Madhurakavi Alwar's eleven verses do not sing of Perumal directly but of Nammalwar, his acharya, as everything to him. They are the model of acharya abhimanam, the teaching that whole-hearted devotion to one's acharya is itself the surest refuge. Nathamunigal recited them twelve thousand times at Thirukkurugur and received the whole Prabandham, so the sampradaya says the four thousand came back to us through these eleven.
Kanninun Siruthambu 1 · verse 937 of the four thousand
Meaning
The great, wondrous Lord let Himself be bound with a fine, small, knotted rope. Yet when I turn from Him, my Lord, to Nammalwar and say "the Nambi of southern Kurugur", nectar wells up, sweet, on my tongue.
Word by word
- kaṇṇi nuṇ ciṟut tāmpiṉāl
- a fine, small, knotted rope, the one Yashoda bound Krishna with
- kaṭṭu uṇṇap paṇṇiya
- who let Himself be bound
- peru māyaṉ
- the great, wondrous Lord
- eṉ appaṉil
- my Lord and father
- teṉ kurukūr nampi
- the noble one of southern Kurugur, Swami Nammalwar
- aṇṇikkum amutu ūṟum
- sweet nectar wells up
- eṉ nāvukkē
- on my tongue
Kanninun Siruthambu 2 · verse 938 of the four thousand
Meaning
I spoke of him with my tongue and found joy. I have truly reached his golden feet. I know no other god. Singing the sweet music of the verses of the Nambi of Thirukkurugur, Nammalwar, I will roam about.
Word by word
- nāviṉāl naviṟṟu
- speaking with my tongue
- iṉpam eytiṉēṉ
- I found joy
- avaṉ poṉṉaṭi
- his golden feet, Nammalwar's
- tēvu maṟṟu aṟiyēṉ
- I know no other god
- kurukūr nampi
- the noble one of Kurugur, Nammalwar
- pāviṉ iṉṉicai
- the sweet music of his verses
- pāṭit tirivaṉē
- singing, I will roam about
Kanninun Siruthambu 3 · verse 939 of the four thousand
Meaning
Even though I wandered away from Him, I see the dark, beautiful, holy form of the Lord of the gods. That is the good I, a servant, have gained by belonging rightfully to the Nambi of the great and generous town of Thirukkurugur.
Word by word
- tiritantu ākilum
- even though I wandered away
- tēvapirāṉ
- the Lord of the gods
- kariya kōlat tiruvuruk
- the dark, beautiful, holy form
- periya vaṇ kurukūr nakar nampikku
- to the Nambi of great, generous Kurugur
- āḷ-uriyaṉāy
- belonging to him as his servant
- aṭiyēṉ peṟṟa naṉmaiyē
- the good that I, a servant, have gained
Kanninun Siruthambu 4 · verse 940 of the four thousand
Meaning
Since the scholars of the four Vedas, rich in goodness, would look on me as lowly, Sadagopan, my Nambi, rules over me in his own way, as my mother and as my father.
Word by word
- naṉmaiyāl mikka
- rich in goodness
- nāṉmaṟaiyāḷarkaḷ
- the scholars of the four Vedas
- puṉmai ākak karutuvar
- would think me lowly
- aṉṉaiyāy attaṉāy
- as mother and as father
- eṉṉai āṇṭiṭum taṉmaiyāṉ
- whose nature is to rule over me
- caṭakōpaṉ eṉ nampiyē
- Sadagopan, Nammalwar, my Nambi
Kanninun Siruthambu 5 · verse 941 of the four thousand
Meaning
In days gone by I set my hopes on the fine wealth of others, and set my hopes on women too. Today, having become a lover of the Nambi of holy Thirukkurugur, with its mansions of red gold, I, his servant, have found my good fortune.
Word by word
- nampiṉēṉ
- I set my hopes on
- piṟar naṉporuḷ
- the fine wealth of others
- maṭavāraiyum
- and women too
- cempoṉ māṭat
- with mansions of red gold
- aṉpaṉāy
- having become his lover
- catirttēṉ iṉṟē
- today I have prospered
Kanninun Siruthambu 6 · verse 942 of the four thousand
Meaning
From this day on, through all seven births, my lord has graciously let me stand and praise his glory. The Nambi of holy Thirukkurugur, with its mansions tall as hills, will never scorn me. See this for yourselves!
Word by word
- iṉṟu toṭṭum
- from this day on
- eḻumaiyum
- through all seven births
- taṉ pukaḻ ētta aruḷiṉāṉ
- graciously let me praise his glory
- kuṉṟa māṭat
- with mansions tall as hills
- ikaḻvu ilaṉ
- he will never scorn
- kāṇmiṉē
- see for yourselves
Kanninun Siruthambu 7 · verse 943 of the four thousand
Meaning
He looked upon me and made me his own; my lord, Maran, son of Kari, graciously destroyed my ancient, stubborn deeds. I will proclaim, so that all eight directions know it, the grace of Sadagopan, he of the radiant Tamil.
Word by word
- kaṇṭu koṇṭu
- looking upon me and making me his own
- kārimāṟap pirāṉ
- my lord Maran, son of Kari, Nammalwar
- paṇṭai val viṉai
- ancient, stubborn deeds
- pāṟṟi aruḷiṉāṉ
- graciously destroyed
- eṇ ticaiyum aṟiya
- for all eight directions to know
- oṇ tamiḻc caṭakōpaṉ
- Sadagopan of radiant Tamil
Kanninun Siruthambu 8 · verse 944 of the four thousand
Meaning
So that the devotees who celebrate the Lord's grace may rejoice, he graciously gave the meaning of that rare Veda; out of grace he sang a thousand sweet Tamil verses. See: his grace is the greatest thing in this world.
Word by word
- aruḷ koṇṭāṭum aṭiyavar
- devotees who celebrate grace
- iṉpuṟa
- so that they may rejoice
- aru maṟaiyiṉ poruḷ
- the meaning of the rare Veda
- āyiram iṉ tamiḻ
- a thousand sweet Tamil verses, Tiruvaymozhi
- iv ulakiṉil mikkatē
- the greatest thing in this world
Kanninun Siruthambu 9 · verse 945 of the four thousand
Meaning
He sang the inner meaning of the Veda of the great Vedic scholars so that it stands firm, and set it fast in my heart. This is surely the fruit of the loving service with which I came to belong to Sadagopan, my Nambi of fitting glory.
Word by word
- mikka vētiyar
- the great Vedic scholars
- vētattiṉ uṭporuḷ
- the inner meaning of the Veda
- eṉ neñcuḷ niṟuttiṉāṉ
- he set it fast in my heart
- takka cīrc caṭakōpaṉ
- Sadagopan of fitting glory
- kātal aṭimaip payaṉ
- the fruit of loving service
Kanninun Siruthambu 10 · verse 946 of the four thousand
Meaning
Even if people are of no use, even if they are not of the right nature, he corrects them so that their deeds become good, and takes them into service: the Nambi of Thirukkurugur, ringed by groves full of cuckoos. I strive for love of his thronging anklet-bound feet.
Word by word
- payaṉ aṉṟu ākilum
- even if of no use
- pāṅku alar ākilum
- even if not of the right nature
- tiruttip paṇi koḷvāṉ
- he corrects them and takes them into service
- kuyil niṉṟu ār poḻil
- groves full of cuckoos
- moy kaḻaṟku aṉpaiyē
- love of his anklet-bound feet
- muyalkiṉṟēṉ
- I strive for
Kanninun Siruthambu 11 · verse 947 of the four thousand
Meaning
The Nambi of southern Thirukkurugur is loving to all who have reached the Lord who is Love. Madhurakavi, a lover of that Nambi, spoke these words. See: for those who hold faith in them, their home is Vaikuntam.
Word by word
- aṉpaṉ taṉṉai aṭaintavarkaṭku
- to those who have reached the loving Lord
- teṉ kurukūr nakar nampikku
- to the Nambi of southern Kurugur
- maturakavi coṉṉa col
- the words spoken by Madhurakavi Alwar
- nampuvār
- those who hold faith in them
- pati vaikuntam
- their home is Vaikuntam
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.