Fw: The poetry types of Prabandham

[Guest guest]

SrI:

 

Dear admirers of AzhwAr's Prabhandhams :

 

I am delighted to forward with the kind permission of Smt. Jayashree Saranathan

a brilliant introduction on the grammar of Tamil poetry and the metres used by

AzhwArs based on that Grammar .

 

This will be valuable to many devotees . As one who just returned from the

Mutthangi

SamarpaNam at SriviliputthUr for Soodikkoduttha NaacchiyAr , I very much

aprreciate her

delightful observations on ThiruppAvai and NaacchiyAr Thirumozhi Prabhandhams .

 

ThiruvEzhu KooRRirukkai prabhandham is the visualization of the Lord of

Thirukkudanthai ,

Sri AarAvamudhan seated on the big car (thEr) drawn in the Chitthirai monthat

that Dhivya dEsam .

Smt . Saranathan mentioned that it might be the visualization of the gOpuram at

Thirukkudanthai .

 

Only AruNagiri Naathar , a dear devotee of Lord Murugan has composed a

ThiruvEzhukooRRirukkai

on Swamy Malai Murugan , Thirumaal Marughan .

 

Thanks a million , Smt.SaranAthan for your delightful & Informative Summary .

This will help a lot of

students of dhivya Prabhandham .

 

V.Sadagopan

 

 

-

saranathan

ramanuja

Cc: sridharvvv ; mkrishnaswamy ; sgopan

Wednesday, October 26, 2005 2:55 PM

The poetry types of Prabandham

 

 

SRIMATHE RAMANUJAYA NAMAHA.

 

 

 

ramanuja, Sreekanth <sreekanth_a> wrote:

>

> Dear bhagavathas

 

 

> > i also have some specific doubts

> 1. What is a "maDal" means

> 2. what is "Thandakam" in thirukkurunthANDakam and

> thirunEdumthANDakam

> 3. similarly the meanings of the titles

> "thiruviruthamthiruvAsiriyam"

> 4. What is "anthAthi" type prabandham means

> 5. some prabandhams are named after the begining word,

> like "amalanAdipirAn", kaNNInuNchirutthAmpU etc, but

> then what is the speicality of "thiruvEzhukUTTirukkai"

> 6. what are the specialities of meters like

> kalivirutham, venpa etc...

>

> Sreekanth

>

>

>

--

 

 

 

Respected Swamin,

 

 

 

Though I don't hold any degree in Tamil literature and grammar, due my interest

in Tamil works, particularly poetry, I think I can help you to some extent in

getting some replies to your query.

 

 

 

First of all, lets look at the name, Divya Prabandam.

 

 

 

Prabandam is a form of poetry which is of 96 different types.

 

 

 

Majority of the verses in Aruli-ch-cheyal are some or other type of prabandham

only.

 

 

 

Prabandam came to be used later than the earlier forms of poetry of the sangam

period, such as VeNbaa, Aasiriappa, Kali-p-paa and Vanji-p-paa. The aim and

message to be conveyed usually decide the kind of poetry form that the poet

chooses.

 

 

 

The earlier four forms of poetry underwent modifications taking up other forms

also, as per the requirement and intuition of the poet. That is how we get to

see kali-veNbaa, Kochchga-k-kali-p-paa, Vanji viruttham, Aasiriya viruttham

etc. But all these are within established norms of grammar.

 

 

 

In course of time the 96 prabandhams came to be handled by many poets of

post-sangam period, as they were able to convey specific ideas through them with

a greater reach. While the former forms were difficult to understand by

commoners, the prabandams are easy to understand.

 

 

 

Now about the word 'divya'. 'Div' in Sanskrit means 'to shine'. It is the root

word for deva and divya. The prabhandam is divyam, since it shines, glows, shows

the way by glowing and has Bhagavan in Divya desas as the Hero (karu-p-poruL) of

all the verses.

 

 

 

The divya desa derives its name from 'div'. This is understood by the way

temples are established. There are 3 ways by which temples are established. (1)

Bhagavan being present in a place as swayambhu, (2) Bhagavan appearing in a

place as prathyaksha to bless some devotee and (3) Bhagavan coming to reside

through consecration by mantra, tantra or yantra.

 

 

 

One special feature of the divya desam is that bhagavan has at some time in the

past appeared as prathyaksha to some devotee in all these kshetras. The

bhagavan's glow has been enshrined in those places as temples. Every divya desam

has a history of Bhagavan's leela shown to some devotee. Therefore they are

divya kshetras.

 

 

 

The entire body of verses dedicated to bahgavan in divya kshetras is Divya

prabhandam.

These kshetrams are known as 'aazhwargaL ugandu aLLittha nilangaL.'

 

 

 

One can see a divine design in the way aazhwars' avataras had been effected and

the way they have sung the prabandhams.

 

 

 

The songs of the first 3 Mudal aazhwars are all in traditional forms of poetry

namely in VeNbaa.

 

The aazhwars have started their verses in the traditional way of lighting Thiru

villakku as is done before starting any worship or action. Vilakku means 'edu

vilanga-ch-chaigiradO adu vilakku'. By lighting the lamp, the aazhwars have

removed the darkness or tamas.

 

 

 

The first verse of the Mudal Thiruvandaadhi, " vaiyam thagaliya..' is about

lighting the vilakku at the physical level with the world as the lamp, the

oceans as the ghee and the Sun as the light. Modern science considers the

entire world as a single cell, in that whatever happens in one part of the land

affects the other parts too. The wind movements, monsoons, hurricanes are all

only but a few examples of global phenomenon. Poigaiyaar had considered the

earth as one unit even in those times itself and lit the lamp for the entire

human race.

 

 

 

The second Thiruvandhaadhi begins with lighting the ViLakku at the mental level.

(anbE thagaLiyaa).

 

 

 

With this, the entire body of Bhagavan comes to be seen in the Third

Thiruvandhaadhi in Thiru-k-kandEn, pon mEni kanden..

 

 

 

 

 

Thereafter the other aazhwars have taken up the task of revealing Bhagavan in

various ways for the benefit of mankind. And the poetry forms they have employed

also shows how wonderfully they have been able to convey their message in ways

that can not be easily ignored or forgotten. Almost all of them are in

Prabhandam form with suitable types of sound enjoyment (rhythm) that can be

easily memorized and remembered. Not to miss is the bhava and the emotion

conveyed by them by their choice of specific poetry forms.

 

 

 

Before proceeding, lets us know some basic grammar to understand the verses.

 

 

 

Each letter is known as 'yezhutthu' in tamil.

 

2 letters together are known as 'asai'.

 

The asai, coming singly or in two or in three together is known as 'sIr'. It is

nothing but the 'word'.

 

It is this term sIr that one often finds in the poetry type of the verses.

 

 

 

In Prabandham we find iru sIr (2 words), aru-sIr (6 words), ezhu-sIr (7 words)

or eN sIr (8 words) in each line.

 

 

 

Now about the poetry type. The poetry type is mostly a blend of 'Viruttham' and

'kali'.

 

 

 

Viruttha-p-paa is known for its vOsai nayam (rhythm). So also kali and

aasiriya-p-paa. We often find the blend of Viruttham with kali and aasiriyam

in AruLi-ch-cheyal giving different sound effects.

 

 

 

The basis of this is in placing 'mellina mei' suitably in between 2 vallinam

(ka, cha, ta, tha, pa, ra). This combination can be made in countless ways and a

beautiful stress can be attained on the otherwise soft mellinam. The

Viruttha-p-paa gives plenty of these combinations. Kali viruttham is even more

effective in bringing out the sound variation effectively.

 

 

 

To understand this, let us take up 2 verses from SenniyOngu pasurams.

(Periaazhwar Thirumozhi). This is kali viruttham. The 3rd verse 'emmanaa en kula

deivamE' is full of such placing of mellina mei in between 2 vallinams or

others. The bhava effect and sound effect in this is different from the very

next verse "kadal kadaindu amudam kondu" which is dominated by vallinams with

much less of mellina mei. While the former exudes pathos, the latter excels in

'seppudal' (utterance).

 

 

 

Now lets see the poetry types of starting from Thiruppallaandu ( in the order as

found in Mayilai Madahava dasan edition).

 

 

 

(1) Thiruppallaandu. - aru sIr aasiriya viruttham.

 

 

 

You will find 6 words (sIr) of 4 lines (may be split up in different

publications)

 

The aasiriyam ensures the 'agavalOsai' which is like calling someone or in the

note of a peacock.

 

 

 

(2) Periaazhwar Thirumozhi. A variety of forms have been employed. The popular

one being Pillai-th-thamizh, about different stages in the life of a child

(pillai).

 

 

 

>In kali viruttham, one can find 4 words of 4 lines

 

 

 

Ø In kali-th-thaazhisai (seeda-k-kadal), there is addition of extra lines

due to use of thaazhisai. The effect is that of a 'neer-ch-chuzhi' (swirl) in

thaazhisai as per grammar sutras

 

 

 

Ø Likewise in other forms of kali viruttham, you can find differences in

the number of words per line.

 

 

 

Ø In aru sIr aasiriya viruttham, 6 words per lines are used and in eN sIr

aasiriya viryttham, 8 words per line are used. The grammar type such as

aasiriyam depends on the other angas of Yaappu as per grammar.

 

 

 

(3) Thiruppavai - iyal tharavu iNai kochchaga-k-kali-p-paa.

 

 

 

Tharavu is the first part of kali-p-paa. There are many varieties by which the

taravu is applied in a poem. By the name of it, I guess that it is about the

first two taravu (taravu iNAi) blending naturally (iyal - iyalbaaga).

 

We find that the first 2 taravus (words) of each line go together. Like

 

Maagazhi-thingaL

 

Neeraada-p-pOduvIr

 

Vongi-ulagu

 

That is, the words are blended in such a way that one of them conveys something

of the other, either as adjective or adverb. They are best interpreted as one.

 

This is understood from the way that the verses are paused at the next or

previous line while reciting.

 

Such as,

 

In the 3rd verse, Vongi ulagu, we make a pause at seertha mulai pattri vaanga

and not at the end of 4th sIr, seertha mulai pattri. Because only then the next

verse 'kudam -niraikkum' completes the grammar 'iyal taravu iNai.'

 

It should not be vaanga -k-kudam which is not a double taravu as per the grammar

of Thituppavai. It should be 'kudam-niraikkum'.

 

 

 

Some other places where we recite the taravu (from previous line)

 

together are

 

'nammaal pOttra' (not narayanan nammaal and then pOttra-p-parai tharum)

 

'pandoru naaL koottram' (not puniyanaal pandorunaaL)

 

'vulaginil thOttramaai'

 

'matthinaal vOsai-p-paduttha' (we should not stop at matthinaal along with the

previous line)

 

'maadhavi-p-pandal mEl'

 

'abhimaana bhangamaai'

 

 

 

 

 

(4) Naachchiyaar Thirumozhi -

 

 

 

The now familiar types of poetry forms are found in this composition. The

basic form is kali viruttham with beautiful rhythmic effect. The kOchchgam is

also a kind of kali-p-paa which has some blends in sIr. There is another

prabhandam type blended here, which I will quote while taking up Madal. The

Thoodu vidudal (sending clouds as messenger) is also a famous type of

prabandham

 

 

 

(5) Thiru-ch-chanda viruttham -

 

 

 

There are not just 2 but 3 types of sound- based poetry forms blended into one,

the chandam, kali and viruttham. There is a beautiful blend of all the three as

per meanings of the verses. The chandam is based on yedugai, the 2nd letter in

the first word of every line. The language itself is rhythmic in this

combination.

 

My favourites, 'voonin mEya' and 'atthannagi' which I consider as the essence of

all Vedanta are more chandam based than the other two types. There is that

forceful declaration by using more of vallinam in the former and a 'kuzhaivu' by

using more of mellina mei in the latter one (above quoted)

 

(6) Thirumaalai - aru sIr aasiruya viruttham.

 

6 words in each line with aasiriya-p-paa grammar and viruttham.

 

 

 

(7) Thiru-p-paLLiyezhuchchi - eN sIr aasiriya viruttham.

 

8 words in each line with aasiriyam and viruttham.

 

 

 

(8) Amalanadhi piraan - Aasiriya-th-thurai.

 

Usually thurai is the sub-set of the main one (like the banks of the river

forming the subset of the river. Thurai means bank -like in aattru-th-thurai).

 

 

 

Here the main poetry form is aasiriya-p-paa. The traditional form of it will

have 4 words in all lines except the penultimate line which will have one less.

(that is, 3 words). The minimum number of lines will be 5. Maximum any number.

 

 

 

In this prabandham, the grammar is that of aasiriya-p-paa.

 

All lines have 5 words (since it is thurai)

 

The penultimate line has lesser words than the other lines.

 

The last one 'kondal vannan' is kali viruttham having 4 words in 4 lines.

 

 

 

(9) KaNNi nuN sirutthaambu - kali viruttham

 

 

 

 

 

(10)Peria Thirumozhi - Various types of kali, aasiriyam, viruttham with 6 or 7

or 8 words are used.

 

 

 

One can understand the types by the sIr used and its number.

 

>In 'vaanavar thangaL' , thurai of aasiriyam is used which can be

determined by the

 

number of words in each line and the way they are repeated.

 

Ø In 'VaNduNu naru malar' vanji vbiruttham is used.

 

As per Yaaparumkalam sutram, there are 4 lines of sindhu-p-paa (another variety

of prabandham) joined with viruttham of 4 words each line.

 

 

 

( 11) Thiru-k-kurum thaandagam.

 

Thaandagam is a type of prabandham and this one is a shorter version (kurugiya)

of it having 6 words of 4 lines. The speciality of this type is that the lines

look similar. The rhyme is distinct which can be experienced while reciting. The

paadu-pOruL (the Hero, in other words) is always some God. In contrast the other

prabandhams may have any valiant person, a king or God as the theme of the

composition.

 

 

 

(12) Thiru nedum thaandagam.

 

 

 

Same as Thiru-k-kurum thaandagam. Only that the words are more per line. It is

8. Usually Thaadagam comes only in 6 or 8 sIr per line.

 

 

 

(13) Mudal Thiru andhaadi.

 

 

 

Nerisai Venbaa with andhaadi adi.

 

 

 

This veNbaa type has 4 lines of 4 words in the first 3 lines and 3 lines in the

last line. The first words of the first two lines have similarity in rhyme

(yedugai) followed by the 4th sIr of the 2 nd line having the same yedugai which

blends with the 3rd line. There will be a - in the 2 nd line showing the split.

The last 2 lines go together in yedugai. There are grammar rules to determine

how the last sIr of the poem must end.

 

 

 

This type is also an andhaadhi, a prabandham type. The first 3 Thiruvandhaadis

are a blend of traditional veNbaa and prabandham (andaadhi)

 

 

 

Andaadhi is that in which the andam of the previous verse, becomes the aadhi of

the next verse. That is, the last word of the previous verse becomes the first

word of the next verse.

 

 

 

(14) Irandaam Thiruvandaadhi

 

 

 

Same as the previous one.

 

 

 

(15) Moondraam Thiruvandaadhi

 

Same as previous one.

 

 

 

(16) Naan mugan Thiruvandaadhi

 

Same as previous one.

 

 

 

(17) Thiru viruttham

 

The type is kattalai kali-th-thurai

 

The viruttham ensures rhyme. But this is one of the difficult ones to compose

going by the grammar used. There are rules in using the other angas of poetry

such as thaLai and the kind of sIr (nEr 16 and nirai 17 ).The last word also

must be of specific sIr type. This comes under a category, Iyal paa, meaning

strictly adhering to traditional grammar form.

 

 

 

(18) Thiru aasiriyam

 

This is also an iyal paa, composed in a traditional type, aasiriyappa with 4

words in all lines except the penultimate line where it will be 3

 

 

 

(19) Peria Thiruvandaadhi.

 

VeNbaa and andaadhi together. Same as Mudalaazhwars' pasurams.

 

 

 

(20) Thiruvezhu koottrirukkai.(Thiru yezhu koottru irukkai)

 

 

 

This is in aasiriyappa form with a beautiful build -up of verses. The words

indicate the gopuram type in successive layers.

 

 

 

That is, it begins with words meaning 1,2,1

 

1,2,3,2,1

 

1,2,3,4,3,2,1..

 

upto 7 (yezhu koottru )

 

The last layer will be 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,6,5,4,3,2,1.

 

If my memory is right, this pasuram has been depicted in Thirukkudandai Koil in

the form of a gopuram.

 

 

 

(21) Siriya Thiru madal.

 

I am too excited to write about madal. I think Bhagavan too would have been

excited to listen to Thirumangai aazhwar sing this. A daring poetry fittingly

given by a daring person with whom bhagavan too enjoyed His leela. It is perhaps

to enjoy the madal that bhagavan chose none other than our Kaliyan who was so

vociferous in expressing his feelings and emotions.

 

 

 

Madal is originally known as MadalEral or Madaloordal in Tamil.

Madal is the palm leaf and the dried twigs of the palm leaf (panai maram).

 

The scenario always involves a nayaka and a nayaki (thalaivan and thalaivi). The

two are in love and there are obstructions to consummate their love into

marriage. In another scenario, the nayaka is in love, but the nayaki is not

serious about his love. In any of these circumstances, the nayaka takes the

extreme step of madaloordal.

 

 

 

In this, he paints the picture of his lady-love on a palm leaf, makes a horse

out of the dried palm leaves, takes the picture and looks at it as though

nothing else matters and sits on this madal horse and moves around in that

(oordal) like a mad person. He would not care what people think about him, nor

would he bother about the shabby looks he has developed due to lack of care of

his body. Such a person would even roam like this with no clothes on. The sharp

edges of the palm leaf would hurt him. If by such hurt, his vital fluid is

released, people would think that his love is indeed supreme and see to it that

he marries his lady-love. If the obstacle to his love is from the nayaki

herself, she would relent. But instead, if blood seeps out due to the scratches

by palm leaf, people would not consider his as true love.

 

 

 

There are instances when the nayaka would blackmail the nayaki that he would

mount the madal if she refuses him. If he mounts the madal, every one in the

town would come to know of the affair and the tiff between them and it wont be a

pleasant one for the nayaki. So she would oblige.

 

 

 

A similar threat is sounded by Andal in the first pasuram of Naachchyaar

Thirumozhi when she takes refuge in Ananga devan. This is an indirect warning to

perumaaL that he must come immediately to accept her.

 

 

 

Thirumangai aazhwar excels in flinging such 'ultimatums' to perumaL in his two

madals. The entire composition is fast-paced showing his aattraamai and anger

that bhagavan has not yet taken him with Him. If recited with bhava after

knowing the meaning, I am sure the madals are a great experience.

 

 

 

This is termed as siriya Thirumadal going by its size. The entire composition is

in single kali veNbaa with no full stop in between!.

 

 

 

(22) Peria Thirumadal.

 

This is same as the previous one, only that it is lengthier than it. Usually

madals is mounted by the man. Women don't mount it. But aazhwar makes a

deviation from the established norms and takes up nayaki bhava in madaloordal.

"mannum vada neriyE vEndinOm" meaning that though this is not in vogue in tamil

culture, he has taken up the way of Northies.

 

 

 

(23)Thiruvaimozhi.

 

All types discussed above have been handled by aazhwar with most of them also of

andaadhi type.

 

 

 

Even madaloordal has been done by Nammaazhwar.

 

In 2-1-4, (kadalum, malaiyum, visumbum..) he expresses the nature of the one

mounting the madal in always moving around without sleep catching the 'vudalam

nOi'

 

 

 

The vanji-th-thurai of 'veedumin' (1-2) and 'vodum puLLEri' (1-8) are another

special form of poem. In this there are 2 words of 4 lines which speak about a

specific notion. They are usually written in kuraLAdi, two lines like kuraL.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ramanuja Noottrandaadhi is in the difficult kattaLai kali-th-thurai, like Thiru

viruttham.

 

 

 

I think I have covered all the prabandhams. The mistakes in this are entirely

mine and I may be pardoned and corrected for the same.

 

 

 

Regards,

 

Jayasree saranathan.