Category: A03 — POEMS

This Malayalam devotional on Guruvayoorappan was composed by me during my worst days when a tsunami struck my family, over 15 years ago. I could, however, tune, sing and upload the music in YouTube only in May 2014 and in the last two years the song has earned 1.5 k views.
The present one is a revised record of the old music.

I have now uploaded a revised revording.

The gist of the song, for those who can’t follow the language

Adorning his glazing golden ornaments the divine child is dancing in my heart and my only worry is He may stop his play and go away from me.

‘I will be completely ruined if you go away, Krishna!’, I plead, ‘never leave me and go away, never!’

The Devine child is playing the hide and seek game with me.
‘I know that you are hiding at the base of my heart,’ I tell him, ‘and as I have discovered that, you have no other way but to come out’
Two stanzas ( 3 & 4) have the same meaning except that, in one He is praised as the purifier of my soul and in the other one as my very life.

Krishna does emerge from His hideout as I could see the movement of his lovely peacock feather crown, hear his mesmerizing flute music and also smell the scented flower garlands on his body.

As my words are inadequate to express my gratitude for the Lord’s compassion on me by appearing before me, I thank Him
with a famous slokam from Narayaneeyam ( not here )

കനക കുണ്ടലങ്ങളും, വളകളും തളകളും
കമനീയ പദ താള ലയ സമ്മേളനങ്ങളും
തുടരട്ടെ മനക്കാമ്പിൽ മരതകമണി വരണാ ( varnaa)
മനസ്സില് നിന്നൊരിക്കലും മറഞ്ഞു പോകരുതെ നീ

അകന്നുപോയി നീഎങ്കിൽ അവശനായീടുന്നു ജ്നാൻ
തളരുന്ന്നു തനു, ശബ്ദം ഇടറുന്നൂ, മിഴികളിൽ
വളരുന്നിതിരുൾ എന്റെ മരതക മണി മനിവര്ണാ ( mani varnaa)
മനസ്സില് നിന്നൊരിക്കലും മറഞ്ഞു പോകരുതെ നീ

മദന മോഹനാ മമ ഹൃദയപാവനാ കൃഷ്ണാ
മതി മതി, ഒളിഞ്ഞുള്ള വിളയാട്ടംബുദ വരണാ ( varnaa)
അറിയാം എൻഅടിത്തട്ടിൽ അവിടുന്നുന്ട്‌ എന്ന കാര്യം
അതുകൊണ്ടു പുറത്ത് നീ വരും എന്നതനിവാര്യം

മദന മോഹനാ മമ ഹൃദയ ജീവനാ , കൃഷ്ണാ
മതി മതി, ഒളിഞ്ഞുള്ള വിളയാട്ടംബുദ വരണാ ( varnaa)
അറിയാം എൻഅടിത്തട്ടിൽ അവിടുന്നുന്ട്‌ എന്ന കാര്യം
അതുകൊണ്ടു പുറത്ത് നീ വരും എന്നതനിവാര്യം

മയിൽ‌പ്പീലി ഇളം കാറ്റിൽ ഇളകുന്നത് കാണ്മൂ ജ്നാൻ,
മണി ഓടക്കുഴലിൽ നിന്ന് ഒഴുകും പാട്ട് കേൾപ്പൂ ജ്നാൻ
തുളസീ, മല്ലികാ തെറ്ച്ചീ സുഗന്ധംആസ്വധിപ്പൂ ജ്നാൻ
മനസ്സില് നിന്നൊരിക്കലും മറഞ്ഞു പോകരുതെ നീ

Sleep slides down into a dream,
The dream peeps in, enters as melody.
Like fresh early morning breeze
fragrant by kisses of buds at ease.
I hear the music but don’t see the flute or flutist,
As I heard the saptaswaras of my mom,
while inside her safe pouch but not seeing
Her face, the soft hands or sweet kisses.
Had I seen her face, at times blooming but often shrunk
With pain, anxiety and prayers,
I would have broken her walls, reached her eyes
And removed the drops of tears.
Wonder what I would have done
Had I seen my own soul, well hidden
Will I allow it leave me for ever?
God commits mistake never!

“A holy book in hand, you sit idle and snore
She sweats in kitchen, the mom I adore!”
“Her face is a moon, full moon, on the pages
When viewed direct, hot sun, torching for ages”
“Aren’t you really looking for your favorite stars, dad?
Not my mom’s face, in the book pages or iPad?”
“My stars are done, I told your mom is a Sun
She just glances from far, and for life, they run”
“If the stars are done, why waste time on book?
Can’t you get up dad, cook or do other work?”
“Arguing with your dad, a Muni from the mountain
You, held by hooks like a frog in a fountain?”
“Is it her looks or hooks, you’re afraid of dad?”
“Neither; her silly tricks that make me go mad”

Farewell now, River Hudson, will be back soon
only to meet you, not Sri. or Me.
Your calm beauty reminds the one who bid adieu to me for ever.
When your chill breeze whispered in my ear last night, ‘was it she?’ I thought.
No, the gods are not so kind, every weapon they used to slice and separate us.
Many weapons, many hands and many were the gods
but still she tried to cling on to me like a tender creeper.
Is there a vibration there, far there, in the water?
Foolish thoughts again, a leaf dropped from a tree.
Like a leaf she dropped, fresh and green, not dry, weary or worn out
The storm was fierce, still the selfish tree stood still, me, worst than gods
‘Who wants your eye drops, hot,?’ chides the trees now on your bank
Blood drops, not water, those are; blood, still there?
Blood, bone, tissues everything in their place; and heart too beats
though shrunk and shaken
Or are those drum beats leading to my last place of rest ?
But why rest, when the melody of her memory flows in me, like you,
Silent, like her sad eyes which closed for ever.
Between us Hudson, she was always calm and cool like you,
Hardly spoke but her silence was eloquent, again like you.
We should meet again and we will, what is that vibration, far there?
Oh, my friend, it is she among the woods, hearing our talk.
( Sri. and Me: short for Srikanth my son and Meena, his wife. They are shifting soon from the shore of the river

Throw ur ball in His court
Relax.
He plays the game, get kicks.
Me?
The medal!
If I’m booted?
Rejoice!
Boy! How lucky you’re!
Ur playmate, our Sir!

Moon, your music flows in my inner stream, what a melody!
Your cool breath forms waves like a bride’s anklets, shy,
Humming love songs on her maiden entry to her man’s chamber.
Oh, stars you are already shining in my inner sky!
It was you, I saw first on my mom’s face and then in her feeding
In her sweet words and songs when she put me to sleep
Even in her scolding you were there as black spots; on her leaving
She left you in my memory to ensure that I don’t weep.

The moment I came out of her safety cell, I wept fearing
My kicks and bashes would no more be her secret bearing.
Wonder why did she weep the exit of a wetting nuisance?
And rewarded me with her white, purified life essence?

You struggle raising and nourishing the world whole day
And retire smiling spreading charm all the way
And come back the day next with same smile and beauty,
Aren’t you bored, Sun, of this routine duty?
An Emperor drawing water from, oceans, wells and rivers,
Pulling seeds from dungeon, cracking and sprouting plants!
Can’t you employ a few men, sit idle and rejoice the powers ?
Only slaves, destitute, downtrodden work and also ants.
Earth sleeps, still life grows, trees stand idle, still it flowers,
Immobile hills generate streams, ocean, noisy lovers,
Doing nothing they all gain, what do you Sir, by working?
“The knowledge idiots are not born but fallen by not working”