Pralaya Payodhiyil - Mazhakkaru

Pralaya Payodhiyil – Mazhakkaru

Composition – G Devarajan

Lyrics – Vayalar Rama Varma

Singer – KJ Yesudas

Prelude – The song “ Pralaya Payodhiyil” is an ode to time, which is eternal and imperceptible and the foundation of the universe . This song is one of the rarest gems which handles metaphysics and esoteric knowledge . I want to offer my salutations to the lyricist Vayalar Rama Varma for writing such a mystical song about time . 

Pralaya payodhiyil urangi unarnoru

Prabha mayookhame kalame

The cause of all effects, time wakes up from its slumber like the burning and glaring rays of the sun as the earth undergoes dissolution in the ocean .

Prakrithiyum ishwaranum njanum ninte prati rupangal elle

Nature , God and I are images of you and exist because of you .

Manvantharangal janichu marikkumi

manmathil kettinu munil

Different lifetimes of Manu ( progenitor of humankind ) are born and dead over the walls made of mud .

Rithukal nin priya manasa puthrikal

Ida valam nilkkum theril

Seasons are your dearest daughters who stand left and right to you on royal chariots .

Sourayudhangalil nee vannu vithakkum

Sourabhyam enthu oru sourabhyam

The sun and the planets of the solar system sow the fragrant seeds of destinies of every human being by acting as teachers of lessons for spiritual growth .

Kalame

Ini etra vasanthangal kozhinjalum

Ee sourabhyam enikku matram

Enikku matram enikku matram

No matter how many springs recede , this fragrance of the gift of life is only for me .

Swarnapathram kondu satyam marakkumi

Sankrama sandhyathan nadayil

The radian sun,  like a golden plate, hides the myriad mysteries and truth . It moves to the new zodiac sign like it has entered the entrance of the temple .

Prapancham chundil nin namaksharam vumai

Pradiskshanam vekkum vazhiyil

The universe chants your name from its lips and circumambulates you .

Swarga deepavali nee vannu koluthum

Soundaryam enthoru soundaryam

The series of lamps which you have lighted in the heaven is mesmerising and enchanting.

Kalame

Ini etra janmangal kazhinalum

Ee soundaryam enikku mathram

Enikku matram enikku matram

No matter how many lifetimes pass , this sight of beauty is only for me .

Postlude – This song begins with the mention of the dissolution of earth after one aeon ( one kalpa ) which is a day in the life of Brahma ( creator of the world ) The time rises up from the slumber like the salubrious rays of the blazing sun . Time is the entity which is the foundation of the universe . One aeon ( Kalpa ) is made up of fourteen parts . Each part is a lifetime of Manu ( progenitor of mankind ). Manu then creates different species on the earth,  as he is the progenitor of mankind . Manu , his sons , the seven sages , the gods and the lord of these gods , Indra, are the paramount figures who are responsible for affecting humanity in each aeon . At the end of one aeon , Brahma creates another Manu to continue the cycle of life . The sages come down to earth to restore the Vedas ( earliest body of Indian scripture, which laid down the basis of classical Hinduism ) . Manu restores the Smriti ( Laws of Manu or the remembered tradition of Manu ) Lord Vishnu takes an incarnation as the preserver of the earth. There are fourteen Manus who are created during the course of one aeon ( Kalpa)  .

Six seasons form an important part of time which are analogous to the different stages of human life . The sun and the planets of the solar system position themselves, giving out energies to affect our current life according to our thoughts and actions of the previous life . The law of Karma wants us to bear the fruit of action of our previous lives in the form of reaction in the current lives . The sun and planets act as teachers who give us lessons in different phases of life .

The mind is an intermediary between intelligence and the world we perceive through sense organs . The mind helps us to differentiate between good and evil through our perceptions and reach a higher level of consciousness . The perceptions which we have are subjective which we are able to determine through our sense organs . The mind helps us to connect our subjective self to the objective world . The time which imparts various lessons in our path towards spiritual growth and wisdom will ultimately help us to seek liberation of our soul.