Elle Ilam

Lyrics

Notation

From Shivkumar Kalyanaraman (shivkumar.org)

Paasuram (Stanza)
ellE iLaNGkiLiyE! innam uRaNGkuthiyO! *
cillenRu azhaiyEnmin naNGkaimIr pOtharukinREn *
vallai un katturaikaL paNtE un vaay aRithum *
vallIrkaL nINGkaLE naanE thaan aayituka *
ollai nI pOthaay unakkenna vERutaiyai *
ellaarum pOn^thaarO pOn^thaar pOn^thu eNNikkoL *
vallaanai konRaanai maaRRaarai maaRRazhikka
vallaanai * maayanaip paatu ElOr empaavaay.

Meaning Courtesy: http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia/ebooks/tpv/vstp15.html
{Additional sites: http://www.asayana.com/religion/18-2/ }

Context: Andal's thirty songs contain the cardinal principles of Vaishnava dharma during the month of Marghazhi. Vaishnavas sing
these songs to bring peace, prosperity and Divine Grace. Andal assumes the guise of a cowherd girl in these 30 verses. Andal appears
intent upon performing a particular religious vow to marry the Lord, thereby obtain His everlasting company, and inviting all her
girl-friends to join her. Towards the end we learn that she did not actually perform a religious rite; but is simply praying to be
granted the service of the Lord for eternity. She yearns for everlasting happiness and service of the Lord.

(In the group of the awakening songs of ten maidens , namely pasasurams (6-15) ,this paasuram is the last one and is set in the form
of conversation between the maidens at the the threshhold of a house and the God-intoxicated maiden inside the house.

{ The girls at the threshold }: Hello! young parrot-like damsel! are you fast asleep even now ?
(The maiden within answers): Do n't be harsh(lit. chilly) in calling me ; Oh girls of higher strand ! just now I am coming.
{ The group outside}: You can talk well.; we know it ( skill in speech)already.
( The girl inside): As it is , you (all) are strong (in wordy combat); does no't matter,let me the one (in harsh speech); (my apologies to
you for my harshness).
(The group outside): Come quickly and join us.with whom else are you so engaged (being separated form us)?
( The girl inside): Have all (our friends) come already ?
( The girls outside): Oh Yes.they have come. May You come out and take the roll call (lit.count for yourself). We would like to hear
you sing in praise of our Lord , who vanquished the unassailable elephant ( Kuvalayaapeedam, the court elephant of Kamsan)and
who is highly powerful in destroying the enimity pertaining to His enemies.

Commentary By Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchari Sadagopan

This Paasuram is considered by our AchAryAs as " ThiruppAvayilum ThiruppAvai". Among the dhivya prabhandhams , Godhai's
Prabhandhams are the most exalted;even among Her two Prabhandhams, ThiruppAvai has the loftiest position. In all the thirty
paasurams of ThiruppAvai, this paasuram is the most important.Even in this paasuram , the passage " naanE thaan aayiduha" is the
supremely important one with depths and depths of meaning .

PerukkAraNai Swamy has elaborated on the deeper meanings of the paasurams for almost 25 pages based on the four pages of
Abhinava Desikan . We will cover the highlights of this abiding message of " naanE thAnn aayyiudaha" briefly due to the restrictions
of space and time . This message can see us through many storms and controversies that we face during our lives as Sri VaishNavAs ,
when it comes to BhAgavatha daasyam , an essential prerequisite among the codes of conduct for a true Sri VaishNavan .

This paasuram unlike the other " awakening Paasurams" is set in Paraspara SamvAdham (mutual dialog) pattern/mode to heighten
the rasAnubhavam about the importance of BhAgavatha Daasyam over Bhagavath daasyam .

Bhagavath daasyam is celebrated by ANDAL in " SiRRam SiRukAlE vanthunnai sEvithtu" paasuram . In the "ellE iLankiLiyE"
paasuram , which precedes the "siRRam siRukAlE --" paasuram , ANDAL points out that " Bhagavath daasyathtukku ellai nilam is
BhAgavatha daasyam" and sings about the latter first in "ellE iLankiLiyE " and then goes on to sing about Bhagavath daasyam (later)
in " SiRRam siRukAlE" paasuram.

Those who understand the importance of BhAgavath daasyam and stay away from the unpardonable apachArams to the servants of
the Lord are very , very dear to Him. That is why our Lord says in His upadEsam: "Jn~Anithu aathmaiva" and "mama bhaktha
bhakthEshu". Another utthama Sri VaishNavar wants the boon of being the Lord's servant's servants seven times over ( Thvath
Bhruthya Bhruthya--). Swamy NammAzhwAr celebrates the importance of BhAgaavtha- daasyam in His paasuram:
"nedumARkkadimai--". ThiruppANar instructs us in this context: " adiyArkku yennai aatpaduthtum Vimalan". Swamy NaammAzhwAr
referred to saptha parva daasyathvam in his paasurap pahuthi: "adiyAr adiyAr tamm adiyAr adiyAr--" .

This concept of BhAgavatha daasyam can not be explained successfully by upadEsam ; it can only be understood through
anushtAnam of BhAgavatha daasyam . ANDAL blessed us with this paasuram so that one can emulate the practise of utthama Sri
VaishnavAs. She enhances the efficency of the instruction by setting this paasuram in the "Ukthi- prakyukthi" (Q&A)mode . Offering
our salutations to BhagavAn as a part of the sathsangam of BhAgavathAs is the most exalted way to worship Him ; therefore,
PeriyAzhwAr addresed the Utthama adhikAris as " yengaL kuzhaam puhunthu koodu manamudayeer !".

Sahityam: ellE iLaNGkiLiyE! innam uRaNGkuthiyO! *
Meaning:
ellE        iLaNG        kiLiyE!      innam uRaNGkuthiyO!
What Surpise! young (beautiful) parrot (you are) still sleeping
ellE: Surprise!
ilaNG: young
kiliyE: parrot
innam: still
uRaNGkuthiyO!: sleeping

Sahityam: cillenRu azhaiyEnmin naNGkaimIr pOtharukinREn *
Meaning:
cillenRu           azhaiyEn           min naNGkaimIr pOth              arukinREn
Chilly (harsh) words Don't call me (with such a) mind Hey girls in little while I am coming
cillenRu : chilly (harsh)
azhaiyEn : call me (with harsh words)
min naNGkaimIr : Hey girls
pOth         : in a little while
arukinREn : I am coming

Sahityam: vallai un katturaikaL paNtE un vaay aRithum *
Meaning:
vallai un katturaikaL paNtE                 un      vaay aRithum
smart (are) your stories since long time (from) your (own) mouth we know about
vallai - smart
un       - your
katturaikaL - stories
paNtE        - for a long time
un      vaay - from your mouth
aRithum       - we know about

Sahityam: vallIrkaL nINGkaLE naanE thaan aayituka *
Meaning:
vallIrkaL nINGkaLE           naanE thaan   aayituka
Smart ones you (all) are I (only) am the loser
vallIrkaL - smart ones
nINGkaLE       - you all are
naanE thaan - I only am
aayituka - loser

Sahityam: ollai nI pOthaay unakkenna vERutaiyai *
Meaning:
ollai nI pOthaay unakk enna vERu utaiyai
Quickly you start For you what other job (is there)?
ollai nI - quickly you
pOthaay - start
unakk - for you
enna - what
vERu - other

utaiyai – job (is there)

Sahityam: ellaarum pOn^thaarO pOn^thaar pOn^thu eNNikkoL *
Meaning:
ellaarum pOn^thaarO                  pOn^thaar      pOn^thu     eNNikkoL
All (who) are going (have they gone?) (Yes) They have gone go out (and) count for yourselves
ellaarum - All
pOn^thaarO - have they gone
pOn^thaar       - Yes they have gone
pOn^thu      - Go out
eNNikkoL - Count for yourself

Sahityam: vallaanai konRaanai maaRRaarai maaRRazhikka
Meaning:
vall aanai           konRaanai       maaRRaarai maaRR azhikka
Powerful elephant (he who) killed (he who in) war   enemies destroyed
vall aanai       - powerful elephant
 konRaanai      - killed
maaRRaarai - in war
maaRR       - enemies
azhikka     - destroyed

Sahityam: vallaanai * maayanaip paatu ElOr empaavaay.
Meaning:
vall aanai maayanaip             paatu El                   Or empaavaay
Powerful elephant Lord Maayan (let us) sing (His praise) Come (Let us do) (the penance of) paavai nOmbu
vall aanai - Powerful elephant
maayanaip       - Lord Maayan
paatu      - Song
El Or empaavaay - Come (Let us do) (the penance of) paavai nOmbu

Paasuram (Stanza)
ellE iLaNGkiLiyE! innam uRaNGkuthiyO! *
cillenRu azhaiyEnmin naNGkaimIr pOtharukinREn *
vallai un katturaikaL paNtE un vaay aRithum *
vallIrkaL nINGkaLE naanE thaan aayituka *
ollai nI pOthaay unakkenna vERutaiyai *
ellaarum pOn^thaarO pOn^thaar pOn^thu eNNikkoL *
vallaanai konRaanai maaRRaarai maaRRazhikka
vallaanai * maayanaip paatu ElOr empaavaay.

Sahityam: ellE iLaNGkiLiyE! innam uRaNGkuthiyO! *
Meaning:
ellE        iLaNG        kiLiyE!      innam uRaNGkuthiyO!
What Surpise! young (beautiful) parrot (you are) still sleeping
ellE: Surprise!
ilaNG: young
kiliyE: parrot
innam: still
uRaNGkuthiyO!: sleeping

; gm      P ; ; D || P ; M D P ; || ; ; ; ;                     ; ; || ; ;      ; ; pm pm ||
  El-     lE - - I   LaN Gki Li yE!  - - - -                     - -   - -      - - -- --

gr- gm       P ; ; D || P ; M D P ; || ; pd N D     P - P || M D M G gp mg ||
    El-     lE - - I   LaN Gki Li yE!  - in - - nam - u      RaN- Gkuthi yO! - -

mr- gm        P ; ; D || P ; M D P ; || ; pd N D    P - P || M D pmM G gp mg ||
    El-       lE - - I   LaN Gki Li yE! - in - - nam - u     RaN- Gku- thi yO! - -

mr- gm      P ; ; D || P ; M D P ; || ; rs ns D P - P || pmdp pm – gm p-g pm ||
    El-     lE - - I   LaN Gki Li yE! - in - - nam - u   RaN- Gku- thi yO! - -

gr- gm P ; ; D || P ; M D P ; || ; rs ns D P - P || pmdp pm – gm p-g pm ||
     El- lE - - I LaN Gki Li yE! - in - - nam - u   RaN- Gku- thi - yO! - -

gr- gm P ; ; D || P ; M D P ; || ; rsN                       ; D   P - P || pmdp pm – gm p-g pm ||
     El- lE - - I LaN Gki Li yE! - in -                      - nam - u      RaN- Gku- thi - yO! - -

Sahityam: cillenRu azhaiyEn min naNGkaimIr pOth arukinREn *
Meaning:
cillenRu           azhaiyEn           min naNGkaimIr pOth              arukinREn
Chilly (harsh) words Don't call me (with such a) mind Hey girls in little while I am coming
cillenRu : chilly (harsh)
azhaiyEn : call me (with harsh words)
min naNGkaimIr : Hey girls
pOth         : in a little while
arukinREn : I am coming

gr- G mpdn ; dp || pm- md pp – gr S – S || ; sn S – g r G ; || gM- p ,m - D , P , ||
    ci llen- - - Ru a - zhai - - yEn - min naN- Gkai- mIr      pO- thar (u)kin REn *

Sahityam: vallai un katturaikaL paNtE un vaay aRithum *
Meaning:
vallai un katturaikaL paNtE                 un      vaay aRithum
smart (are) your stories since long time (from) your (own) mouth we know about
vallai - smart
un       - your
katturaikaL - stories
paNtE        - for a long time
un      vaay - from your mouth
aRithum       - we know about

; gm pDp ; S || sndp N R S ; || ; ;                   ; ; ; ; || ; ;       ; ; ; ; ||
  Val- lai- - un ka- - ttu rai kaL

; gm pDp ; S || sndp N R S ; || ; ns , mgr S ; || N R sn – P D P ||
  Val- lai- - un ka- - ttu rai kaL paN tE - un vaay- - - a Ri thum *

; gm pDp ; S || srsn dp N R S ; || ; ns mgrr grS || rs-ns grs-n                        S – P D P ||
  Val- lai- - un ka- - - - ttu rai kaL paN tE - un  vaay- - -                          - a Ri thum *

Sahityam: vallIrkaL nINGkaLE naanE thaan aayituka *
Meaning:
vallIrkaL nINGkaLE           naanE thaan   aayituka
Smart ones you (all) are I (only) am the loser
vallIrkaL - smart ones
nINGkaLE       - you all are
naanE thaan - I only am
aayituka - loser

; G gr ; mp gr || ; ss , n dp S ; ||               ; ; ; ; ; ;        || ; ;   ; ;    ; ; ||
  Val lI - - --rkaL nIN - Gka LE

; G gr ; mp gr || ; ss , n dp S ; || ; gm pd N D P || M D pp- gr S – S ||
  Val lI - - --rkaL nIN - Gka LE       naa-nE - thaan aa - yi- tu- - ka

; G gr ; mp gr || ; ss , n dp sR,               || ; gm pd N D P || M D pp- gr S – S ||
  Val lI - - --rkaL nIN - Gka LE                     naa-nE - thaan aa - yi- tu- - ka

Sahityam: ollai nI pOthaay unakkenna vERutaiyai *
Meaning:
ollai nI pOthaay unakk enna vERu utaiyai
Quickly you start For you what other job (is there)?
ollai nI - quickly you
pOthaay - start
unakk - for you
enna - what
vERu - other
utaiyai – job (is there)

; gm     P; P;      || P ; P D dp M || ; gm pd N D P || pm md                         M G gpm g ||
  Ol-   lai nI         pO- - - thaay-    u - na- - kkenna vE- - -                     Rutai yai - -

Sahityam: ellaarum pOn^thaarO pOn^thaar pOn^thu eNNikkoL *
Meaning:
ellaarum pOn^thaarO                  pOn^thaar      pOn^thu     eNNikkoL
All (who) are going (have they gone?) (Yes) They have gone go out (and) count for yourselves
ellaarum - All
pOn^thaarO - have they gone
pOn^thaar       - Yes they have gone
pOn^thu      - Go out
eNNikkoL - Count for yourself

; gm pd N        D P || pm md        p p – gr S - S || ; sp p p m g             g pmM r || gm P       ,m – D   , P , ||
  El- laa -      - rum pOn - -       - - thaa - rO       pOn thaar- -           pOn- -     then-      - - Ni    kkoL

Sahityam: vallaanai konRaanai maaRRaarai maaRRazhikka
Meaning:
vall aanai           konRaanai       maaRRaarai maaRR azhikka
Powerful elephant (he who) killed (he who in) war   enemies destroyed
vall aanai       - powerful elephant
 konRaanai      - killed
maaRRaarai - in war
maaRR       - enemies
azhikka     - destroyed

; gm m P ,        D P || sndp N R S ; || ; ns , mgr S ; || N R ss – P    D P ||
  Val- laa - -    - nai kon- Raa- nai    maa tRRaa rai     maa- - - tRRa zhikka

; gm m P ,        D P || srsn dp N R S ; || ; ns mgrr grS || rs-ns grs-n                   S – P D P ||
  Val- laa - -    - nai kon- - Raa- nai      maa tRRaa rai   maa- - -                      - tRRa zhikka

Sahityam: vallaanai * maayanaip paatu ElOr empaavaay.
Meaning:
vall aanai maayanaip             paatu El                   Or empaavaay
Powerful elephant Lord Maayan (let us) sing (His praise) Come (Let us do) (the penance of) paavai nOmbu
vall aanai - Powerful elephant
maayanaip       - Lord Maayan
paatu      - Song
El Or empaavaay - Come (Let us do) (the penance of) paavai nOmbu

; G gr – ;      mp R || ; S , n dp S ; ||    ; ; ; ; ; ;   || ; ;   ; ; ; ; ||
  Val laa - -    - - nai maa - ya- nai

; G gr ;        mp gr || ; S , n dp S ; || ; gm pd N D P || pm md pp- gr S – S ||
  Val laa - -   - - nai   maa - ya- nai      paa tE -- lOr- em - - - paa - vaay.

; G gr ;        mp gr || ; S , n dp sR,     || ; gm mpDpdN D P || pm md pp- gr S – S ||
  Val laa - -   - - nai   maa - ya- nai         paa tE -- - lOr-  em - - - paa - vaay.