Old Tamil Poetry

Thiruppavai – 9

In jeweled upper storey of your house, with lamps lit all around,
amidst fragrant incense smoke,  you are asleep on a soft bed – 
Oh’ my uncle’s daughter, open the latches of your adorned door;
Oh’ my aunt, will you not wake her up? Is your daughter 
Mute? Or is she deaf? Such eternal sleep she has;
Or is she under a spell? Is anyone guarding her bed?
We chant many of his names – Renowned Enchanter, 
Madhvan, Vaikundhan and so on; does she not hear?

தூமணி மாடத்து சுற்றும் விளக்கெரியத்
தூமம் கமழத் துயிலணைமேல் கண்வளரும்
மாமான் மகளே மணிக்கதவம் தாழ்திறவாய்
மாமீர் அவளை எழுப்பீரோ உன்மகள்தான்
ஊமையோ அன்றி செவிடோ அனந்தலோ
ஏமப் பெருந்துயில் மந்திரப் பட்டாளோ
மாமாயன் மாதவன் வைகுந்தன் என்றென்று
நாமன் பலவும் நவின்றேலோர் என்பாவாய்.

Andal is now at her cousin’s house, trying to wake her up. She sings “Oh’ my uncles daughter, you are asleep in the soft bed amidst fragrant incense smoke in the shining upper storey of your house with lamps lit all around. Wake up and unlatch the adorned doors of your house.

Oh’ my aunt, will you at least wake up your daughter. I have been hollering from here. But she doesn’t reply to me. Is your daughter a mute or a deaf? Such stubborn sleep she has. Is any one standing guard over her bed, forcing her to sleep? Or is she under a spell? We are here chanting our Lord’s many names – The enchanter, Madhavan the consort of Lakshmi, Vaikundhan the resident of Vaikundham and so on. Does she not hear us?”