Nachiyar Tirumozhi 13.1 · verse 627 of the four thousand
Meaning
(Andal, faint with longing, asks for things of His to revive her.) I lie here, having grown used to the sight of the dark God called Kannan. Do not stand outside and talk prettily; it is like pouring sour juice on a wound. Bring the yellow silk from the waist of the Lord who knows nothing of a woman's pain, and fan me with it, so my wilting may ease.
Word by word
- kaṇṇaṉ eṉṉum karunteyvam
- the dark God called Kannan, Krishna
- puṇṇiṟ puḷip peytāṟ pōla
- like pouring sour juice on a wound
- aḻaku pēcātē
- do not talk prettily
- peṇṇiṉ varuttam aṟiyāta
- who knows nothing of a woman's pain
- pītaka vaṇṇa āṭai
- the yellow silk garment
- vāṭṭam taṇiya vīcīrē
- fan me, to ease my wilting
Nachiyar Tirumozhi 13.2 · verse 628 of the four thousand
Meaning
I am caught in the net of the Supreme, who slept on a tender banyan leaf. Do not say whatever comes to your lips; it is like stitching a wound with a spear. He grazed the herds with His staff as a cowherd; He dances with pots; He lies in Thirukkudanthai. Bring His cool tulasi, deep blue, and put it on my soft curling tresses.
Word by word
- pāl-ālilaiyil
- on a tender banyan leaf
- valaippaṭṭu
- caught in the net
- vēlāl tuṉṉam peytāṟ pōl
- like stitching a wound with a spear
- kōlāl niraimēyttu
- grazing the herds with a staff
- kuṭantaik kiṭanta
- who lies in Thirukkudanthai
- neṟi meṉ kuḻalmēl
- on my soft, curling tresses
Nachiyar Tirumozhi 13.3 · verse 629 of the four thousand
Meaning
The dark Lord with the bow, who burned with anger against Kamsa, shot the feathered arrow of His sidelong glance right through my heart; I am scorched, unsteady, and wasting away. And He alone will not say to me, "Do not fear." If He will give, without cheating me, the forest garland that adorns His chest, bring it and roll it upon my breast.
Word by word
- kañcaik kāynta
- who burned with anger against Kamsa
- karuvilli
- the dark Lord with the bow
- kaṭaikkaṇ eṉṉum ciṟaikkōlāl
- with the feathered arrow of His sidelong glance
- añcēl eṉṉāṉ
- will not say, Do not fear
- vaṉamālai
- the forest garland, vanamala
- vañciyātē
- without cheating me
Nachiyar Tirumozhi 13.4 · verse 630 of the four thousand
Meaning
Who in this world can bear such pain? The dark bull who raids Ayarpadi for butter has trampled me, and I lie worn out and broken. He is like nectar one never tires of. Bring the water that wells in His nectar mouth and make me drink it before I dry up, and take my weariness away.
Word by word
- ārē ulakattu āṟṟuvār?
- who in the world can bear this?
- kavarntu uṇṇum
- who raids and eats
- kārēṟu
- the dark bull, Krishna
- ārāvamutam
- nectar one never tires of
- amuta vāyil ūṟiya nīr
- the water that wells in His nectar mouth
- iḷaippai nīkkīrē
- take away my weariness
Nachiyar Tirumozhi 13.5 · verse 631 of the four thousand
Meaning
Whether I weep or whether I worship, He will not show His form; that One will not say, "Do not fear." Yet He has embraced me, plunged into me and entered me, and keeps circling and whirling within me, and will not go away. So bring the water from the holes of the flute that tall Mal plays as He comes behind the herds through the leafy groves, and rub it cool upon my face.
Word by word
- aḻilum toḻilum
- whether I weep or worship
- uruk kāṭṭāṉ
- He will not show His form
- cuṟṟic cuḻaṉṟu
- circling and whirling
- taḻaiyiṉ poḻilvāy
- through the leafy groves
- neṭumāl
- tall Mal, the Lord
- kuḻaliṉ toḷaivāy nīr
- water from the holes of His flute
Nachiyar Tirumozhi 13.6 · verse 632 of the four thousand
Meaning
In this world that knows no decency, I have been trampled to pieces, as if under hooves, by that cruel, harsh Thirumal they call Nandagopa's son. I cannot even turn on my side. Bring the dust from the footprints where He has walked and smear it on my body, so that my life does not leave me.
Word by word
- naṭai oṉṟu illā ulakattu
- in this world that knows no decency
- nantakōpaṉ makaṉ
- Nandagopa's son
- koṭiya kaṭiya tirumālāl
- by the cruel, harsh Thirumal
- puṭaiyum peyarakillēṉ
- I cannot even turn on my side
- poṭittāṉ
- the dust
- pōkā uyir
- so that my life does not leave
Nachiyar Tirumozhi 13.7 · verse 633 of the four thousand
Meaning
In this world, where nothing moves beyond the will of Him whose banner bears victorious Garuda, the mother who bore me raised me all in vain, as bitter to me as neem. These breasts are without fault, save the fault of being apart from Him. To end that fault, press them close and bind them to the lovely broad shoulders of the Prince.
Word by word
- veṟṟik karuḷak koṭiyāṉ
- He whose banner bears victorious Garuda
- veṟṟa veṟitē
- all in vain
- vēmpē āka
- as bitter as neem
- kumaraṉ
- the Prince, the young Krishna
- kōlap paṇaittōḷōṭu
- to His lovely broad shoulders
- aṟṟa kuṟṟam
- the fault of being apart from Him
Nachiyar Tirumozhi 13.8 · verse 634 of the four thousand
Meaning
I melt and waste away within, and He never even asks, "Is she alive or not?" That plundering, burning rogue, Govardhana, who held up the hill! If I see Him, I will pluck out by the roots these breasts, which have gained nothing, and fling them at His chest, and so put out the fire in me.
Word by word
- uḷḷē uruki naivēṉai
- me, melting and wasting away within
- uḷaḷō ilaḷō
- is she alive or not?
- koḷḷai koḷḷik kuṟumpaṉai
- the plundering, burning rogue
- kōvarttaṉaṉai
- Govardhana, who held up the hill
- koḷḷum payaṉ oṉṟu illāta
- which have gained nothing
- eṉ aḻalait tīrvēṉē
- I will put out my fire
Nachiyar Tirumozhi 13.9 · verse 635 of the four thousand
Meaning
If in this very birth I cannot do some small service for Govinda, so that the pain of my full breasts may end, what use is any penance I might go and do later? Either let Him hold me to His beautiful chest even for one day; or else, if He will look me in the face, speak the truth, and send me away, even that would be very good.
Word by word
- kommai mulaikaḷ
- full breasts
- kuṟṟēval
- a small, intimate service
- immaip piṟavi
- this very birth
- tavamtāṉ eṉ?
- what use is penance?
- cemmai uṭaiya tirumārvil
- on His beautiful chest
- viṭaitāṉ tarumēl
- if He would send me away
Nachiyar Tirumozhi 13.10 · verse 636 of the four thousand
Meaning
The Lord who caused her such pain is the bright lamp of Ayarpadi. Kodhai, glorious daughter of Vishnuchitta, the perfect one of the city of Villiputtur, whose brows outdo the bow, spoke these words in deep longing and desire for Him. Those who can sing them in praise will never sink in the sea of sorrow.
Word by word
- allal viḷaitta perumāṉai
- the Lord who caused her pain
- āyarpāṭikku aṇi-viḷakkai
- the bright lamp of Ayarpadi
- viyaṉ kōtai
- glorious Kodhai
- villait tolaitta puruvattāḷ
- she whose brows outdo the bow
- tuṉpak kaṭaluḷ
- in the sea of sorrow
- tuvaḷārē
- will never sink
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.