Karukare Karmukil lyrics with English translation

A poem by Kavalam Narayana Panicker is commonly used in dance repertoire, its lyrics are apt for a multitude of poetic interpretations. Kalamandalam Sajeeth helped me to make a translation of the poem and he immediately warned me that there are many implicit meanings behind the metaphors, known in Sanskrit as Gaunartham. Here I will give both word-to-word translation and the most apparent implicit meaning of the song. The song refers to a deity,  but in reality, there is no specific God mentioned here, as it's just giving a high respect to the rain, monsoon season, so important to Kerala, India and our planet as such. 

Karukare Kaarmukil

Samanthamalahari raga
Chaturashra ekam talam


Pallavi:

Karukarekarmukil kompanaane
Puratheriyezhunnallum moorthe

Karukara - the ultimate darkness
Karmukil - the dark cloud
kampanaane - the elephant
purather - on

yerunallum - coming

moorthe - deity

Translation:

The rain arrives on the darkest cloud resembling a tusker elephant

Anupallavi:

Mazhavilkodi manathu

Ponnambalamuttathu

Viriyunnu Kozhiyunnu

Alinyalinyangulanyu marunnu

Mazhavilkodi - a rainbow

Manathu - the sky

Ponnambalamuttathu - the yard of the golden temple

viriyunnu - gets clear

kozhiyunnu - moves

Alinjalinjanju marunnu - shatters, disappears, disperses

Translation:

The rainbow appears in the sky

Which lit by the sun looks like a golden temple

It moves and spreads, and when rain comes disappears, shatters.

Charanam 1.

Manathoru Mayilattam

Peelithirumudiyattam

Elakunnu Nirayunnu

Edanyidanyanjazhinju neengunnu

Mana - sky

mayilattom - the dance of the peacock

peeli - feathers

mudi - hair

attam - dance

Elakunnu - move

nirayunnu - still

Ednyidamyaganzhinyu - breaks time to time

neengunnu - moves in strange ways.

Translation:

When the rain comes, the clouds in the sky move like a celestial peacock

Who spreads its feathers and dances

The clouds are moving in such strange ways!

Charanam 2.

Karkkidaka thevare

Karkkidaka thevare

Kudam Kudam

thudam Thudam nee varthe

Karkkidaka thevare - the lord of the month of the rainy season in the Malayalam calendar

Kudam - pots

Thudam - another time of measuring pots

nee varthe - pouring

Translation:

Oh the lord of the rainy months,

you start by giving us small drops, the increasing and then the water pours all over.

Kantha Thava Mohiniyattam padam krithi lyrics with English translation

 Swathi thirunal Padam in Ragam Adhana

Taalam Adi

Pallavi:

Kantha Thava Pizhanyan Enthu Cheivei

Anupallavi:

Shaanta Guna Sevita

Sarasa Namba

Charanam 1

Thinkalumuyarnu vannu

Chenkanal Chorinidunnu

Pankajaksha kadamendu

Sangadam Sahikyunnu

Charanam 2

Smaranu Bhaanam Shadamo

Karuna Tava Marumo

Chirameva muzhalumu

Vairam iduchidamo

Charanam 3

Madurakara Vachaasa

Vidhuratha tirtuvasa

Adhanam Nalgidu Rasa

Saadu Cheidata Rasa

Translation

Pallavi

My lover (husband), what is my mistake, what wrong did I do?

Anupallavi

Padbanabha (Lord Vishnu) who is served by sages ( who is filled with qualities of Shanta, Peace)

Charanam 1

Moon has risen and pouring heat on me

Oh, the lotus-eyes, why do you make me suffer?

Charanam 2

The cupid has 100 arrows, please be compassionate to me

Why is my mind full of worries, will your anger do any good to us?

Charanam 3

With sweet words finish my sorrow

Give me your lips and embrace me tight, make haste

Sundara Srunu Kantha Mohiniyattam Kathakali based on Kathakali padam

Ragam  - Arabhi

Thalam - Aadi

This Mohiniyattam composition was adopted from a a Kathakali Padam from Utharaswayamvaram Aatakada

Nayika Bhanumathi, seeking Duryodhana's erotic sentiment

Lyrics: Irayimman Thampi

Pallavi 

Sundara Srunu Katnha Mamaka Vacham

Ninditha Rathi Kantha Mamaka vacham

Sundara - beautiful

Srunu - hear

Kantha - husband

mamaka - my

vacham - words

Ninditha - inferior

Rathi Kantha - husband of Rathi (kamadeva)

Translation:

My beloved (husband), please hear my beautiful words

Even kamadeva is inferior to  you, please, hear my words

Anupallavi:

Mantha Pavananakum

Syanthanam athileri

Kuntha Vishikhanum

Amantham Arikilithu

Vannu Kanakal

Choriyunnu Muthirunu

Mantha - soft

pavananakum - wind

Syanthanam - chariot

Athileri - to reach

Kunthe Vishikhanum  - Kamadeva

Amantham - fast

Arikilithu - here

Vannu - come

kanakal - arrows

Choriyunnu - shooting

muthirnu - he's read

Translation:

The soft wind is the chariot

of Kamadeva, who has come here fast

ready to shoot his arrows

Charanam - 1

Nirjanamee Vipinam Ninakkadheenam

Ejjanaminnu Noonam Ninakkadheenam

Nirjitha Repubala Nirjjara Vara Sama

Sajjwasarasi jagath Jayi Manmadhan

Ujjwakayathi Mama Sakkwaramadhikam

Nirjanamee - no people

vipinam -forest, grove

ninakkadheenam - belongs to you

Ejjanaminnu - so am I

Noonam - sure

Nirjitha - win

Repubala - enemy

Nirjjara - devaindra

vara sama -superior

Sajjwasarasi - bows and arrows, tied

jagath - world

jayi - win

 Manmadhan - kamadeva

Ujuwalayathi - increase

Mama - my

sajjuwaramadhikam - desire

translation:

This lonely forest belongs to you

I belong to you to, sure

You conquered your enemies, you are superior than Indra

Kamadeva's bows and arrows are ready to shoot the hearts of people in the world

My desire is growing more and more

Charanam 2

Nalparimala Sahitham

Dara Dalitha

Pushpa Nikara Bharitham

dara Dalitha

Kalpa Tharu Shikharam

Kalpodu Kanum Neram

Swalpamapi Madhu

Kudippathiniha Vatha

Shadpatha Ma madippathumundo?

nalaparimala - good smell

sahitham - with

dara half

dalitha - flowerbud

kalpa -divine

tharu - tree

shikharam - brunch

kalpodhu - when

kanum - see

neram - time

swalpamathi - when

kanum - see

neram - time

swalpamapi - little

madhu - honey

kudippathiniha - to drink

Shadpatha - bee

madippathumundo - would they

the good smell from the half opened flowers

from the brunches of the divine tree

when reach the bees, they don't hesitate to drink their nectar

why wouldn't they?

Cholkettu Chakravagam (before confused with Sowrashthra) in Mohiniyattam lyrics with Meaning in English

This Cholkettu is the second Cholketu choreographed in Mohiniyattam, the first one, in ragam Chakravagam, was actually one piece of a surviving legacy of mohiniyattam (5 items total) recovered from memory by Thottasserry Chinnammu Ammu, who came to Kalamandalam at about 50 years old and had not practiced Mohiniyattam since childhood, because of the taboo on the dance form and its association with prostitution. Satyabhama was the next generation guru who contributed the most choreographers to Kalamandalam repertoire, which are already classics. This cholkettu is very similar to the original old item by Thottasserry Chinnammu Ammu, however, the movements were deliberately sophisticated, as well as the final lyrical part (sahityam) was cut short to a single shloka about Lord Shiva

Ragam: Chakravagam
Thalam: Adi

KitaTaki/Thadim  Thadimi dimitaka jonutaka/ Jonutaka Drukutaka/ Tadim Kina//
//Tom tadim kina tom Bhaga/...va..../...thee....//
//e...kalya..../ni..../....//
//...dehi...me.../manga..../lam....//
//tei yaka Druku thaka/taka dhiku/Tadim Kina//
//Tom Tadimkina/ Tom Vedantha/ Rupe..../Sive//
//Vimala... Bhava...mo/chini...//
//Munishantho...niva..../ sini..../...//
//Dehime.../manga.../lam...//
//Jaya Mangalam... nithya/Shubha Manga/Lam...//
//Jayamangalam...Nitya/..../...//

..Tha... tai....kitaki/tha..../thei...kitataki//       

//Dhatha... tei dha tha tei/ dha tha...  thei dhata thei //  }---- 8 times

//Tha... dimtha... dhi/tha... dhim/tha... dhim//
//tha.. dimtha... dhi/tha...ara/ya ...ha tha//

I) // dhitha jagajagajam dhita/
jaga jaga jam dita jaga jaga//
//tha ri tha.....jaga/tari thaka/dhimi thaka//
//Jagam thanam tari gum thari ta/                    }
tha gum thari/gum thari tha thaka//             }----- 2 times
//Jagam thakita gati Nakam taki ta gathi/
jagajagajagam ta/kita gathi naka tha//
//kita gathi jaga jagam jaga jaga dhim/
kinatom dhim kina/ thom dhim kina thom//

//Tha,,,, dhimtha.... dhi/tha dhim/ ta di//
//ta dhimta... dhi/ tha Arayhatha//

II) Diki thimnam tarithadhimnam ta/ritha jom//
//Tha...tharitha jom/tham...tha/kita dhim//
//Dhim takita dhim thi/tham tha/kita dhim//
//Dhim thakita dhimtha/tham tha/tham tha/ kita dhim//
//thakita ta thi tharikita dimi taka tomka thlanduu thlandu thadim/
kidatom thadim kina/tom thadim kinathom//

//Tha,,,, dhimtha.... dhi/tha dhim/ ta di//
//ta dhimta... dhi/ tha Arayatha//

III) Thanum Thanam Thari/thaka nam tari/   }
thaka naka tari/jagam tari/ thom tha thom//   } 2 times

//Thanumthanamthari.. thaka nam tari thaka naka tari jagam tari thom tha thom/
Thanumthanamthari.. /thaka nam tari /thaka naka tari/ jagam tari thom tha thom//

//Thamkita thathi thari kita dhimi thaka thomka thlanku thadim/
kinatom thadhim kina/ thom thadim kina thom//

//da tei tei da tha tam dhimi/
da tha tei ta tei/ da tha tam//


//Tha,,,, dhimtha.... dhi/tha dhim/ ta di//
//ta dhimta... dhi/ tha Arayatha//

IV) //Dhi thi tha dhimi tha/
dhiti tha dhi/thanu thaka jam thaka//
//jagam thanam thari dum thari tha/ tha gum thari/ thakum thari tha thaka//

//Thanu thanam thari dit thaka na tari/     }
jaga tari naka tari/ jaga tari thom ta tom//  } 2 times

//Thanutha thajonutha tadhimitha tajonutha / 

dhanathajonutha dhimi/ ta dimki na tom//         } 3 times

//da tei tei da tha tam dhimi/
da tha tei ta tei/ da tha tam//

Sahitya:

Haratunga Jatha Dhara Ganga
Haratunga Jatha Dhara Ganga
Thripurantaka rishabho thuranga
Thripurantaka rishabho thuranga
Mada purita Manmatha bhanga
Mada purita Manmatha bhanga


(Translation:
The one who bears Gangha in his locks
The destroyer of Tripura (Siva) uses the bull as a divine vehicle
He turned Kamadeva (Manmatha) to ashes)

//ankri namastuthi tham kita thathi thari kita dhimi thaka/
thomka thlanku thadim kina/ Tom tharikita dhimitaka thomka//
//thlanku tadim kinatom dimitaka tomka thlanku ta dhim/
kina thom ta dim kina/ tom ta dim ki na thom//
//Da tei tei da ta tam dimi/ datha tei ta tei/ da ta tam dimi/ taaam//

(The end)

Jalaja bandhu vumiha jaladhiyilanayunnu by Swathi Thirunal lyrics with English translation

Jalajabandhuvumiha jaladhiyilanayunnu (2)
-
" The sun, who's a relative of Lotus, is coming closer to the ocean" ( it's a metaphor for that it's Dawn) [ Also, it might sound like it's sunset, but malayamarutha which comes in next line in a morning raga, so she tells me it's morning]

Malayamaruthamettu mama mathitharambatha vivashamayi sakhee

( "Malayamarutham- this morning raga, also marutham means wind or breeze, like mountain breeze. "
" In this extremely beautiful morning smitten by 'malayamarutha' my mind is so restless and overwhelmed.

Alashara parithapam cholvathinnaliveni Pani baale baale

( " It's indescribable, the sadness that I possess from getting hit by the arrow of kamadeva" )

Valarunnu hrudimoham ennomale, thalarunnu mamamoham kalamozhee

("In my heart, yearning is growing, restlessly, but my body is getting exhausted)

Kusuma vadika athil ulayayoralikulaarava, mathiha kelppathumadikamathi nidanamayi sakhee

( " I can hear the beetles from the garden, but somehow that makes me more and more sad" )

Dani Samajendra Varnam, ragam Todi, lyrics and translation

Being a morning raga, Todi may symbolize the light coming after darkness, and hope after despair. Despair, in fact, is the mood of the heroine of the varnam, who misses her beloved Padmanabha. Perhaps, the darkest night hours, before the light breaks, symbolize the madness, portrayed by Swathi Tirunal through an array of metaphors. For example, the damsel addresses her friend as the one with the gait of a mad elephant.  A very common compliment in old time (elephants during the mating season walk very seductively), is explored even deeper in the traditional mohiniyattam choreography in Kalamandalam. The mudra sequence symbolizes the explosion of brain of the elephant and the celebral fluids streaming down. This epithet marks the heaviness of the obsessive sentiments the heroine is going through in the varnam. She cannot get over her obsession, which she believes, is induced by the arrows of Kamadeva, and starts an eccentric act of regression by applying lotus stems and petals all over her body, which perhaps cool down her heat or remind her of the touch of her beloved.

The Varnam was written inSwarakshara prayoga, which means that the swara letters corresponded with the  first letter of the words used in lyrics.

Varnam (Danismajendra)

Composer and lyricist Swathi Thirunal

language Sansrit

Talam Adi

Ragam Todi

Pallavi

Dani Samajendra Gamini II

Tapam iha Kamini II

Anupallavi

Manini sukha dani II

Madumasa charu dinani II

MAnaniya shri Padmanabha II

Dutani mamtu mokhani II

Chitta Swaram

D , n D n ṡ N, ṙ  ṡ n d n I Ṡ ; ; , ṙ ṡ ṡ nn dd pm II

Damadadi vinirjita vidita I sarasa vishika manupama I ……..

P d n – p d m p g – m p d p- d n ṣ ṛ I

Padanin patadhakhila vibuda manurajani I

n ṙ Ṡ n d n D p m d p G m II

manasanu kalayami madhupaveni II Dani……..

Charanam

Ganaparaniha alikulani II

1.    G ; r A; ṇ Ḍ , Ṇ , I S ; ; Ḍ G R , N r II

Gadasanwaya pi I ko pivitapini II Gana ……

2.    G , m  g g r s R, g r r s ṇ I S, r s s  ṇ ṇ Ḍ , P̣ ḍ ṇ s r II …….

Gama laghu Sapura patira krita I

Ya mahaha bahuda hridilagati II

Gana ……..

3.    P , d pm M, p m g G, m I g r R, g r s Ṇ, r s ṇ ḍ ṇ II ……..

Patu mayima sumashara I

Sugapari patina nee rasa drutapi II

S ;;; ḍ ṇ Ḍ - n s Ṇ I s ṇ S – r s R – g r G – m G m II …….

Sa mupadanita bahu la I

Ta madhuna tamrutema II

P d n p d m p g – m p d p-d n ṡ ṙ I

ṡ ṡ nd- N d p m- G r s ṇ - Ḍ ṇ s r  II

hani hana hini hiki maparama pashuta masuradu nee[atima panidimrute vishari II Gana …..

4.    Ṡ ;; n d p m g m p d n I D , p d n D n ṡ D n ṡ ṙ II

Ṡ n d p G, m p m g r S, ṇ I Ḍ ṇ s r G, m g r s ṇ S; II

ḍ n s r- g m p d- p d n ṡ- d n ṡ ṙ I

N, ṡ - D, n – P, d – M, p – g m p d – n ṡ ṙ, II

D n ṡ ṙ - Ġ, ṙ ṡ - Ṙ, Ṡ n – d p d n I

ṡ ṙ ṡ - n ṡ n – d n d – m d m – g m g – r g r – s r s - ṇ s r II

gana ……..

Meaning:

Oh my beautiful friend, with a gait of an elephant mad with desire, I feel sad and restless. Listen to my sorrows, for I am tortured by the arrows of Kamadeva

Spring makes everything so beautiful. Has Lord Padmanabha, forsaken me at this time?

The birds are singing lovely songs from the tree tops and the bees are making the buzzing sound. Yet, I can’t bear this noise, I think only of Him, Padmanabha, the great Lord, worshipped by his devotees.

Kamadeva shoots his arrows, and they make me exhaust me. I take the lotus flower stems and decorate myself with it. Its leaves and petals are my ornaments now. Please tell me, the sweet friend, why hasn’t he come?

Cholkettu Vakra Tunda Maha Kavya in Ragamalike in talam

Chokettu

Ragamalika

Thalamalika

Shloka (raga - Lavangi)

Vakra Thunda Mahakaya

Kodi soorya samaprabha

Nirvignam kurume deva

Shubha karyeshu Sarvada

vakra -curved, 

thunda - trunk

maha - large, kaya - body

Kodi - million

soorya - sun

samaprabha - with brilliance of

Nirvignam - free from obstacles

kurume - make

deva - God

Shubha - all

Karyeshu - work

sarvada - always

Oh the one with curved trunk, large body

radiating like millions of suns!

Free me from the obstacles

in all my works, always

Raga - Arabhi

Talam - Adi

// tei, ya, tha ,,m kita taka tari kita / tei, ya, ta ,,m kita taka taka tari kita taka//

// ja m ta nam , ta, taka ja m ta nam , ta, taka / di, tam, ,,, ta jam ,, ta jam ,, ta //

di mi ta di mdimita di mi ta di mdimita/ . tei.ya ta, m tei, ya, ta , m tei, ya//

                                                                ..... tei ya.. tam....

Raga - Suruti

Thala - Mishrachappu

1                      2              3              +             1               2                 3                4

ta                     ri              ta                            na              m                ta               ka

di                     mi            ta                            na              m                ta               ka

ri                      ma           pa                           ni               -                 ni               -

ja                     nu            ta                            di               m               di               m

ja                     nu           di                             m              sa               sa               sa

ja                     nu           ta                             di              m                ri               sa

ni                     da           ja                             nu             ta                ka              di

m                     ta           di                             m              ki                na              to

m                     ta           di                              m             ki                na             to

m                     ta             -                              -                  -                   -                - 

-                     -              -                             -                    -                  -               -

Sahithyam

vellapalunku niramotha

vidagda roopi

kallam kalanju kamalathilezunna

Shakti

Vellathile thirukal

Thalli varum kanakken

Ullathil vanne velayaduka

Saraswathi nee....

Vellapalunku - pearl

niramotha - color like

vidagda - unique

roopi  - structure

kallam - lie

kalanju - remove

kamala - lotus thil - in ezunna - come

shakti - power

vella - water

thile - in

thirakal - waves

thalli - pull

varum - come

veayaduka - play

saraswathee

nee- you

(sahityam in mishara chappu)

Your color is pearl-like

you sit on lotus

oh, the shakti power

may the waves of the seas

pull you here, come to me

oh, saraswathi

Raga - Maand

Thalam - Rupakam

x                           x                         V

Tham                   Tham                  tha ka di mi

dim                      dim                     tha ka di mi

thom                    thom                   tha ka di mi

tha n ta dim         - ta thom             ta na m ta

tha -- m               tm ta di               m ki na thom

di--m                  dim ta di              m ki na thom

tho--m                thom ta di            m ki na thom

ta-m ta                ki ta di-                m ta ki ta

ga ma da ni        sa - ta di               m ki na -

tho--                  --m                       ga ma da ni

sa -ta di             m ki na-                tho--m

ga ma da ni       sa - ta di                m ki na -

                                                                           ..... tei ya.. tam....