Abirami Antati
Abhirami Anthadhi (Template:Lang-ta, Apirāmi antāti) is a Tamil collection of poems sung on goddess Abhirami residing in Thirukkadaiyur Amirtaghatesvarar Sivan Temple, situated in Tamil Nadu, India. This poetry was composed by Abhirami Bhattar lived in 18th century CE, a contemporary to Serfoji I of Tanjore.[1]
Etymology
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"Andhaathi"(Template:Lang-ta, Antāti) is a classification of Tamil poetry in which last word of a previous verse comes as the first word of next verse. Thus this kind of poem gots its name, Antam (அந்தம்,the end) + āti (ஆதி, the beginning) = Antāti. Since this anthadhi was sung on goddess Abhirami residing in Thirukkadavur, Tamil Nadu, it is known as Abhirami Anthadhi. Although Tamil literature consists of hundreds of Anthadhi songs, Abhirami Anthadi is praised as one of the prominent Anthadhi songs of Tamil literature.[2]
Anthadhi
It is said that the author of this song, Abhirami Bhattar, was an ardent devotee of goddess Shakti. Once when king Serfoji I visited the Thirukkadavur temple on the day of the new moon and asked him what day it is, he mistakenly said that it was a full moon day. This made the king angry and sentenced Bhattar to death. Legend says that he sung this anthadhi until the goddess appeared in front of him and threw her earring towards the sky, which lit the sky bright like the full moon. Tamil Shaktas believe that recitation of Abhirami Anthadhi on the full moon and new moon days will result in impossible boons.[3]
Stanzas
There are a hundred stanzas plus a காப்பு (Kāppu, protection) verse for lord Ganesha and a final பயன் (Payaṉ, outcome), thus a total of 102 stanzas that are included in Abhirami Anthadhi. The author praises Abhirami as his own mother, regrets his mistakes, speaks of the divine play of mother and father Sivan, and her simplicity & mercy. It is believed that recitation of each stanza will result in the specific achievement of the devotees. Here is one of the famous stanzas of Abhirami Anthadhi:
" மணியே, மணியின் ஒளியே, ஒளிரும் அணி புனைந்த
அணியே, அணியும் அணிக்கு அழகே, அணுகாதவர்க்குப்
பிணியே, பிணிக்கு மருந்தே, அமரர் பெரு விருந்தே.
பணியேன், ஒருவரை நின் பத்ம பாதம் பணிந்தபின்னே." - செய்யுள் 24
" Maṇiyē, maṇiyiṉ oḷiyē, oḷirum aṇi puṉainta
aṇiyē, aṇiyum aṇikku aḻakē, aṇukātavarkkup
piṇiyē, piṇikku maruntē, amarar peru viruntē.-
Paṇiyēṉ, oruvarai niṉ patma pātam paṇintapiṉṉē." - stanza 24
Pearl like you are, You who are the reddish aura of the pearl!
You are like the pearl studded chain who adds beauty to the chain,
You are pain to those who do not fall at your feet while the panacea for pains of those who fall at your feet, the nectar of Gods,
After worshipping at thine lotus feet, Will I bow before any other, Now and now after.[4]
The beauty of Abhirami Anthathi:
காப்பு starts as ″தார் அமர் கொன்றையும்...″ and பயன் ends as ″... தீங்கு இல்லையே″ (தாயே)
References
- ^ Abirami Anthadhi. Bharathi Puthakalayam. GGKEY:U14F6GRRXST.
- ^ Uwe Skoda; Kenneth Bo Nielsen; Marianne Qvortrup Fibiger (1 June 2013). Navigating Social Exclusion and Inclusion in Contemporary India and Beyond: Structures, Agents, Practices. Anthem Press. pp. 55–67. ISBN 978-0-85728-322-1.
- ^ http://www.raaga.com/channels/tamil/moviedetail.asp?mid=td01110
- ^ Abhirami Anthadhi English Meaning