The (hundred and) Ten Commandments
Dear all,
This week picked a பாரதியார் song that is very dear to my heart. I love it for its forcefulness, completeness and its lucidity. How can a mind be so prolific, that thoughts flow from all directions seamlessly and yet be still each moment conveying those with so much clarity. All happening while lines flow cogently and with extreme authority so easily. It will take a life time for a lesser mortal to even ponder over each line, leave alone honing them. I have always felt that even working on one of these lines a year diligently, and picking a new one every year will make us progressive and better humans over time.
It is the spark that is very much needed to ignite our morale and jolt our conscience.
The பாரதி song this week is “புதிய ஆத்திசூடி” starting with a profound line “அச்சம் தவிர்”. In the actual song பாரதி gives 110 commands for us to follow. May be he wrote 110 lines so that a common man can at-least pick 20 and work on them over a life time!!!!
The song is from the movie “அஞ்சாதே” composed by a lesser known composer Sundar C. Babu (Veenai maestro Chittibabu’s son). The song picks some of the lines that have deep impact and is rendered passionately by the singer (guess the singer!!).
Now the lines: Look at the genius of பாரதி. He is succinct yet potent. Longer sentences would have taken away the crispness and the power. In the process of keeping the lines short and impactful, பாரதி teaches us a bountiful of new words.
அச்சம் தவிர்; நையப்புடை
(Avoid fear ; புடை means strike: நையப்புடை a novel phrase – means strike hard or forcefully. பாரதி here means getting rid of fear itself or striking evil (evil traits within personally or in society and to do away with them).
மானம் போற்று; ரௌத்திரம் பழகு
(மானம் போற்று – value your honour;
ரௌத்திரம் – justified anger. There are circumstances in which one HAS to get angry and speak out to establish the right. In these circumstances anger is a necessity not a choice. பாரதி advocates this justified anger vehemently).
ஆண்மை தவறேல்; தாழ்ந்து நடவேல்
(Don’t slip in your chivalry; Don’t act below your dignity)
சூரரைப் போற்று; தீயோர்க்கஞ்சேல்
(Applaud the achievers; Don’t fear the evil).
ஓய்தல் ஒழி; நேர்படப் பேசு
தாழ்ந்து நடவேல்; சாவதற்கஞ்சேல்
காலம் அழியேல்: கீழோர்க்கஞ்சேல்
போர்த்தொழில் பழகு; தோல்வியில் கலங்கேல்
( ஓய்தல் ஒழி – Stop procrastinating
காலம் அழியேல் – Don’t waste time – this from a man who achieved so much in so little time.
போர்த்தொழில் பழகு – Learn warfare – what a way to incite the youth into military service for the country.
தோல்வியில் கலங்கேல் – Don’t fret failures)
புதியன விரும்பு; வீரியம் பெருக்கு
(Embrace progress; Enhance your potency)
கெடுப்பது சோர்வு; தொன்மைக்கஞ்சேல்
(Fatigue or laziness is a spoiler; Don’t condemn tradition).
வெளிப்படப் பேசு; நன்று கருது
வவ்வுதல் நீக்கு; தவத்தினை நிதம் புரி
(வவ்வுதல் – crudely means to accumulate; here பாரதி preaches minimalism by telling us “to discard our materialistic possessiveness”).
தவத்தினை நிதம் புரி – be spiritual
கற்றது ஒழுகு; கைத்தொழில் போற்று
( ஒழுகு – means record or document).
சேர்க்கை அழியேல்; பேய்களுக்கஞ்சேல்
ஞாயிறு போற்று ; மந்திரம் வலிமை
சௌரியந் தவறேல்.
நாளெல்லாம் வினைசெய்
This last line sums it up. Keep working throughout the day every day. Work constantly towards enhancing self and society is the message.
A man has thought through every facet of life and has addressed it in his own dominant manner. Several other lines not in this movie song do leave you in awe: a couple that inspired me:
விதையினை தெரிந்திடு ( Know the root cause – management experts often do “root cause analysis” when systems fail).
நினைப்பது முடியும் (Will begets success)
Amidst advising us with our daily way of life , he casually inserts the ultimate truth:
“தெய்வம் நீ யென்றுணர்”
(Realise GOD is within you- also means there is godliness in everyone. Practice mutual tolerance and respect).
Just an amazing amalgam of profound ideas in one song!!!!
Taking a lead from his lines:
பாரதி வரி படி
பாரதி வழி நட
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