Tiruppavai 28 · verse 501 of the four thousand
kaṟavaikaḷ piṉ ceṉṟu kāṉam cērntu uṇpōmaṟivu oṉṟum illāta āyk kulattu uṉtaṉṉaippiṟavi peṟuntaṉaip puṇṇiyam yām uṭaiyōmkuṟaivu oṉṟum illāta kōvintā uṉtaṉṉōṭuuṟavēl namakku iṅku oḻikka oḻiyātuaṟiyāta piḷḷaikaḷōm aṉpiṉāl uṉtaṉṉaicciṟupēr aḻaittaṉavum cīṟiyaruḷātēiṟaivā nī tārāy paṟai- ēlōr empāvāy
Meaning
We follow the cows to the forest and eat there; we belong to a cowherd clan without any learning. Yet we have this one merit: You were born among us. O Govinda, who lacks nothing, the bond between You and us here can never be broken, whoever tries to end it. We are ignorant children; if out of love we called You by small names, do not be angry with us. O Lord, give us the drum.
Word by word
- kaṟavaikaḷ piṉ ceṉṟu
- following the cows
- aṟivu oṉṟum illāta
- without any learning at all
- piṟavi peṟuntaṉaip puṇṇiyam
- the merit of having You born among us
- kuṟaivu oṉṟum illāta
- who lacks nothing at all
- uṟavēl namakku
- the bond between You and us
- oḻikka oḻiyātu
- cannot be broken, even if one tries
- ciṟupēr aḻaittaṉavum
- that we called You by small, familiar names
- cīṟiyaruḷātē
- please do not be angry
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.