Perumal Tirumozhi 4.1 · verse 677 of the four thousand
Meaning
I do not want birth in a body, with wealth that only fattens the flesh. Other than serving Him who conquered the seven bulls, I want nothing. Let me be born as a heron living by the Koneri pool on Thiruvenkatam, the hill of the Lord who holds the curved conch in His left hand.
Word by word
- ūṉ ēṟu celvattu
- with wealth that fattens the flesh
- āṉēṟu ēḻ veṉṟāṉ
- He who conquered the seven bulls
- aṭimait tiṟam
- service to Him
- kūṉ ēṟu caṅkam
- the curved conch
- kōṉēri
- Koneri, the holy pool on Tirumala
- kurukāyp piṟappēṉē
- let me be born a heron
Perumal Tirumozhi 4.2 · verse 678 of the four thousand
Meaning
I do not want the wealth of ruling heaven, with celestial maidens of endless riches all around me, nor do I want a kingdom on earth. Let mine be the fate of being born a fish in a pool on Thiruvenkatam, among flower groves full of honey.
Word by word
- arampaiyarkaḷ taṟ cūḻa
- with celestial maidens around
- vāṉ āḷum celvamum
- the wealth of ruling heaven
- maṇ-aracum
- and a kingdom on earth
- tēṉ ār pūñcōlait
- flower groves full of honey
- tiruvēṅkaṭac cuṉaiyil
- in a pool on Thiruvenkatam
- mīṉāyp piṟakkum viti
- the fate of being born a fish
Perumal Tirumozhi 4.3 · verse 679 of the four thousand
Meaning
Shiva with his matted locks tied back, Brahma and Indra crowd together, yet find it hard to enter the long gateway to His Vaikuntha. Let me be the one who holds the golden vessel into which the Lord of Venkatam, with His discus of lightning-bright radiance, spits, so that I may enter at once along with Him.
Word by word
- piṉ iṭṭa caṭaiyāṉum
- Shiva, his matted locks tied back
- tuṉṉiṭṭup pukal ariya
- crowding yet hard to enter
- vaikunta nīḷ vācal
- the long gateway to Vaikuntha
- miṉ vaṭṭac cuṭar-āḻi
- the discus of lightning-bright radiance
- vēṅkaṭakkōṉ
- the Lord of Venkatam
- poṉ-vaṭṭil piṭittu
- holding the golden vessel
- uṭaṉē pukap peṟuvēṉ
- may I enter along with Him
Perumal Tirumozhi 4.4 · verse 680 of the four thousand
Meaning
The wondrous Lord sleeps in His ocean of milk, where waves bright as coral roll. To see His two feet, may I have the good fortune to stand as a champak tree on Venkatam, where swarms of bees hum their melodies.
Word by word
- oṇ pavaḷa vēlai
- waves bright as coral
- pāṟkaṭaluḷ
- in the ocean of milk
- kaṇ tuyilum māyōṉ
- the wondrous Lord who sleeps
- kaḻaliṇaikaḷ kāṇpataṟku
- to see His two feet
- paṇ pakarum vaṇṭiṉaṅkaḷ
- swarms of bees humming melodies
- ceṇpakamāy niṟkum
- standing as a champak tree
- tiru uṭaiyēṉ
- may I have the good fortune
Perumal Tirumozhi 4.5 · verse 681 of the four thousand
Meaning
I do not want the wealth of sitting in joy on the neck of a swaying elephant in rut, nor this kingdom of mine. On the beautiful hill of Venkatam of my Lord, the Master of all, may I have the merit to stand as a humble bush.
Word by word
- kampa mata yāṉaik
- the swaying elephant in rut
- kaḻuttakattiṉmēl iruntu
- seated on its neck
- iv aracum
- this kingdom too
- emperumāṉ īcaṉ
- my Lord, the Master of all
- eḻil vēṅkaṭa malaimēl
- on the beautiful hill of Venkatam
- tampakamāy niṟkum
- standing as a bush
- tavam uṭaiyēṉ
- may I have the merit
Perumal Tirumozhi 4.6 · verse 682 of the four thousand
Meaning
I will not care for Urvasi and Menaka, with their waists slender as lightning, nor for their songs and dances. On Venkatam, where swarms of bees sing their humming tune, may I have the rare merit to become a golden peak.
Word by word
- miṉ aṉaiya nuṇṇiṭaiyār
- with waists slender as lightning
- uruppaciyum mēṉakaiyum
- Urvasi and Menaka, celestial dancers
- ātariyēṉ
- I will not care for
- teṉṉa eṉa
- humming 'thenna'
- poṟkuvaṭu
- a golden peak
- aruntavattēṉ
- one of rare merit
Perumal Tirumozhi 4.7 · verse 683 of the four thousand
Meaning
I care nothing for the riches of sitting as king of kings beneath a white parasol like the great moon that rules the sky, and being celebrated. On the hill of Thiruvenkatam, with its flower groves full of honey, may mine be the wish to flow as a forest stream.
Word by word
- vāṉ āḷum mā mati pōl
- like the great moon that rules the sky
- veṇ kuṭaikkīḻ
- beneath a white royal parasol
- maṉṉavartam kōṉ
- king of kings
- celvu aṟiyēṉ
- I care nothing for the riches
- kāṉāṟāyp pāyum
- flowing as a forest stream
- karuttu uṭaiyēṉ
- may mine be the wish
Perumal Tirumozhi 4.8 · verse 684 of the four thousand
Meaning
Shiva with the crescent moon on his locks, Brahma and Indra perform great sacrifices by rule, and He makes good whatever they lack; He is the Vedas themselves. On His hill of Thiruvenkatam, with fragrant, cool groves, may mine be the lot to lie as a path.
Word by word
- piṟai ēṟu caṭaiyāṉum
- Shiva with the crescent moon on his locks
- peru vēḷvik kuṟai muṭippāṉ
- He who makes good what the great sacrifices lack
- maṟai āṉāṉ
- He who is the Vedas
- veṟiyār taṇ cōlait
- fragrant, cool groves
- neṟiyāyk kiṭakkum
- lying as a path
- nilai uṭaiyēṉ
- may mine be that state
Perumal Tirumozhi 4.9 · verse 685 of the four thousand
Meaning
O Thirumal, who clears away strong karma that grows thick like brushwood! O tall one, O Lord of Venkatam! At the doorway of Your temple, where devotees, gods and celestial maidens lie in worship and pass to and fro, let me lie as the step, and gaze upon Your coral lips.
Word by word
- ceṭiyāya valviṉaikaḷ
- strong karma grown thick like brushwood
- neṭiyāṉē vēṅkaṭavā
- O tall one, O Lord of Venkatam
- kōyiliṉ vācal
- the doorway of Your temple
- kiṭantu iyaṅkum
- lie in worship and pass to and fro
- paṭiyāyk kiṭantu
- lying as the step
- pavaḷavāy kāṇpēṉē
- I shall see Your coral lips
Perumal Tirumozhi 4.10 · verse 686 of the four thousand
Meaning
Even if I ruled the world of the gods under a single parasol, and even if I won Urvasi herself in her beautiful golden garments, I would not care for it. On Thiruvenkatam, the golden hill of my Lord of red coral lips, let me be anything at all.
Word by word
- umpar ulaku āṇṭu
- ruling the world of the gods
- orukuṭaikkīḻ
- under a single royal parasol
- uruppacitaṉ
- Urvasi, the celestial dancer
- ātariyēṉ
- I would not care for it
- cem pavaḷa-vāyāṉ
- He of red coral lips
- poṉmalaimēl
- on the golden hill
- ētēṉum āvēṉē
- let me be anything at all
Perumal Tirumozhi 4.11 · verse 687 of the four thousand
Meaning
Longing to see the golden red feet of the Lord of northern Venkatam, with its lasting cool slopes, Kulasekhara of the sharp spear skilled in battle bowed and sang this crafted Tamil verse. Those who master it will be devotees close to the Lord.
Word by word
- maṉṉiya taṇ cāral
- lasting cool slopes
- vaṭa vēṅkaṭattāṉtaṉ
- of the Lord of northern Venkatam
- poṉ iyalum cēvaṭikaḷ
- golden red feet
- kol navilum kūrvēṟ
- the sharp spear skilled in battle
- paṉṉiya nūṟ tamiḻ
- crafted Tamil verse
- pāṅkāya pattarkaḷē
- devotees close to the Lord
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.