பானுவே, பொன்செய் பேரொளித் திரளே ! Mahakavi Bharathiyar and Sun

Mahakavi Subrahmanya Bharathiyar was a visionary – his thoughts were very high, noble, stoked freedom fire.  

Surya Bhagwan, the radiant Hindu Sun God, embodies life, strength, and cosmic order. Worshipped since Vedic times, he appears daily as a visible divine presence nourishing the world. Revered in sacred texts, Surya is reverred in temples like Konark and Modhera, and rituals like Surya Namaskar inspiring millions. Major festivals Makar Sankranti, Pongal, and Chath Puja honour him.   

சாதாரண கவிஞர்கள் பெண்ணை, பெண்மணிகளின் முகத்தை,  நிலவோடு ஒப்பிட்டு பாட்டெழுதி வாழ்வார்கள்.  சுப்ரம்மண்ய பாரதியார் மஹாகவி - அவர் நிலவை முகம் காட்ட சொல்லவில்லை  சூரியனை நோக்கி இறைஞ்சும் கவிமனம் அவருடையது.  ‘காலை வேளையில், கடற்கரையில், சூரியன் மேகங்களால் மூடப்பட்டிருக்க, முகம் காட்டும்படி அவனை வேண்டிப் பாடிய பாடல்கள் இவை’ என்று ஒரு சம்பிரதாயமான குறிப்பு ‘பாரதியார் கவிதைகள்’ நூலில் கொடுக்கப் பட்டுள்ளது. இது மிக மேலோட்டமான ஒரு குறிப்பு. மற்றபடி அப்பாடலில் வேதாந்தக் கருத்துகள் அழகுற அமைந்து வருவது நன்கு வாசித்தால் புரியும்.  

உண்மையில் சூரியனை முகம் காட்ட இறைஞ்சும் அந்தக் கம்பீரமான குரல் மிகவும் புராதனமானது. வேத ரிஷியின் குரல் அது. அதன் நீண்டகால ஒத்திசைவு அதிர்வுகளில் ஒன்றே பாரதியின் கவிதை. இதை உணர்த்துவது போலவே அந்தப் பாடல் “சுருதியின் கண் முனிவரும்” என்று தொடங்குகிறது.  

மகாகவி பாரதியார் சூரியனைப் போற்றி பல பாடல்களை இயற்றியுள்ளார், குறிப்பாக "சூரிய தரிசனம்" என்ற தலைப்பில் 3 பாடல்கள் அமைந்துள்ளன.  இதில் சூரியனின் பெருமையை, வேத கால ரிஷிகளின் குரலாக, பிரபஞ்சத்தின் முதல் பொருளாகப் போற்றிப் பாடுகிறார், மேலும் காயத்ரி மந்திரத்தையும் தமிழில் மொழிபெயர்த்துள்ளார், சூரியனை வணங்கிப் போற்றும் அவரது பாடல்கள் அவரது ஆன்மிக நம்பிக்கையையும், இயற்கையின் சக்தியின் மீதான பக்தியையும் காட்டுகின்றன.  பாரதியாரின் பாடல்கள் வெறும் இயற்கையைப் போற்றுவதோடு நின்றுவிடாமல், சூரியனை பிரபஞ்சத்தின் முதல் சக்தி, ஒளி, மற்றும் ஜீவன்களின் ஆதாரம் எனப் போற்றி, அதன் மூலமாக இறைவனையும், பிரபஞ்சத்தின் ரகசியத்தையும் உணர்த்துகின்றன.  

சுருதியின்கண் முனிவரும் பின்னே

தூமொழிப் புலவோர் பலர் தாமும்

பெரிது நின்றன் பெருமை யென்றேத்தும்

பெற்றி கண்டு உனை வாழ்த்திட வந்தேன்:

பரிதியே பொருள் யாவிற்கும் முதலே,

பானுவே, பொன்செய் பேரொளித் திரளே,

கருதி நின்னை வணங்கிட வந்தேன்;

கதிர்கொள் வாண்முகம் காட்டுதி சற்றே.

 

The seers of the Vedas and the poets

Of pure and unsullied utterances,

Conscious of your great glory, have hailed you.

This witnessing, I have come to bless you.

O sun, First of all beings! O Surya!

Auric orb great of effulgent splendour!

I have come to offer my adorations;

Pray, reveal to me your bright-rayed visage.

 

 (சுருதி – வேதம்; தூமொழி – தூய மொழி; பெற்றி – தன்மை; பரிதி, பானு – சூரியனின் திருப்பெயர்கள்; வாண்முகம் – ஒளியுடைய முகம்) 

In Hinduism, Surya is the primary solar deity, depicted riding a chariot drawn by seven horses representing the days of the week and colors of light. He is considered the source of life and cosmic dynamics.  

In Ancient Egypt -   Ra is  the god of the sun and creator of the world and other deities. He travels across the sky in a solar barque by day and through the underworld at night, battling chaos.  In Ancient Greece, the  personification of the Sun, Helios is  a Titan who drove a four-horse chariot across the sky daily. He is an all-seeing witness to events on Earth and was primarily worshipped on the island of Rhodes. In ancient Rome,  the Roman equivalent of Helios, later developed into Sol Invictus ("the Unconquered Sun"). His festival was celebrated on December 25th, a date later adopted by Christians for Christmas. Amaterasu     Shinto (Japan) – is the Sun goddess and one of the central deities in Shinto belief. The Japanese Imperial family is traditionally believed to be descended from her.  In Mesopotamia, Utu in Sumerian mythology, Shamash is  the god of the sun and justice, believed to see everything on Earth during his daily journey.  For Aztecs, the God of the Sun and war- Huitzilopochtli,  who required daily offerings (including human sacrifices in mythology) to ensure he would traverse the sky and not be defeated by the night.

 

Here is a picture of Mahakavi Bharathiyar statue in Marina beach opposite to PWD in Kamarajar Salai (Beach Road) with Sun honouring him.

 
Regards – S Sampathkumar
12.12.2o25 

விட்டு விடுதலையாகி நிற்பாயிந்த ~ Mahakavi Bharathiyar birthday !!

 

விட்டு விடுதலையாகி நிற்பாயிந்தச்  சிட்டுக் குருவியைப்

பெலிகன் பறவைகளை  போலே

 

எட்டுத் திசையும் பறந்து திரிகுவை

ஏறியக் காற்றில் விரைவொடு நீந்துவை

மட்டுப் படாதெங்கும் கொட்டிக் கிடக்குமிவ்

வானொளி யென்னும் மதுவின் சுவையுண்டு. (விட்டு)

 

Today marks the 143rd birth anniversary of  Desiya Kavi Subramania Bharati,  who with  his powerful verses stoked the fire of freedom.  The great visionary, Poet, reformer was born this day at Ettayapuram in 1882.   

 
Mahakavi’s verse was about the Sparrow [சிட்டுக் குருவி] only  … .. not Pelican
11.12.2025

Cattle grazing !!!!!!

 

கலித்தொகை

 

தீம் பால் கறந்த கலம் மாற்றக், கன்று எல்லாம்

தாம்பின் பிணித்து, மனை நிறீஇ, யாய் தந்த

பூங்கரை நீலம் புடை தாழ மெய் அசைஇ, பாங்கரும்

முல்லையும் தாய பாட்டங்கால்,

 

இனிய பாலைக் கறந்த கலங்களை எடுத்து வைத்து விட்டு, கன்றுகளைக் கயிற்றால் கட்டி, இல்லத்தில் நிறுத்தி, தாய் தந்த பூத்தொழிலையுடைய கரையை உடைய நீல ஆடை பக்கங்களில் தாழ என் உடலை அசைத்து, பாங்கர் மரங்களும் முல்லைக் கொடியும் .. …

epic rearguard by WI at Christchurch ... .. and that blow by Shai Hope !!!

 

Ecstatic moment for WI Cricket fans .. ..  at  Christchurch,  a heroic rearguard effort from Greaves, Roach, and Hope ensured West Indies salvaged a thrilling draw after slipping to 72 for 4.  An epic stonewall from Justin Greaves had him face more than half the deliveries of his 12-Test career in this one innings alone, as West Indies pocketed their first points in their sixth Test of the 2025-27 World Test Championship cycle in Christchurch. The 163.3 overs they eventually faced is the longest fourth-innings in Tests for West Indies in 95 years.  

 

A bowling all rounder, Justin Greaves brought up a stunning maiden Test double ton in the penultimate over when he sliced Jacob Duffy over backward point to pocket what was to be only his second boundary in all of the final session as his colleagues stood up to give him a standing ovation. He finished 202 not out, having faced 388 deliveries, turning an innings that began with the typical artistic flair and flamboyance into a steely knock full of purpose and grit. Greaves wore more blows on the body than he could count, batted more deliveries than he had in his career, and reined in his natural instincts with single-minded purpose and determination.

A Q to the WI fans can you recognize this WI Cricketer standing with his idol Brian Lara,  who played just two tests and was involved in a serious incident this day in 2014 – in that WICB league match between Barbados and Windward Islands. Barbados won by 11 runs.  The Captain of the present side, Roston Chase did well with the bat and ball and the present centurion Shai Hope was involved in that accident.    

 

Years later in Adelaide 2022, Nathan Lyon claimed his 450th Test wicket as Australia completed a 419-run thrashing over a dispirited West Indies early on day four of the second Test in Adelaide. Lyon became the third Australian bowler after Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath to reach the landmark by clean bowling Alzarri Joseph to cap Australia's convincing 2-0 series triumph in the Frank Worrell Trophy.     Not many would have read or remember about Omar Phillips who was called up as  an emergency fielder !!  Philips was  playing club cricket in Australia and the decision  was made ahead of the Test as some members of the West Indies squad were unavailable for selection due to injury. Additionally, Nkrumah Bonner had been ruled out due to concussion protocols after he was struck on the helmet in the 1st Test match. 

Phillips played two Test matches for the West Indies against Bangladesh in 2009 as a left-handed opening batter. He scored 160 runs including a best of 94 on debut at the Arnos Vale in St Vincent.  Omar Jamel Phillips (born 12 October 1986) is a West Indian former cricketer who played domestically for the Combined Campuses and Colleges and Barbados as well as appearing in two Test matches for the West Indies. A left-handed opening batsman, he got his Test opportunity following a dispute between the West Indies Cricket Board and the Players' Association. On his debut against Bangladesh he scored 94.  

In 2014, in a series of posts, I was pouring  my thoughts on Cricket injuries, the unfortunate death of Phil Hughes, the eye injuries ending the career of players and the strange incident of Alan Read who lost sight in left eye when he was 36 and regaining it after 48 years ! – I also posted about  Omar Phillips, a left-handed opener who  was among seven Test debutants in the St Vincent Test against Bangladesh in 2009 when the seniors went on strike over contracts. He made an impression in his first match for West Indies, falling six short of a debut century in St Vincent. 

The untimely death of Phil Hughes prompted a debate about the use of the bouncer, but at Adelaide in the 1st Test Indian pacer Varun Aaron bowled the first in the fourth over, a sizzling 145 kph delivery that drew applause from the crowd and that Warner did well to avoid. Away, the left handed Omar Phillips was  in  news for wrong reasons.  

The Barbados Pride was beset with an injury on the first day of Round 4 against Windwards Islands Volcanoes at the Arnos Vale ground in St. Vincent on 5th Dec 14.  The injury occurred when Barbadian batsman Omar Phillips was accidentally struck unconscious by a shotl from fellow batsman Shai Hope and had to be taken to hospital where he received a CAT scan.  Goodness, he was  cleared of serious injury.  Reports suggested that a CT scan was done on Phillips after he had lost consciousness as a result of being hit on the back of his head, despite wearing a helmet. The scan, according to a statement on the WICB website, "came up negative for any damage". Phillips, 28,   was batting on 38 when a shot from Barbados' No. 3 Shai Hope struck him.  Phillips became unconscious on the field before a doctor rushed to the scene. He was then taken to hospital in an ambulance, accompanied by the team physio.    

"Thank God" was the WhatsApp message posted by Omar Phillips, the Barbados and West Indies opener, once he had regained consciousness at the Milton Kato Memorial Hospital, in Kingstown in St Vincent. "It has been a difficult situation for me in terms of having a seen a cricketer die of a similar injury." Phillips was quoted as saying.  Phillips had no immediate recollection of the sequence of events once he lost consciousness. Till late on Friday, Phillips was not even aware how long he was unconscious. Six minutes it was, he was told later. "I don't really remember what happened after I got struck. All I remember was waking up at the hospital. At that time I kept thinking about the whole Phil Hughes stuff. And I was kind of scared because you never know with a head injury how serious it could be."  The family too was naturally worried as many people kept calling the house.  

That was  not the first time Phillips was hit on the head. Five years prior to that, in a first division match in the domestic league in Barbados, he got a "nasty blow" on the front of the helmet while fielding at short leg after the batsman pulled a short delivery straight into him. But Phillips stood up immediately and never was bothered. Incidentally, in previous round of the Professional League against Guyana, Phillips was once again at shortleg and had his right hand injured trying to fend off a straight hit into his body. On that day as  Hope's bullet-like stroke came his way, Phillips raised his right hand as the first line of defence. But, a fraction later, he withdrew the hand.  

This time the lofted powerful shot was different striking him at the bottom right of the rear of the helmet.   The scans came out clear and Phillips was "a lot more relieved" even if he was far away from "fully back being my normal self". As he woke up in the hospital Phillips still had blurred vision and saw two doctors over him. He admitted he was rattled.   

The striker Hope 21 was certainly happier  seeing Phillips back and reportedly kept telling 'sorry' all the time. I told him he did nothing wrong.  

 
With regards – S. Sampathkumar
5.12.2025