Tiruvaymozhi 4.1.1 · verse 3123 of the four thousand
Meaning
Those who once ruled the whole world together as its single sovereign will, in this very life and before the eyes of the great land, go begging alms, their legs bitten by black dogs, carrying broken pots. So while there is still time, think on the feet of Narayana, the Lord of Sri, and be saved.
Word by word
- oru nāyakamāy
- as sole sovereign
- karu nāy kavarnta kālar
- with legs bitten by black dogs
- citaikiya pāṉaiyar
- carrying broken pots
- immaiyilē piccai tām koḷvar
- will beg alms in this very life
- tirunāraṇaṉ tāḷ
- the feet of Narayana, Lord of Sri
- kālampeṟac
- in good time, while there is time
- uymmiṉō
- be saved
Tiruvaymozhi 4.1.2 · verse 3124 of the four thousand
Meaning
Those who ruled the world, commanding other kings, "Bring your tribute and live!", will in this very life let others take the sweet young women they loved, and go off into forests scorched by a sun fierce as lightning, and there waste away. So make haste and reach the feet of Tirumal, the Lord of Sri, whose crown flashes red.
Word by word
- uymmiṉ tiṟaikoṇarntu
- "bring tribute and live"
- iṉcuvai maṭavāraip
- the sweet young women they loved
- vem miṉ oḷi veyil
- sun burning fierce as lightning
- kumaitiṉparkaḷ
- will suffer and waste away
- cemmiṉ muṭit
- crown flashing red
- viraintu aṭi cērmiṉō
- make haste and reach His feet
Tiruvaymozhi 4.1.3 · verse 3125 of the four thousand
Meaning
Those who sat enthroned while kings bowed until their crowns touched their feet, with drums thundering like lightning in their courtyards, will crumble away into fine dust. So, quickly, think on the feet of Kannan, Krishna, who wears the fragrant tulasi on His crown.
Word by word
- aṭi cēr muṭiyiṉar
- with crowns laid at their feet
- iṭi cēr muracaṅkaḷ
- drums that roar like thunder
- poṭi cēr tukaḷāyp pōvarkaḷ
- will turn to fine dust
- nokkeṉak
- quickly, at once
- kaṭi cēr tuḻāy muṭik
- crown wearing fragrant tulasi
- kaḻalkaḷ niṉaimiṉō
- think on His feet
Tiruvaymozhi 4.1.4 · verse 3126 of the four thousand
Meaning
If you begin to count them: more than the fine sand on the sea's shore are those who ruled this world through age after age and passed away. Of them we have seen nothing but their perishing, with no trace left of house or kin. So bow at the feet of Him who killed the rutting elephant whose legs were like palm trunks.
Word by word
- kaṭal ekkaliṉ nuṇmaṇalil
- than the fine sand of the sea's shore
- eṉaittōr ukaṅkaḷum
- through countless ages
- maṉaippāl maruṅku aṟa
- with no trace of house or kin
- māytal allāl
- nothing but their perishing
- paṉait tāḷ mata kaḷiṟu
- the rutting elephant with legs like palm trunks
- pātam paṇimiṉō
- bow at His feet
Tiruvaymozhi 4.1.5 · verse 3127 of the four thousand
Meaning
Those rich men who drank the nectar of love with women of lovely soft tresses, on cool, fresh flower-strewn beds where lovers plead for favour, will go about with a rag hanging before them while many lowly folk scorn them. So live by speaking the names of our wondrous Lord, Mayavan, whose body gleams like a gem.
Word by word
- paṇimiṉ tiruvaruḷ
- "grant your favour", a lover's plea
- cītap paim pūm paḷḷi
- cool, fresh, flowered bed
- aṇi meṉ kuḻalār
- women of lovely soft tresses
- tuṇi muṉpu nāla
- a rag hanging before them
- tām iḻippa
- while they scorn them
- maṇi miṉṉu mēṉi
- body gleaming like a gem
- pēr colli vāḻmiṉō
- live by speaking His names
Tiruvaymozhi 4.1.6 · verse 3128 of the four thousand
Meaning
The good life of those who lived well is like the bubbles of a heavy rain: they rise and burst, rise and burst, and sink away. From that day to this, no one can say of the prosperous that they lived on and stayed. If you wish to remain, become servants of the great Lord who lies on the deep, full ocean.
Word by word
- mā maḻai mokkuḷiṉ
- like bubbles in a heavy rain
- māyntu māyntu
- perishing again and again
- aṉṟu mutal iṉṟu aṟutiyā
- from that day to this
- niṟkuṟil
- if you wish to stay
- āḻntu ār kaṭaṟpaḷḷi aṇṇal
- the Lord who lies on the deep, full ocean
- aṭiyavar āmiṉō
- become His servants
Tiruvaymozhi 4.1.7 · verse 3129 of the four thousand
Meaning
Those who ate their fill of rice with all six sweet tastes, and then, as women of pure, soft speech coaxed them, stuffed in still more, will one day stumble about begging, "Give us a single mouthful!" So string together, as a garland, the qualities of the First One, the lovely Light, who wears tulasi on His crown.
Word by word
- iṉ cuvai avai āṟōṭu
- with all six sweet tastes
- aṭicil
- rice, food
- tū meṉ moḻi maṭavār
- women of pure, soft speech
- īmiṉ emakku oru tuṟṟu
- "give us one mouthful"
- iṭaṟuvar
- will stumble about
- kōmiṉ
- string together, gather like a garland
- āti am cōti
- the First One, the beautiful Light
Tiruvaymozhi 4.1.8 · verse 3130 of the four thousand
Meaning
Kings of virtue and full renown, who take on the duty of giving and even bring the whole world to one accord, still, if they do not have Him, will come back down even after dwelling in the fragrant pleasures of heaven; there is no release in that. So immerse yourselves in the holy names of Him who rests on the hooded serpent.
Word by word
- kuṇam koḷ niṟai pukaḻ maṉṉar
- kings of virtue and full renown
- koṭaikkaṭaṉ pūṇṭiruntu
- taking on the duty of giving
- avaṉai illār
- those who do not have Him
- maṇam koṇṭa pōkattu
- in fragrant pleasures, the joys of heaven
- mīḷvarkaḷ mīḷvu illai
- they come back; there is no release
- paṇam koḷ aravu aṇaiyāṉ
- He who rests on the hooded serpent
- paṭimiṉō
- immerse yourselves, recite
Tiruvaymozhi 4.1.9 · verse 3131 of the four thousand
Meaning
Even those who cut away the earth's many riches along with all attachment, conquer the five senses and wear down a body overgrown like a thicket, if they do not have Him, will come back even after reaching sweet heaven where the gods dwell; there is no release in that. So draw near to the feet of the Lord who has the bird Garuda on His banner.
Word by word
- pal kalaṉ paṟṟōṭu aṟuttu
- cutting away riches along with attachment
- aimpulaṉ veṉṟu
- conquering the five senses
- ceṭi maṉṉu kāyam ceṟṟārkaḷum
- even those who wore down the thicket-like body
- iṉ cuvarkkam eytiyum
- even after reaching sweet heaven
- koṭi maṉṉu puḷ uṭai aṇṇal
- the Lord with the bird on His banner
- kuṟukumiṉō
- draw near
Tiruvaymozhi 4.1.10 · verse 3132 of the four thousand
Meaning
Even the seeker of knowledge who turns his gaze inward with subtle understanding, gives up everything, and calls that fixed state release: if he does not have the true fruit, the Lord, a small bond of thought remains, and there is still no release. Hold fast to the Lord, who never changes, and never let go; that alone is release.
Word by word
- kuṟuka mika uṇarvattoṭu nōkki
- looking inward with subtle understanding
- ellām viṭṭa
- who has given up everything
- ñāṉikkum
- even for the man of knowledge
- ciṟuka niṉaivatu ōr pācam
- a small bond of thought
- maṟukal il īcaṉaip
- the Lord who never changes
- vīṭu aḵtē
- that itself is release
Tiruvaymozhi 4.1.11 · verse 3133 of the four thousand
Meaning
Saying "That alone is the way to be saved," Satakopan, Nammalwar, of Kurugur ringed by groves of flowers ready to be plucked, sang a thousand finely linked verses at the feet of Kannan, as his loving personal service. Those who learn these ten without missing a word will be free of deep sorrow and fit to be saved.
Word by word
- aḵtē uyyap pukum āṟu
- that alone is the way to be saved
- koy pūm poḻil
- groves of flowers ready to be plucked
- kurukūrc caṭakōpaṉ
- Satakopan of Kurugur, Nammalwar
- kuṟṟēval
- close personal service
- aḵkāmal kaṟpavar
- those who learn without missing anything
- uyyaṟpālarē
- are fit to be saved
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.