தினசெய்தி – 3 4 2023
பக்கம் எண் : 4
செங்கோல் ஏந்திய செம்மொழிச் சிகரம் – 98
ஓர் உவமை-இருகாட்சி!
– முனைவர் ஔவை நடராசன்
மேனாள் துணைவேந்தர்,
தமிழ்ப் பல்கலைக்கழகம்.
முத்தமிழறிஞர் கலைஞரின் சங்கத்தமிழ் என்ற அருமையான பனுவலை ஆங்கிலத்தில் மொழியாக்கம் செய்த தமிழ்ப் பல்கலைக்கழகத்தின் பெருமைமிகு பேராசிரியரும் தமிழ்நாடு அரசின் சிறந்த மொழிபெயர்ப்பாளர் விருது பெற்றவருமான முனைவர் பழனி அரங்கசாமி அவர்களின் மொழியாக்கத்தின் பீடுநடையைக் கண்டு நான் பலமுறை பாராட்டியுள்ளேன்.
அவரின் அருமையான முயற்சியால் முத்தமிழறிஞர் கலைஞரின் சங்கத்தமிழ் நூலினை ஆங்கிலத்தில் மொழிபெயர்த்து பல ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்பு வெளியிடப்பட்டதை நினைவுகூருகிறேன்.
Dr. Kalaignar, a great political leader and statesman of the contemporary era, endowed with flair for writing and oratory skills is also equally unique in having won laurels in the field of Literature who could be hailed as an uncrowned monarch in literary field through his many worthy contributions to Tamil Language and Literature which are immeasurable and uncomparable in their loftiness.
Thirukkural and Sangam Literature are unique Treasures of Tamils.
Dr. Kalaignar has an outstanding reputation of having become the C.M. of the State for five times, and his achievement has become history.
His political career, its excellence and his name and fame are well known to one and all.
He has to his credit many an achievement which is unparalleled in the history.
With all these glorious performances and achievements, his mind has been constantly revolving around the richness of Sangam Literature and Thirukkural.
To speak about his capabilities of contemporary creative art and literature, he has successfully produced many novels, short stories, plays (Dramas), prose (Dialogues) and poetry.
He was at once skillful and highly individualistic in his style and presentation and has carved out a niche for himself in all these branches of Arts and literature.
However, in his heart of hearts, Thirukkural and Sangam Literature have occupied the uppermost place, having anchored there steadfastly.
That was why, Dr. Kalaignar was contemplating for making contributions to Tamil and Tamils that shall be long- standing as well as outstanding.
The result was the birth of the modern innovative and annotative commentary to Thirukkural that has no match to it, called “Kuraloviyam”.
Another product of his deep thoughts further down in the stream, is the highly acclaimed architectural contribution to Tamils and his brain-child that is Valluvar Kottam and yet another product on the same stretch happened to be the great Literary master piece “Sangath Thamizh”, will it not surpass millenniums and be irradiating itself to the world as a lighthouse on the Hill Top?
We, caught up in paucity of words to depict its significant greatness, are so much humbled, that we cannot describe the features of this master creation ‘Sangath Thamizh’ completely and exhaustively!
I ponder over the following famous lines:
“Whatever literature may be
Communication it must be;
If there is no communication
there is no literature”.
His superb skill in communicating the message in a different style, is his speciality.
We can go through his work and find the above truth in all the pages
As a result of the efforts taken by the Tamil University, the mastery of the hand of Dr. Palany. Arangasamy who has endeavoured to render this mighty work into English, the translation really excells in its graceful style.
Indeed, the Translation is wonderfully fascinating us.
These are the lines that were written by
Dr. Kalaignar with the caption
“Or Uvamai – Iru Katchi”
(“ஓர் உவமை இரு காட்சி” )
“ஓர் உவமை இரு காட்சி என ஒப்பிட்டுக் கூறுகின்ற கற்பனையின் அருமை ஓங்கு புகழ் மாங்குடி மருதனாரின் தமிழாய்ந்த திறமைக்கோர் பெருமை:
“Rich Imagination with two spectacles in one simile Bears witness to the greatness of Marutan, the poet”
Thus runs the rendering into English. However, the poetic touch with the lines by Kalaignar in the Original ending with ‘அருமை’ ‘பெருமை’ adds unparallel beauty to the theme which is overwhelming in comparison.
“மானம் காத்த மறவன்” [“Valiant soldier who (by dying) saved the self esteem”] is a poem in ‘Purananuru written by Cheraman Kanaikal Irumporai, which is given in detail by Dr. Kalaignar
What will be the appearance and stature of a hero of Sangam Age? It will be thus, so portrays Dr. Kalaignar:-
தவழ்ந்து வரும் தன் மகவை
முத்தமிடுவதற்கும் குனிந்திடாமல்
தலைக்குமேலே தூக்கச் சொல்லிக் கொஞ்சுகின்ற
தன்மானத் தமிழ்ச்சிங்கம் அவன்;
தாமரை மொட்டிரண்டை ஏந்தி வரும்
தன் பட்டத்து ராணியையும்
நெளியாமல் நிமிர்ந்து நின்றே
நெஞ்சகத்தில் அணைத்துக் கொள்வான்
நிலம் நோக்கும் வழக்கமின்றி
நேர் பார்வை செலுத்தித்தான்
நிலவு முகத்தரசி
நெற்றியிலே இதழ் பதிப்பான்,
படுத்திருக்கும்போதும் பஞ்சணையில்
வினாக்குறி போல் வளைய மாட்டான் – வில்லில்
தொடுத்திருக்கும் கணையைப்போல்
கால்நீட்டித் துயில் கொள்வான்!
What a beautiful picturisation of a typical Character of Sangam Era
In Tamil, Kalaignar has written all the first six lines in alliteration mostly starting with the letter “த” (or தா), the next six lines invariably starts with the letter ‘ந’ ”(with its variations).
May be, perhaps, this beautiful combination of the voiced plosive letter ‘த’ (வன்மை) followed by the nasal sound ‘ந’ (மென்மை) is in view of the portrayal of the stronger sex (வன்மை) that is the ‘hero’ in the process of cuddling and embracing the heroine the weaker sex (மென்மை).
This has been beautifully rendered by the Prof. Dr. Palany. Arangasamy as follows:-
“Dignified Tamil hero he was
who would not bow down to kiss
Even his baby that crawls to him
But fondle it by getting it lifted up
Standing erect sans flexing
He would warmly embrace
His own princess consort of his kingdom
When she welcomed him with her lotus-buds twain.
He would impress his lips straight
On the crescent forehead of that genial darling
Only by looking straight but not bending to
Even when ensconcing on the cushioned bed
He wouldn’t curve like a question mark
But like an arrow, steady on the bow
He would stretch his legs and sleep straight”
Towards the end of his annotative comment Kalaignar writes like this:
சேரமான் கணைக்கால் இரும்பொறை
வீரவாளினை ஓலையாய்க் கொண்டு
தீட்டிய புறப்பாடலை
நீட்டுகின்றேன் உம்மிடையே
படித்துப் பாரீர்-உணர்ச்சியால்
துடித்துப் போவீர்!
The beauty of these couplets is in the spontaneous rhymes (appearing with the common second letter) and it excells in the presentation Rhymes (எதுகை) and alliterations (மோனை) are the tools of mastery over poetry invented by Tamils and these techniques are found dynamic and vibrant in the prose-poetry of
Dr. Kalaignar.
The rhymes are:
சேர
வீர
தீட்டிய
நீட்டு
படித்து
துடித்து
Dr. Kalaignar is the one and only master in this art, who could marvelously transform the rigid style of 2000 years old poetry into melodious and mellifluous lines by simplifying it, and at the same time, enriches the literary treasure of Tamils.
Is he not the sole effulgent sun on this land!
These captivative lines of Kalaignar quoted above are recreated by the Prof. Dr. Palany. Arangasamy as follows:
See how Ceraman Irumporai wrote a poem
Using his sword as the pen
Is given to you; peruse it please
You would surely be moved with feeling soon.
Prof. Dr. Palany. Arangasamy has done justice in his rendition with his ut- most ability.
I do appreciate his effective and inspiring endeavour.
The Tamil University has done a very impressive job in bringing out this translated work in a pleasing and attractive manner and thus has added one more feather in its cap in the field of publications.
Prof. Dr. Palany. Arangasamy, presents himself in humble and polite word about his translation as thus:
“I honestly confess that my rendition cannot in any way be deemed equal to the mastery of style, refined diction, and the lucid and flowery style of the original”.
This Translation shall reach to the nook and corner of the world and shall be made accessible to scholars in all the languages over the world.
Then alone, the quintes- sence of the Sangam Literature will be made known to the world, the culture, civilization and attainments of greatness in life by the ancient Tamils, will also be made known to the world.
Besides these the fact that Dr. Kalaignar, our Respectful Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu is the leader of the Tamils is already known, as the leader in the literary world and also in the field of creative literature, will be discerned by the world.
As a man of creative art and literature, he will be very much fond of being known and affectionately called as so This creation and the transcreation will be everlasting, along with this universe I hail this assurance while pre- senting this humble foreword by me.
Poet Kabilar of Sangam Era has dedicated his famous work (Kurinchi Pattu) along with 90 different kinds of flowers (which are peculiar to, and abundant in the Hills) of Tamil Land to Mother Tamil.
Dr. Kalaignar, along with those 90 kinds of flowers, dedicates this master piece of poetry of everlasting fragrance to Mother Tamil.
தொடர்புக்கு: “thamizhavvai@gmail.com
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