Swami Ninne varnam lyrics and translation, eroticism in Mohiniyattam

Swami  (sami) ninne name Varnam in Yadukulakamboji ragam by Swathi Thirunal

The traditional Varnam, one of the old compositions, unfortunately, rarely performed nowadays, as simplicity of movement and expressions does not satisfy contemporary worldly-wise spectators and dancers. Well, maybe due to my new-comingness to Mohiniyattam, or maybe I do find beauty in simplicity and absence of sophisticated virtuosity, but the old compositions appeal much more to my taste than many contemporary choreographies in mohiniyattam.

This particular varnam is composed by Swathi Thirunal, the ardent devotee of Lord Padmanabha and a genius composer and poet, who in his short lifespan left the legacy on which almost entire resurrected mohiniyattam bases itself. The varnam is in Telugu and is narrated from the point of view of a girl, who is abandoned by her beloved Padmanabha, she addresses him as Swami, and asks if it is fair that he leaves her in the agony of her feelings and begs him to enclose her in his passionate embrace. The varnam, as we have learned it, is mostly carried  in a neutrally romantic, viraha (sadness, longing) note. Surprisingly, when with my teacher we started going through the lyrics, we found out that the original had a few more verses of some very erotic content, where the lady asks the swami to rub fragrant kasturi to her chest and drink the taste of her lips. Apparently, the whole tendency of removing shringara (eroticism) from dance, started by its renovators and consequently reformates (such as Rukmini Devi in Bharatanatyam etc) touched Mohiniyattam also, even though less than it did Bharatanatyam, which has been reshaped into a devotional art form void of any ambiguous notations. While, it can be understood, that perhaps such reformation was necessary in order to remove the stigma of associating dance with promiscuity and sinfulness of devadasis (the dancers- temple servants and courtesans) who were sexually liberal women and had not been subjected to social obligations of matrimony and fidelity to one partner; however, the dance we see now is not original in the sense that it carries only selected aspect of bhakti (devotion), meanwhile the erotic component, which was also a facet of spirituality (the transcendence of human love, lust and passion onto divine leela-game) was brutally cut out and is still very much avoided in many contemporary repertoires.

Interesting fact is that Kathakali preserved both the spirit of war and sexuality within it. Just today at Kalamandalam we have watched the story of Banayudha, where in the beginning Bana  is portrayed with his wife engaged in a very intimate activity. His wife is asking Bana to drink from her breasts, while Bana is deliciously comparing her round breasts with amrita, the heavenly nectar. The apparent male dominant art form, such as Kathakali is, was spared from social judgment on the issue, while dance had to sacrifice its erotic aspect for the sake of preserving the puritan reputation of females.

So the lyrics in Telugu (approximate English transliteration) and approximate English translation is below:

Varnam

Raga – Yadukulakamboji

Talam – Adi

Pallavi

Swami… nine… nami .. thir

Eve … lad… na… Pai…

Translation:

Swami, I believed in you (trusted you)

Give your love to me

Anupallavi

Chalamedi ki je she .. ku ra

Eve la na… pai

Kamajanakudaune sjree kamala nabha ve

Ga…me… sree nami da

Ne na rum Chi na nne lu ko ra…

Translation:

You are the creator (father) of desire (kama)

Oh you, the one who has lotus growing from his navel,

Be kind to me

Mukthai swaram:

X	1	2	3	x	v	x	v
S---	--D-	--P-	M-D-	P-M-	--G-	R-M-	G-S-
R---	---R	G---	R-S-	R-M-	G-M-	P-D-	S-R-
P-ND	PMPD	D-SD	PMP-	MGRG	-RSR	M-PD	P---
MPDS	-SRG	R-SS	NDPM	PNDD	PPMG	RGSR	RMPN

Sa dha ran a mu ga ma ru du epudu

Ena uramu pai suma sara muni sari

Na manasu brasamana sadayuda pa-

La na mu gay a ca la rag ha na mai

Sa viraha saga ra mulo manukini

Ku la vetatu niranu vinara (or vedalu dathi chi) vinu ni ran a manavi

Translation:

Kamadeva (the God of love) is shooting arrows into my heart

Have mercy!

Now I’m in the sea of Viraha (sadness, longing), please, help me out of it

Swami…..

Charanam

Panthamu aya nyayamu

Translation:

Is it fair that you are so stubborn, that you treat me like this, are you sure you want to reject me?

Charanaswaram -1

X	1	2	3	X	V	X	V
P---	--M-	--G-	R-M-	G-R	G-S-	--R-	--M-

Sahityam (lyrics)

x	1	2	3	X	V	X	v
Pa---	--da-	m-bu-	Ga-thi-	Ya-nu-	Chu-mo-	--ke-	--nu-

Translation:

I believed your lotus feet were my abode (sanctuary)

Please, have mercy!

Charanam – 2

X	1	2	3	X	V	X	V
D-D-	NDPP	-MGR	MGRG	SRMG	-PM-	DP-D	SDPM

Sahityam -2

Dhara dharuni chatakamu vale ninu

Dalachiyum nanu brova samayamu

Translation:

I’m like a chaddaka, a bird waiting for the rain, who saw a raincloud passing. It is time you helped me…

Chatiswaram – 3

X	1	2	3	X	V	X	V
MPDN	DDPP	MGRM	G-GR	GSRM	GMGR	GSRG	R---
RGRS	--RM	GS-R	PMGS	RMG-	MPM-	PDP-	SDPM

Sahityam – 3

Madhukara mrudu rava mulu kala beandha

Shuka kula phalu kulu (nuvi)

Ni vini vini na

Manasulo virahathapa mumithimi

Nanura (nera) karuna rasasa garuda

Translation:

The soft buzz of a bumble bee and sweet chirping of parrots just increases my anxiousness, my mind drowns in sadness. Oh merciful, help me with your kindness!

Last Charanams (not included in the choreography learnt in Kalamandalam):

(SWARAMS not in tala, as we don’t have music for them)

SSNDNDPDPMPMGMGRGRS

SSRRM—M-P- PDPPMGRGSRMGMPP—D

Sambrata, ,e karunato nanu kalashi Migu la sarase

Muga parimala mayi kasturighanda

Mula nunae kuchamoo payinii

PNDDPMPNDDP.. MPMGR

               

Pani pankayamutho ekshaname matha thonu

,GRGSRMGSRMGMGMPP—NN

Migadudu dhi challu sumasaramu lanujadalu paina         

DDPMPDSS—RRMGGRSS

Veyara ooalukuladi virahamu theeraga

NDPNDDP—PMGRGRSRMPD   

Eka kaumgilinchi movinichi nanu gudara epudu

Translation:

With your lotus hands rub the fragrant kasturi onto my bosom  and decorate my hair with flowers. And to sooth my suffering, embrace me and drink the taste of my lips and lay with me. You are not fulfilling your promise. Is it fair?

Pathaka Hastha Viniyoga from Hasthalkshanadeepika Double hand

PATHAKA

 HASTHA VINIYOGA

(SAMYUTA)

Namithā nāmikāyasya

Pathākaśsa karasmritha

When the ring finger is bent in the middle, holding the other fingers straight makes pataka

Sloka:

Suryōraja gajasimhō

Vrishabhōgrāhathōraņam

Lathā pathākā vīcīśca

Rathyā pāthāla bhumayaha

Jaganam bhajanam harmyam

Sāyam mādhyam dinam ganam

Vālmīkamururdasas

Charanam chakramāsanam

Asanirgōpuram saythyam

Shakatham sawmya kubjagau

Kavāta mupadanacha

Parighām grilathārgalē

Shadthirmsal bharathenoktha

Pathākā samyuthākarāha

Sanskrit:                     English:

Suryo	Sun
Raja	King
Gaja	Elephant
Simha	Lion
Rishabha	Bull
Graham	Crocodile
Toranam	Decoration of flowers or coconuts in the form of an arch
Lata	creeper
Pataka	Flag
Vicisca	waves
Rathya	Path
Padala	Flag
Bhumi	Earth
Jaghanam	Waist
Bhajanam	Pot
Harmyam	House, manor
Sayam	Dusk
Madyadinam	Midday sun
Ghanam	Clouds
Valmika	Ant hill
Uru	Thigh
Dasa	servant
Charanam	Walk
Chakram	Disk
Asanam	Seat
Ashanir	Thunder bolt
Gopuram	Tower
Shaityam	Cold
Saumyam	Calmness
Kupchagau	Hunchback
Kavata	door
Upadanam	Pillow
Parikha	Ditch
Ankri	Feet
Talargalei	Bolt, lock on the door

Below is the video for the mudras

Mohiniyattam (Kathakali, Kudiyattam) fundamental Mudras (hasthas, handgestures) from Hasthalakshanadeepika in English transliteration

Apart from movement stylistics, Mohiniyattam differs from Bharatanatyam in mudras (hand gestured) used for narration of stories and sentiments. While Bharatanatyam mudras base themselves on Nathya Shastra and Abhinaya Darpana, Mohiniyattam, like kathakali and kudiyattam derive their mudras from the text called Hasthalakshanadipika (or hasthalakshanadeepika). A few mudras, however, such as alapadma (lotus) are borrowed from Abhinaya Darpana and extensively used in Mohiinyattam both in nritta (abstract non-thematic dance) and abhinaya portions (expressions, pantomime).  There are 24 fundamental mudras in Hasthalakshanadeepika, each of them has both double and single hand usages. Apart from that there are also mixed mudras usages.

24 fundamental mudras as per Hasthalakshanadeepika:

Shloka:

Hastāha pathākō mudrākyāha

kațakō mushtirithyapi

kartharimykha samjascha

śukatundaha kapithakaha

hamsāpakșcha śikharō

hamsāsya Punaranjalihi

arthavhandracha Mukurō

bramara sūchikāmukhaha

palavasthripathācha

mrihaśīrșāhoyasthathā

punasarpāśirōsāmjō

vardhamānaka ethyapi

arāļa umanābhas

muukuļa kadāmukhaha

chathurvimsathirithyethē

karāha sāstrajnasammathāha

The Ardhanarinatesvara (Ardhanarisvara) Stotra

The Ardhanarinatesvara  (Ardhanarisvara) Stotra

Hymn to the Lord of Dance who is Half Woman

( extracts from "The Lord who is Half Woman:  Ardhanarisvara in Indian and Feminist perspective/ Ellen Goldberg, 2002-)

The Ardharinatesvara Stotra is a devotional poem attributed to Adi Sankara, the principal expounder of the advaita school of Indian Philosophy. Stotras, or hymns of praise, to a particular deity are typically eulogistic (a speech or writing in praise of a person or thing, especially a set oration in honor of a deceased person) in nature and, as Jan Gonda (1977) suggests, trace their roots in uninterrupted continuity from the Vedic age to the present. Bruce Long (1983) agrees, and he claims that the invocation of the pantheon of deities though such hymns of praise was “common practice” in Vedic Period….

… The arhanarinatesvara stotra in which the emblems, attributed, and qualities of Siva-Siv`a (Siva-PArvathi) are praised by its (anonymous) author is of particular interest here. Averall it provides an excellent illustration of the strotra tradition and the doctrine of Bhed`abheda (unity-in-difference) and is a rich primary source of poetic iconography embellishing our typology and diagnostic features that informs the image of Ardhanarisvara.

The strotra is a simple formulaic device recited or chanted by the worshipper as an integral part of ritual puja… It involves a string of simple epithets declaring obeisance to the deity, Below is a transliteration of the Ardharinatesvara stotra from the devanagari script, a translation, and a brief analysis of the hymn.

The Ardhanarinatesvara  (Ardhanarisvara) Stotra:

1.     1. Cāmpeya gaurārdha śarīrakāyai

Karpūra gaurārda śarīrakāya.

Dhammillakāyai ca jaţadhrāya

Namah Śivāyai ca namah Śivāya.

Her body is fair like campā flower

His body is like camphor

She has a braided hairstyle ornamented with pearls

And he has matted hair

I bow to Śivā and I bow to Śiva

Thillana Geethu Ragam Dhanasree, lyrics with Panchanada in talam

Ragam Dhanasree
Talam Adi

By Swathi Thirunal

Pallavi

Geethu thu nu ku tha ka dhim
Na thru thru tha thom
Na chira hu gori
Tham di tham tei tha tei di ra na tha

Panchanada

X	1	2	3	X	V	X	V
Taka	Dimi	Taki	Ta ta	Ka  di	Mi  ta	Kita	Taka
Dimi	Taki	Ta ta	Ka di	Mi ta	Kita	Taka	Dimi
Taka	Dimi	Taka	Dimi	Taka	Dimi	Taki	Ta Ta
Kita	Taki	Ta Ta	Kita	Taka	Taki	Ta Ta	Ka Ta
Kita	Taka	Taki	Ta Ta	Ka Ta	Kita	Taka	Dimi
Taka	Taki	Ta Ta	Ka Di	Mi Ta	Ka Ta	Kita	Taka
Dimi	Taka	Taki	Ta Ta	Da na ta	Jo nu ta	Di mi ta	Dim kinatom
Da na ta	Jonuta	Dimita	Dim kin a tom	Dan a ta	Jo nu ta	Dimi ta	Dim kinatom

Anupallavi - I

Baj payal kaho jananu jananu 

Baj payal kaho jananu jananu 

Baj payal kaho jananu jananu  jananu jananu dim

jananu jananu jananu jananu dim

jananu jananu jananu jananu

                                                                                                   -Geethu....

Anupallavi - II

Ganu gave thaka tha tei ta thei

Ganu gave thaka tha tei ta thei

dhim tha dhim tha nathru tha dhim

dhim tha ki ta tha ka dhim

dhim tha ki ta tha ka dhim

dhim tha ki ta tha ka dhim

hatha thom hatha thom hatha

                                                                                                                     - Geethu....

Saheethyam

Padmanabha tumhari leela

kya kahom mai savaro 

tapa sankata

caaranaya yayo

shokha maro tumaharo

Charanam

Ta dim ta dim di ta na utha nitha tha ni tha ni

ta dim ta dim dita na

Ta dim ta dim di ta na utha nitha tha ni tha ni

ta dim ta dim dita na

Na thru thom tha ka ta tha ki ri tha tha ra tha ni na thru dhim

alari Alari tha ka tha tham thati tha ga ma 

pa ni tha ka ga tham tham tha dim dim dim

tha ri alari thom thom thom

Tah ka tha ri alari dhim dhim dhim

thaka diku tha ni alari....

                                                                                                               - Geethu

Tharuni njan Endu Cheyvoo lyrics in English and translations

Padam “Tharuni”

Ragam - Dwijavanthi
Thalam – Mishrachappu
Swathithirunal krithi

Pallavi

Tharuni Njan Endu Cheyvoo
Hantha Mamaka Dayithanenne Marannoo…?

Tharuni – beautiful girl
Njan – me
Endu – what
Cheyvoo – shall I do
Hantha – Alas
Mamaka – my
Dayithan – lover
Enne- me
Maranno – forgot

Translation:
Oh Beautiful  girl, what shall I do?
As, alas, my lover, has forgotten me

Anupallavi:

Sarasijathine vellum aananam kanmathum
Sarasa Vachanamrutham kelpathum ennu njan

Sarasija – lotus
Aanam – face
Kanmathu – show
Sarasa – soft
Vachan – word
Amritham – nectar
Kelpathum – to hear
Ennu- when
Njan – me

Translation:

When shall I see his lotus-like face and hear his soft words again?

Charanam – 1

Mandarsharan choriyum sayakangalku
Madumozhi sanghya elle….
Swanthathil ulavakum gedamithaye…
Matha samaja gamane njan aarodu chollendu

Mandarsharan – kamadeva, cupid
Choriyum – gives
Sayakangalku – arrows
Maumozhi – with beautiful face
Samghya – count
Elle – no
Swanthathil – in the mind
Ulavakam – to make
Gedami – sadness
Thaye – sakhi
Matha – craze
Samaja – elephant
Gamane – walk
Njan – me
Aarodu – to whom
Chollendu – can I tell

Translation:
Is there no count to the arrows the cupid is shooting at me, my sweet voiced firend?
Oh the one with elephant-like graceful   gait  (elephant at the breeding season walks very seductively), whom can I tell all of this?

Charanam – 2

Allal ethakhilavum sree padmanabhanodu
Aripodu Nee Chennu Cholle
Allitharshara samanakiyoru kanavan
Allatharenikkavalambam kokilavani

Allal –sad
Ethaki – this
Ilabum – all
Padmanabha – Lord Vishnu’s form
Aripodu – kindly
Nee – you
Chennu – to go
Cholle – say
Allitharshara – kama deva, cupid
Samanakiyoru – same one
Kanavan – lover
Alla – without
Enikka – mine
Alltharenienikavalambham – without him who is my protector
Kokilavani – cockoo bird voice

 Translation
All the sadness I’m suffering, could you go to padmanabha and tell him about it?
Except him, whose face is like the one of the God of Love, who else can be my protector, oh kockoo-like voiced girl ?

Mohananadai Murugan Padam

This item is supposed to be for my arangetram, but this still soooo raw. It took me a while to find a teacher who could give me more or less a translation from Tamil and not just a general idea and then stalk her for several weeks with notebook and pen ready to write. With tamil it’s a problem in Kerala, even though it is a similar language to Malayalm. But the item is  a beautiful piece  of a girl infatuated by Murugan, a heroic and bold son of Siva. She is a devotee, at the same time she is attracted to him like a woman to a man, blushing with every memory of the kisses he shaded on her.

Padam Mohananadai

Ragamalika

Adi Talam

Sloka:

Ragam Shanmukhapriya

Koorvadiveil konda nam perumal varum

Kotathe parunka….. kothayarkal

Aaru mukangalil punjiripum

Eerandaru Bhujangalil adbhuthavum

Ragam mohana

Veeru paranjudal thirumeniyum

Parunka velmizhiyal….

Veeru paranjudal Thirumeniyum

ParunkaMeen Miziyal….

Adbhuthamane azhaganadi

Thuthi anparkalkkarul seyyum

Kalakanadi

Translation:

With a sharp weapon our God is coming

Ah Look at his body, my dear friends!

Six faces are radiating smiles

And twelve hands – what a wonder!

Veera (heroism) is overfilling his body

He is looking with his eyes sharp like a weapon

Veera is overfilling his body

He is looking with his fish-shaped eyes

I have never witnessed such a beauty!

To those meditating on him he gives blessings,

Oh this man full of bliss…

Pallavi:

Ragam – Mohanam

Mohana nadai nadanth

Murukavel vandai

Moha esai padi

Mutha mazhai pozhintai

Translation:

With his beautiful gaint

Murugan is coming

Singing love songs

And showering his kisses on me

Anupallavi:

Daha muthan yenthei tavipi piritte

Tanjaman enne nanja manil annei

Translation:

He is thirsty for (wants) to grasp my hand and pull me with him,

Waiting till no one is here, he encloses me in his embrace

Charanam 1

Ragam Shamukhapriya

Shanmukhanuk skantha pankale

Isainthirith Sakthivel Kumaranum

Bhaktiyay makinthirunthai

Inmayil avan thanda

Uyir sukhamena thenpe

Ullam Pukuntha skandan

Uyirine ondru vital

Translation

The six faced one (Murugan)

Is praised by devotees in happiness

Honestly, he gives me immense pleasure

The pleasure has rooted deep inside my heart

Like our souls (lives) became one

Charanam 2

Ragam Sankarabharanam

Shakha varamarulum shankaran

Thiru makane

Sakala bhuvanangalam stridum arunguhane

Ekanthamudane ennanam edikkuthadi

Enrum avane enni edayam urukuthadi

Translation

Unlimited blessings are given by Siva, whose son he is

The entire world prays to Murugan

When I am alone, in my mind I constantly think of him

My heart is flowing in this sadness, my friend…

Charanam 3

Ragam sarangi

Sree rangamevum Saranga Paniyil

Selva thirumarukan Sringara Velavan

Parengum potrum Parvathiyin balan

Pavaenne kakkum deva guna seelan

Sreerangam (the name of the temple) where the Vishnu is (with a bow in his hand) -

His cousin is Murugan

Everybody praises Parvathi, whose son he is

And I am the girl, whom he blesses, he, who has all the qualities of a deity

Charanam 4

Ragam Madyamavathi

Anpuseivor madyayil aadi varum azagan

Ahantha elathe kandu arul suvai

Tharum kulakan

Impamellam utrum ennuirkkoru thunaivan

En manam nirayanth vital enakkoru kurayumondo

Translation

Among devotees he will appear in all his beauty

Those who show no arrogance, will be blessed by Murugan

And if I give all my love (myself fully) to him,

For In my life he is the only one I love

Will he come and be my protector then?