Sri Bala and the Five Elements

Sri Bala Charanam.


English translation of Sri Baba.G’s composition:

BALAVUM PANCHA BOOTHANGALUM
BALA AND THE FIVE ELEMENTS.

NILAM.
EARTH.

Kaalai muthal maalai varai
Unnai midhikkinROm!- engal
kaNNai moodi AaNavathaal
naangal midhikkinrOm!
uNNum uNavum uduthum uDaiyum
Nee tharukinRaai- nanRi
kaDanaaga emmiDathil
Edhu peRukinRaai?

From dawn’s first light until dusk
We step upon You!
Blinded by arrogance and pride
We trample all over you!
The food we eat and the garments we wear
Are your bountiful gifts
Yet, with grateful thanks
From us
What is it you get?

Paar Pughazhum Baalavin
Chella pillaigal- engal
Paadal kettu aruL thanthaal
Illai thollaigal.

World renowned is Bala,
We’re her precious children
When you listen to our songs
And grant us support
There can be no more troubles.

KadaPaarai MaNvetti
kuThum pOthilum—nee
karuNaiyOdu sindhum
kaNneer thaNeeraguthu!
Ellai yillaa poRumai
kONda bhoomi thaaye- pala
jeevangalai parivudane
kaapavaL neeye! ( Par Pughazhum Bala)

When Crowbars and sharp hoes
Cut into your soil
The tears you shed so tenderly
Transform into our water
What infinite patience you possess
Oh Mother Earth!
You look after so many lives
With inexpressible kindness and care! ( World renowned is Bala)

NilamagaLe em seyalai
Nee poruppaaya?- nila
Adhirvugalai thanthidaamal
Nee iruppaya?
Nilacharivum nila adhirvugaLum
vENdaam amma!- engal
nilaimai thannai nee uNaRa
vENdum Amma! ( Paar pughazhum Bala)

Oh daughter of this earth
Can you tolerate all our deeds
And refrain from causing
Any tremors or earthquakes?
From landslides and upheavals
spare us Oh Mother!
Please understand our plight
Our dear Mother! ( World renowned is Bala).



NEER

WATER.

NeerinRi amaiyaathu
Indha ulagame- andha
Neerai thara indha naatil
enO kalakame?
Unnai naangal
Asuthamaaki suthamaakinROm- undhan
Arumai theRiyaamal naangaL
Uyir vaazghinROm!

Without water, this whole world
Can never survive
Yet, why is there such turmoil
To share precious water
In this country?
We pollute you and purify you again
Without realising your value
We continue with our lives.

Paar pughazhum Baalavin
Chella piLlaigal- engaL
Paadal kettu nee isainthaal
Edhu thOllaigal?

World renowned is Bala
We’re her cherished children
When you listen to our songs and
Heed our requests
Can troubles bother us?

Anaivarukkum podhuvaana
Annai unnaiye- aRpa
Thanamaaga paigaLile
Adaithu viRkinROm!
kaNnai imai kaapathu pOl
nee irukkinraai- innum
kaNmoodi thanamaaga
naangaL irukkinrOm! ( paar pughazhum Baalavin--)

Oh Mother who welcomes all
Freely blessing everyone
With such pettiness we confine you
In bags to sell you!
Like an eyelid protects the eye
You’re always there to protect us
Yet , blinded by ignorance
We continue our existence. (World renowned is Bala--)

POthum amma naangal seidha
Paavangal ellaam- emai
poRutharuLa vENdum
varungaalam ellaam
AaRukkuLe veLLamaaga
Vanthidu thaaye- engal
oorukuLle OoRRaaga
vandhidu neeye! ( Par pughazhum Bala)

Enough, Oh Mother
Let’s put a stop to all our mistakes
May future generations
Tolerate and forgive our many sins
Oh dear mother
Come like a torrent and flood all our streams
Enter as a joyous spring into all our cities! ( World renowned is Bala)

PiRandha idam pugunda idam
kONda nadhigale- neengal
chellumidam chezhippaagum
vaLaRum payiRgale!
Thaaimai uLLam kONda
Engal thooya nadhigale- neengal
OnRu sErnthaal maaRum
Engal thalai vidhigale! ( Paar pughazhum Bala)

Oh rivers who begin in one place
and end elsewhere
All the lands you run through
Are fertile and nourish the crops
A mother’s loving heart
You do possess
Oh chaste streams and rivers
When you unite and work together
You can transform our fortunes! ( World renowned is Bala)







KATRU
AIR

Nalla kaaRai naaL thOrum
Suvasikka vENdum- andha
kaaRrai ini anaivarume
nEsikka vENdum
OnRai mattum anaivaRume
yOsikka vENdum!- kaaRru
maasu pattaal yamanai than
yaasikka vENdum!

Fresh and clean should be the air
We breathe in each day
And that pure air is something
We must always cherish.
It is one thing that we
Should think about always
When the atmosphere’s made unsafe
We have to beseech Yama’s* grace! *(Lord of Death).

Paar pughazhum Baalavin
Chella piLlaigaL!- engaL
kuRaigaL kEttu varam koduthaal
illai thOllaigal!


World renowned is Bala
We’re her treasured children
When you listen to our woes
And grant us boons
There can be no more problems.

Sanga thamizhil unnai paada
nangaL maRanthOm!- irundhum
vanga kadalil maiyam kONdu
mazhai tharuginraai!
EngaL kuRai theerthidave
Nee varuginraai!- vEgam
Adhikarithaal neeyE than
Thunbam tharukinraai! ( Paar Pughazhum Bala)

In Ancient Tamil Sangam style
We’ve forgotten to sing your praises
Still,
You help create clouds over oceans
And shower us with rain!
You come to remove
All our sorrow!
Yet,
Accelerating your speed
You can create havoc and misery! ( World renowned is Bala)

ViNnai thodum vignaana
Vetrigal kaNdOmE! Aanal
Unnai adhil asuthamaaki
thOlviyum kaNdOmE!
KAnGAlLUKKU pulapadaatha
Deivam nee anRo!- engaL
Pizhai poruthu aRuL tharavE
thaRuNam idhuvan Ro! ( paar pughazhum Bala)

Far reaching intellectual victories
We’ve achieved in this world today!
But,
We’ve polluted you in this process
And only achieved failure!
Oh Divine being who cannot
Be beheld by mere eyes!
The time has now come
For you to bless and forgive all our sins! ( World renowned is Bala).




NERUPPU
FIRE.

Agni unnai anbudanE
naangaL vaNanguvOm- engaL
aRiyaamai iruL pOkki
naaLum uyaruvOm!
UtkOLlum uNavellaam
Serippathu unnaalE- adhu
Shakthi yaaga maaRu vadhum
Shakthi unnaalE!

Oh element of Fire
We worship you with love
Dispelling our darkness and ignorance
We’ll grow in stature each day!
All the food we eat
Is digested only with your help
And when that turns into energy
You are the one that transforms it!

Paar pughazhum Baalavin
Chella PiLlaigaL- engaL
Paadal kEttu aruL koduthaal
Edhu thollaigal?

World renowned is Bala
We’re her precious children
When you listen to our song
And grant your grace
Can there be any worries?

Vanjagarin vayiRu mattum
Erindhida vENdum!- EzhaigaL
Kudisai eriyaamal aduppu
Erindhida vENdum!
Theeyavarkku theeyaaga
Irundhida vENdum!- Gnaana
Thee mattum OorukkuLlE
Paravida vENdum! ( Paar Pughazhum Balavin)

May the stomachs of evil people
Burn with wickedness.
Yet, may the huts of the poor never burn
Let a fire burn in their hearth and stoves instead!
For those who are immoral
Cast a mighty blaze!
Allow only the fire of Knowledge
To spread in all our towns! ( World renowned is Bala)

Viruppu veRuppu Edhumilla
Neruppu nee anRO!- em
Viruppam kEttu varam koduthaal
Thaai neeyanRO!
VELvith theeyum kELvi theeyum
vaLarnthida vENdum!- perum
thee vibathu yaavum ini
maRainthida vENdum! ( Paar pughazhum Bala)

Neither love nor hatred you possess
Oh Fire, you’re beyond that!
When you listen to our requests
And grant us boons
You’re our dear Mother!
May the spirit of inquiry and
The spirit of religion increase
Day by Day!
And may all your fiery outbreaks
Disappear from now on! ( World renowned is Bala)






VELI

SPACE


Kaatru, neer, veppam yaavum
Puzhangum unnilE!- Ingu
Thatppa veppam maaRuvadhu
Un kaRuNaiyilE!
Stterikkum veyilaiyum
Nee tharuginRaai!- parama
Sugam tharum mazhai yinaiyum
Nee pozhiginRaai

Wind, Water, and Warmth
All these evolve from within You!
Fluctuations in temperature and weather
Are caused by your Grace!
Scorching heat of the Sun
You confer on us
Just as the supreme comfort of the rain
You shower on us!

Paar pughazhum Baalavin
Chella piLlaigal—pancha
BhoothangaLE engaL paadal
neengaL kELlungal!

World renowned is Bala
We’re her esteemed children
Oh Five Divine Elements
Please pay heed
And listen to our song!

URaiyum kuLiRum
Unnudaiye thiruviLaiyaadal!- indha
Udalil uyiR uRaithirupathum
Un viLaiyaadal!
Anaivarukkum pothuvaana
Koorai aagayam!- andha
Aagayam thanthidumE
Pala Aathaayam! ( Paar pughazhum Balavin)

Cold and wintry weather arrives
According to your divine plan!
Just as life exists in this body
Because of your blessed plan!
For All of us a common roof
Is the expansive Sky
And that very Sky does provide
Many a useful support. ( World renowned is Bala)

KOLgaL YAAVUM
suRRi varum unnidathilE- Pala
kOrikkaigal kaathirukku
em idathilE!
OnRukonRu sErnthirukkum
Pancha bhoothangal!- ini
engaLukku thara vENdaam
paazhum theengugaL! ( Paar pughazhum Bala)


All the planets revolve
Around and Within you
And so many requests circle about
Within me too!
You are linked one with another
Oh Five divine elements
Hereafter do not bring us
Havoc or great misery! ( World renowned is Bala).