Translation of the Sanskrit lyrics in the song 'Dhivara' (Khoya Hai in Hindi) from Baahubali.
After my two posts about Baahubali-The Beginning, I thought I was done with the movie for now, till the English version releases in September. This morning, I heard my children humming the Sanskrit lyrics from the song 'Dhivara' - the one where Shivudu climbs the water fall/mountain. I thought it will be good to note down the lyrics so that they can learn it and use the correct words.
When I posted the lyrics on my timeline, some friends asked me to give the meaning of the lyrics. I needed to consult a dictionary for a few words. But even where I knew the meaning of a word, it took me a few minutes to understand what the poet is doing with them. To those of us who use mostly English for our communication, and creative projects, it is rare to find multiple layers of meanings in a sentence or even a line of a song/poem. the really inspired or blessed poets can do that, in English or in most other languages. When it comes to Indic languages, if you are a native speaker and exposed to lot of literature in the mother tongue, the native idiom of the language allows some tricks/word play quite naturally. When it comes to Sanskrit, if you are a diligent student (there are no native speakers of Sanskrit now, except may be a few villages in Karnataka or Kerala), and have done a reasonably wide reading of classical literature in your mother tongue or direct Sanskrit, you start realising the brilliance and sophistication of the language (Sanskrit), how it allows varied meanings using very few words.
I am giving the Sanskrit lyrics first, and then the meaning of individual words, followed by the meaning of the entire line. If you like this, the credit goes entirely to the poet Shiva Shakti Datta. Any mistakes are mine.
1. Dhivara, prasara shourya bhaara
Dhivara = one with fortitude and perseverance (people who make their living in water, like fishermen, are called dhivara sometimes because being with water makes them patient and courageous. When your livelihood depends on fishing, you need to take risks going into the water, and wait patiently, try again and again). Brilliant usage by Shiva Shakti Datta here.
prasara = going forward, expand, cover the distance, impactful
shourya = valour; bhaara = one that bears.
Prasara shourya bhaara = He is moving forward bearing valour/bravery OR the weight (impact) of his bravery is taking him forward. I think the second meaning is more apt.
The persevering one, your bravery is taking you forward.
2. Uthsara, sthira gambheera
Uthsara = One that rises up high (leaping from a low level to a high level)
Sthira = stable ( the balance/stability one needs while climbing)
Gambheera = one who is not frivolous or one who is serious about what he’s doing. So, sthira gambheera means almost the same as ‘dhivara’.
The one who is leaping higher and higher, he's got the stability, and he is determined to reach his goal.
3. Ugrama, asama shourya bhaava
Ugrama = anger/angry, strong, sharp; I think the poet means ‘strong’.
Asama = without equal;
Shourya bhaava = the state/emotion of fighting ability
He is strong, and without an equal in the ability/mentality to fight (against odds?)
4. Roudrama, nava bheetirma
Roudrama = (in his) anger, personification of anger
Nava bheetirma = causing new fears
His anger will cause new fears (in his foes).
In these lines, the poet is not talking about the current situation, but giving a prognosis of what to expect from this hero in a battle. The poet is indicating that once he wins the battle with the mountain, he will find himself in a war. This is a time tested way of preparing the readers/audience. In Sanskrit literature, this is a common approach. Example: Bhima defeats a wrestler in the first act of viraat parva, a precursor to his climax fight with Keechaka. Also, think of the first 15 min in a James Bond movie where he does a minor adventure, before the actual story begins.
5. Vijita ripu rudhira dhaara, kalitara shikhara kathora
Vijita = the defeated; ripu = enemy
Rudhira = blood; dhaara = flow, stream
Kalitara = experience (v) = state of experiencing
Shikhara = peak (of the mountain), peak of the experience (experiencing intensely)
Kathora = harsh, tough, difficult
Is it the feeling (adrenalin rush) caused by the flowing blood of a defeated enemy? Or is he experiencing/enjoying the intensity of climbing a tough mountain?
This is a complex expression I have seen only in Indic language poetry. The poet is stating that Shivudu is experiencing the intensity of climbing a tough peak, and likening it to the feeling in a hard battle, when you see your enemy defeated, and blood flowing like a rivulet. This is classical Veera rasa.
6. Kulakutara kulita gambheera, jaya virat veera
Kula = sect, community, body; I think the poet means ‘body’ here.
Kutara = rough and tough;
Kulita = sharp as a diamond; like Indra’s vajrayudha
Gambheera = the stoic, determined one.
Jaya = Hail
Virat veera = hero of the universe (super hero); complete hero.
His rough body itself is like a sharp weapon (because he is determined to win). Hail this complete hero of the world.
7. Vilaya gagana tala bheekara, gharjjhadvaara haraa
Vilaya = destruction, destructive
Gagana tala = in the sky
Bheekara= fear inducing
Gharjjhadvaara = through (his) roar/war cry,
Haraa = one who kills; one who defeats.
The poet continues to talk about the hero in a war like situation. The hero is destructive in the air/sky as well (because he can leap at an enemy from a great height). He can defeat the enemy (simply) with his fearsome roar of war.
8. Hridaya rasa kaasaara, vijita madhu paara haara
Hridaya rasa = (in the) heart, the rasa/emotion of his heart
Kaasaara = sea; vijita = (of) victory;
Madhu = intoxicant, also the name of a demon; here, the poet means wine.
Paara = one who had (the wine)
Haara = defeated.
The emotion of his heart is like the sea. He gets defeated (becomes a soft hearted person), after having the wine of victory. The hero is now about to complete the ascent of the mountain. The poet is saying that he might have been a ferocious warrior (against the mountain) till now, but after his victory, he will become soft hearted. (He will fall in love and experience new emotions).
9. Bhayagaram shav, Vibhava Sindhu
NOTE: In Indian ritualistic hymns (liturgy, for want of a better word in English), at the end of the prayer, we do a shanti mantra. The allegory is that of a war (between good and evil in your mind and life), and God is with you to help. By chanting the hymns, you are doing an 'aavaahana' (invocation - calling the God or forces of nature to life or action).
When you are done with the call to action, you can’t just end the prayer abruptly. You need to cool the God (in you) down by chanting the shanti mantras. From a sound waves perspective, the chants are high pitched, powerful invocations. The right way to end the chant, to bring the emotion back to normal levels, is to say the shanti mantra in a very low pitch. In any form of music, we find that the ending notes die slowly. It is the same principle at work.
So, the final lines are a form of shanti mantra. Still praising the hero, but indicating that the ritual call to action is ending, and a plea to God to cool down, and show his merciful form and nature.
Bhayagaram = (of) fear
Shav = corpse ? (It could be a specific tantric sound related to Shiva or Shakti or both.) Another meme in Indic poetry is to somehow indicate a brief signature of the poet towards the end. The poet’s name is Shiva Shakti Datta. He has probably chosen this sound of ‘shav’ so that it gives multiple layers of meaning.
Vibhava = in wealth (of all kinds)
Sindhu = sea, ocean, anything in huge quantity
Killer of fear (form of shiva and Shakti together), Ocean of wealth
10. Supara dhangam, bharana randhi
Supara = eagle; Garuda, the vehicle of Vishnu, is known as suparna. Supara could also mean becoming content.
Dhangam = ? (guessing that this word means rider, because Vishnu is the rider of Garuda); If we take supara as being content, dhangam will then mean, a hard journey.
Bharana = bearing, managing, clearing away
Randhi = trouble/s, injuries
The poet is ending with a plea to Vishnu to clear away his troubles/injuries. After the battle (with the mountain), the hero has a few injuries. It could mean that Shiva has helped him win and now Vishnu needs to be help him heal. Taken another way, the poet is saying that the hero is now content after reaching his goal (end of a tough journey), and that his battle is now over/troubles or injuries are going away.
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