Nachiyar Tirumozhi 12.1 · verse 617 of the four thousand
Meaning
(Andal begs her elders to take her to the places of Krishna.) I am held by a love whose name is Madhava, something you others cannot understand. All your advice to me is like the deaf talking with the dumb. The perfect One left the mother who bore Him and went to grow up in the house of another mother; He entered the arena where no wrestler could stand against Him. Take me to the outskirts of that Mathura.
Word by word
- mātavaṉ eṉpatu ōr aṉputaṉṉai
- a love whose name is Madhava
- ūmaiyarōṭu ceviṭar vārttai
- talk between the dumb and the deaf
- peṟṟiruntāḷai
- the mother who bore Him, Devaki
- oru tāy il vaḷarnta
- who grew up in another mother's home, Yashoda's
- maṟ poruntāmaṟ kaḷam aṭainta
- entered the arena where no wrestler could stand
- eṉṉai uyttiṭumiṉ
- take me there
Nachiyar Tirumozhi 12.2 · verse 618 of the four thousand
Meaning
There is no use in being shy any more; the neighbours on every side have already come to know. If you truly mean to cure me without delay and make me as I was before, know this: if I see the wondrous One who came as a young brahmachari and measured the world, my sickness will turn and leave me. If you want to keep me safe by your word, take me to Ayarpadi.
Word by word
- nāṇi iṉi ōr karumam illai
- there is no use in being shy now
- nāl-ayalārum
- the neighbours on every side
- paṇṭu paṇṭu ākka
- to make me as I was before
- māṇi uruvāy
- in the form of a young brahmachari, Vamana
- talaimaṟiyum
- will turn and leave
- āyppāṭikkē
- to Ayarpadi, Gokulam
Nachiyar Tirumozhi 12.3 · verse 619 of the four thousand
Meaning
Once the talk goes round, "She went off alone while her father, mother and kin stood by," it will be hard to shield yourselves from the shame. The wondrous Lord keeps coming and showing me His form. Nandagopa has a son who stirs up turmoil, brings disgrace and does mischief. Take me in the dead of night to the doorstep of that Nandagopa.
Word by word
- taṉivaḻi pōyiṉāḷ
- she went off alone
- paḻi kāppu aritu
- hard to shield against the shame
- uruk kāṭṭukiṉṟāṉ
- keeps showing me His form
- kontaḷam ākki
- stirring up turmoil
- nantakōpālaṉ kaṭaittalaikkē
- to the doorstep of Nandagopa
- naḷ-iruṭkaṇ
- in the dead of night
Nachiyar Tirumozhi 12.4 · verse 620 of the four thousand
Meaning
Look at my breasts. They have vowed, "We will open our eyes to no face but that of Him who holds the discus in His palm," and have bound their eyes with a red band; they are ashamed even to be seen by mere men. They will go to no one but Govinda. Let me leave this life here behind; take me to the bank of the Yamuna.
Word by word
- aṅkait talattiṭai āḻi koṇṭāṉ
- He who holds the discus in His palm
- ceṅkaccuk koṇṭu
- with a red band
- ciṟu māṉiṭavarai
- mere men
- kōvintaṉukku allāl
- to none but Govinda
- iṅkuttai vāḻvai
- this life here
- yamuṉaik karaikku
- to the bank of the Yamuna
Nachiyar Tirumozhi 12.5 · verse 621 of the four thousand
Meaning
No one can understand this sickness of mine. Mothers, do not trouble yourselves. It will be cured if the One they call the sea-dark Lord touches me with His proven remedy. He climbed the kadamba tree on the bank, leapt and danced upon Kaliya's head, and made the pool a battlefield. Take me to the bank of that pool.
Word by word
- ammaṉaimīr
- O mothers
- tuḻatip paṭātē
- do not trouble yourselves
- kaikaṇṭa yōkam
- a proven remedy, one known by His touch
- kaṭampai ēṟi
- climbing the kadamba tree
- kāḷiyaṉ ucciyil
- on the head of the serpent Kaliya
- poykaik karaikku
- to the bank of the pool
Nachiyar Tirumozhi 12.6 · verse 622 of the four thousand
Meaning
The cool dark clouds, the karuvilai flowers, the kaya blossoms and the lotus all come and drag at me, saying, "Go to Hrishikesa's side." Take me to Bhaktavilochanam, where He, sweating and hungry, His stomach weary, stood looking long down the road, saying, "Now is the time we eat the food we asked for."
Word by word
- kārt taṇ mukilum
- the cool dark clouds
- īrttiṭukiṉṟaṉa
- drag at me
- iruṭīkēcaṉ
- Hrishikesa, master of the senses
- vēṇṭu aṭicil
- the food He had asked for
- neṭu nōkkuk koḷḷum
- looking long down the road
- pattavilōcaṉattu
- to Bhaktavilochanam, near Mathura
Nachiyar Tirumozhi 12.7 · verse 623 of the four thousand
Meaning
My changed colour, my melting heart, my lost shame, my pale lips, my refusal to eat, my wasting within: all of these will subside if the One called the sea-hued Lord puts on me the garland of cool tulasi. Take me to Bhandiravatam, where Baladeva crushed Pralamba and broke his strength.
Word by word
- vaṇṇam-tirivum
- my changed colour
- vāyveḷuppum
- my pale lips
- ōta nīr vaṇṇaṉ
- the Lord with the colour of the sea
- taṇṇan tuḻāy
- cool tulasi
- pilampaṉ taṉṉai
- Pralamba, the demon
- pāṇṭivaṭattu
- to Bhandiravatam, the great banyan
Nachiyar Tirumozhi 12.8 · verse 624 of the four thousand
Meaning
Yes, He grazed calves; yes, He was born into a forest-dwelling clan; yes, He was caught and tied to a mortar too. You sinners, is that a shame to you? Stop repeating the clever things you have learned and earning my reproach. Take me to Govardhanam, the hill He held up as a victorious umbrella, stopping the rain so the cattle might live.
Word by word
- kaṟṟiṉam mēykkilum
- even if He grazed calves
- kāṭu vāḻ cātiyum
- a forest-dwelling clan, the cowherds
- uraliṭai yāppum
- being tied to the mortar
- vacavu uṇātē
- without earning reproach
- koṟṟak kuṭaiyāka
- as a victorious umbrella
- kōvarttaṉattu
- to Govardhanam
Nachiyar Tirumozhi 12.9 · verse 625 of the four thousand
Meaning
My parrot in its cage calls out all the time, "Govinda! Govinda!" If I am cross and will not feed it, it cries out loudly, "He who measured the world!" Do not bring the worst disgrace in the land on yourselves, lose your good name and hang your heads. Take me to Dwaraka, where tall mansions with lofty crests stand all around.
Word by word
- kūṭṭil iruntu kiḷi
- the parrot in its cage
- kōvintā kōvintā
- Govinda, Govinda
- ūṭṭak koṭātu
- refusing to feed it
- ulaku-aḷantāṉ
- He who measured the world
- talaippaḻi
- the worst disgrace
- tuvarāpatikku
- to Dwaraka
Nachiyar Tirumozhi 12.10 · verse 626 of the four thousand
Meaning
The girl with long, flowing hair resolved that her people must take her and leave her anywhere from everlasting Mathura to bountiful Dwaraka. Kodhai, daughter of Vishnuchitta, lord of Puduvai shining with golden mansions, sang that resolve in sweet music as a garland of fine words. For those who can sing it in praise, their place is Vaikuntham.
Word by word
- maṉṉu maturai
- everlasting Mathura
- vaṇ tuvarāpati
- bountiful Dwaraka
- tāḻkuḻalāḷ
- the girl with long, flowing hair
- tuṇinta tuṇivai
- the resolve she made
- ceñcol mālai
- a garland of fine words
- iṭam vaikuntamē
- their place is Vaikuntham
Verse text: the word-separated e-text of the Nalayira Divya Prabandham by Project Madurai, checked verse by verse against its second edition. Meanings are simple renderings in the light of the acharyas' commentaries, written for this site, and are awaiting a scholar's review.