On the occasion of Vedanayaga Sastriyar’s 241st birth anniversary today (7 September 2015), I am happy to release the digital version of his 400 lyric GPK downloadable onto your smart devices. The .epub file works with Apple devices and the .mobi with Kindle applications.
This is the second such work e-published on behalf of TVS Peravai after Jeba malai.
Unfortunately, only a handful of his 130 books is available to the public today and it has been my desire for some years to put his works in cyberspace for easy access by those interested, with only a few clicks of the mouse, touch of fingers or perhaps even voice commands. The fist of Sastriyar’s books to be so e-published was his magnum opus ஜெப மாலை and now I am happy to put in your hands the collection of his lyrics going under the name of ஞானப் பத கீர்த்தனைகள். Many of these lyrics have found their way into the book used widely for worship in Tamil Christian congregations the world over.
I cannot resist the temptation to give you a preview of some lyrics that evidence Sastriyar’s childlike trust in God the Father, reformist mindset, boldness to take the devil head-on, enduring faith in a risen savior and sadness over the state of affairs in the church!
கள்ளனாகிலும் வெள்ளனாகிலும் பிள்ளை நானுனக் கல்லவோ (243)
சாதியாலுண்டாகும் பேதகங்களு மன வாதையு மெளி தாமோ (259)
இருடா இரு கண் கெட்ட குருடா சமரிடடா
திருடா மெத்தத் துள்ளாதே பொருடா புத்தி சொல்கிறேன்
அடடா பழைய சற்பமே (281)
அன்னைவயிற்றிற் சமைத்த ஆண்டவன் செத்துப்போனானோ (289)
மேய்ப்பர்கள் தங்களை மேய்த்துக் கொண்டார்
மூப்பர்களுக்கு ணீதி யுமில்லை (346)
It ought to be mentioned that a few of the lyrics in this book have been composed by others in the Sastriyar family, most notably Eliya Deivasigamony, Vedanayagam’s youngest son (and my great grandfather). I do not know who set the Ragam and the Thalam to these lyrics. Pundits in music may want to probe this aspect and someday render them in the original arrangement.
So here they are – the ஞானப் பத கீர்த்தனைகள் complete with the 1963 preface by Rev.D.Thambusami and Shem Vedanayaga Sastriyar. If this effort has succeeded today, many thanks must go to the Sastriyar family diaspora who through their contribution to தஞ்சை வேதநாயக சாஸ்திரியார் பேரவை (TVSP) have borne the cost of e-publishing.
Judah
August 2015
https://judahsjottings.com/sastriar/gnanapadakeerthanaigal.html
https://judahsjottings.com/sastriar/Gnanapadakeerthanaigal.epub
https://judahsjottings.com/sastriar/Gnanapadakeerthanaigal.mobi