Periyalwar Tirumozhi 1.9.1 · verse 108 of the four thousand
Meaning
(Yashoda tells how her child comes and hugs her from behind.) Like a pearl forming at the tip of a ruby bud, drop after drop keeps trickling from His lips as my little one comes and hugs me from behind. Govinda comes and hugs me from behind!
Word by word
- māṇikka-moṭṭu
- a ruby bud
- muḷaikkiṉṟa muttē pōl
- like a pearl forming
- coṭṭuc coṭṭu eṉṉat
- drop after drop
- eṉ kuṭṭaṉ
- my little one
- puṟampulkuvāṉ
- hugs me from behind
- kōvintaṉ
- Govinda
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 1.9.2 · verse 109 of the four thousand
Meaning
With ankle bells tied on, and other little ornaments tied on, bangles on His hands and a chain about His neck, walking gracefully along in His own way, my Kannan comes and hugs me from behind. My Lord comes and hugs me from behind!
Word by word
- kiṇkiṇi kaṭṭik
- tying on ankle bells
- kaiyiṉiṟ kaṅkaṇam iṭṭuk
- putting bangles on His hands
- kaḻuttiṟ toṭar kaṭṭit
- tying a chain on His neck
- catirā naṭantu vantu
- walking up gracefully
- eṉ kaṇṇaṉ
- my Kannan
- empirāṉ
- my Lord
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 1.9.3 · verse 110 of the four thousand
Meaning
There was great wealth heaped up in plenty, but the chief of the hundred would not share it in harmony and wished to rule the land alone. My Father, who was born so that his clan would perish, comes and hugs me from behind. The bull of the cowherds comes and hugs me from behind!
Word by word
- katittuk kiṭanta peruñcelvam
- great wealth lying heaped up
- ottup poruntikkoṇṭu uṇṇātu
- not enjoying it together in harmony
- maṇ āḷvāṉ
- wanting to rule the land
- kottut talaivaṉ
- the chief of the clan, Duryodhana
- kuṭikeṭat tōṉṟiya
- born so that his clan would perish
- āyarkaḷ ēṟu
- the bull of the cowherds
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 1.9.4 · verse 111 of the four thousand
Meaning
Dhananjaya, Arjuna, bowed low and said, "You, the perfect one who bears the Nandaka sword, are my refuge." He became his, and drove Vijaya's strong, jewelled chariot so that the kings of the earth trembled. He comes and hugs me from behind. The Lord of the gods comes and hugs me from behind!
Word by word
- nāntakam ēntiya nampi
- the perfect one who bears the Nandaka sword
- caraṇ eṉṟu
- saying, You are my refuge
- taṉañcayaṟku
- for Dhananjaya, Arjuna
- vēntarkaḷ uṭka
- so that kings trembled
- vicayaṉ maṇit tiṇtēr
- Vijaya's strong, jewelled chariot
- umparkōṉ
- the Lord of the gods
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 1.9.5 · verse 112 of the four thousand
Meaning
With a little bronze leaf-ornament tied on, He plays beneath the dark, leafy grove, while many songs are sung and blessings of long life ring out. He who long ago took many lands comes and hugs me from behind. Vamana comes and hugs me from behind!
Word by word
- veṇkalap pattiram
- a little bronze leaf-ornament
- karuntaḻaik kāviṉ kīḻp
- beneath the dark, leafy grove
- paṇ pala pāṭip
- singing many songs
- pallāṇṭu icaippa
- as blessings of 'many years' ring out
- maṇ pala koṇṭāṉ
- He who took many lands
- vāmaṉaṉ
- Vamana
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 1.9.6 · verse 113 of the four thousand
Meaning
Holding a parasol, as a lone young brahmachari, He stood before Mahabali at the northern altar of the sacrifice and, while the kshatriyas looked on, took the whole land. He of auspicious form comes and hugs me from behind. He who measured the earth comes and hugs me from behind!
Word by word
- cattiram ēntit
- holding a parasol
- taṉi oru māṇiyāy
- as a lone young brahmachari
- uttara vētiyil
- at the northern altar of the sacrifice
- kattiriyar kāṇak
- as the kshatriyas looked on
- kāṇi muṟṟum koṇṭa
- who took the whole land
- pattirākāraṉ
- He of auspicious form
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 1.9.7 · verse 114 of the four thousand
Meaning
He turns over the hollow mortar, climbs up on it, and swallows sweet milk and butter from the jar until His holy belly is full. My Father comes and hugs me from behind. He who holds the discus comes and hugs me from behind!
Word by word
- potta uralaik kaviḻttu
- turning over the hollow mortar
- tittitta pālum
- sweet milk
- taṭāviṉil veṇṇeyum
- butter from the jar
- tiruvayiṟu āra
- until His holy belly was full
- attaṉ
- my Father
- āḻiyāṉ
- He who holds the discus
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 1.9.8 · verse 115 of the four thousand
Meaning
So that the elders may watch, He climbs the old sand hill, dances joyfully and plays tunes on His flute. As worthy Vedic scholars bow to Him and the gods sing His praise, He comes and hugs me from behind. My Lord comes and hugs me from behind!
Word by word
- mūttavai kāṇa
- so that the elders may watch
- mutu maṇaṟkuṉṟu ēṟik
- climbing the old sand hill
- kūttu uvantu āṭik
- dancing joyfully
- kuḻalāl icai pāṭi
- playing tunes on the flute
- vāytta maṟaiyōr
- worthy Vedic scholars
- imaiyavar ētta
- as the gods praise
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 1.9.9 · verse 116 of the four thousand
Meaning
His beloved wished for the Kalpaka tree. Saying, "I will give it to you now," He did what was needed in Indra's garden and brought it into her moonlit courtyard. He comes and hugs me from behind. The Lord of the gods comes and hugs me from behind!
Word by word
- kaṟpakak kāvu
- the Kalpaka, the wish-granting tree
- kātalikku
- for His beloved (Satyabhama)
- ippoḻutu īvaṉ
- I will give it now
- intiraṉ kāviṉil
- in Indra's garden
- nilāt tikaḻ muṟṟattuḷ
- into the moonlit courtyard
- umparkōṉ
- the Lord of the gods
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 1.9.10 · verse 117 of the four thousand
Meaning
The cowherd woman with shoulders smooth as bamboo told how, that day, the Lord of the discus hugged her from behind. Vishnuchitta gladly gave her words in these Tamil verses. Those who master all ten will be blessed with fine children and rejoice.
Word by word
- āḻip pirāṉ
- the Lord of the discus
- puṟampulkiya
- hugged from behind
- vēyt taṭantōḷi
- she with broad shoulders smooth as bamboo
- viṭṭucittaṉ
- Vishnuchitta, Periyalwar
- īraintum
- all ten
- vāytta naṉmakkaḷaip peṟṟu
- gaining fine, worthy children
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.