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TAMIL POPULAR POETRY.
April 5, 1872.]
translations from the poems of two Tamil popular poets, Siva vAKRIYAR and PATTANATTU PILLAI.
desire the reader to lay any stress whatever upon this. But I would draw attention to the
I have shown these translations to several Tamil scholars. One of the most eminent of
fact that, in parallel columns with the stanzas of my translation, I have placed the Romanized form
such scholars in this Presidency has assured me that, in his estimation, my translation is almost absolutely accurate, although I have written in rhyme. I do not however
of the Tamil text from which I translate.
SIWAVAKKIYAM.
Pandu nãn parit' erinta Pan malargal ettinei ; Pålilé jebittu vitta Mantirangal ettinei :
Thus
if my translation be in any particular unfaithful, the scholarly reader will be able at once to detect the flaws. THE SHEPHERD OF THE WORLDS.
A Detached Piece from the Poems of Sivavakkiyar.” How many various flowers Did I, in bye-gone hours, Cull for the god, and in his honour strew ; In vain how many a prayer I breathed into the air,
Tendanāy vilunt’ urundu Konda kålam ettinei ;
And made, with many forms obeisance due. Beating my breast, aloud
Tër ilukka, vår aleitu,
How oft I called the crowd
Mār adittat' ettinei:
Mindanäyterinta pétu Ireita nirgal ettinei ; Milavum Sivālayangal Sūlntu vantat' ettinei :
To drag the village car; how oft I stray'd In manhood's prime to lave Sunwards the flowing wave, And circling Saiva fanes, my homage paid. But they, the truly wise, Who know and realize
Andarkön iruppidam Arint’ unarntagnanigal, Kanda kövil děvam endru Kei yeduppat’illeiyê.
I would draw the special attention of the reader to these verses. The musical flow of them and their sonorous Homeric conclusion
cannot be caught in any translation. The beauty of the thoughts they contain, however, must
shine through any language. That there may be no misapprehension I shall now give the ex act verbal translation of the original.—
“How many various kinds of flowers did I of yore
[will ne'er
Where dwells the SHEPHERD of THE WoRLDs,
To any visible shrine, As if it were divine, Deign to raise hands of worship or of prayer. How often, with obeisance, falling, rolling round I assumed the manifestation (of a devotee). How often have I, beating my breast, called the village to drag the car. How often, at prime of life, whilst in my wan derings, have I upraised water. How often have I kept encircling Saiva temples. The wise who have known and inwardly realized the dwelling place of the Shepherd of the Worlds. To visible temples, as if they were divine, lift their hands—never !”
cull and scatter.
How many mantras have I said in vain. SIWAWAKKIYAM.
Nattu veitta dévarum Nadämal veitta dévarum,
Suttu veitta dévarum Sudāmal veitta dévarum,
Kattu veitta dévarum Katt' avilka vallarò 2
Ittuveitt'idattilé Kidapat' andri, yen Seyvär 2
tº: the beautiful
epithet Shepherd of the Worlds 1 simply rendered Monarch of
i." Andarkón is often
- but I have taken the more magnificent rendering,
EXTRACTS FROM THE POEMS OF SIWAVAKKIYAR
Gods set up, Gods not set up, Lords baked, and unbaked Lords, And Deities bound securely (To sacred cars) with cords. Say, are these even able To free themselves when tied ?
When placed somewhere, what can they But in that place abide 2 —a rendering which represents the inner spirit of , the original, and which, by the way, has the sanction of my father, the Rev. Dr. Caldwell.
