ABOUT THIRU. T.R. JAWAHARLAL
Thiru. T.R. Jawaharlal a few weeks ago brought to my attention a small case of grammatical inaccuracy. The word “Knowledged” which is used in an unenglish way. This is a controversy which can not be settled in one way or other. With reference to this case, it is desirable that there are two kinds of translation. One Kind of translation conforms to orthodox canons of syntax and morphology and structure. The other kind of translation which belongs to Shri. T.R. Jawaharlal does not necessarily follows this order. A vast wealth of vocabulary from the work of Sri Aurobindo for the purpose of translation is employed. This is a kind of new innovation. No one has done it before. The use of the phrase “VAST G’RACE–LIGHT” is a case in point. Moreover VALLALAR puts forth ideas in a jumble. For he refers to orders of creation, stone, plant, animal, man. He formulates different forms of births, This poses a challenge to the translator. What helped Jawaharlal in this translation is the Divine grace which he has received from VALLALAR. The translator moves on Superconscious State. In this way it is made possible. The gift for translation is a mechanical skill. This does not enable a person to translate occult form of writing. It is merely a fortune that Shri. T.R. Jawaharlal has this divine grace to do this job of translating occult passage in English. VALLALAR has put forth many ideas of spiritual life in different varied order.
Thiru. T.R. Jawaharlal has the patience to go through the Tamil verses and put them in English in an appropriate order of placement. This is a marvellous job of the translator. Above all one thing must be said. Shri. T.R. Jawaharlal has on his finger tips the entire Saiva Siddhantham vocabulary and vallalar with immense force and strength. If shri. T.R. Jawaharlal has not lived a mystical and superconscious kind of life, this translation would not have been made possible.
“Suddha maya and Dwadasantha Madam the 12th State refer to overmind ranges in Suddha Mahamaya” Thiru. T.R. Jawaharlal’s translation is simple and straight forward.
“The causal cause for the entire Universe.”
The main subject-matter of “THIRUVADI PUGALCHI” is Captured in these lines :
“The Tamil is very simple. But the translation is much more simple and very true to the facts of life.”
“Where there are truth-seeking devotees, there the compassionate Divine Lord is openly expressive in their souls as “Grace-Light”
The final concluding lines of “THIRUVADI PUGALCHI” bring RAMANUJAR, VALLALAR, SRI AUROBINDO AND SWAMY SARAVANANANDA in a line in common order of confluence and concurrence of ideas. That is because Shri. T.R. Jawaharlal quotes from “SAVITRI” of SRI AUROBINDO.
“Eternity gazing through the human eye.”
This reminds me of Ramanujar who said in his “SRI BHASHYAM” that “Brahman puts forth many PURUSHAS (individual souls) and experiences the play of the universe”.
Shri. T.R. Jawaharlal’s translation of “THIRUVADI PUGALCHI” is a masterpiece. it reaches a high level of order of excellence.
The whole work is based on Swamy Saravanananda’s text. Sri. T.R. Jawaharlal has lived with this mystic for about 40 years. To be in the presence of a mystic and to be in close association with him is itself a divine source of inspiration. “THIRUVADI PUG’ALCHI” looks like VYASA’S “BRAHMA SUTRAM“. Moreover the text is in a heavily sanskritised Tamil. Here is a sample passage which strikes at the foundational root of VALLALAR.
The translator Shri. T.R. Jawaharlal makes a master stroke. It Captures the key-note of VALLALAR.
The English translation of the above couplet is given below :
The Saivite tenets and Vedic tenets both direct into the merger with the Supreme Parabrahman but the integral divine path associates (Suddha Sanmarga) direct to live in the “Blissful Eternal Deathless Life”
In the translation is a word used and popularized by Sri Aurobindo. Shri. T.R. Jawaharlal makes use of it aptly and appropriately.
Here is another passage which expresses the foundational tenet of VALLALAR and Saiva Siddhantha.
In Saiva Siddhantha the philosophical word is known as . It denotes a superconscious state. i.e. twelve inches above the head. But shri. T.R. Jawaharlal is in keeping with the sanmarga tenet and philosophy.
SUDDHA SANMARGA SATHYA SIRU VINNAPPAM
Vinnappangal are a text book of prayer and a pleader gaining divine mercy.
Shree. T.R. Jawaharlal moves on a high mystical plane of reality when renders these lines in English:
“Praising words of Truth-Divine path associates’ devotion, remembrance, feelings, conscientiousness, with expressive expertance of the exclusive supreme presiding compassionate Divinehead.”
This translation is wonderful not because it is an exact equivalent but an excellent parallel expression in English.
Shree. T.R. Jawaharlal says that vallalar humbles himself before the Divine and melts into pity.
Here is the translation running like a stream water. Shree. T.R. Jawaharlal has turned and twisted English language to suit the translation.
“Therefore Thou the compassionate Divine Being”!. The lower state of subject matter in our memorandum without being looked into, be approved graciously and protect us graciously”.
Shree. T.R. Jawaharlal is not an English professor. But that does not disqualify him to translate.
Sri Aurobindo has taught him English through prayer, meditation.
English language is handled by Shree. T.R. Jawaharlal with ease and Comfort.
Let us look at the translation.
“Touched the divine granting with graceful compassion enlightened knowledge in the human physical to be eligible for deathless
life for which we do not know to express our gratitude to the Divine’s supreme compassion”
Here is an example of a direct translation
“Death, disease, ageing of these
sufferings when shall disappear?”
When shall ever the deathlessness
of supreme bliss of boon can
be attained? as so thinking
and thinking not knowing the
tread stumbling at the time.
It is a case of rich poetic translation following its own laws.
SAMARASA SUDDHA SANMARGA SATHYA PERUVINNAPPAM
This text is a continued prayer for healing and saving the human soul.
Oh! the omnipotent Truth-Nature Divine!
the so called receipient one as in the
father’s seminal fluid”
It is a straight parallel translation having practical truth.
“Oh the all-comprehensive Truth-Nature expressive Divine”.
Again it is a symbolic translation having words as equivalents.”
Here the Tamil is difficult. But Shree T.R. Jawaharlal Circumvent the difficulty by being plain and open.
SAMARASA SUDDHA SANMARGA SATHYA JNANA VINNAPPAM
The subject matter is much substantial. Here is a case of symbolic translation where there is no one-to-one correspondence between words.
“The translation is indirect : Philosophically and realised the truth his self and getting truth–vital with truth-nature in presence and experiencing truth–bliss”
Here is another case of metaphorical translation. Metaphor is a resemblance between two things :
“Truth-Nature’s graceful Divine–Being, Wonderful! Wonderful!
how shall we perceive, how shall we feel, how shall we say! as so
saying verbally, individually i n wherever gathering melting and
melting to be living”
Shree T.R. Jawaharlal only rolls into this Tamil passage and he tries to bring out the essence of the version.
“The Truth-Nature’s exclusive presiding Divine gracious matter
in existence to graciously blossom verbally as so appealing tone, yet
with such godly verbal’s and withstanding with causing of ecstastic
tear from supreme compassionate Divine eyes, felt of the feelers,
surprisingly informed.
I outht to be crying and crying to say whatever. Nature is this gracious Truth-Divine
Every sentence in the Tamil passage is easily convertible in terms of anything.
SAMARASA SUDDHA SANMARGA SATHYA VINNAPPAM
Here the translation is based upon truthfulness and realism of things. Shree T.R. Jawaharlal has got the genius to convert the most difficult in Tamil into the most simple word in English. Here is an example.
“This Physical body will be everlasting and in all times for ever,
wherever, whatever and in the least prohibitingly enjoy the supreme
Blissful Deathless life and this is being my True continual sustained task.”
Shree T.R. Jawaharlal moves into other passage very forcefully.
“This physical body, life and vital, sensual objects were all given by the Universal Liberator,
the Supreme Compassionate Divine Being and not by our own liberty – this truth graciously informed, I knew”