Aambadi Paithal
(The cow herd
baby)
Translated by
P.R.Ramachander
(This mellifluous simple prayer which is recited by the
common man all over Kerala is supposed
to be written by the great Poonthanam. If this is true, this prayer would be at
least three hundred years old and is simple, composed in colloquial language and
is surcharged with devotion to the baby
Ambadi thannil oru unniyundangine,
Unnikku oru unni kuzhal undangine,
Uniiku peru unni Krishnan ennangine,
Unni vayathathu cheru mundangine,
Unni kai rendilum vennayundangine,
Unni kkal kondoru nruthamundangine,
Unni thalagal chilambumundangine,
Unni kkal rendum thudu thudeyennangine,
There was a child in
the cowherd’s house like that,
That child had a very
small flute like that,
That child was called
“baby
That child had marks
of mud on his belly like that,
That child had butter
in both his hands like that,
That child danced
with both his feet like that,
That child’s anklets
had bells like that,
That child’s feet
were red and active like that
Unnikkuarugil oru yettan undangine,
Changathi maraya pillarundangine,
Sankaran koode pugazhthunnangine,
Vrundavanthil oragosham angine,
Peeli thiru mudi ketti kondangine,
Pichaka malagal charthi kondangine,
Perthumodakkuzhal minnumarangine,
That child had his
elder brother nearby like that,
That child had
several boys as friends like that,
That child was even
praised by Lord Shiva like that,
There was a great
festival in Brindavan like that,
That child had tied a
peacock feather in his hair like that,
That child was
wearing several jasmine garlands like that,
That child was having
a shining flute like that,
Omanayaya thiru nethiyangine,
Thoomeyil nalla kurigalundangine,
Chitham mayakkum purigangalundangine,
Anjana kannuma nasayumangine,
Chenthondi vaay malar danthangalundangine,
Konjal thulumbum kavilinayangine,
Kundalam melle ilagumarangine,
Rathna kuzhalam vilichukondangine,
That child had a
darling forehead like that,
That child had good
marks on his body like that,
That child had black
eyes and pretty nose like that,
That child had a very
dark red lips and teeth like popped rice like that,
That child had a pair
of cheeks which were bubbling with his lisp like that,
That child’s ear
studs were slowly shaking like that,
That child was
playing on his gem studded flute like that,
Kande vilasunna kousthubamangine,
Visthruthamam thiru marumangine,
Oda kuzhal keli pongumarangine,
Kodakkal varnande eedugalangine,
Koodi kalichappol moodathayangine,
Peedichu pinne thiriyumarangine,
Gopikamarude geethangalangine,
Gopalakrishnande karunyamangine,
Aananda krishnane kanu marangine,
The child has a
bright Kousthubha on his neck like that,
He also has a very
broad chest like that,
He raises playful
tunes in his flute like that,
The tunes of the boy
who is of the colour of black cloud is like that,
When he played
together he showed foolishness like that,
When affected and
later take a round about change like that,
The songs of the
gopis are like that,
The mercy of
gopalakrishna is like that,
Seeing of the happy
Mohana moorthiye kanumarangine,
Kandu kandullathum theliyumarangine,
Kondal ner varnande leelagal aangine,
Vatta kalikku thuniyumarangine,
Vattathil ninnu sruthi pidichathangine,
Soothravum chodum pizhayatheyangine,
Nethrangal kondulla abhinayamangine,
Kanninnu kouthugam thonnumarangine,
Kannande poo mey ideyideyangine,
Thithithai yenna nruthangal aangine,
Seeing that
bewitching form like that,
Seeing and seeing the
truth clearly like that,
The playful acts of
that one with black colour like that,
The child preparing
for round game like that,
Standing round and
keeping tune like that,
Without loosing his
tricks and steps like that,
The acting he did
with his eyes like that,
Which provided
happiness to our eyes like that,
Seeing of flower like
body of
The dances were jumping hither and thither like that,
Trikkal chilabugal ocha poonadangine,
Manja poovada njori virichangine,
Kilu kile yenna aranjanangal angine,
Muthelum malakalodu
marangine,
Trikkaigal rendum abhinayichangine,
Omal thiru mey ulayumar angine,
Kundalamadum kavil thadamangine,
Thoomadhuvolunna vaythiramangine,
Thooviyrapathoru nasigayangine,
Manikya kannum chuzhattikondangine,
The holy anklets
making sound like that,
The yellow flower
garment tucked properly like that,
The Kilu kilu sound
of bells of the waist belt like that,
The chains in the
waist with lot of pearls like that,
The two holy hands
showing a pose like that,
The very dear body
very tired like that,
The two ear drops
touching the cheeks like that,
The mouth which is
wet by purest of honey like that,
The nose without any
holy sweat like that,
The pearl like eyes
rotating like that,
Muthukulagal uthirumarangine,
Peeli thirumudi kettazhznjangine,
Pichaka thoomalar thoogumarangine,
Devakal thoogunna poo mazhayangine,
Devagal thakkum perum para yangine,
Kinkini ochayum thalathil angine,
Changathimarude pattugal angine,
Akasa marge vimanangal angine,
Chandranumuchayayi nilkumarangine,
He standing with
pearls falling all round like that,
The tied hair with
peacock feather getting untied like that,
The jasmine flowers
being offered to him like that,
The flower rain being
created by devas like that,
The big drums being
played by devas like that,
The sound of bells
keeping music like that,
The songs of his
friends like that,
The planes flying on
the skies like that,
The moon standing on
the top like that,
Lokangal okke vilangumarangine,
Lokaika nadande geethangal aangine,
Aanada nrutham jayikkumarangine,
Vama pureswaran vazhgayennagine,
That swaroopam may thonnumarangine,
Thath pada yugme namaskarichudunnen angine.
All the worlds well
lighted like that,
The songs of the lord
of the world like that,
The dance of joy
becoming victorious like that,
Let the great god be
always victorious like that,
Let that form come in
to my mind like that,
And I salute both his
feet like that.