திருப்பாவை - 14 (உங்கள் புழைக்கடைத)

உங்கள் புழைக்கடைத் தோட்டத்து வாவியுள்
செங்கழுநீர் வாய்நெகிழ்ந்து ஆம்பல்வாய் கூம்பின காண்;
செங்கல் பொடிக்கூறை வெண்பல் தவத்தவர்,
தங்கள் திருக்கோயில் சங்கிடுவான் போகின்றார்;
எங்களை முன்னம் எழுப்புவான் வாய்பேசும்
நங்காய்! எழுந்திராய், நாணாதாய்! நாவுடையாய்!
சங்கொடு சக்கரம் ஏந்தும் தடக்கையன்
பங்கயக் கண்ணானைப் பாடேலோ ரெம்பாவாய்.

Explanation
Look (kaaN)!, Red (sen) lilies (kazhuneer) have opened (negizhndhu) their petals (vaay), and waterlilies (aambal) have closed (koombina) their petals (vaay), on the pond (vaavi) in the garden (thOttam) in your (ungaL) back yard (puzhakkadai). The ascetics (thavaththavar), wearing ashes (veNbal) and saffron (sengaR podi) robes (koorai) are going to (pOdhanRaar) their (thangaL) sacred (thiru) temple (kOyil) to blow the conch (sangiduvaan). Hey girl (nangaay), you who boasted (vaay pEsum) that you would wake us (engaLai) up (ezhuppu) first (munnam)! now wake up (ezhundhiraay). Shameless girl (naaNaadhaay), talkative girl (naavu udaiyaay)! We are going to sing (paadEl) about the Lord, who bears (Endhum) the conch (sangu) and the wheel (chakkaram) in his hands, who has wide (thadam) arms (kai), and lotus (pangayam) shaped eyes (kaN).

Purport
You boastful chatter box! You promised to wake us all up. All tall-talk!Get up fast! Already, if you care to look at the pond in your back-garden, the red lotus has blossomed and the night lilies have closed up. Ascetics in ochre-robes, with their sparkling teeth are striding towards the temple to blow the conch. Are you not ashamed? Get up! Come, let us sing in praise of our Lord, the lotus-eyed Kannan (Krishna) who holds the conch (called Paanchajanyam) and the discus (called Sudarsanam) in his broad, powerful hands.

More Insight
A gopi who is an expert orator and who is also chief among these girls is woken up. She had promised that she would get up before the rest and wake them up. She has conveniently forgotten all about it and is sleeping comfortably and peacefully. This is an unpardonable crime. But still her inclusion in the group is most essential as, with her silver tongue, she can easily subdue Krishna. Moreover it is essential that not a single girl loses His grace. If she were to sing of Krishna as He appears bearing the discus and conch He is sure to relent.

Incidentally Andal tells us, "Use your tongue not merely for tasting delicious dishes, but for singing about the Lotus-eyed One. That was the main purpose for which it was gifted to you in the first place by God."

Click title to hear the song by Sudha Raghunathan (Ragam: Ananda Bhairavi, Talam: Adi)