Navarasa
Navarasa
அன்னம் மீதமர்ந்து அவனிக்கருளிடும் அன்னையே
annam mIdhamarndhu avanikkaruLidum annaiyE
பண்ணமுதின் சுவையும் எண்ணெழுத்தின் பொருளும் நீயே
paNNamudhin suvaiyum eNNezhutthin poruLum nIyE
நான்மறை துதித்திடும் நான்முகன் முன் நாணிய ஸ்ருங்காரீஸ்வரி
nAnmaRai thudhitthidum nAnmugan mun nANiya srunghArIswari
அசுரனை நகைத்தே வாக்கினில் தடையான நாத ரூபிணி
asuranai nagaitthE vAkkinil thadaiyAna nAdha rUpiNi
சினமே உருவான சீலனை மதியாது வசிஷ்டனைக் காத்த வீர வடிவே
sinamE uruvAna sIlanai madhiyAdhu vasishtanaik kAttha vIra vadivE
வேள்வி எனை விடுத்தாவெனும் கேள்வியொடு சீறிய வேகவதி
vELvi enai vidutthAvenum kELviyodu sIRiya vEgavathi
மதுகைடப வதத்தே உத்கீதத்தில் அஞ்சி நெரிந்த புருவமே
madhukaitapa vadhatthE uthgIthatthil anji nerindha puruvamE
மாறான மாந்தர் நிலையினில் நொந்து ஒடி ஒளிந்த சரஸ்வதி
mARAna mAndhar nilaiyinil nondhu Odi oLindha saraswathi
இரும்பினை வறுத்திடும் வனிதையை வியந்திட்ட வாகீஸ்வரி
irumbinai vaRutthidum vanidhaiyai viyandhitta vAgIswari
வாதத்தே தோற்றதாய் பாவனை செய்த உபய பாரதி கருணாசாகரி
vAdhatthE thOtRadhAy bhAvanai seidha ubhaya bhArathi karuNAsAgari
மீட்டிடும் வீணா கானத்தே லயித்திடும் சாந்த ஸ்வரூபிணி
mIttidum vINA gAnatthE layitthidum sAntha swarUpiNi
மிழற்றும் மழலை மொழி நீ குழலில் குலவு வளி நீ
mizhatRum mazhalai mozhi nI kuzhalil kulavu vaLi nI
சுழலும் அலையின் இசை நீ அழகு தமிழின் அமிழ்து நீ
suzhalum alaiyin isai nI azhagu thamizhin amizhdhu nI
உழலும் உயிரின் ஊக்கம் நீ அழலும் குளிரும் வாக்கின் வண்மை நீ
uzhalum uyirin Ukkam nI azhalum kuLirum vAkkin vaNmai nI
தமியேனைத் தாங்கிட தருணமிதே தாயே தயாநிதே
thamiyEnaith thAngida tharuNamidhE thAyE dhayAnidhE
Translation
Lines 1 & 2
Goddess Saraswathi, you are seated on a swan, blessing the universe with your compassion. You are the essence of sweet songs and the substance of letters and numerals.
Lines 3 -11
You were shy and appeared as a romantic goddess before the four-faced Lord Brahma whom all four vedas extoll. You are the source of all of the sounds in the universe. You had a sarcastic laugh and became an impediment to the demon Mookasura’s speech when he asked for a boon from Lord Siva. You were courageous when you disrespected the temperamental Sage Viswamitra and protected Sage Vasishta. You came angrily gushing in the form of the Vegavathy River and asked a question about how a yagna can be initiated without your presence. You were the furrowed eyebrow in the fright induced by the sound in Lord Vishnu’s incarnation as Hayagreeva. You were full of contempt at the changing society on your banks that led to your disappearance. You were the Vakeeswari who was totally astonished at the woman who cooked an iron ball into an edible meal. You were the Ubhayabarathi who, as an ocean of mercy, pretended to lose in an argument with Adi Sankara. You are the personification of peace and tranquility while immersed in playing the veena.
Lines 12 -15
You are the sweet language in a child’s babble; you are the air that caresses a flute; you are the music in the gyration of a wave; you are the nectar in the beautiful Tamil language; you are the stimulus for a suffering soul; you are the strength in speech which makes even flames cool and comfortable. Oh Mother, compassion incarnate, this is the opportune time to support this destitute soul.
Author’s Note
Line 3: Sringaram or love
Per Sri Devi Mahatmiyam, Adi Lakshmi created three Gods to share the functions of creation, protection, and destruction. Each of these gods, (Saraswathi, Lakshmi, Parvathi) created a counterpart, Siva, Brahma, Vishnu (not spouses but siblings). Brahma created the universe and it was dark in the beginning. When it was sliced in the middle, the primordial sound reverberated with the appearance of the dazzling sun. In the poet’s imagination, Goddess Saraswathi of one hundred forms (Shataroopi) glanced at the gold-complexioned four-headed lord Brahma. Both were instantly attracted to each other. Saraswathi appeared as an unsketched portrait of coyness and romance.
ஶ்ரீ தேவி மாஹாத்மியம் (உரையுடன் கூடியது) உரை ஆசிரியர் “அண்ணா”, ஶ்ரீராமகிருஷ்ண மடம், மயிலாப்பூர்,சென்னை 600004, உத்தர பாகம் 3. ப்ராதனிக ரஹச்யம் பக்கம் 285 - 296.
For the Sun’s appearance during cosmic creation, see:
நவக்கிரகத் திருத்தலங்கள், முனைவர் ந. க. மங்கள முருகேசன், திருமதி ம.
இராசம் மங்கள முருகேசன், தென்றல் பதிப்பகம், சென்னை 600014, முதற் பதிப்பு 1997, பக்கம் 45.
Line 4: Hasyam or Laughter
Per ancient legend, a demon named Kamasura got wind of his imminent death from his guru, Sukhracharya. He performed severe penance to get immortality and indestructibility from Lord Siva. Pleased by his austerity, Siva appeared before him. Apprehensive of the outcome, Adiparasakthi (the blend of Goddess Mahalakshmi, Saraswathi and Parvathy) stopped the boon by voiding the demon’s speech. According to the poet, his speech impairment was caused by Goddess Saraswathi, the deity ultimately responsible for all knowledge and speech. Thus, Kamasura could not ask for what he wanted from Siva and became a nonspeaking demon called Mookasura. The deity eventually killed him and relieved the devas and the entire universe from the demon’s atrocities. The following links describe the legend associated with Mookambika and how the temple for the goddess appeared in Kollur.
Line 5: Veeram or Bravery
Sages Viswamitra and Vasishta had an ongoing feud regarding their penance and thapasvic skills. It reached a crescendo when Viswamitra decided to kill Vasishta using his yogic powers. He enlisted the support of Goddess Saraswathi to achieve his devious goal. The two sages lived on either side of the banks of the river Saraswathi. Viswamitra asked Saraswathi to bring Vasishta to his ashram. Saraswathi knew his wicked plan and did not want to cooperate. She was very concerned about the anger of and his curses. After a lot of thought she came up with a clever plan to go against Viswamitra. It took enormous courage to oppose his commands. She took Vasishta to Viswamitra’s cottage one evening when the sage was performing evening prayers, homas etc. She informed him repeatedly that Vasishta was in his cottage, and when Viswamitra did not respond owing to his deep involvement in prayers, she took Vasishta back to his side of the shore.
Saraswathi saves Sage Vasishta
Line 6: Sinam or Raudram
Brahma planned to perform a yagna with the goal of worshipping Lord Narayana. Saraswathi was upset that he did not ask her to come. Per dharma, a married person cannot start a yagna without the spouse by their side. Saraswathi assumed the form of a ferocious river called Vegavathi and rushed to the site of the yagna with a goal of destroying the whole ritual. Vishnu Puranam Canto 1.7 reveals the details of this episode. Saraswathi becomes furious at Brahma’s arrogance and leaves Brahmaloka and curses Him that he will lose his ranking among the Trinity and the respect of his devotees, per some regional legends.
Sloka 1.7.1
सृष्टिं च
यः सृष्टि महाश्चरं प्रपञ्चम्।
रूपिण्याः
सर्गमण्या सर्वजन्यं महेश्वरः।
Translation:
Brahma, who was created by the Supreme Being, is the one who, through his divine power, creates the entire universe. In his pride and glory, he does not acknowledge the supreme wisdom embodied by Saraswati, and thus disregards her.
Sloka 1.7.2
न च तां
श्वो जनानं यज्ञे न्यस्तां सदा।
ब्रह्मा न अर्चयते न देवीम् प्रिया दीप्तां
Translation
At this time, Brahma did not include Saraswati (or Vegavathi, in some versions) in the Yajna, not worshiping her or honoring her during the sacrifice. He neglected her entirely, disregarding her role in the cosmic creation.
Sloka 1.7.3
सर्ववेदान्त
साक्षिणी! नां भस्मदात्री।
नमस्कृत्यं
विवशं कुरुते, स्त्री शक्तिं।
Translation
Saraswati, the embodiment of all wisdom and the ultimate source of knowledge, felt humiliated by this act of exclusion and went into a state of fury. In her anger, she withdrew her presence from Brahma, severing her connection to his creation and authority.
Sloka 1.7.4
जटिलेऽन्यां
तां धर्मनिष्ठां देवीं प्रौढतां।
स्वयमेवावगच्छामि!
कर्तव्यं ज्ञानभागिनीम्।
Translation
Feeling slighted and humiliated by Brahma’s arrogance, Saraswati began cursing him, stating that her role in knowledge and wisdom would no longer be acknowledged by him. She withdrew from his side, and her presence became scarce, symbolizing her anger and the consequences of Brahma’s neglect.
Sloka 1.7.5
प्रणष्टो
धर्मकान्तारो महात्मा ब्रह्म लोकः।
निवर्तिता:
सर्वदैविक शक्ती!
Translation
As a result of this oversight and disrespect, Brahma's authority diminished. The Dharma, as represented by Saraswati, could no longer be fully invoked by him. His position weakened, and his worship was consequently lessened compared to Vishnu and Shiva. The link below provides some details of disagreement and how Vishnu saved the Yagna.
Sthalapuranam of Thiruvekka divyadesam
Line 7: Bhayanaka or Fear
Saraswathi became one eyebrow of Lord Vishnu and Ganga the other. Goddess Saraswathi embodied absolute fear listening to the Uthgeetham, or the sound He made to intimidate the demons Madhu and Kaitapa. The entire universe trembled to hear the Samaveda-based sound of Uthgeetham. The following links describe the appearance of Hayagreeva when he went to kill the demons Madhu and Kaitapa.
Goddess Saraswathi becomes the eyebrow of Hayagreeva
Hayagreeva Stotra and Lord’s appearance
In his translation of Swamy Desikan’s Hayagreeva Sthothram (see below), Dr. Sadagopan states that the loud neighing of the horse form of the Lord, Uthgeetham (referred to also as Udhgeetham by other references) was terrifying and the asuras dropped the vedas and ran away. This poet imagined that Saraswathi, being the eyebrow of Hyagrieva, was scared too and the eyebrow naturally furrowed or slumped by the Hala Hala sound (translation of the second sloka in Sri Hayagreevar Stotram).
Translation of Hayagreeva Stotram
Line 8: Bhibhatsya or disgust
After Viswamitra’s curse, Sarasawathi ran as a river clouded with blood and was called the Aruna River for years. Brahmarakhshasas, or cruel demons, settled on the river banks and this blood became their favorite drink. Years later, a clan of sages moved onto the banks performing penance and homas, and were disappointed to see the demons as their company. Once the sages understood the predicament Saraswathi was in, they set it right using their combined powers derived from years of penance, and purified the water which became crystal clear. The sages also transferred their powers to Saraswathi to offer deliverance to the demons from all their sins. The demons, freed from their past sins, changed their ways. However, with the advent of Kaliyuga, things changed again. As detailed in Srimad Bhagavatam and Shanti Parva of Mahabharatha, people started adopting evil behaviors and accumulating sins again. Disgusted with the changes in people, Saraswathi could not adapt and disappeared from the earth. The mythological basis for the disappearance of this sacred river is a favorite of spiritual people (including the poet) as revealed in line 8. However, it should be noted that scientists would offer alternative theories. The marine tectonic activities submerged these regions (where the Saraswathi River flowed), and the process of desertification started. Scientists also believe that these tectonic activities were responsible for delinking the Saraswathi River from its source. Hence the river dried up and ceased to exist.
Line 9: Adbhuta or wonder
Per puranic legend, Narada once took a small iron ball and challenged each of the three Devis to cook it for him as a meal. Each of them laughed and replied that no one could transform an iron ball into something edible. Narada took the same metal ball to Anusuya, wife of Atri Maharishi, and asked her to cook it for him. She took it to the kitchen, sprinkled some water that she had saved after washing her husband’s feet, and started cooking it after a prayer to her husband’s form. It turned into a meal. Narada took the meal and shared it with the three Devis and extolled the devotion of Anusuya.
Anasuya cooks iron, Saraswati wonders
Line 10: Karunyam or Compassion
The first debate between Adi Sankara and Mandana Mishra used Mishra’s wife, Ubhaya Bharathi (an incarnation of Saraswathi) as the judge. Bharathi was intellectually coequal to Mishra. Mishra believed in duality and expounded on this philosophy with support from the scriptures. However Bharathi was highly impressed by Sankara’s advaitic (monotheistic) arguments and his knowledge at such a young age, and declared him as winner. She challenged Adi Sankara for a second debate with her. The goddess had already decided to stay on the earth and bless her devotees, and had even chosen the venue. She pretended to lose the second debate to Sankara. The poet interprets this as Saraswathi playing a trick and feigning defeat with Adi Sankara in her avatar as Ubhaya Bharati. She wanted to lose to her favorite child Sankara and bless her dear devotees out of infinite compassion staying in a serene location i.e., Sringeri.
Adi Sankara and Mandana Mishra Debate & Ubhaya Bharathi Judges
Ubhaya Bharathi becomes Saradambal in Sringeri
Line 11: Shantam
The poet imagines the Goddess of Knowledge to be peaceful, enjoying the sound of her veena, and totally absorbed in the nadham.