Asamyukta Hasta Vinoyoga Slokas

Asamyukta hasta are hand gestures that you learn as a beginner. Asamyukta - not joined Hasta - hands. As the name suggests these are hand gestures with one hand. Note however that you may still be using gestures on both hands, either same or different but the gesture itself uses only one hand.
There are a total of 28 Asamyukta hastas.

A shloka specifies what these are

"Pathakas Tripathako Ardhapathakas Kartharimukhaha

Mayoorakhyo Ardhachandrascha Araala Shukathundakaha

Mushtischa Shikharakhyascha Kapitha Katakhamukhaha

Suchi Chandrakhala Padmakosha Sarparhirasthathaa

Mrigashirsha Simhamukhaha Kaangoolascha Alapadmakaha

Chaturo Bhramaraschaiva Hamsasyo Hamsapakshakaha

Samdamsho Mukulaschaiva Thaamrachoodas Trisoolakaha

Ithyaasamyukta Hastanam Ashtavimshati reerita”

This is a new paragraph

Kaa Va Va

Kaa vaa Vaa Ragam: Varaali Talam: Aadi Composer: Papanasam Sivan 

My last post was from 2017.  I am sorry I haven't been keeping up with this blog but encouragingly, I keep getting Google updates about how many people this blog is actually helping. There are many visitors (ahem, well at least more than what I expected anyway) who come here for lyrics, meanings, explanations. I am grateful for all the support. Your comments keep me going so keep 'em coming.

This is almost I would say a masterpiece by a masterful composer in a very beautiful ragam called Varaali. Varaali has a bad rep of destroying student-teacher relation so it's never "taught" by the teacher. (Or at least that's what I was told as a kid). But it is a beautiful ragam nonetheless. More on it in my music blog. Let's focus on the dance.

First Lyrics. Meanings will follow shortly.


Pallavi

kA vA vA kandA vA vA enaik-kA vA vElAvA pazhani malai uraiyum muru-


Anupallavi

dEvAdi dEvan maganE vA para dEvi maDiyil amarum guhanE vA
vaLLi deyvayAnai maNavALA vA sharavaNabhava parama dayALa SaNmu-

Charanam

AbattiruLara aruLoLi tarum appanE aNNaLE aiyA vA
pApat-tiraL tarum tApam agala varum pazhanNi vaLar karuNai mazhaiyE vA
tApatraya veyil ara nizhal tarum vAn taruvE en kula guruvE vA
shrI padmanAbhan marugA rAmadAsan vaNangum muttayyA viraivODu

Kanna Va Manivanna Va

This is not a song that I learnt personally but some of my classmates did. So writing this for their benefit

(rAgA: kApi)
Pallavi
kaNNA vA maNIvaNNA vA kamala padam vaittuk-kaNantanil nI vA (kaNNA)
Come Kanna, come the beautiful one.  taking steps (vaithu) with your lotus feet (kamala padam) come in a moment - meaning at once (Kanam - moment, thanil -in).

Anupallavi:
taNDai shalangai konjat-tavazhndumE vA tAmaraip-padam vaittut-taLar naDaiyiTTu vA
your anklets & bells (thandai - type of anklet, salangai - bells) tinkling (konja), come crawling. Come toddling with your lotus feet. (talai nadai - toddle)

koNDaik-kuzhalashaiyak-kumarA vA kOvalar tam kulak-kozhundE vA (kaNNA)
Oh Kumara (young one) come with your bun (kondai) and hair (kuzhal) swaying. Oh come the offspring(kula kozhundhe) of the cowherd (kovalar) tribe. 

(rAgA: sAmA)
2: veNNai vizhunduNNum vimalA vA vEdam pugazhppadam vaittingu vA
Oh Vimala (the pure one) who gobbles up butter (vennai vizhundhu unnum), come!!. Come with the steps that have been praised by vedas. Possibly a reference to vamanavataar. 

eNRumen idayattil irundiDa vA paNNishaittingun padam vaittu vA (kaNNA)
Come to reside in my heart(idayattil) always (endrum). Come playing your music and walking/stepping (Pan - music, isaithu-playing, ingu- here un-your).

(rAgA: vasanta)

3: Anirai meittiDum aNNalE vA ATkoLLum daivamE aDi vaittu vA
Oh Pious one (annal) who grazes the cows come, The god (deivame) who rules over me (aatkollum) , come walking (adi vaithu). 

gOpiyar manam kavar kaLvA vA kOlan-kATTa ingu kudittODi vA (kaNNA)
The thief who stole gopi's hearts, come!! Come jumping (kudithodi) to Show your form (kolam kaata) - Can be viswaroopam but doesn't match with kudithodi. 

(rAgA: nIlAmbari)
4: karunkuzhal yashodai kaNmaNI vA aravin siram ninra aDi vaittu vA
Oh apple of the eye (kanmani) of the dark haired yasodha (karunguzhal) come. The one who stood on snake (aravam) 's head (siram), come with walking - refer to kalinga narthana.

irunAn kezhutturai iraivA vA iDaragaTrum tirup-padam vaittu vA (kaNNA)

(rAgA: suarTi)
5: Alilait-tuyilum azhagA va ArvamAic-cuvaikkum aDi vaittu vA
Come oh beautiful one that sleeps on banyan leaf. I don't necessarily know why there is a connection between banyan leave and krishna but aalilai krishnan refers to the really infant krishna. The one who sucks/tastes his big toe interestingly (aarvamai) - aalilai krishna is usually depicted sucking his big toe. 
mUvulaginukkum mudalvA vA muktiyaLikkum malar padam vaittu vA (kaNNA)
The leader of all 3 worlds (moovulaginukkum) come, Come the flower feeted one who gives moksha (absolution)

Orkut memories - Anname

During a recent search google suddenly threw this gem at me.
http://orkut.google.com/c77622-t9d038d4a4251976c.html

Apparently I wrote lyrical meanings for Anname Aruginil va in an orkut forum as early as 26 Jan 2011. To be honest I have no recollection of doing so :) Ahh... how much I miss the Orkut communities. 

Muruganin Marupeyar - Behaag

Ragam: Behag
Thalam: Kanda chapu

This week became a behaag vaaram (or at least behag day) at the dance class. Since we learnt this piece in the first class and a tanjore quartet thillana in behaag in a subsequent class.

Behaag means to be pleasing in Afrikaans (wow I did NOT know that until I started writing this post). quite aptly named I must say. Behaag is indeed a very pleasing and soothing ragam. It's a janya of the 29th Melakartha Sankarabharanam with prathi madhyamam as a anyaswaram in the avarohanam. More about this enchanting raga in my music page maybe later.

This piece though a krithi is being done as a kavadi chindu. It's an interesting choice for kavadi chindu since most kavadi chindu that I have come across have upbeat music and very layman lyrics. None of the wordplay that you see in padams. This makes kavadi chindu reach the masses quite easily and the upbeat music adds to its charm. Another usual characteristic of kavadi chindu is also that it usually is not divided into the usual pallavi anupallavi charanam pattern. This one, however, is different. It does have clear pallavi, anupallavi and charanam. Tries a little more lyrical language while still being simple and is usually sung in vilambitha kalam or slow speed.

Now for the lyrics

Pallavi

Muruganin Marupeyar azhagu
Andha muruvalil mayangudhu ulagu

The other (maru) name (peyar) of Lord Muruga is beauty(azhagu)
In that (andha) smile (muruvalil), the world (ulagu) stands mesmerized (mayangudhu)

Anupallavi

Kulumaikku avan oru nilavu
Nee kumara ena solli pazhagu

He (avan) is a (oru) moon exuding coolness (kulumai)
You (nee) should practice (pazhagu) saying (solli) the name Kumara.

Charanam

Vedhangal kooridum oliye
Uyar velodu vilayadum ezhile
thuraviyum virumbiya thurave
Nee thuraviyai ninritta thiruve

The light (oliye) that is described(kooridum) in the vedhas.
Editorial Note: I see this line as being interpreted in two ways. The light is described in the vedas or the light that described the vedas. Incidentally both seem appropriate The light (referring to Lord Muruga here) described the vedas - this could refer to Lord muruga describing the primordial sound of Om to his dad Lord Shiva.

High (uyar) spear (vel) wielding/sporting (vilayadum) beauty(ezhile). You are the beauty that plays with the high spear.
The renounce (thuravu) that even the renouncers(thuravi - one who renounces) desire(virumbum). You are desired by even those who have renounced everything.
You (need) are the wealth (thiruve) that had stood (ninritta) as an ascetic(thuraviyai). This refers to the story where Muruga gets angry with his parents for not giving him the mango and goes and stands as an ascetic in the palani hills.

Simple lyrics, musically pleasing.
How can any post for dance be complete without a discussion of the tala. This is set to kanda chapu. kanda meaning 5. Each line covers 4 avartanams making it a grand total of 20 akshara kalas

Nirutha Ganapathiye

After a somewhat long hiatus, am back to blogging about the pieces. There are reasons for my absence 1. We haven't been learning any lyrical pieces since Konjum Salangai. It was mostly mallari, alarippyu in misram and jathiswarams. So haven't really needed any meanings and analysis. Though the misra nadai might require some special treatment 2. Our arangetram 1:1s have started and on in full swing that our group lessons have taken a back seat 3. I was also away in india for about 5 weeks so that gave me very little time if any to blog. But here I am and back to blogging. This piece we are about to discuss is Nirutha Ganapathiye in Raga Kanakangi. If you are familiar with melakartha ragams (or even if you aren't, now might be a good time to learn about the 72 melakarthas), this is the first of them. I may have to complete this post and come back to it later. It's been a while and the details are a little hazy but I promise to come back and finish this.

Konjum Salangai - Lathangi Varnam

Ragam: Lathangi Talam: Adi


Pallavi

Konjum chadhangai thigazhum unn thiruvadi

Your feet(thiruvadi) that are adorned(thigazhum) with beautiful (konjum) anklets(chadangai - a variation of the word salangai)

thanjam endrunai paninden paramporule

I bow(paninden) to thee (unai)  and take refuge(thanjam)  oh supreme being (paramporule). This refers to taking refuge on His feet mentioned in the previous line

Anupallavi #1

Nanjinai amudhenave Umayavalin nejamum anjida und(u)-arul purindai

You blessed (arul purindhai) us by consuming (undu) poison(nanjinai) considering it as elixir(amudhenave), though uma's heart(nejamum) was filled with fear(anjida) 

Anupallavi #2

Pancha bootham vadivaga maaperum prabanjam yaavilum nee nirandhai

You(nee) filled(niraindhai) this entire(yaavilum) huge(maaperum) universe(prabanjam) in the form(vadivaga) of 5(pancha) elements(bootham) - namely Air water fire sky and earth.
Bootham here refers to elements and not to be confused with ghosts :)

Anupallavi #3

Senjadai meedhinil chandiran soodiya sanjalam theerkum ponnambala vaanane

The one who wears(soodiya) the crescent moon(chandiran) on(meedhinil) his auburn hair(senjadai), that resolves(theerkum) all worries(sanjalam), the ruler(vaanane) of golden(pon) roof(ambalam) - refers to the shiva temple in Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu. The ruling deity of this temple is none other than Nataraja, the supreme dancing form of Shiva!!

Mukthayiswara -sahithyam

naridhanai nodiyinil pariyena matriya
The one who changed(matriya) foxes(nari) into horses(pari) in a second(nodiyinil). This refers to a story in siva puranam, about Lor d Shiva coming to the rescue of one of his devotees (Manickavasagar) by transforming the foxes to horses. 

kariyai urithu sira mann sumandhavane
The one who ripped(urithu) the elephant(kari) and the one who carried(sumandhavane) sand(mann) on his head(sira). This refers to 2 stories - story of gajasura in the form of elephant, who's skin Shiva ripped and wore and the story of Shiva who accepted pittu (sweet made with rice flour) as fee for carrying sand to build a bridge.

thiruvadi naadinen arulmugam thEdinen
I sought(nadinen) your feet(thiruvadi) and searched(thEdinen) for your divine face(arulmugam)

Arumperum varam tharum gunanidhiye
The virtuous(gunanidhiye) one who bestows(tharum) the rarest(arum) and biggest(perum) boon(varam). 

Charanam

Natanam adidum Natesa lathangi inaindhu layamudane
The Natesa who dances(adidum) the cosmic dance(natanam) in harmony(layamudan) with lathangi - refers to the ragam in which this song is set. It can also be interpreted as dancing with Parvathi since lathangi is one of the names of Ambal (Parvathi)

Chittaswaram

#1
Samaganam thanil thanai marandhu agam magizhndhu udan varum

The one who blissfully(agam magizhndhu) immerses himself(thanai marandhu) in melodious music(samaganam) and accompanies us(udanvarum).

#2
Naathan un azhaginai kaanum iru vizhiyinil 
naalum un dharisanam kaana vizhaindhidum 
malarpadham ninaindhidum thavithulam 
pagalum iruvum uzhalum thavamirundhu

The two eyes (iru vizhiniyil) that saw(kaanum) the beauty of the Lord (Nathan un azhaginai), seeks (vizhaindhidum) to see His darshan everyday, thinks(ninaindhidum) of his flower-like feet (malarpadham), restless mind (thavithulam), worries (uzhalum)and prays (thavamirundhu) day and night (pagalum, iravum).

#3
Nee virisadaiyan nee puliudaiyan 
nee ariaranum nee kaliulagil 
nee karunaikadal nee pathanjali muni thozhum paraman nee varamarulvai 

You are the open matted haired one (virisadaiyan), you are the one who wears tiger skin (puliudaiyan), You are both hari and haran (ariaranum), you are the sea of compassion(karunai kadal) in kaliyuga, you are the Supreme one (paraman) that Sage pathanjali (patanjali) prays(thozhum) to. Bless me (varamarulvai). 


#4
thaam dheem thakadhimi thakajana vena
naadham mazhaiaruvi inaindhu vara
paadum adiyar kalithada idathu padam thooki anudinamum adal pala vidhamum 
Valakkai udukkai pidithe isaikkum 
azhagil murali magizhndhu vanangum

With jathis and flow music (naadham mazhaiaruvi)combining (inaindhu vara), much to the joy(kalithida) the singing (paadum) devotees (adiyaar),
everyday (anudinamum), you lift(thooki) your left (idathu) foot (padam)and dance (adal) in various ways(pala vidhamum),
You right hand(valakkai) holds(pidithe) the damru(udukkai) and plays it (isaikkum) - In this beauty (azhagil), murali enjoys (magizhndhu) and bows to you (vanangum).