Tiruppavai 23 · verse 496 of the four thousand
māri malai muḻaiñcil maṉṉik kiṭantu uṟaṅkumcīriya ciṅkam aṟivuṟṟut tī viḻittuvēri mayir poṅka eppāṭum pērntu utaṟimūri nimirntu muḻaṅkip puṟappaṭṭuppōtarumā pōlē nī pūvaippū vaṇṇā uṉkōyil niṉṟu iṅṅaṉē pōntaruḷi kōppu uṭaiyacīriya ciṅkācaṉattu iruntu yām vantakāriyam ārāyntu aruḷ-ēlōr empāvāy
Meaning
Like a noble lion that has lain asleep in a mountain cave through the rains, then wakes, its eyes flashing fire, shakes out its fragrant mane, stretches every way, roars and strides out, so may You, Lord with the colour of the kaya blossom, come out from Your chamber to this place. Sit upon Your splendid, finely made lion throne, look into the purpose for which we have come, and grant it.
Word by word
- māri malai muḻaiñcil
- in a mountain cave in the rainy season
- cīriya ciṅkam
- the noble lion
- tī viḻittu
- opening eyes that flash fire
- vēri mayir poṅka
- its fragrant mane bristling
- mūri nimirntu
- stretching out its body
- pūvaippū vaṇṇā
- O Lord with the colour of the dark kaya blossom
- ciṅkācaṉattu
- on the lion throne
- kāriyam ārāyntu aruḷ
- look into our purpose and grant it
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.