Tiruvaymozhi 8.10.1 · verse 3662 of the four thousand
Meaning
He led me, by a kind deceit, to think of Him as one who would serve Netumal, and so cleverly did away with every evil road of birth, sure as they were. When I think of that skill, I, a great sinner, see that my place is only at the feet of His devotees. Alas, how could I ever give this up, even if I were given the wide three worlds?
Word by word
- neṭumāṟku aṭimai
- service to Netumal, the great Lord
- vañcittu
- by a kind deceit
- tīkkatikaḷ muṟṟum
- all the evil roads of birth
- catir niṉaintāl
- when I think of His skill
- avaṉ aṭiyār aṭiyē kūṭum
- joining the feet of His devotees
- viyaṉ mūvulaku peṟiṉumē
- even if I gained the wide three worlds
Tiruvaymozhi 8.10.2 · verse 3663 of the four thousand
Meaning
Even if I gained the wide three worlds, even if I went away and came to enjoy my own self alone, would any of that equal the joy that I, a sinner, have gained in this very life as its fruit: bowing to the holy feet of those who stand foremost in service beneath the adorned, flower-like anklet feet of the Lord whose holy form is like a rain cloud?
Word by word
- tāṉē tāṉē āṉālum
- even if I came to enjoy my own self alone
- puyal mēkampōl tirumēṉi
- holy form like a rain cloud
- aṭimai talainiṉṟār
- those foremost in service
- tiruttāḷ vaṇaṅki
- bowing to their holy feet
- immaiyē
- in this very life
- uṟumō pāviyēṉukkē
- would it equal this, for me, a sinner?
Tiruvaymozhi 8.10.3 · verse 3664 of the four thousand
Meaning
My holy dwarf with red lotus eyes stretched His small, great form to fill these three worlds at once. Would even entering beneath His fragrant, fresh-flower feet be worth as much to me, sinner, as this: that His devotees, men small to look at yet great, have taken me as their own as they move about here?
Word by word
- ulakam mūṉṟum uṭaṉ niṟaiya
- to fill the three worlds at once
- ciṟu mā mēṉi nimirtta
- who stretched His small, great form
- tirukkuṟaḷaṉ
- the holy dwarf, Vamana
- nāḷ malar aṭikkīḻ
- beneath His fresh-flower feet
- ciṟu mā maṉicarāy
- as men small to look at, yet great
- eṉṉai āṇṭār
- took me as their own
Tiruvaymozhi 8.10.4 · verse 3665 of the four thousand
Meaning
What loss has come to me who move about here? My Lord, with red lotus eyes and coral lips of red beauty, who once swallowed the vast earth and brought it out again, has given me grace: my mouth is full of His seven surging glories, my mind holds His form that captures the senses, my hands hold flowers fit for Him, and I run along the path of worship.
Word by word
- iḻukku uṟṟu eṉ
- what loss has come?
- pavaḷavāy
- coral lips
- poṅku ēḻ pukaḻkaḷ
- seven surging glories
- pulaṉkoḷ vaṭivu
- the form that captures the senses
- malarkaḷ kaiya āy
- flowers in my hands
- vaḻipaṭṭu ōṭa
- to run along in worship
Tiruvaymozhi 8.10.5 · verse 3666 of the four thousand
Meaning
Having gained the grace to run in His worship, even if I were to dwell in bliss in the whirling flood of radiant light beneath the lovely flower feet of the wondrous Lord, would that equal in full the joy I have here: born in this body that keeps sinking away, learning His glories, and tasting the nectar of poems that flow out as speech?
Word by word
- aruḷ peṟṟu
- having gained His grace
- kōla malar aṭikkīḻ
- beneath His lovely flower feet
- cuṭarccōti veḷḷattu
- in the flood of radiant light
- iḻipaṭṭu ōṭum uṭaliṉil
- in this body that keeps sinking away
- kaviamutam
- the nectar of poetry
- nukarcci uṟumō
- would it equal the enjoyment?
Tiruvaymozhi 8.10.6 · verse 3667 of the four thousand
Meaning
Would release from the three worlds, beyond all compare though it is, equal the joy of His great, matchless glory? He is my Lord with the golden discus in His hand, who killed the elephant with the red, spotted face; the rider of the bird that roams tearing and devouring the lives of all the tall asuras with matching red hair and fiery eyes.
Word by word
- vīṭu pēṟu
- release, liberation
- kēḻ il
- beyond compare
- pukarc cem mukatta kaḷiṟu
- the elephant with red, spotted face
- poṉ āḻikkai
- golden discus in hand
- eri viḻikaḷ
- fiery eyes
- puḷ pākaṉ
- rider of the bird, Garuda
- periya taṉi māp pukaḻē
- His great, matchless glory
Tiruvaymozhi 8.10.7 · verse 3668 of the four thousand
Meaning
So that His matchless, great glory might stand for ever, He Himself appeared, and as the first seed made the three worlds sprout, the great Brahma and the sages first. Rather than entering beneath the tender, shoot-like feet of that one great God, may the deep joy of close fellowship with His devotees be ours every day.
Word by word
- eññāṉṟum niṟkum paṭiyā
- so that it stands for ever
- mutal vittāy
- as the first seed
- muḷaippitta
- made them sprout
- taḷir aṭikkīḻ
- beneath His feet, tender as shoots
- kalavi iṉpamē
- the joy of fellowship
- nāḷum vāykka naṅkaṭkē
- may it be ours every day
Tiruvaymozhi 8.10.8 · verse 3669 of the four thousand
Meaning
May it be ours every day: the company of His own people. He created the cool-watered ocean and lay upon it, spreading out His many peerless feet, shoulders and crowns, like a gem mountain bearing far-spreading groves of flowering kalpaka trees and the brilliance of many suns.
Word by word
- naḷir nīrk kaṭalaip paṭaittu
- creating the cool-watered ocean
- camaṉ ilāta pala parappi
- spreading out many, peerless
- pūṅ kaṟpakak kāvum
- groves of flowering kalpaka trees
- pal nāyiṟṟiṉ
- of many suns
- maṇi malaipōl kiṭantāṉ
- He lay like a gem mountain
- tamarkaḷ kūṭṭamē
- the company of His own people
Tiruvaymozhi 8.10.9 · verse 3670 of the four thousand
Meaning
He is the Lord of four forms, who destroys the strong past deeds of the gathering of His own; He bears many weapons, the battle-ready discus, the conch, sword, bow, mace and more; He is the father of the lovely young Kama of the five arrows. May this good fortune come to me, who am alone: to be the people of the people of the people of His flawless devotees.
Word by word
- valviṉaiyai nācam ceyyum
- who destroys the strong past deeds
- catu mūrtti
- the Lord of four forms
- āḻi caṅku vāḷ vil taṇṭu
- discus, conch, sword, bow, mace
- aiṅkaṇai vēḷ tātai
- father of Kama of the five arrows
- kōtu il aṭiyār
- flawless devotees
- tamarkaḷ tamarkaḷ tamarkaḷām
- to be the people of the people of their people
- tamiyēṟkē
- to me, who am alone
Tiruvaymozhi 8.10.10 · verse 3671 of the four thousand
Meaning
May it come to me, who am alone, age after age, through every age: my Lord has a form like the great kaya flower, four shoulders, and the golden discus in His hand. His devotees who never leave Him, and their devotees, and their devotees' devotees, are my masters. To go on as servants to them alone is the good resolve.
Word by word
- ūḻitōṟu ūḻi
- age after age
- mā kāyām pūk koḷ mēṉi
- form like the dark kaya flower
- nīkkam illā aṭiyār
- devotees who never leave Him
- em kōkkaḷ
- my masters
- kuṭikaḷāyc cellum
- to go on as their servants
- nalla kōṭpāṭē
- the good resolve
Tiruvaymozhi 8.10.11 · verse 3672 of the four thousand
Meaning
Of the lotus-eyed Kannan, who fills all three worlds and keeps them in good order, Satakopan (Nammalwar) of lovely, cool Kurugur sang a thousand verses. Those who can sing these ten among them will live a good life at home, with the wives and children they have.
Word by word
- nalla kōṭpāṭṭu ulakaṅkaḷ
- worlds kept in good order
- tāṉ niṟainta
- which He fills
- allik kamalak kaṇṇaṉai
- Kannan with eyes like petalled lotuses
- am taṇ kurukūr
- lovely, cool Thirukkurugur
- nalla patattāl maṉai vāḻvar
- will live well at home
- koṇṭa peṇṭīr makkaḷē
- with the wives and children they have
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.