Tiruviruttam 21 · verse 2498 of the four thousand
Meaning
While the celestials stood holding pure, fine garlands to crown You, bathing You in good water and offering lovely incense, You slipped away from there by some wonder of Yours and came down to steal and eat the butter that was stored. And for the sake of the slender branch of the mighty cowherds, You danced Your dance between the strong, curved horns of the humped bulls.
Word by word
- cūṭṭu nal mālaikaḷ
- fine garlands to crown Him
- am tūpam
- lovely incense
- ōr māyaiyiṉāl
- by some wondrous power of His
- īṭṭiya veṇṇey
- the butter that had been stored
- imil ēṟṟu vaṉ kūṉ
- the strong, curved horns of the humped bulls
- kōṭṭiṭai āṭiṉai kūttu
- You danced between the horns
- aṭal āyar tam kompiṉukkē
- for the slender branch of the mighty cowherds, Nappinnai
Tiruviruttam 22 · verse 2499 of the four thousand
Meaning
(The girls of the field speak to the hero.) We carry no leafy branch in hand, and no small cord for slinging stones. You talk of your hunting, sir, and ask about an elephant struck by your arrows. In the land of the stealing Lord who rides the bird, such things never happen and never fit together. Were we placed in this great millet field to answer idle questions?
Word by word
- kompu ār taḻai
- a branch full of leaves
- ciṟu nāṇ eṟivu ilam
- we have no small sling-cord to throw stones
- ampu ār kaḷiṟu
- an elephant struck with arrows
- puḷ ūrum kaḷvar
- the stealing Lord who rides the bird
- tammil kūṭātaṉa
- things that do not fit together
- vampu ār viṉāc
- idle, pointless questions
- vāṉ puṉattē
- in this great millet field
Tiruviruttam 23 · verse 2500 of the four thousand
Meaning
(The hero speaks to the girls.) Is it the millet field you guard? Or is it the heart of me, ill-fated, who walks along the path beside the field? Tell me, maidens, what is it that you guard? You who are like the company of goddesses who dwell in the heaven of Kannan, whose eyes are like a lovely-hued forest of lotuses: are these your ways?
Word by word
- puṉamō
- is it the millet field?
- aru viṉaiyēṉ
- I, of hard fate
- makaḷir num kāval collīr
- maidens, tell me what you guard
- puṇṭarīkattu am kēḻ
- the lovely hue of lotuses
- vāṉ nāṭu amarum teyvattu
- the goddesses dwelling in heaven
- num iyalvukaḷē
- your ways
Tiruviruttam 24 · verse 2501 of the four thousand
Meaning
With this deceitful sickness that has become part of our nature, with our great, tear-filled eyes in which carp leap, each the size of a cupped palm, and with our heart set on the freshly plucked, honey-flowing tulasi blossoms of Him who rides the bird and with a single hill guarded the herds of cattle from the rain, what will become of our lovely bangles?
Word by word
- vañca nōy
- a deceitful sickness, love-sickness
- orō kuṭaṅkaik
- each the size of a cupped palm
- kuṉṟam oṉṟāl
- with a single hill
- iṉa nirai kātta
- who guarded the herds of cattle
- puḷ ūrti
- He who rides the bird, Garuda
- kaḷ ūrum tuḻāyk
- tulasi flowing with honey
- kōl vaḷaikkē
- to our lovely bangles
Tiruviruttam 25 · verse 2502 of the four thousand
Meaning
Beginning with our lovely bangles, it will bring a bend into the just sceptre of Kannan, which protects earth and heaven. He is Lord of the Lord of the mighty immortals, Lord of all who dwell above, and our Lord. What will the tulasi He delights in not do, from now on, in this world of four lands?
Word by word
- em kōl vaḷai mutalā
- starting with our lovely bangles
- ceṅkōl vaḷaivu viḷaivikkumāl
- will bend His just sceptre
- tiṟal cēr amarar
- the mighty immortals
- umpar ellā evarkkum
- for all who dwell above
- nam kōṉ ukakkum tuḻāy
- the tulasi our Lord delights in
- nāṉilattē
- in this world of four kinds of land
Tiruviruttam 26 · verse 2503 of the four thousand
Meaning
(The hero speaks to the girl on the journey.) O golden one, who has crossed the desert that the sun, lord of summer's torment, took into his mouth like the whole fourfold land, chewed until all its good water was gone, tasted, and spat out as husk! Just beyond lies Vehka of Kannan, who stands with His feet touching the ground, worshipped by the celestials: a young grove of lovely flowers and honey, a refuge from every desert.
Word by word
- nāṉilam vāyk koṇṭu
- taking the fourfold land into his mouth
- kōtu koṇṭa
- left as husk
- vēṉil alam celvaṉ
- the sun, lord of summer's torment
- pālai kaṭanta poṉṉē
- O golden one who has crossed the desert
- kāl nilam tōyntu
- His feet touching the ground
- veḵkāutu
- that is Thiruvehka, in Kanchi
- eppālaikkum cēmattatē
- a safe refuge from every desert
Tiruviruttam 27 · verse 2504 of the four thousand
Meaning
(The girl speaks.) The world says, so that all may be secure, 'Safety lies in the grace of the just king; even enemies become friends.' It is true! In the old days this north wind called out its challenge and blew fire through every watch of the night. Now, as I am to wear the garland of cool, lovely tulasi of our Kannan, look, here it comes and turns cool!
Word by word
- cēmam ceṅkōṉ aruḷē
- safety is the grace of the just king
- ceṟuvārum naṭpu ākuvar
- even enemies become friends
- aṟai kūy
- calling out a challenge
- yāmaṅkaḷ tōṟu eri vīcum
- blowing fire through every watch of the night
- taṇṇam tuḻāyt tāmam
- garland of cool tulasi
- taṇṇeṉṟatē
- has turned cool
Tiruviruttam 28 · verse 2505 of the four thousand
Meaning
(The girl speaks to the Lord.) The cool, lovely tulasi takes our bangles, and we lose them; meanwhile a north wind roams about, searching out and stealing our colour. O Lord of Thiruvarangam, girt by dashing waters, where birds turn over the conches with their sharp beaks, be gracious! When we search our thoughts, were there ever such things before?
Word by word
- vaḷai koḷvatu
- takes away the bangles
- vaṇṇam tuḻāvi
- searching out our colour
- vaḷ vāy alakāl
- with sharp-edged beaks
- puḷ nantu
- birds and conches
- poru nīrt tiruvaraṅkā
- O Lord of Srirangam with its dashing waters
- eṇṇam tuḻāvumiṭattu
- when we search through our thoughts
Tiruviruttam 29 · verse 2506 of the four thousand
Meaning
(The girl speaks of the swans.) They never say, 'This girl, helpless, begged us to carry such and such a message'; they just come and go with their mates. Is it the custom in the world of the Lord, whose form is like a dark cloud bright with lightning, that no one carries a woman's message? These swans have no nobility of birth!
Word by word
- tūtu
- message, errand of a go-between
- āḷ aṟṟappaṭṭu irantāḷ
- she begged, having no one to help her
- peṭaiyoṭum pōyvarum
- they come and go with their mates
- nīlam uṇṭa miṉ aṉṉa mēṉi
- a form like lightning within a dark cloud
- peṇ tūtu cellā
- not carrying a woman's message
- kuṭic cīrmai il
- without nobility of birth
Tiruviruttam 30 · verse 2507 of the four thousand
Meaning
(The girl speaks to the birds.) You swans who are going, you herons who are going, I fold my hands and beg you. You will get there before me; do not forget! If you see my heart, which is there with Kannan, Lord of Vaikuntham, speak to it of me and say, 'Will you not come back to her even now? Is this right?'
Word by word
- aṉṉam celvīrum
- you swans who are going
- vaṇṭāṉam celvīrum
- you herons who are going
- toḻutu irantēṉ
- I beg with folded hands
- maṟavēlmiṉō
- do not forget
- kaṇṇaṉ vaikuntaṉōṭu
- with Kannan, Lord of Vaikuntham
- ituvō takavu
- is this right, is this fitting?
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.