nI aruLAyO tAyE - bhairavi - ponniah piLLai

[prashant]

Could I request the lyrics and meaning of this swarajati? There is a rendering by Smt. Suguna Varadachari on Sangeethapriya, but the website appears to be down. Thanks very much.

[Lakshman]

Corrections welcome.

nI aruLayO tAyE (sj). rAgA: bhairavi. tALA: Adi. Composer: K.Ponniah Pillai.

P: nI aruLAyO tAye nIlayatAkSiyE
C1: nI tanE nigharillAda mAtA anAdiye nIlun tamizh isaye
pAda padumai sevai tandumE emai aruL paripuraNa ser caraNiyE
nidam unaiye sadam enuvOm aruLuga vishAlAkSiye vinai tavirayO
2: pAriDa mighap-pApa karmam pArpaniDappAl amarun tAye
tarAdalam adanil karAvenum ulaga durAshaiyil uzhala viDAdu aruLuvai
mAridane enakkUrin OrArumE nAriyE nalanuravE
3: nArAyaNi tirumaghaL uDane pAradiyumE padam adu tozhudiDa
sadA inimayAna isai uLam adAkunasai perigiyoDa isai aruLuvAi
pAsam adE shuzha viDAme aruLA IsvariyE unad-aDaikkalamE
ena nI varave paripUraNa bhairavi nAnALum unai tudittanane

[rshankar]

Wow - this is an interesting composition, lyrics-wise. Prashant, here you go - pallavi and the first caraNam.

pallavi
nI aruLAyO tAye nIlayatAkSiyE

Will you (nI) not bless me/shower your grace on me (aruLAyO), Oh mother (tAyE) nIlAyatAkshI?

caraNam 1
nI tanE nigharillAda mAtA anAdiyenil un tamizh isaye
pAda paduma sevai tandumE emai aruL paripuraNa ser caraNiyE
nidam unaiye sadam enuvOm aruLuga vishAlAkSiye vinai tavirayO

You are (nI tAnE) the incomparable (nigar illAda) mother (mAtA)! Please grant us (tandumE) the gift of offering (sEvai) tamizh iSai, that is limitless (anAdi - without beginning or end) at your (un) lotus-like feet (pAda-paduma), and bless (aruL) us (emai), Oh complete one (paripUrNa) with beautiful (Ser) feet (caraNiyE). Oh viSAlAkshI, please prevent (tavirAyO) misfortunes (vinai) before they strike us, and bless us (aruLuga) so that we utter (enuvOm) your name, and only yours (uniayE) every day (nidam), in perpetuity (sadam).

Rest will follow.
EDITED with Rajani's suggestions.

[Rajani]

Ravi , I think the adjective for tamizh-isai may be "an-Adi" - that which has no beginning (and no end)

[rshankar]

The language here is very tough! So some of my translations are contextual. Input from anyone who understands this better is welcomed!

OK, here goes again, after enormous help from Lji, some further corrections to the lyrics and meaning:

caraNam 1
nI tanE nigarillAda mAtA anAdiyE nILun tamizh iSayE
pAda paduma sevai tandumE emai aruL paripuranSEr caraNiyE
nidam unaiye sadam enuvOm aruLuga vishAlAkSiye vinai tavirayO....(nI aruLAyO)

You are (nI tAnE) the incomparable (nigar illAda) mother (mAtA)! May tamizh iSai, your (un) gift to us, flourish and grow unendingly (with out beginning or end - anAdiyE)! Please bless (aruL) us (emai) by giving (tandumE) us the opportunity to serve (sEvai) at your lotus-like feet (pAda-paduma), Oh dEvi who is the path (caraNiyE) to unite (SEr) with the supreme Lord (paripuran)! Oh viSAlAkshI, please prevent (tavirAyO) misfortunes (vinai) before they strike us, and bless us (aruLuga) so that we utter (enuvOm) your name, and only yours (uniayE) every day (nidam), in perpetuity (sadam).


caraNam 2
pAriDam miga pApa karumam pA paran iDapAl amarum tAyE
dhArAtalam tanil karAvenum ulaga durASaiyil uzhala viDAdu aruLvAi
mAri tAnE yenA kOrinOrkkumE nAriyE nalanuravE....(nI aruLAyO)

Oh mother (tAyE) who sits (amarum) on the left (iDapAl) of Siva (paran)! You are the protection (pA) against the most (miga) sinful (pApa) of deeds (karumam) in this world (pAriDam). Please bless me (aruLvAi), and do not allow me (viDAdu) to get caught up in inappropriate worldy (ulaga) desires (durASaiyil) that entrap (karAvenum) us upon (tanil) the surface (talam) of this earth (dharA), and whirl about (uzhala) aimlessly. Instead (mAri), why don't you, of your own accord (tAnE yena), (bless us) so that those that seek (kOrinOrkkumE) you will experience (uravE) good things (nalan), Oh pArvatI (nAriyE)?


caraNam 3 will follow...

[prashant]

Thanks for all the effort Ravi and Lji. This composition is a difficult one musically too... your translation will be of great help in learning it up.

[ranjanimalavi]

Its swarajathi avaiable in sangeethapriya.
I used to keep listening it again and again.
I started listening to it again after reading this post.
haunting song

[rshankar]

Here is the last caraNam, Prashant - my sincere apologies for the delay. I am glad that I downloaded this svarajati from sangeethapriya a couple of weeks ago - the site seems to be down now. I have corrected the lyrics posted by Lji based on the version rendered by Smt. Suguna Varadachari.

caraNam 3
nArAyaNi tirumagaLuDanE bhAratiyumE padam adu tozhudiDa
sadA inimaiyAna iSai uLamadAga naSai perugi ODa iSai aruLvAi
pASamadE SUzha viDAmE aruLvAi ISvariyE unad(u)aDaikkalamE
ena nI varavE paripUraNi bhairavI nAn nALum unai tudittananE

As sarasvati (bhArati) along with (uDanE) lakshmI (nArAyaNi tirumagaL) pay homage/obeisance (tozhudiDa) at your feet (padam adu), Oh dEvi, bless me/endow me (aruLvAi) with the ability to create sweet and delighful (inimaiyAna) music (iSai) at all times (sadA) - the type of music (iSai) that will cause love and affection (naSaI) to fill your heart (uLamadAga) and flow over (perugi ODa) to us [1]! Oh consort of Siva (ISvariyE), please bless me (aruLvAi) by preventing/not permitting (viDAmE) the bonds of worldly ties (pASamadE) to ensnare (sUzha) me. You (nI) should come (varavE) to me, Oh dEvi, the complete one (paripUraNi), the consort of the formidable SIva (bhairavI), because (ena), not only have I sought your (unadu) refuge (aDaikkalamE), but I (nAn) am also the one who has been singing your praises/chanting your name (tudittananE) continually/daily (nALum).

[1] Can also mean - the type of music that will cause our hearts to overflow with love and affection.