Ennai Enak Arivitthaan
Siva Yogaswami
This Natchintanai is usually considered the first of Siva Yogaswami's songs. While it is popularly known as "Engal Gurunathan," we are using the first line of the song as the title because there is another famous song whose title is "Engal Gurunathan."
Original Script
என்னையெனக் கறிவித்தான்
என்னையெனக் கறிவித்தா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
இணையடியென் தலைவைத்தா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
அன்னைபிதாக் குருவானா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
அவனியெல்லா மாளவைத்தா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
முன்னைவினை நீக்கிவிட்டா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
மூவருக்கு மறியவொண்ணா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
நன்மைதீமை யறியாதா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
நான்தானாய் விளங்குகின்றா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
தேகம்நீ யல்லவென்றா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
சித்தத்திற் திகழுகின்றா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
மோகத்தை முனியென்றா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
முத்திக்கு வித்ததென்றா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
வேகத்தைக் கெடுத்தாண்டா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
விண்ணும் மண்ணு மாகிநின்றா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
தாகத்தை யாக்கிவிட்டா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
சத்தியத்தைக் காணவைத்தா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
வாசியோகந் தேரென்றா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
வகாரநிலை அறியென்றா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
காசிதேசம் போவென்றா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
கங்குல்பக லில்லையென்றா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
நாசிநுனி நோக்கென்றா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
நடனந்தெ ரியுமென்றா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
மாசிலோசை கேட்குமென்றா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
மற்றுப்பற்றை நீக்கென்றா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
இருவழியை அடையென்றா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
எல்லாம் விளங்குமென்றா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
கருவழியைக் கடவென்றா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
கட்டுப்படும் மனமென்றா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
ஒருவரும றியாரென்றா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
ஓங்கார வழியென்றா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
நிருமலனா யிருவென்றா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
நீயேநா னென்றுசொன்னா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
திக்குத் திகாந்தமெல்லா மெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
சித்தத்துள் நிற்கவைத்தா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
பக்குவமாய்ப் பேணென்றா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
பார்ப்பதெல்லாம் நீயென்றா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
அக்குமணி யணியென்றா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
அஞ்செழுத்தை ஓதென்றா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
நெக்குநெக் குருகென்றா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
நித்தியன்நீ யென்றுசொன்னா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
தேடாமல் தேடென்றா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
சீவன் சிவனென்றா னெங்கள்குரு நாதன்
நாடாம
Transliteration
ennai enak arivitthaan engal gurunaathan
inaiyadiyen thalai vaitthaan engal gurunaathan
annai pithaa guruvaanaan engal gurunaathan
avani ellaam aala vaitthaan engal gurunaathan
munnai vinai neekki vittaan engal gurunaathan
moovarukkum ariyavonnaan engal gurunaathan
nanmai theemai ariyaathaan engal gurunaathan
naanthaanaai vilangukinraan engal gurunaathan
theygam nee alla endraan engal gurunaathan
sitthatthil thigalukindraan engal gurunaathan
mohgatthai muni endraan engal gurunaathan
mutthikku vitthathendraan engal gurunaathan
veygatthai kedutth aandaan engal gurunaathan
vinnum mannum aagi ninraan engal gurunaathan
thaagatthai aakki vittaan engal gurunaathan
satthiyatthai kaana vaitthaan engal gurunaathan
vaasiyohgam theyr endraan engal gurunaathan
vagaara nilai ari endraan engal gurunaathan
kaasi theysam poh endraan engal gurunaathan
kangul pagal illai endraan engal gurunaathan
naasi nuni nohkkendraan engal gurunaathan
nadanam theriyum endraan engal gurunaathan
maasil ohsai ketkum endraan engal gurunaathan
matru patrai neekkendraan engal gurunaathan
iru valiyai adai endraan engal gurunaathan
ellaam vilangum endraan engal gurunaathan
karuvaliyai kadavendraan engal gurunaathan
kattuppadum manam endraan engal gurunaathan
oruvarum ariyaar endraan engal gurunaathan
ohmkaara vali endraan engal gurunaathan
nirmalanaai iruvendraan engal gurunaathan
neeyey naan endru sonnaan engal gurunaathan
thikkuth thigaantham ellaam engal gurunaathan
sitthatthul nirka vaitthaan engal gurunaathan
pakkuvamaay peyn endraan engal gurunaathan
paarppath ellaam nee endraan engal gurunaathan
akkumani ani endraan engal gurunaathan
anjel.uthai ohth endraan engal gurunaathan
nekku nekk urugu endraan engal gurunaathan
nitthiyan nee endru sonnaan engal gurunaathan
theydaamal theyd endraan engal gurunaathan
seevan sivan endraan engal gurunaathan
naadaamal naad endraan engal gurunaathan
nalla vali thohndrum endraan engal gurunaathan
paadaamal paad endraan engal gurunaathan
patthar inam seyr endraan engal gurunaathan
vaadaamal val.ipadendraan engal gurunaathan
vaiyagatthil vaal. endraan engal gurunaathan
thitthikkum oru moliyaal engal gurunaathan
sinmayatthai kaana vaitthaan engal gurunaathan
etthikkum aagi nindraan engal gurunaathan
ellaam nee endruraitthaan engal gurunaathan
vitth indri naaru seyyvaan engal gurunaathan
vinnavarum ariya vonnaan engal gurunaathan
thatthuvaa theethan aanaan engal gurunaathan
sagala sambatthum thanthaan engal gurunaathan
aathi antham illai endraan engal gurunaathan
athuvey nee endruraitthaan engal gurunaathan
sohthi mayam endru sonnaan engal gurunaathan
sutt iranthu nil endraan engal gurunaathan
saathi samayam illaan engal gurunaathan
thaanai vilangu kindraan engal gurunaathan
vaathiyarum kaana onnaan engal gurunaathan
vaakkirantha inbam thanthaan engal gurunaathan
mucchanthi kuppaiyiley engal gurunaathan
mudakki kidanthidu endraan engal gurunaathan
acchamodu kohbam illaan engal gurunaathan
aanavatthai neekki vittaan engal gurunaathan
pacchai puraviyiley engal gurunaathan
paangaaga eyrendraan engal gurunaathan
thacchan kattaa veettiley engal gurunaathan
thaavupari kattendraan engal gurunaathan
naamey naam endruraitthaan engal gurunaathan
namakku kurai illai endraan engal gurunaathan
pohmey pohm vinai endraan engal gurunaathan
pohkku vara villai endraan engal gurunaathan
thaamey thaam endruraitthaan engal gurunaathan
sangarpam illai endraan engal gurunaathan
aum endru uruthi thanthaan engal gurunaathan
oomai el.uth ari endraan engal gurunaathan
Translation
He Made Me to Know Myself
about me - to me - he introduced (1) - our - gurunathan
both feet on my - head - he placed - our - gurunathan
mother - father - guru, he became - our - gurunathan
world - entire - rule - made (me) - our - gurunathan
previous - action/reaction - remove - he did - our - gurunathan
by all three (2) - to know - he who is, not possible - our - gurunathan
good - bad - he who does not discriminate - our - gurunathan
as Self - He shines - our - gurunathan
body - you - are not - said - our - gurunathan
in the heart - he is abiding - our - gurunathan
delusion - silence it - said - our - gurunathan
for liberation - that is the way (3), said - our - gurunathan
hurry - destroyed - and ruled over - our - gurunathan
space and - earth also - became - stood - our - gurunathan
the thirst - create - he did - our - gurunathan
the truth - to be revealed - he made - our - gurunathan
vasiyoga (4) - gain mastery over - said - our - gurunathan
grace - state - realize - said - our - gurunathan
Varanasi (5) - land of - go - said - our - gurunathan
dark night - or day - is not there - said - our - gurunathan
nose - tip - observe, he said - our - gurunathan
dance - will be seen - he said - our - gurunathan
flawless - sound - will be heard - he said - our - gurunathan
other - attachments - discard he said - our - gurunathan
both - paths (6) - close - he said - our - gurunathan
all - will be understood - he said - our - gurunathan
the path of womb - go past - he said - our - gurunathan
will be controlled - the mind - he said - our - gurunathan
even one - knows not - he said - our - gurunathan
the sound of om - path - he said - our - gurunathan
without impurity - be, he said - our - gurunathan
you indeed are - I - thus - he said - our - gurunathan
directions - end of the directions - all - our - gurunathan
within the mind - to stand - he made - our - gurunathan
carefully - preserve - he said - our - gurunathan
that is seen - all - is you - he said - our - gurunathan
rudraksha bead - wear - he said - our - gurunathan
the five letters - say with care - he said - our - gurunathan
soften - soften - melt - he said - our - gurunathan
immortal - you are - thus - he said - our - gurunathan
not searching - search - he said - our - gurunathan
soul - is siva - he said - our - gurunathan
not desiring - desire - he said - our - gurunathan
good - path - will appear - he said - our - gurunathan
not singing - sing - he said - our - gurunathan
devotees - community - join - he said - our - gurunathan
not wearying - worship, he said - our - gurunathan
in the world - live - he said - our - gurunathan
sweetened - one - with the language - our - gurunathan
The Superconscious - to see - he made me - our - gurunathan
every direction - became - he stood - our - gurunathan
all - you are - thus, he taught - our - gurunathan
seed - without - seedling - he will make - our - gurunathan
even celestial beings - to know - impossible - our - gurunathan
philosophy - he who has transcended - he became - our - gurunathan
all kinds - wealth - he gave - our - gurunathan
origin - end - not there - he said - our - gurunathan
That - you are - thus, he taught - our - gurunathan
light - pervasive - thus - he said - our - gurunathan
attributes - freed from - stand - he said - our - gurunathan
caste - religion - he who is without - our - gurunathan
as himself - shines - he does - our - gurunathan
by even scholars - seen - one who is not - our - gurunathan
words stilled - bliss - he gave - our - gurunathan
at the junction of three roads - in the rubbish - our - gurunathan
curl up - and lie - he said - our - gurunathan
fear and - anger - he who is without - our - gurunathan
ego - removed - he did - our - gurunathan
young - on the horse (7) - our - gurunathan
majestically - climb up - he said - our - gurunathan
carpenter - not built by - in the house (8) - our - gurunathan
jumping horse - tie, he said - our - gurunathan
we, indeed - we are - thus, he uttered - our - gurunathan
for us - no deficiencies - he said - our - gurunathan
it will go - it will go - action (and reaction) - he said - our - gurunathan
going - coming - no (9) - he said - our - gurunathan
ourselves, indeed - are we - thus, he taught - our - gurunathan
intention - no - thus - he said - our - gurunathan
yes - thus - promise - he gave - our - gurunathan
silent - letter - perceive - he said - our - gurunathan
Footnotes:
1) arivitthaan - literal meaning : announced
2) Moovar : "The Three" usually understood to be Brahma, Vishnu and Siva
3) vitthu : commonly used to mean seed; also means way
4) Vaasiyohgam: yogic breathing
5) kasidesam: The city of Kasi, also called Banaras or Varanasi
6) iruvali: the two paths refer to the two channels, ida and pingala, which need to be closed to allow the breath to flow along the sushumna
7) pacchai puraviyiley: literally means young horse. It also means restless breath.
8) thacchan kattaa veettiley: the house not built by a carpenter refers to the body. These lines urge the student to gain control over the restless breath till you can ride it with ease and tie the body with it causing the mind to be stilled
9) pohku varavu illai: literally "no going and coming" infers ending the cycle of death and birth
* Model for Study: A major impediment to the spread of Natchintanai has been the diversity of melodies used for any given song. Hindu music is very creative and professionally trained Carnatic singers have a great deal of freedom for improvisation, much like modern western jazz musicians. But this leaves the average lay person with a big problem as well as teachers of groups or children when they come to learn the song. "How should we sing it? What is the tune?" To facilitate the dissemination of Yogaswami's songs the Swamis at Kauai Aadheenam have selected standardized tunes. Wherever possible we have tried to source these melodies from the Sri Lankan Jaffna community itself. Sometimes a complicated carnatic melody by a professional Jaffna Tamil singer has been simplified. (Gamakams are reduced for children) In cases where melodies are not known or are "boring" from a modern youth angle, we have adopted a more rhythmic, upbeat melody. We have to give credit to the Tiruvadi Niliyam (Jaffna Sai Baba devotees) who have sponsored some recordings by the All Ceylon Radio Singers for leading the way in this regard. These are good examples of Yogaswami's songs sung in a pleasing style. It is well known that Yogaswami himself did on occasion tell his devotees to sing such-and-such a Natchintanai song according to the melody of a song sung by one of the current popular devotional singers of his day. The melodies for many Natchintanai have yet to be selected for groups and children. If you would care to suggest some tunes we would very much appreciate your suggestions. Please email studyhall@hindu.org