Tiruvaymozhi 8.2.1 · verse 3574 of the four thousand
Meaning
(The Alwar speaks as a girl in love, to her friends.) O my companions with striped bangles! Ashamed before those who are against us, I look everywhere for a way to tell you one thing, and cannot find it. My conch bangles have slipped off, my glow is gone, my full breasts have turned pale gold and I have grown weak, since I went longing for my Lord who dwells on Thiruvenkatam, the rider of the fierce-eyed bird.
Word by word
- varivaḷai āyaṅkāḷō
- O companions with striped bangles
- ētalar muṉpu nāṇi
- ashamed before those against us
- caṅkam carintaṉa
- my conch bangles have slipped off
- cāy iḻantēṉ
- I lost my glow
- poṉ niṟamāy
- turned pale gold, the pallor of separation
- veṅkaṇ paṟavaiyiṉ pākaṉ
- rider of the fierce-eyed bird, Garuda
- vēṅkaṭavāṇaṉai
- the Lord who dwells on Thiruvenkatam
Tiruvaymozhi 8.2.2 · verse 3575 of the four thousand
Meaning
Others go asking and come back with something; I went and lost. Alas, even to you, my friends, I can find no way to tell this here, suffering as I am. He is a thief, the lotus-eyed Kannan so lovely to see, Lord of the heavenly ones and our Lord. If I could only see Him! How long must I waste away to win back my crowded bangles and my composure?
Word by word
- vēṇṭic ceṉṟu
- going to ask
- iṭarāṭṭiyēṉ
- I, the suffering one
- kāṇ taku tāmaraik kaṇṇaṉ
- the lotus-eyed One, worthy to be seen
- kaḷvaṉ
- the thief
- viṇṇavar kōṉ
- Lord of the heavenly ones
- niṟaivum
- and my composure, my self-restraint
- ettaṉai kālam iḷaikkiṉṟēṉē
- how long must I waste away?
Tiruvaymozhi 8.2.3 · verse 3576 of the four thousand
Meaning
Time itself may tire, but I, sinner, will not tire of this; see for yourselves. I have borne blame the whole world knows; O girls of fair brows, what use is shame now? Kannan, colour of the long rain cloud, wrapped in a tall radiance like blue flowers, took my lovely bangles and my dark glow. However long it takes, I will go and join Him to win them back.
Word by word
- kālam iḷaikkil allāl
- only time may tire
- ñālam aṟiyap paḻi cumantēṉ
- I bore blame the whole world knows
- nal nutalīr
- O girls of fair brows
- nīla malar neṭum cōti
- tall radiance like blue flowers
- mukil vaṇṇaṉ
- the One coloured like the rain cloud
- māmai
- the dark glow of her skin
- kūṭac ceṉṟē
- going to join Him
Tiruvaymozhi 8.2.4 · verse 3577 of the four thousand
Meaning
I went to join Him; what more do I have to give? My round bangles, my heart and all the rest are lost to me, wholly and for good, and day after day I lose my dignity before the girls of many bangles. All this for longing after the wondrous Dancer who stands in fair southern Thirukkulandai with its towered mansions and flag-topped walls, who raised the dancing bird Garuda on His banner, the victorious One with the discus in His right hand.
Word by word
- iṉi eṉ koṭukkēṉ
- what more can I give?
- pāṭu aṟṟu oḻiya
- wholly, leaving nothing
- paricu aḻintēṉ
- I lost my dignity
- teṉ kuḷantai
- southern Thirukkulandai (Perungulam)
- māyak kūttaṉ
- the wondrous Dancer, the Lord of Thirukkulandai
- āṭal paṟavai
- the dancing bird, Garuda
- āḻivalavaṉai
- the One with the discus in His right hand
Tiruvaymozhi 8.2.5 · verse 3578 of the four thousand
Meaning
My longing for the One with the discus in His right hand, and His coming to us: friends, is any of this in our power? It is hard even to speak of here, when one thinks of that ancient, lovely radiance, the bright first cause, who stands alone age after age, and whose ways cannot be grasped even by those who know Him well.
Word by word
- ātarippum
- my longing for Him
- nam uṭaiyamētāṉ
- is it in our hands?
- ūḻitōṟu ūḻi
- age after age
- uṇaralākāc cūḻal
- ways that cannot be grasped
- tollai am cōti
- the ancient, lovely radiance
Tiruvaymozhi 8.2.6 · verse 3579 of the four thousand
Meaning
When I think of that ancient, lovely radiance, it is beyond my words; even for the immortals it brings endless bewilderment. Let that be. He who took my dark glow will not even give me His garland of cool tulasi and petalled flowers. To whom shall I now cry out? Tell me! O Mal, who lies sleeping with great flower eyes at Thirukkudanthai, ringed by rich fields full of creepers!
Word by word
- col aḷavu aṉṟu
- beyond the measure of words
- imaiyōr tamakkum
- even for the unblinking gods
- kūḻppuc ceyyum
- causes bewilderment
- taṇ tuḻāyum tārāṉ
- will not give even His cool tulasi
- ārkku iṭukō iṉip pūcal
- to whom shall I cry out now?
- kuṭantai
- Thirukkudanthai (Kumbakonam)
- mā malarkkaṇ vaḷarkiṉṟa mālē
- O Mal, sleeping with great flower eyes
Tiruvaymozhi 8.2.7 · verse 3580 of the four thousand
Meaning
He made me cry out again and again, "Mal, Hari, Kesava, Narayana, Sri Madhava, Govinda, Vaikuntha," and then left me, showing nothing at all: not His form, not even a trace. O mothers with hair adorned with fragrant flowers, O my friends, what shall I do? Though many ages pass, I swear I will see Him. There is nothing more between you and me.
Word by word
- eṉṟu eṉṟu ōlam iṭa
- crying out again and again
- paṇṇi viṭṭiṭṭu
- made me so, then left me
- uruvum cuvaṭum kāṭṭāṉ
- shows neither form nor trace
- ēla malarkkuḻal
- hair adorned with fragrant flowers
- kāṇpatu āṇai
- I swear I will see Him
- eṅkaḷ iṭai illaiyē
- there is nothing between us now
Tiruvaymozhi 8.2.8 · verse 3581 of the four thousand
Meaning
There is nothing between us now, O parrots I raised, O mynas, cuckoos and peacocks! He took our dark glow, our bangles and our heart, letting not one remain. Vaikuntham, the Milk Ocean and the collyrium-dark hill where He dwells are near enough; yet He will not let them be seen until every attachment has been given up completely.
Word by word
- yāṉ vaḷartta kiḷikāḷ
- O parrots I raised
- pūvaikaḷkāḷ
- O mynas
- oḻiya oṭṭātu koṇṭāṉ
- took them, letting nothing remain
- añcaṉa veṟpum
- the collyrium-dark hill
- kaṭaiyaṟap pācaṅkaḷ viṭṭapiṉṉai
- only after every attachment is given up
- kāṇkoṭāṉē
- He will not let them be seen
Tiruvaymozhi 8.2.9 · verse 3582 of the four thousand
Meaning
He is not one to show Himself to anyone. Yet by a wonder beyond all reckoning He showed the lovely form of a noble dwarf, then grew to fill earth and heaven, His many far-reaching, radiant arms spreading out like branches. To that God and Lord I have given my modesty along with my composure; what more is left for me to give, my ladies of fair brows?
Word by word
- kāṇkoṭuppāṉ allaṉ
- not one to show Himself
- māṇ kuṟaḷ kōla vaṭivu
- the lovely form of a noble dwarf, Vamana
- maṇṇum viṇṇum niṟaiya malarnta
- who grew to fill earth and heaven
- tōḷkaḷ pala taḻaitta
- many arms spreading like branches
- nāṇ koṭuttēṉ
- I gave away my modesty
- naṅkaimīrkāḷ
- O ladies
Tiruvaymozhi 8.2.10 · verse 3583 of the four thousand
Meaning
My ladies of fair brows, what am I to do now? My heart has left me, saying, "I am no longer on your side," and has gone to the fresh-flower feet of the One who, holding the discus and the conch in His two hands, looks like a lovely, tall blue mountain coming towards us, bearing the sun with its many long rays and the milk-white moon.
Word by word
- niṉ iṭaiyēṉ allēṉ
- I am no longer on your side
- nēmiyum caṅkum
- the discus and the conch
- cuṭar ñāyiṟṟōṭu
- with the radiant sun
- pāl mati ēnti
- bearing the milk-white moon
- nīla nal neṭum kuṉṟam
- a fine, tall blue mountain
- nāḷ malarp pātam
- feet like fresh-blown flowers
Tiruvaymozhi 8.2.11 · verse 3584 of the four thousand
Meaning
Bound by longing to reach His feet, letting go of every other bond, Satakopan (Nammalwar) of bountiful Kurugur sang this flawless antadi of a thousand verses at the feet of Kannan of spotless fame. Those who can sing these ten among them with music will be free of every evil, and will be fulfilled in all things, here and there.
Word by word
- pātam aṭaivataṉ pācattālē
- by the bond of longing to reach His feet
- pācaṅkaḷ muṟṟa viṭṭu
- letting go of all other bonds
- kōtu il pukaḻ
- spotless fame
- tītu il antāti
- flawless antadi, verses linked end to beginning
- icaiyoṭum vallār
- those who can sing them with music
- iṅkum aṅkum
- here and in the world beyond
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.