Since we first uploaded the book Chithrakavyam in the year 2000, we tried, and are still trying, to have the Chithrakavam translated in English. So far we have not found a scholar who could do it for us. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, in 2000, I met Dr. J. G. Bhatt in Austin, Texas. He was the father and father-in-law of my friends Kalyani Anand and her husband K. G. Anand. Dr. Bhatt was a Sanskrit scholar, originally from Gujarat but settled in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. Although he was visiting his daughter briefly at that time, he took some time to translate some of the verses in English just to illustrate how rich Chithrakavyam is, and what a great service Sri. P. K. Srinivasan rendered to enrich Sanskrit literature, by transliterating Chithrakavyam from Grantham. He admitted one needs a very high level of Sanskrit to translate the entire book. We are sharing some of the verses below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Verse number 7, page 3<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u0935\u0943\u0915\u094d\u0937\u093e\u0933\u093f\u0903 \u0915\u0940\u0926\u0943\u0936\u0940 \u091a\u094d\u091b\u093e\u092f\u093e\u0902 \u0928 \u0915\u0930\u094b\u0924\u093f \u091a \u0936\u0942\u0932\u093f\u0928\u0903 \u0964 This particular verse is like a riddle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When do trees not provide shade? Who is the wife of Shiva? The poet is challenging the learned to provide just a one-word answer for these two questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The one-word answer to the riddle-like verse is \u0905\u092a\u0930\u094d\u0923\u093e<\/strong> (Aparna), which means without leaves. A leafless tree provides no shade. Lord Shiva\u2019s wife Parvathi is also known as \u0905\u092a\u0930\u094d\u0923\u093e<\/strong> (Aparna).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Verse number 43, page 9<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u0917\u0943\u0927\u094d\u0930\u093e \u0907\u0924\u094d\u092f\u0941\u0924\u094d\u0924\u0930\u0902 \u092f\u0924\u094d\u0930 \u0924\u0924\u094d\u0930 \u092a\u094d\u0930\u0936\u094d\u0928\u0903 \u0915\u0925\u0902 \u092d\u0935\u0947\u0924\u1ced \u0964 What should be the question for which the answer is \u201cVultures\u201d? To the question ‘how are the Pandavas,’ what should be the answer?<\/p>\n\n\n\n This verse is a riddle in grammar. In the first stanza, the poet says that to get to the answer \u201cvultures,\u201d how an intelligent question can be phrased which also becomes an answer to the question how Pandavas are. It is like this: \u0915\u0947\u0936\u0935 \u092a\u094d\u0930\u0940\u0924\u092f\u0903<\/strong>. Who (\u0915\u0947<\/strong>) like or love (\u092a\u094d\u0930\u0940\u0924\u092f\u0903<\/strong>) dead bodies (\u0936\u0935<\/strong>). The nature of Pandavas is to love Krishna. When \u0915\u0947<\/strong> and \u0936\u0935<\/strong> are joined, it becomes \u0915\u0947\u0936\u0935 <\/strong>(Keshav) which is also the meaning of Krishna or another name for Krishna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Verse number 52, page 12<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n What is it that quenches thirst? By doing what the women knot their hair? Using Sanskrit and Tamil words provide your answer in a single word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The answer is \u0935\u093e\u0930\u093f<\/strong> (Vari) – which means water in Sanskrit and combing hair (\u0bb5\u0bbe\u0bb0\u0bbf<\/strong>) in Tamil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u0915\u093f\u0902 \u0924\u0943\u0937\u094d\u0923\u093e\u0936\u092e\u0928\u0902 \u0938\u094d\u0924\u094d\u0930\u0940\u092d\u093f\u0903 \u0915\u093f\u0902 \u0915\u0943\u0924\u094d\u0935\u093e \u092c\u0927\u094d\u092f\u0924\u0947 \u0915\u091a\u0903 \u0964 Verse number 62, page 12 <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u0915\u0935\u093f\u0924\u093e \u0915\u0940\u0926\u0943\u0936\u0940 \u0930\u092e\u094d\u092f\u093e \u092a\u0926\u094d\u092e\u0938\u0902\u092c\u094b\u0927\u0928\u0902 \u0915\u0925\u092e\u1ced \u0964 How beautiful poetry ( \u0915\u0935\u093f\u0924\u093e<\/strong>) can be and what is the other name for lotus? Answer is one word which when read from left to right should be the answer for the first question, and when read from right to left the answer for the second question. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The answer is \u0938\u0930\u0938\u093e<\/strong> (Sarasa) which means ‘interesting with a particular mood,’ whereas \u0938\u093e\u0930\u0938<\/strong> means ‘lotus.’<\/p>\n\n\n\n Verse number 104, page 19<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u0935\u093f\u0930\u093e\u091f\u094b \u0917\u093e\u0923\u093f\u0915\u093e\u0938\u0919\u094d\u0917\u0940 \u0930\u093e\u0915\u094d\u0937\u0938\u092a\u094d\u0930\u0940\u0924\u093f\u0930\u091a\u094d\u092f\u0941\u0924\u0903 \u0964 A strange situation is being mentioned in the first stanza. The king Virat (a pious person) keeps company with court-dancer, Krishna is affectionate to demons, and slavery is praised in this world. Dear friend, why is this like that?<\/p>\n\n\n\n To this, in the next stanza, the poet says that the touch with the demons brings calamity even to the righteous persons. But when the demon is done away with, the meaning is clear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thus when \u0930\u093e<\/strong> (Ra) is removed from \u0935\u093f\u0930\u093e\u091f<\/strong> (Vi-raa-ta), it is \u0935\u093f\u091f<\/strong> (Vi-ta)the jester who keeps company with the dancers, and when \u0915\u094d\u0937<\/strong> (ksha) is removed from \u0930\u093e\u0915\u094d\u0937\u0938<\/strong> (Raa-ksha-sa), it becomes \u0930\u093e\u0938\u092a\u094d\u0930\u0940\u0924\u093f<\/strong> (Ra-sa-pree-thi) meaning the love for dancing with the Gopis, the milk maids which Lord Krishna normally does. Similarly, removal of \u0938<\/strong> from \u0926\u093e\u0938\u0924\u093e<\/strong>, changes the word to \u0926\u093e\u0924\u093e<\/strong> (daa-thaa), which means the donor who is praised for his donations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Verse number 196, page 37<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u0936\u094d\u0930\u0943\u0923\u094d\u0935\u0928\u094d\u0928\u093e\u0926\u0930\u0924\u0938\u094d\u0924\u0924\u094d\u0930 \u0938\u0940\u0924\u093e\u0935\u0943\u0924\u094d\u0924\u0902 \u0939\u0928\u0942\u092e\u0924\u0903 \u0964 While hearing the narration about Sita from Hanuman (who returned from Sri Lanka), looking at the rising Sun, Rama was upset with fear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The poet in this verse is indulging in some fun, keeping the audience guessing. Hanuman in his childhood, when he saw the rising Sun, leaped into the sky mistaking the Sun to be a big ripe fruit. So in the above verse, it was early morning just as the Sun was rising, Rama was afraid that Hanuman may once again leap into the sky and charge towards the rising Sun and leave the Sita-story incomplete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Part II, Verse number 8, page 79<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In one of the pictorial presentations of poetry (Chithrakavyam), the poet’s mastery over the the words is expressed in the prayer to Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth as below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u092e\u093e \u0930\u092e\u093e \u0924\u0947\u0928\u094d\u0926\u093f\u0930\u093e \u0928\u093e\u092e\u093e\u093d\u092e\u093e\u0928\u093e\u0927\u094d\u092f\u092a\u0926\u093e\u093d\u0938\u092e\u093e \u0964 Lakshmi is called Ma as also Ra-maa, is particularly known as Indira because She is Asamaa (\u0905\u0938\u092e\u093e<\/strong>) meaning incomparable, and is worshipped by A-maa-naa (\u0905\u092e\u093e\u0928\u093e), those who have conquered pride. Fierce as She is, may She protect me (whoever is saluting Her) from ignorance. Here Ma means knowledge and Aa-maa (\u0906\u092e\u093e) means ignorance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We concluded with a simple prayer to Lord Krishna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Part II, Verse number 77, page 134<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u0928\u0928\u094d\u0926\u093e\u0924\u094d\u092e\u091c\u0928\u094d \u0926\u092f\u093e\u0938\u093e\u0930\u0902 \u0917\u094b\u092a\u0940\u092d\u093e\u0917\u094d\u092f\u0902 \u092a\u0930\u093e\u0924\u094d\u092a\u0930\u0902 \u0964 Soul of Nanda (\u0928\u0928\u094d\u0926\u093e<\/strong>), essence of mercy, the great fortune of Gopis (the milk maids), the ultimate existence, the Lord of the Gods (deities), the all-pervading beauty, protect me from darkness ((lead me from ignorance to real knowledge).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Since we first uploaded the book Chithrakavyam in the year 2000, we tried, and are still trying, to have the Chithrakavam translated in English. So far we have not found a scholar who could do it for us. However, in 2000, I met Dr. J. G. Bhatt in Austin, Texas. He was the father and …<\/p>\n
\u092a\u0924\u094d\u0928\u0940 \u0915\u093e \u092a\u094d\u0930\u0936\u094d\u0928\u092f\u094b\u0930\u0947\u0915\u0902 \u0935\u093f\u0926\u0941\u0937\u093e \u0935\u093e\u091a\u094d\u092f\u092e\u0941\u0924\u094d\u0924\u0930\u092e\u094d \u0965 \u096d
\u0935\u0943\u0915\u094d\u0937\u093e\u0933\u093f\u0930\u093f\u0924\u093f – \u0905\u092a\u0930\u094d\u0923\u0947\u0924\u094d\u092f\u0941\u0924\u094d\u0924\u0930\u0902 \u091c\u094d\u091e\u0947\u092f\u0902\u0964<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u0915\u0940\u0926\u0943\u0936\u093e\u0903 \u092a\u093e\u0923\u094d\u0921\u0935\u093e\u0936\u094d\u091a\u0947\u0924\u093f \u092a\u094d\u0930\u0936\u094d\u0928\u0947 \u0935\u093e \u0915\u0940\u0926\u0943\u0917\u0941\u0924\u094d\u0924\u0930\u092e\u1ced \u0965 \u096a\u0969 \u0965
\u0917\u0943\u0927\u094d\u0930\u093e \u0907\u0924\u093f – \u0915\u0947 \u0936\u0935\u092a\u094d\u0930\u0940\u0924\u092f\u0903? \u0907\u0924\u093f \u0909\u0924\u094d\u0924\u0930\u0902 \u0938\u094d\u092f\u093e\u0924\u1ced \u0964 \u0938 \u092a\u094d\u0930\u0936\u094d\u0928 \u090f\u0935 “\u092a\u093e\u0923\u094d\u0921\u0935\u093e\u0903 \u0915\u0940\u0926\u0943\u0936\u093e\u0903 ?” \u0907\u0924\u093f \u092a\u094d\u0930\u0936\u094d\u0928\u0938\u094d\u092f
(\u0915\u0947\u0936\u0935 \u092a\u094d\u0930\u0940\u0924\u092f\u0903) \u0907\u0924\u093f \u0909\u0924\u094d\u0924\u0930<\/strong>\u092e\u1ced \u0964<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u0917\u0940\u0930\u094d\u0935\u093e\u0923\u0926\u094d\u0930\u093e\u0935\u093f\u0921\u094b\u0915\u094d\u0924\u093f\u092d\u094d\u092f\u093e\u0902 \u090f\u0915\u092e\u0947\u0935\u094b\u0924\u094d\u0924\u0930\u0902 \u0935\u0926 \u0965 \u096b\u0968 \u0965
\u0915\u093f\u0902 \u0924\u0943\u0937\u094d\u0923\u0947\u0924\u093f – \u0935\u093e\u0930\u093f – \u0917\u0940\u0930\u094d\u0935\u093e\u092d\u093e\u0937\u092f\u093e \u091c\u0932\u0902 \u0964 \u0926\u094d\u0930\u093e\u0935\u093f\u0921\u092d\u093e\u0937\u092f\u093e \u0935\u093e\u0930\u093f; (\u0bb5\u0bbe\u0bb0\u0bbf) \u0915\u0919\u1ced\u0915\u0924\u093e\u0926\u093f\u0928\u093e \u092a\u0930\u093f\u0937\u094d\u0915\u0943\u0924\u094d\u092f\u0947\u0924\u094d\u092f\u0930\u094d\u0925\u0903 \u0964<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u092a\u094d\u0930\u0924\u093f\u0932\u094b\u092e\u093e\u0928\u0941\u0932\u094b\u092d\u094d\u092f\u093e\u0902 \u090f\u0915\u0947\u0928\u0948\u0935 \u0935\u0926\u094b\u0924\u094d\u0924\u0930\u0947 \u0965 \u096c\u0968 \u0965
\u0915\u0935\u093f\u0924\u0947\u0924\u093f – \u0938\u093e\u0930\u0938\u0947\u0924\u093f \u092a\u0926\u0902 \u092a\u094d\u0930\u093e\u0924\u093f\u0932\u094b\u092e\u094d\u092f\u0947\u0928 \u0938\u0930\u0938\u093e \u0907\u0924\u093f \u092d\u0942\u0924\u094d\u0935\u093e \u092a\u094d\u0930\u0925\u092e \u092a\u094d\u0930\u0936\u094d\u0935\u0928\u0938\u094d\u092f \u0909\u0924\u094d\u0924\u0930\u092e\u1ced \u0964 \u0906\u0928\u0941\u0932\u094b\u092e\u094d\u092f\u0947\u0928 \u0924\u0941 \u0938\u093e\u0930\u0938\u0947\u0924\u093f
\u092a\u0926\u094d\u092e\u0938\u0902\u092c\u094b\u0927\u0928\u0902 \u0935\u0926\u0924\u0940\u0924\u094d\u092f\u0930\u094d\u0925\u0903 \u0964<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u0936\u094d\u0930\u094d\u0932\u093e\u0918\u094d\u092f\u0924\u0947 \u0926\u093e\u0938\u0924\u093e \u0932\u094b\u0915\u0947 \u092d\u093e\u0935\u0902 \u0935\u0926 \u0938\u0916\u0947 \u0926\u094d\u0930\u0941\u0924\u092e\u094d \u0965
\u092e\u0927\u094d\u092f\u0947 \u0930\u093e\u0915\u094d\u0937\u0938\u0938\u0902\u0938\u0930\u094d\u0917\u093e\u0924\u094d \u0905\u0928\u0930\u094d\u0925\u094b \u0939\u093f \u0938\u0924\u093e\u092e\u092a\u093f \u0964
\u0930\u093e\u0915\u094d\u0937\u0938\u093e\u092a\u0917\u092e\u0938\u094d\u0938\u094d\u092f\u093e\u0924\u094d \u091a\u0924\u0947 \u0938\u0941\u0932\u092d\u094b \u0939\u094d\u092f\u0930\u094d\u0925\u0928\u093f\u0936\u094d\u091a\u092f\u0903 \u0965 \u0967\u0966\u096a \u0965
\u0935\u093f\u0930\u093e\u091f \u0907\u0924\u093f – ‘\u0930\u093e’ \u0907\u0924\u093f \u092e\u0927\u094d\u092f\u093e\u0915\u094d\u0937\u0930\u093e\u092a\u0917\u092e\u0947 \u0935\u093f\u091f \u0907\u0924\u093f \u092d\u0935\u0924\u093f \u0964 \u0930\u093e\u0915\u094d\u0937\u0938 \u0907\u0924\u094d\u092f\u0924\u094d\u0930 ‘\u0915\u094d\u0937’ \u0907\u0924\u093f \u0935\u0930\u094d\u0923\u093e\u092a\u0917\u092e\u0947 \u0930\u093e\u0938 \u0907\u0924\u093f<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u0909\u0926\u094d\u092f\u0928\u094d\u0924\u0902 \u092d\u093e\u0938\u094d\u0915\u0930\u0902 \u0926\u0943\u0937\u094d\u091f\u094d\u0935\u093e \u092d\u0940\u0924\u094b\u093d\u092d\u0942\u0926\u094d\u0930\u0918\u0941\u0928\u093e\u092f\u0915\u0903 \u0965 \u0967\u096f\u096c \u0965<\/strong>
\u0936\u094d\u0930\u0943\u0923\u094d\u0935\u0928\u094d\u0928\u093f\u0924\u093f \u0964 \u0909\u0926\u094d\u092f\u0924\u094d \u092d\u093e\u0928\u0941\u0926\u0930\u094d\u0936\u0928\u0947 \u092b\u0932\u092d\u094d\u0930\u093e\u0928\u094d\u0924\u094d\u092f\u093e \u0939\u0928\u0941\u092e\u093e\u0928\u094d \u0924\u0924\u094d \u0917\u094d\u0930\u0939\u0923\u093e\u092f \u0917\u091a\u094d\u091b\u0947\u0924\u094d \u092f\u0926\u093f \u0938\u0940\u0924\u093e\u0935\u0943\u0924\u094d\u0924\u093e\u0928\u094d\u0924 \u0936\u094d\u0930\u0935\u0923\u0935\u093f\u091a\u094d\u091b\u0947\u0926\u094b
\u091c\u093e\u092f\u0947\u0924\u0947\u0924\u093f \u092d\u0940\u0924 \u0907\u0924\u093f \u092d\u093e\u0935\u0903 \u0964 \u092c\u093e\u0932\u094d\u092f\u0947 \u0909\u0926\u094d\u092f\u0928\u094d\u0924\u0902 \u0938\u0942\u0930\u094d\u092f\u092e\u094d \u0906\u0932\u094b\u0915\u094d\u092f \u0939\u0928\u0942\u092e\u093e\u0928\u094d \u092b\u0932\u092d\u094d\u0930\u093e\u0928\u094d\u0924\u094d\u092f\u093e \u0924\u0924\u094d \u0917\u094d\u0930\u0939\u0923\u093e\u092f\u093e\u0917\u091a\u094d\u091b\u0926\u093f\u0924\u093f
\u092a\u0941\u0930\u093e\u0923\u0915\u0925\u093e \u091c\u094d\u091e\u0947\u092f\u093e \u0964<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u092e\u093e \u0938\u0926\u093e \u092a\u094d\u0930\u0923\u0924\u0902 \u092d\u0940\u092e\u093e\u093d\u092e\u093e\u092d\u0940\u0924\u0902 \u092a\u093e\u0924\u0941 \u092e\u093e \u0930\u092e\u093e \u0965 \u096e \u0965<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u0938\u0941\u0930\u093e\u0927\u0940\u0936\u0902 \u0924\u092e\u094b\u0926\u0942\u0930\u092e\u0947\u0924\u093f \u0939\u0943\u0928\u094d\u092e\u0947\u0924\u093f\u0938\u0941\u0928\u094d\u0926\u0930\u0902 \u0965 \u096d\u096d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n