Music….if you have agood Lyric,soothing Music,a Mellifluous voice and the Bhaava-the right emotion essayed by a here that felt..
Can there be anything to match it?
It is said that excessive Happiness also brings tears .
The original by Sirkazhi Govindrajan in Karnan never failed to me with emotion.
Kaviarasar Kannadasan‘s Lyric-what can one say?
In four stanza’s can one compress Karnan’s Life and Kridshna’s Conspiracy?
‘தாய்க்கு நீ மகன் இல்லை ,தம்பிக்கு அண்ணன் இல்லை ‘
Karna at his death-bed who knew who his mother was and it is his younger brother Arjuna who felled him.
Yet he can not expose these facts for such is his vow.
‘ஊர்ப் பழி ஏற்றாயடா’
Never knowing his lineage, he was insulted throughout his life and had to fight every inch of life for recognition,being called as a ‘b……’!
‘மன்னவர் பணி ஏற்கும் கண்ணன் உன் பணி செய்ய உன்னடி பணிவானடா’
Lord Krishna was the one who is to be worshipped and accorded the Respects First at the Courts of Kings and Emperors.
Such is the nature of the work Lord Krishna embarked upon, that of getting the Punya or the Good results of Karna’s actions,especially of donating, He is compelled to concede that in doing so he has to touch the feet of Karna.
கண்ணன் உன் பணி செய்ய உன்னடி பணிவானடா ,கர்ணா ,மன்னித்து அருள்வாயடா
So forgive Him with your kindness .
Note how Kannadasan uses the Third Person for him, though the song is supposed to be sung by Krishna.
நானும் உன் பழி கொண்டேனடா
Lord Krishna is aware what he was about to do is not Righteous,yet He Had to do it in the interest of the Greater Good and Dharma.
He also knows, as in the case Valli,he is going to be remembered for this blemish.
Kannadasan now reverts to Second person.
This is one of the rare songs where Kannadasn uses all-First Person,Second and the Third.
Why does Karna behave thus?
செஞ்சோற்றுக் கடன் தீர்க்க சேராத இடம் சேர்ந்து வஞ்சத்தில் வீழ்ந்தாயடா , கர்ணா வஞ்சகன் கண்ணனடா
The Ultimate Dharma in Hinduism is Gratitude.
That’s what Karna has done, though he was aware what Duryodhana was doing in incorrect,such is his commitment to Gratitude.
Adds The Poet Laureate ‘scheming and double dealing Krishna, that is Himself.
Tell me which Religion allows some one to address God in these Terms?
As Krishna explains in The Bhagavad Gita, ‘once born, even I am bound by the results of my actions’
To one who knows the Mahabharata, this is a master piece of Poetry.
I do not know what I am writing in terms of continuity of content.
This piece is being written after hearing a soul-stirring performance by a small boy of this song in Star Vjay’s Super Singer Junior.
The Judges were speechless and there were tears from the veterans of Carnatic Music.
Such was the rendering.
Listen and enjoy.
That young boy rendered that song beautifully– needless to say , we all had tears in our eyes.
Seerkazhi would have been proud seeing this rendition.
True.
As Aruna Sairam put it, he communicated with his heart.
But one from the audience put it ‘the credit should go to the original composers’-Viswanathan Ramamurthy for Music and of course kannadasan.
When are we going to see another kannadasn?