Saraswathi

nANiyE vINaiyai mIttinAL

நாணியே வீணையை மீட்டினாள்

Pallavi

நாணியே வீணையை மீட்டினாள் கலை

nANiyE vINaiyai mIttinAL kalai

வாணியும் சிருஷ்டியின் ஞானியைக் கண்டு

vANiyum srishtiyin nyAniyaik kaNdu

Anupallavi

ஒருபுறம் விழுங்கிடும் விழிகளில் வெட்கியே அவன் 

orupuRam vizhungidum vizhigaLil vetkiyE avan

மறுபுறம் சென்றும் துளிர்த்ததோர் சிரந்தனை

maRupuRam sendRum thuLirtthadhOr sirandhanai

Charanam

வெண்ணிற மேனியாள் அன்னம் மீதமர்ந்தாள்

veNNiRa mEniyAL annam mIdhamarndhAL

மண்ணும் உய்ந்திட வேதமும் கீதமும் ஈந்தாள்

maNNum uyndhida vEdhamum gIthamum IndhAL

வாய்மையும் தூய்மையும் நிலைத்திட நாவலர் நாவிலெழுதியே

vAymaiyum thUymaiyum nilaitthida nAvalar nAvilezhudhiyE

நான்முகன் நாடிய நலமெலாம் நல்கியுமவன் நோக்கினில்

nAnmugan nAdiya nalamelAm nalgiyumavan nOkkinil

Translation

Pallavi

With a bashful glance, Goddess Saraswathi picked up the veena and played music. The goddess of the arts looked at the Creator and grew coy.

Anupallavi

Standing to one side, she became exceedingly shy under the weight of his unblinking gaze and moved to the other side. Yet another head had sprouted, enabling Brahma to behold her from there as well, leaving her utterly baffled.

Charanam

The beautiful maiden is seated upon a swan. She created scriptures and music so that the earth might be sustained. She inscribed sacred knowledge upon the tongues of poets and scholars, enabling them to pass on truth and purity in perpetuity. She offered everything the divine Creator desired for the world to possess. And once again, with a fleeting glance from him, she became coy and started to play her veena.

Author’s Note

The anupallavi of this song is based on the description of cosmic creation by Brahma and his acceptance of Satarupi, also known as Saraswathi, as his consort, as narrated in Matsya Purana, Chapter 3, verses 3.40–3.45. At the dawn of creation, a bewildered Satarupi stood before the Lord of Srishti. Enamored by her beauty, Brahma gazed at her unceasingly. Unable to reciprocate this romantic overture, Saraswathi sought another course. Modest and restrained, she moved to the other side, behind him. Little did she know that another head had sprouted, its eyes fixed upon her. The poet envisions the coy maiden taking up her veena and rendering melodious notes with its strings to soothe the emotional turbulence, creating an atmosphere of serenity.

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