Lyrics and Meanings (Kautthuvam)

Kauthvam is an ancient piece of classical dance. It is a hymn, a song of devotion in praise of a deity. It was performed by the Dhevadhāsis as part of the daily rituals, on special occasions, or during the festivals. Kauthvams are usually composed in the name of a specific deity in a particular temple.There are many Kauthvams, written in praise of different deities – Naṭarājā, Viṣhṇu, Muruga, Vināyaka. In earlier times, the Naṭṭuvanārs used to start teaching compositions to the students with Vināyaka Kauthvam. Kauthvams have both rhythmic syllables as well as lyrics interspersed in between.

Rāga: Hamsadhwani

Thāḷa: Khanḍa Chāpu

Composer: Gaṅgai Mutthu Naṭṭuvanār

Language: Thamizh (Tamil)

Meanings – Word by word & Overall:

Alignment, Diacriticals & consequent spelling changes, Language & grammar editing, if any and necessary, of existing meaning: Team Ambalam

Viruttham / Śhlokam

Yārukkum adaṅgādha nīli ponnambalathil āḍināḷ kāḷi

Pāruḷ parabrahmatthai aḍakkiya chayai pāḍum védhaṅgaḷālum ariyādha māyai||

Kauthvam

Tha dhīm thaka dhīm thadhīm thadhīm

Thakkiṇam tharikiṭa thaka thakiṭa tham tham

dhikkinam dhimikiṭa dhīmdhīmku nam nam

Thakkiṇam tharikiṭa thaka thakiṭa tham tham

dhikkinam dhimikita dhīmdhīmku nam nam

thakathakiṭa tham dhriguthakiṭa dhīm –

thaka thakiṭa dhrigithakiṭa thomdhruthakiṭa nāmdhruthakiṭa

Thakkudhikkiṭathaka thaka thakiṭa tham tham

dhikkudhikkiṭathaka ḍhīṇ ḍhīṇku nam nam

thakathakiṭa tham dhriguthakiṭa dhīm –

thaka thakiṭa dhriguthakiṭa thomdhruthakiṭa namdhruthakiṭa

Thakkudhikkiṭathaka thaka thakiṭa tham tham

dhikkudhikkitathaka ḍhīṇ ḍhīṇku nam nam

thakathakiṭa dhriguthakiṭa thomkina thoṇakina

thothoku thokiḍa thillaiyālankāḍu tholāḍa kāḷiyuḍan dhagaṇeku gigaṇeku

Thonkiṇa thoṇakiḍa virumbiya pathanjali

vyāghramar vénḍave nandhi thā thom ena      

nāradhar pāḍave chandhira sūriyan

bandhham pagarndhiḍa bharatha vagai nūreṭṭe        

thāḷa vagaiyāgave dhrithamuḍan ilagu gurupluthanuḍan kākapadham

Dhim dhimitha dhimi dhimitha dhimi dhimitha thām thām

dhim dhimitha dhimi dhimitha dhimi dhimitha thām thām –

śheṣhanuḍan thaṇḍāḍa vānavarum koṇḍāḍa thillaimanḍrāḍiya thirunīli kautthuvam

Thaka thakiṭa dhruguthakiṭa thomdhruthakiṭa namdhruthakiṭa

Thaka thakiṭa tham dhruguthakiṭa dhīm thomdhruthakiṭa thom

Meanings;

Thillai – the city of Chidhambaram

Aalankaadu – bamboo forest;

Thōḷāḍa – un-surpassing;

Kāḷiyuḍan –with Kāli;

Virumbiya – desired;

Pathanjali – sage Pathanjali;

Vyāgramar – sage Vyaghrapādha;

Véṇḍave – requested;

Nandhi – Nandhi, the bull; 

Nāradhar – sage Nāradha; 

Pāḍave – sang;

Chandira sūriyan – moon & sun;

Bandham – poetry;

Pagarndhiḍa – recited;

Nūreṭṭe  - 108;

Thāḷa – beats;

Vagaiyāgave – types;

Drithamuḍan ilagu gurupluthanuḍan kākapadham – the music that had all grammatical things like dritham, laghu, plutam in its place;

Śhesṣhanuḍan – with Ādhiśheṣha;

Thanḍāḍa – Thanḍu danced;

Vānavarum – gods- koṇḍāḍa – praised;

Thillaimanḍrāḍiya – danced in Thillai;

Thirunīli kautthuvam – kāli kautthuvam

Note:

The word Kali is pronounced differently in different languages in India.

In Sanskrit it is Kāli, with the “L” sound being soft; where as in Thamizh it is Kāḷi, with the “L” sound being hard.

Hence you may find it with different diacriticals here, as suitable to context.

Meaning:Note to durga –add picture of Kali

Kāḷi Kautthuvam is about the Goddess Kāli, symbol of dissolution and destruction.

●        She destroys ignorance, maintains the world order, and blesses and frees those who strive for the knowledge of god.

●        She is the destroyer of all suffering and all evil.

●        She has fang-like teeth, and her lolling tongue dripping with blood hangs from her mouth.

●        Around her neck is a necklace of skulls.

●        She is usually shown with four arms, two of which hold severed heads while the other two hold a dagger and a sword.

●        A strangling noose also features in some of the images. Though her hands are blood stained, one is often raised in a gesture of protection or assurance in the midst of destruction.

This story is about Kāli dancing in a bamboo forest near Tanjore.

Two ardent sages Pathanjali and Vyāghrapādha were praying to catch a glimpse of Śhiva and Śhakthi dancing together. Nandhi was the naṭṭuvanār, setting the beats. Nāradha was singing. The Sun-god and the moon-god were there, sharing the poetry recitation. There were 108 different beats. To the 108 beats the divine feet of Śhiva danced. With him, the sage Thanḍu and the cosmic snake Śheṣha danced and the gods celebrated this cosmic dance in Thillai. At the same time Bhadhrakāli, the fierce form of Śhakthi asked for a competition with Śhiva in dance. The lord, who keeps dancing, creating, protecting, destroying, hiding and blessing, won the same, by acting the Ūrdhva thāṇḍava, raising his feet to his head.

Kāḷi Kautthuvam mentions that Śhiva’s divine feet were dancing to 108 thāḷas.
In Sāma gāna, from which Karnātic music is derived, the 108 thāḷas
or beats, represent different divine aspects.