you,
Veiled in you | stand there | KaNNA--only
Veda-chanting | JnAnis will ever | see you,
Even so grievances | not for me | KaNNA,
Even so grievances | not for me | KaNNA!

charaNam 3:
kunRin mEl | kallAgi | ~niRkinRa varadA
kunRin mEl | kallAgi | ~niRkinRa varadA
kuRai onRum illai | maRaimUrtti kaNNA
kuRai onRum illai | maRaimUrtti kaNNA
maNivaNNA malaiyappA | gOvi~ndA gOvi~ndA

On the rock | as a stone | standing there VaradA
On the rock | as a stone | standing there VaradA
No grievance for me | MaRaimUrtti KaNNA
No grievance for me | MaRaimUrtti KaNNA
MaNivaNNA MalaiyappA | GOvindA GOvindA!

rAgA: sindhubhairavi
Charanam 4:
kali~nALukkira~ggi | kallilE iRa~ggi
~nilaiyAgak kOyilil | ~niRkinRAy kEsavA
kali~nALukkira~ggi | kallilE iRa~ggi
~nilaiyAgak kOyilil | ~niRkinRAy kEsavA
kuRai onRum illai | maRaimUrtti kaNNA

Sympathizing Kali Days | on a stone descending
Fixed up in temples, | and standing there KesavA
Sympathizing Kali Days | on a stone descending
Fixed up in temples, | and standing there KesavA
No grievance for me | MaRaimUrtti KaNNA

Charanam 5:
yAdum | maRukkAda | malaiyappA
yAdum | maRukkAda | malaiyappA--un mArbil
Edum tara ~niRkum | karuNaikaDalannai
enRum iru~ndiDa | Edu kuRai enakkE
enRum iru~ndiDa | Edu kuRai enakkE
onRum kuRai illai | maRaimUrtti kaNNA
onRum kuRai illai | maRaimUrtti kaNNA
maNivaNNA malaiyappA | gOvi~ndA gOvi~ndA
gOvi~ndA gOvi~ndA gOvi~ndA gOvi~ndA!

Nothing | you'd say no to, | MalaiyappA
Nothing | you'd say no to, | MalaiyappA--On your chest,
there to grant anything, | that Mother of compassion,
When she's ever there, | what shortfalls for me,
When she's ever there, | what shortfalls for me,
No grievance for me | MaRaimUrtti KaNNA
No grievance for me | MaRaimUrtti KaNNA
MaNivaNNA MalaiyappA | GOvindA GOvindA!
GOvindA GOvindA GOvindA GOvindA!

**********

From the film 'KarNan'

Directed by the veteran B.R.Panthulu, this movie portrays the life of KarNa(n), the unknown eldest brother of the PANDavas and the son of SUrya, the Sun God and Kunti, and an unforgettable character of the MahAbhArata. Shivaji GaNesan played the role of KarNa(n). The film has most melodious lyrics composed by KaNNadAsan and set to tune based on the classical Hindustani and Karnatic ragas by the inimitable music director duo Viswanathan-Ramamurthy.

Here is a link for the song where the poet extols KarNa(n)'s virtue of dAna-dharma (generosity). The song sung by SIrkazhi GovindarAjan, P.B.SrInivas and chorus is based on the Hindolam raga (its Hindustant equivalent is the Malkhauns raga), and starts with the phrase 'Mazhai Kodukkum'.

http://www.hummaa.com/songlistings.php? ... hidambaram

The song speaks of KarNa(n)'s generosity as superior to that of the rain which gives for only two months in a year; that of the paddy field that gives for only three months in a year; that of the cow that gives for only four months.

Womens' eyes turned red with shyness; poets' legs turned red by wandering all over the lands (seeking alms from the kings); jnAnis' (the wisemen) hearts turned red in search of the truth; and by giving, every day, the great king KarNa(n)'s holy hands blushed!

While other kings take an article and give it away, KarNa(n) shows a plateful of them for the receiver to take. His left hand does not know what his right gives away. Even before the receiver starts wondering what the king will give him, KarNa(n) would give him the gold and riches; and if they were not enough, the great king, the dayA-nidhi (treasure of compassion), would even give his life.

After this narration follows a hymn sung by the king along with his men to the Sun God that winds up the song. Poet KaNNadAsan has written this hymn in simple words with Upanashadic connotations.

Here is the transliteration of the song using the Baraha software
scheme which is similar to the ITRANS Sanskrit transliteration scheme:

Ayiram | kara~ggaL | nITTi
aNaikkinxrxa tAye | porxrxi!

aruLpO~ggum | mukattaik | kATTi
iruL nIkkam | tantAy | porxrxi!

tAyinxum parintu cAla | cakalarai aNaippAy | porxrxi!
tazhaikkum Or uyirkaTkEllAm, | tuNaikkaram kODuppAy | porxrxi!

tUyavar | idayam polat | tula~ggiDum | OLiye | porxrxi!
dUratte nEruppai vaitthu | sArattait taruvAy | porxrxi!

~jAyirxe | nalame vAzhga | nAyakanx vaDive | porxrxi!
nAnxilam | uLanAL maTTum | porxrxuvom | porxrxi porxrxi!

Here is an English version that I have made up to nearly match
the tune of the original Tamil song:

A thousand hands | stretching | forward
you embrace us Mother | (we) adore you!

Grace-welling | face you | show us
and darkness | all remove | we adore you!

More than a mother, compassionate, | you caress us all, | we adore you!
For life that sprouts you give, | your helping hands, | we adore you!

Like the heart | of the Pure and Noble, | you shine | O Light |
we adore you!
Distance you keep your fire at, | its essence you give us, | we adore you!

O Sun God, | live in welfare, | the form of Almighty | we adore you!
As long as | this world goes on, | we'll adore you | and adore you!