Nachiyar Tirumozhi 6.1 · verse 556 of the four thousand
Meaning
(Andal tells her friend her dream.) Friend, I dreamed this: word went round that Narayana, the perfect One, was coming in procession, with a thousand elephants circling about Him. To welcome Him, full golden pots were set out before Him, and festoons of leaves and flowers were raised everywhere outside. This is the dream I saw, my friend.
Word by word
- vāraṇam āyiram
- a thousand elephants
- nāraṇaṉ nampi
- Narayana, the One perfect in every quality
- pūraṇa poṟkuṭam
- full golden pots, set out to welcome a bridegroom
- tōraṇam
- festoons and arches
- kaṉāk kaṇṭēṉ tōḻī nāṉ
- I saw a dream, my friend
Nachiyar Tirumozhi 6.2 · verse 557 of the four thousand
Meaning
The elders fixed the day and said, "Tomorrow is the wedding." Under a fine wedding canopy adorned with areca palms in flower, a young bull of a man came in, strong as a lion, called Madhava and Govinda. This is the dream I saw, my friend.
Word by word
- vatuvai-maṇam
- the wedding
- nāḷ iṭṭu
- fixing the day
- pāḷaik kamuku
- areca palms with their flower sheaths
- pantaṟ kīḻ
- under the wedding canopy
- kōḷari
- a mighty lion
- kāḷai
- a young bull, a youth in his prime
Nachiyar Tirumozhi 6.3 · verse 558 of the four thousand
Meaning
All the hosts of the gods, with Indra among them, came and sat and asked for my hand for Him, and settled it together. Then Andari, the goddess Durga, dressed me in the new wedding sari blessed with mantras and placed the bridal garland on me. This is the dream I saw, my friend.
Word by word
- intiraṉ uḷḷiṭṭa
- with Indra among them
- tēvar-kuḻām
- the hosts of the gods
- makaṭ pēci
- asking for the bride's hand
- mantirak kōṭi
- the new wedding garment, blessed with mantras
- maṇa-mālai
- the wedding garland
- antari
- Andari, the goddess Durga
Nachiyar Tirumozhi 6.4 · verse 559 of the four thousand
Meaning
Holy waters were brought from the four directions and sprinkled generously over us. Many learned and devout brahmins raised their voices in blessing and praise. Then the protective thread was tied on me and on the Pure One, who wears a chaplet of flowers. This is the dream I saw, my friend.
Word by word
- nāl-ticait tīrttam
- holy waters from the four directions
- pārppaṉac ciṭṭarkaḷ
- learned, devout brahmins
- pūp puṉai kaṇṇip
- wearing a chaplet of flowers
- puṉitaṉōṭu
- with the Pure One
- kāppu-nāṇ
- the protective wedding thread
Nachiyar Tirumozhi 6.5 · verse 560 of the four thousand
Meaning
Graceful young maidens came forward to receive Him, carrying lamps bright as the sun's rays and auspicious pots. And the King of Mathura, wearing His sandals, entered so that the ground shook everywhere beneath His tread. This is the dream I saw, my friend.
Word by word
- katir-oḷit tīpam
- lamps bright as sunbeams
- kalacam
- auspicious pots
- catir iḷa maṅkaiyar
- graceful young maidens
- maturaiyār maṉṉaṉ
- the King of Mathura
- aṭinilai
- sandals, padukas
- atirap pukuta
- entering so that all shook
Nachiyar Tirumozhi 6.6 · verse 561 of the four thousand
Meaning
The drums were beating and the fluted conches were blown without pause. Under the canopy hung low with rows of pearl garlands, Madhusudana, the perfect One, my cousin, came and took my hand in His. This is the dream I saw, my friend.
Word by word
- mattaḷam koṭṭa
- drums beating
- vari-caṅkam
- conches with spiral lines
- muttu uṭait tāmam
- garlands of pearls
- maittuṉaṉ nampi
- my cousin, the perfect One, the fitting bridegroom
- matucūtaṉ
- Madhusudana, slayer of the demon Madhu
- kaittalam paṟṟa
- taking my hand, the wedding rite
Nachiyar Tirumozhi 6.7 · verse 562 of the four thousand
Meaning
Priests of pure speech chanted the holy Vedas, and with mantras they spread fresh green darbha grass and laid the sacred sticks around the fire. Then He, like a great elephant in its fierce strength, took my hand and walked with me around the fire. This is the dream I saw, my friend.
Word by word
- vāy nallār
- those of pure speech, the Vedic priests
- nalla maṟai ōti
- chanting the holy Vedas
- pācilai nāṇal
- fresh green darbha grass
- pariti
- the sacred sticks laid round the fire
- kāy ciṉa mā kaḷiṟu
- a great elephant of fierce strength
- tī valañ ceyya
- walking around the sacred fire
Nachiyar Tirumozhi 6.8 · verse 563 of the four thousand
Meaning
He is our refuge in this life and in all the seven times seven births to come; He is Narayana, the perfect One, who owns us. With His beautiful hand He held my foot and set it upon the grinding stone. This is the dream I saw, my friend.
Word by word
- immaikkum
- for this life
- ēḻ ēḻ piṟavikkum
- for seven times seven births
- paṟṟu āvāṉ
- He who is our refuge
- nammai uṭaiyavaṉ
- He who owns us
- tāḷ paṟṟi
- holding my foot
- ammi mitikka
- stepping on the grinding stone, a wedding rite of steadfastness
Nachiyar Tirumozhi 6.9 · verse 564 of the four thousand
Meaning
My brothers, bright-faced, bearing their strong bows, came and kindled the fire and stood me before it. They placed my hand upon the hand of Achyuta, whose face is like a lion's, and filled it with puffed rice to offer into the fire. This is the dream I saw, my friend.
Word by word
- varicilai
- strong, banded bows
- eṉṉaimār
- my elder brothers
- erimukam pārittu
- kindling the fire
- arimukaṉ
- He of the lion-like face
- accutaṉ
- Achyuta, who never lets go of those who come to Him
- porimukantu aṭṭa
- scooping and offering puffed rice into the fire
Nachiyar Tirumozhi 6.10 · verse 565 of the four thousand
Meaning
Smeared with saffron and anointed with cool sandal paste, we went round the auspicious streets together, He and I, seated upon an elephant. And there we were bathed in the great, fragrant wedding waters. This is the dream I saw, my friend.
Word by word
- kuṅkumam appi
- smeared with saffron
- kuḷir cāntam
- cool sandal paste
- maṅkala vīti
- the auspicious streets
- mā maṇa nīr
- the great, fragrant wedding waters
- āṉaimēl
- upon an elephant
- mañcaṉam āṭṭa
- bathing in the ceremonial bath
Nachiyar Tirumozhi 6.11 · verse 566 of the four thousand
Meaning
This is the dream that Kodhai, Andal, daughter of the lord of Villiputtur whom the Veyar praise, saw for the sake of the Cowherd, and told in words. Those who can sing these ten verses, a garland of pure Tamil, will be blessed with good and worthy children and will rejoice.
Word by word
- āyaṉukkāka
- for the sake of the Cowherd, Krishna
- vēyar pukaḻ
- praised by the Veyar, the clan of Periyalwar
- villiputtūrkkōṉ
- the lord of Villiputtur, Periyalwar
- kōtai
- Kodhai, Andal
- tūya tamiḻmālai
- a garland of pure Tamil
- vāyum naṉ makkaḷai
- good and worthy children
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.