nAraNa_n, the tamil word for nArAyaNa (was: Vishnu)

[RM. Krishnan]

At 07:45 PM 12/15/00 -0800, you wrote:
>N. Ganesan wrote:
>....
>
>  ...
>  >is krishNaa and nala (husband of damayanti), probably have
>  >to do with 'black, dark'. -l-/-r- alterations are common
>
>There is atleast one well know nAr/nAl pair where to illustrate
>-r-/-L- interchange:
>nArikELa, nALikEra, nALikELam = coconut
>Obviously nAr- & nAL- here are Ta. nAr = fibre, a defining feature of coconut.
>DEDR #3651:
>nAr = fibre, string, cord, rope;
>nAri = bow-string, fibrous covering at the bottom of a leaf-stalk, as of a
>coconut palm
>
>nALikEram is attested in tEvAram:
>
>"veLLai nALikEram viriyA naRum pALai" (tEvAram:106:5)
>
>regards,
>P. Chandrasekaran.

Let me add a few more  examples of -l-/-r- and -L-/-r- alterations.

Araththi/Alaththi/ALaththi is used in the context of showing a thIpam up
and down (it it circular?) in front of a deity. The last word is also used
in the context of swara Alabhana in Carnatic music. This word ALaththi is
used in this sense in old Tamil musical treatises. The tranliterated
Sanskrit rendering 'Alabhana' came into practice perhaps much later.

kAri/kALi = the black Godess Parvathi

thArAttuthal/thAlAttuthal - lullaby (rArA is often interchanged with lAlA
in lullabies and musical rendering)

therivu/theLivu = to make it clear, enlighten, to select etc.

nALam/nAram/naram =  nerve and blood conduits ( one which is supposed to
have a tube-like hole)

pAram/pALam = a heavy bar (it can also be used for rock, big stone etc.)

I think these alterations are perfectly reasonable.

With regards,
irAma.ki