Imagine having a treasure chest in your home and not looking at it for years together? That was my state until a few years ago. To think that my mother and grandmother used to read this very often (my grandmother, twice a day actually) makes it even more amusing. Actually, it was iLaiyarAjA who made me listen to this through his album thiruvAsakam. But this stops there. I might have never gotten to the point of reading/listening to this if not for him, and I am grateful for that. But the lyrics were rearranged in that album and after getting to read the entire "thoguppu", it actually feels like sacrilege! Nothing against IR, I am sure his attempt was sincere, but it's not gelling well!
Anyway, back to sivapurANam, the words are explosive. It is very hard to imagine how words can flow unabated like a river at such intensity. It is very obvious these words were not "thought out". It is also hard to imagine how someone in that consciousness could have managed to "pen them down on paper". Infact, legend has it that when mAnickavAsakar was singing these verses in bliss, Lord Shiva himself wrote them down and that is how we have them in written form.
The verses contain the same thing. Praises of the Lord. In one varying form after another. And it makes sense. A person in bliss just sings what he is experiencing. And what multitude forms of expression! And the pithiness is just deceptive. One small verse, he manages to explain the existence itself. For examples, "sOthiyane, thunniruLe, thOnRA perumaiyane..." (Dazzling light, Blinding darkness, the one who was never Created) or "Ekan, anEkan" (the One, who is also many).
There were places where he debases himself so much, that I found this a put-off initially. It is like some one who insults himself to just feel good. I always used to wonder - someone singing praises of the Lord, if genuine, would certainly not insult himself in such a manner. I latter read the interpretation in an elucidation. He was placing himself as part of the common humanity and taking their state as his own. That was a powerfully humbling experience!
It is said that he dissolved into light! His devotion was such - I don't need separate proof, I have the verses. Actually, it is said that, a device for devotion should be such that it should melt the person made like a stone. The one who is subtle can get moved by a flower or a dewdrop. That which melts a stony person is no ordinary device*. And this compilation is one! There is a reason why they say - "He who does not melt for the thiruvAsakam will not melt for anything!"
* - Sadhguru said this in context of the temples of Egypt. It made me want to visit them! :)
Note: A lot of viewers are coming here wanting the lyrics of sivapurANam. It is available here - provided you can read thamizh.
2 comments:
Deepak - I thank IR for the fact that he let me enjoy a moment where I cried listening to it. That too the "Polla vinai" composition. I would not have turned to Thiruvasagam otherwise. After that I read the entire toghuppu and felt bad becasue I wanted to sing with the lyrics and felt that IR has positioned in a way that it suited his work.. either way, IR has made me realize the great words, "Thiruvasagathirkku urugaar, oru vasagathirkkum urugar"...simply great
JK,
Yeah, his sincerity is unquestionable. But the decision to tailor the lyrics to the tune for whatever reason seems to stick out. Originally, I hadn't read the verses. But then, "OMG" is the feeling. If only, if only, the "pollA viNaiyEn" composition had been done top to bottom lyric wise along with the full english translation interspersed, we probably would have a 50 minute audio track. I feel IR could have skipped the other five songs. But this one would have been a historical master piece forever! IR is peerless in translating any emotion/experience into music! Sigh!
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