As many of you know, the monks have been (and continue) working on a new book, an English edition of the 1,454 songs of Saint Tayumanavar, the Tamil poet and philosopher who lived from 1705 to 1742. His songs to Siva are revered in South India and memorized by children in annual competitions. Imagine, learning so many songs by heart.
When in Singapore two years back, we met an Oduvar, Vivek Raja, whose temple singing is deeply spiritual, completely traditional. We commissioned him to sing the Tamil songs in his trained style, and when he returned to India he made great progress, though there is much yet to be done.
Today we share the first song for you to enjoy, along with the Tamil and the meaning of the lyrics in English. Click the sound baar under the slideshow to hear this first song. Below is the English rendering:
What is it that is immeasurable effulgence, perfect bliss, filled with grace? What is it that willed to contain the countless universes in boundless space and there flourishes as the Life of life? What is it that stood transcending thought and word? What is it that remained as the ever-contentious object of countless faiths claiming, “This, my God,’’ “This, our God’’? What is it that exists as omnipresent and omnipotent, love-filled and eternal? What is it that knows no limits of night and day? That indeed is what is agreeable to thought. That indeed is what fills all space in silentness. That indeed is what we in meekness worship.
அங்கிங் கெனாதபடி எங்கும் ப்ரகாசமாய்
ஆனந்த பூர்த்தியாகி
அருளொடு நிறைந்ததெது தன்னருள் வெளிக்குளே
அகிலாண்ட கோடியெல்லாந்
தங்கும் படிக்கிச்சை வைத்துயிர்க் குயிராய்த்
தழைத்ததெது மனவாக்கினில்
தட்டாமல் நின்றதெது சமயகோ டிகளெலாந்
தந்தெய்வம் எந்தெய்வமென்
றெங்குந் தொடர்ந்தெதிர் வழக்கிடவும் நின்றதெது
எங்கணும் பெருவழக்காய்
யாதினும் வல்லவொரு சித்தாகி இன்பமாய்
என்றைக்கு முள்ள தெதுஅது
கங்குல்பக லறநின்ற எல்லையுள தெதுஅது
கருத்திற் கிசைந்ததுவே
கண்டன வெலாமோன வுருவெளிய தாகவுங்
கருதிஅஞ் சலிசெய்குவாம்.
Beautiful and soul stirring. Thank you.