The illusion bubble
Dear all,
பாரதி was a very well read scholar who had mastery over several languages including Sanskrit, Hindi, Telugu, English and French. He used ideas from Sanskrit scripts and penned several songs.
His songs are known for their patriotism, expression of love, devotion to Sakthi and Kannan, affection towards Tamil knowledge, fight for women’s liberation and revolutionary ideas against what he perceived as societal injustice. A facet of his songs not talked often are their philosophical notations.
Hence picked a song this week that expresses the most fundamental of questions: Is this world an illusion ? This profound question has been addressed by Upanishads and பாரதி் in this song seems to have picked the ideas from them.
The song is from the movie “பாரதி” rendered by Harish Raghavendra and composed by Ilaiyaraja. The song provides several beautiful Tamil phrases that just convey his thoughts pristinely and accurately. Will highlight the phrases as I go along with the lyrics.
“நிற்பதுவே நடப்பதுவே பறப்பதுவே
நீங்கள் எல்லாம் சொர்ப்பனம் தானோ
பல தோற்ற மயக்கங்களோ”
Look how carefully பாரதி lists the order of biological evolution – நிற்பதுவே நடப்பதுவே பறப்பதுவே”.
Are everything from the beginning of life just Dreams?
“தோற்ற மயக்கங்களோ – Aberrant appearances “
மயக்கம் – here could mean “aberration” or “ mistaken knowledge”.
In the next line பாரதி் lists evolution of cognition in the precise order:
“கற்பதுவே கேட்பதுவே கருதுவதே
நீங்கள் எல்லாம் அர்ப்ப மாயைகளோ
உம்முள் ஆழ்ந்த பொருளில்லையோ”
“கருதுவதே – to be able to contemplate” takes higher cognitive ability than just to learn or listen – correctness to the core in his words!!!
“ அர்ப்ப மாயைகளோ” – another lovely phrase meaning “ mere illusions”.
“வானகமே இளவெய்யிலே மரம்சரிவே
நீங்கள் எல்லாம் கானலின் நீரோ
வெறும் காட்சி பிழைதானோ”
“காட்சி பிழைதானோ – Faulty vision”.
“போனதெல்லாம் கனவினைபோல்
புதைந்தழிந்தே போனதனால்
நானும் ஒர் கனவோ
இந்த ஞாலமும் பொய்தானோ”
“ஞாலம் is the universe – wonders if he is a dream too within this bigger lie, we call the universe”
“காலமென்றெ ஒரு நினைவும்
காட்சி என்று பல நினைவும்”
Time (காலம்) is expressed as a single entity contrary to the perceptions (காட்சி) we have which are multiple. Time he says is one continuum throughout, within which we exist in a very small snippet. Isn’t this what scientist call the space-time continum? Just amazing how he conveys such complexity in one sentence!!!
“கோலமும் பொய்களோ
அங்கு குணங்களும் பொய்களோ”
The forms and attributes – are they deceptions too?
“காண்பதெல்லாம் மறையுமென்றால்
மறைந்ததெல்லாம் காண்பதன்றோ”
நானும் ஒர் கனவோ
இந்த ஞாலமும் பொய்தானோ”
He keeps going back to the realisation that vision of the world through our senses is all an illusion despite seemingly appearing real and indirectly hints at something existing more perennially than what we sense outwardly.
Profound lines from a Prolific poet
பாரதி ஒரு மகா(ன்) கவி
Recent Comments