Tiruvaymozhi 4.8.1 · verse 3200 of the four thousand
Meaning
(The girl speaks.) He has a single body that Shiva, lord of the bull, Brahma, the four-faced, and Lakshmi each share as their portion; He is the Warrior who took up His weapons resolved to turn the demons, clan after clan, to ash. This gem-bright complexion of mine, which He has not cared to take: what need have I of it?
Word by word
- ēṟu āḷum iṟaiyōṉum
- the lord who rides the bull, Shiva
- ticaimukaṉum
- the four-faced one, Brahma
- kūṟu āḷum taṉi uṭampaṉ
- He whose single body they share
- nīṟu ākumpaṭiyāka
- so that they turn to ash
- māṟāḷaṉ
- the Warrior who fights His foes
- maṇi māmai
- gem-bright complexion
- kuṟaivu ilamē
- I have no need of it
Tiruvaymozhi 4.8.2 · verse 3201 of the four thousand
Meaning
On His chest dwells the Lady of the lotus, whose gem-bright beauty lacks nothing; His great shoulders are like mountains, adorned and honoured; His broad hand holds the mighty discus. He is the wondrous gem-coloured One who took me into His service without ever lowering the dignity of that service. This simple heart of mine, which He has not taken: what need have I of it?
Word by word
- malarmātar uṟai mārpaṉ
- He on whose chest the Lotus Lady dwells
- taṭa varaittōḷ
- great mountain-like shoulders
- aṭal āḻit taṭakkaiyaṉ
- He whose broad hand holds the mighty discus
- paṇi māṉam piḻaiyāmē
- without lowering the dignity of service
- aṭiyēṉaip paṇikoṇṭa
- who took me into His service
- maṭa neñcāl
- this simple heart
Tiruvaymozhi 4.8.3 · verse 3202 of the four thousand
Meaning
A demoness came, playing a tender-hearted mother, and as a tiny child, already full of wisdom, He sucked her poisoned breast. He is the Supreme Person with shoulders like great hills, who lies on the hooded serpent: the long, wondrous Lord. This modest reserve of mine, which He has not taken: what need have I of it?
Word by word
- makaḷtāyceytu oru pēycci
- a demoness playing the mother
- viṭa nañca mulai
- the poisoned breast
- miku ñāṉac ciṟu kuḻavi
- a tiny child full of wisdom
- paṭa nākattu aṇaik kiṭanta
- lying on the hooded serpent
- parampuruṭaṉ
- the Supreme Person
- niṟaiyiṉāl
- this modest reserve
Tiruvaymozhi 4.8.4 · verse 3203 of the four thousand
Meaning
To embrace tender Nappinnai, whose long shoulders are smooth as bamboo and whose modesty lacks nothing, He subdued the seven fighting bulls and rejoiced. He is the cowherd in stained ochre clothes, holding the stick for driving the straggling cows. This complexion of mine, fresh as young leaves, which He has not taken: what need have I of it?
Word by word
- neṭum paṇait tōḷ maṭap piṉṉai
- tender Nappinnai of long bamboo-like shoulders
- poru viṭai ēḻ aṭarttu
- subduing the seven fighting bulls
- kaṟaiyiṉār tuvar uṭukkai
- stained ochre clothes
- kaṭai āviṉ kaḻi kōl
- the stick for the straggling cows
- taḷir niṟattāl
- complexion fresh as young leaves
Tiruvaymozhi 4.8.5 · verse 3204 of the four thousand
Meaning
For the parrot-voiced Sita, fresh as young leaves, who suffered alone in captivity, He burned the city of the proud demon. His fragrant crown wears a garland of honey-laden tulasi; He is the One most full of compassion for this sea-girt world. This understanding of mine, which He has not taken: what need have I of it?
Word by word
- taṉic ciṟaiyil viḷappu uṟṟa
- who suffered alone in captivity
- kiḷimoḻiyāḷ
- the parrot-voiced lady, Sita
- kiḷar arakkaṉ nakar eritta
- who burned the proud demon's city
- kaḷi malart tuḻāy alaṅkal
- garland of honey-laden tulasi
- aḷimikkāṉ
- the One most full of compassion
- aṟiviṉāl
- this understanding
Tiruvaymozhi 4.8.6 · verse 3205 of the four thousand
Meaning
So that the people of the wide world might know and lack nothing in understanding, He, the One Form of perfect knowledge, set out every path in teaching. He took the form of a small young brahmachari and won the earth by a clever ruse: the Lord of wiles. This radiant glow of mine, which He has not taken: what need have I of it?
Word by word
- neṟi ellām eṭuttu uraitta
- who set out every path in teaching
- niṟai ñāṉattu orumūrtti
- the One Form of perfect knowledge
- kuṟiya māṇ uru āki
- taking the form of a small brahmachari
- koṭuṅ kōḷāl nilam koṇṭa
- who won the earth by a clever ruse
- kiṟi ammāṉ
- the Lord of wiles
- kiḷar oḷiyāl
- this radiant glow
Tiruvaymozhi 4.8.7 · verse 3206 of the four thousand
Meaning
Rising up in the form of a lion, blazing with light, He tore open the broad chest of the dazzling Hiranya and rejoiced. He holds the discus, burning with ever-growing flame, and the right-whorled conch; His radiance grows like a blue sapphire's. These striped bangles of mine, which He has not taken: what need have I of them?
Word by word
- ari uruvāyk kiḷarntu eḻuntu
- rising up in the form of a lion
- iraṇiyaṉatu akal mārpam
- Hiranya's broad chest
- kaṉal āḻi
- the flaming discus
- valampuriyaṉ
- He with the right-whorled conch
- maṇi nīla vaḷar oḷiyāṉ
- He of growing blue-sapphire radiance
- vari vaḷaiyāl
- these striped bangles
Tiruvaymozhi 4.8.8 · verse 3207 of the four thousand
Meaning
With the mighty roar of His striped conch He blew His foes into the blazing fire and once ended the great earth's sorrow. His fame spreads wide; Shiva, Brahma and the king of the gods, who can hardly know Him, bow and praise Him. This girdle of mine, which He has not taken: what need have I of it?
Word by word
- peru muḻakkāl
- with a mighty roar
- aṭaṅkārai
- His foes
- eri aḻalam puka ūti
- blowing them into the blazing fire
- iru nilam muṉ tuyar tavirtta
- who once ended the great earth's sorrow
- amarar kōṉ
- the king of the gods, Indra
- mēkalaiyāl
- this girdle
Tiruvaymozhi 4.8.9 · verse 3208 of the four thousand
Meaning
He cut off the arms of mighty Bana, the famous father of a beloved daughter who had grown thin with longing; and like one asleep on the serpent, He enters His yogic sleep so that all the worlds rest safely within Him. This body of mine, which He has not taken: what need have I of it?
Word by word
- melivu uṟṟa
- grown thin with longing
- pōkamakaḷ pukaḻt tantai
- the famous father of a beloved daughter
- viṟal vāṇaṉ puyam tuṇittu
- cutting off mighty Bana's arms
- nākamicait tuyilvāṉpōl
- like one asleep on the serpent
- yōku aṇaivāṉ
- He who enters yogic sleep
- uṭampiṉāl
- this body
Tiruvaymozhi 4.8.10 · verse 3209 of the four thousand
Meaning
He cut the hosts of demons into many pieces, lying like lifeless chunks of mountains, and rejoiced. He has a body in which Shiva, whose matted locks hold the broad river, dwells for ever in one part. This life of mine, which He has not taken: what need have I of it?
Word by word
- uyir pirinta malaittuṇṭam
- lifeless chunks of mountains
- acurar kuḻām tuṇittu
- cutting the hosts of demons
- taṭam puṉala caṭaimuṭiyaṉ
- Shiva, whose matted locks hold the river
- taṉi orukūṟu amarntu uṟaiyum
- who dwells for ever in one part
- uyiriṉāl
- this life of mine
Tiruvaymozhi 4.8.11 · verse 3210 of the four thousand
Meaning
On Him who held within Himself the seven worlds, full of living beings, and who ate curd and butter, Satakopan, Nammalwar, of broad Kurugur, sang a thousand flawless garlands of words and music. Through these ten among them, people will cut off their hard-bound births and reach Vaikuntam.
Word by word
- ulaku ēḻ taṉṉuḷ oṭukki
- holding the seven worlds within Himself
- tayir veṇṇey uṇṭāṉait
- Him who ate curd and butter
- taṭam kurukūrc caṭakōpaṉ
- Satakopan of broad Kurugur
- ceyir il col icaimālai
- flawless garlands of words and music
- vayiram cēr piṟappu aṟuttu
- cutting off hard-bound births
- vaikuntam naṇṇuvarē
- will reach 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.