Periyalwar Tirumozhi 2.8.1 · verse 192 of the four thousand
Meaning
(At dusk Yashoda calls the child in, to ward off the evil eye.) Indra and Brahma, Shiva and all the gods have come with great flowers made holy by mantras, and they stand there, half hidden. You who stand at Vellarai of the wise, whose mansions reach up to the moon: it is evening twilight now. Beautiful one, come and let me ward off all harm from You.
Word by word
- intiraṉōṭu piramaṉ
- Indra and Brahma
- īcaṉ
- Shiva
- mantira mā malar
- great flowers sanctified with mantras
- cantiraṉ māḷikai cērum
- whose mansions reach the moon
- veḷḷaṟai niṉṟāy
- You who stand at Thiruvellarai
- antiyam pōtu
- evening twilight
- kāppiṭa vārāy
- come, so I can ward off harm, the evil eye
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 2.8.2 · verse 193 of the four thousand
Meaning
The calves have come home and all the cows are lowing. I have stood here calling and calling You, You who have no love for me at all! Do not stay out in the common ground at twilight. You who stand at Thiruvellarai of the walls, my words are for Your good, You know; come and let me ward off harm from You.
Word by word
- kataṟukiṉṟa pacu
- the lowing cows
- niṉṟoḻintēṉ uṉṉaik kūvi
- I have stood here calling You
- nēcamēl oṉṟum ilātāy
- You who have no love at all
- maṉṟil nillēl
- do not stay in the common ground
- matiṟ tiruveḷḷaṟai
- walled Thiruvellarai
- naṉṟu kaṇṭāy eṉtaṉ collu
- my words are for Your good
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 2.8.3 · verse 194 of the four thousand
Meaning
You spoiled the little girls' play-rice and knocked down their sand houses, and then, when I scolded You, You went off and did not even eat Your meal, my master. You who stand at Vellarai of the sages, praised by the gods at all three times of day, I will do nothing to You now. My Lord, come and let me ward off harm from You.
Word by word
- ciṟucōṟum illum citaittiṭṭu
- spoiling their play-rice and sand houses
- nāṉ urappap pōy
- going off when I scolded
- aṭicilum uṇṭilai
- You did not even eat Your meal
- āḷvāy
- my master, You who rule me
- mup pōtum vāṉavar ēttum
- praised by the gods at the three times of day
- ippōtu nāṉ oṉṟum ceyyēṉ
- I will do nothing to You now
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 2.8.4 · verse 195 of the four thousand
Meaning
Countless children have come here, crying again and again, 'He threw sand in my eyes! He kicked me!' Who are all these, come to complain? Kanna, You who stand at Vellarai, You get up to mischief with everyone You meet. You whose colour is like the sea, generous one, come and let me ward off harm from You.
Word by word
- kaṇṇil maṇalkoṭu tūvik
- throwing sand in the eyes
- kāliṉāl pāyntaṉai
- You kicked me
- eṇ arum piḷḷaikaḷ
- children beyond counting
- muṟaippaṭukiṉṟār
- they are complaining
- vēlaiyatu oppāy
- You who are like the sea
- vaḷḷalē
- O generous one
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 2.8.5 · verse 196 of the four thousand
Meaning
There are many thousands of children in this town who get up to mischief, but all of it lands on You and on no one else. My Lord, come here! You who stand at Vellarai of the good, flame of knowledge, come, so that I may stand and praise Your body with all my words and ward off harm from You properly.
Word by word
- pallāyiravar
- many thousands
- uṉmēl aṉṟip pōkātu
- it lands on no one but You
- nallārkaḷ veḷḷaṟai
- Vellarai of good people
- ñāṉac cuṭarē
- flame of knowledge
- col āra vāḻtti
- praising with all my words
- coppaṭak kāppiṭa
- to ward off harm properly
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 2.8.6 · verse 197 of the four thousand
Meaning
There is word going about that Kamsa, enraged against You, has sent a dark demon with red hair to trick You. You who stand at Thiruvellarai, with its walls and jewelled mansions where the clouds drift, I am afraid to let You stay out there. Beautiful one, come and let me ward off harm from You.
Word by word
- kaṟukkoṇṭu
- in fury
- karu niṟac cem mayirp pēyai
- a dark demon with red hair
- vañcippataṟku viṭuttāṉ
- has sent to trick You
- mañcu tavaḻ maṇi māṭa
- jewelled mansions where clouds drift
- añcuvaṉ nī aṅku niṟka
- I fear to let You stay there
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 2.8.7 · verse 198 of the four thousand
Meaning
Little King, who kicked the deceitful cart and the marutha trees till their menace was gone! Ever since You caught the demoness and drank at her breast, I no longer know at all what You truly are. You who stand at radiant Vellarai, it is time to sleep now. Supreme One, come and let me ward off harm from You.
Word by word
- kaḷḷac cakaṭum marutum
- the deceitful cart and the marutha trees
- kalakku aḻiya
- so their menace was destroyed
- piḷḷaiyaracē
- little King, King among children
- uḷḷavāṟu oṉṟum aṟiyēṉ
- I do not know what You truly are
- paḷḷikoḷ pōtu
- time to sleep
- paramaṉē
- Supreme One
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 2.8.8 · verse 199 of the four thousand
Meaning
You who raise joy to its height, ever beyond the reach of the immortals; King who killed the elephant with the great swollen brow; death in the heart of cruel Kamsa; You of Vellarai, walled in red gold; child who grows up amid plenty! Look, the frightening Kapali is out there; run in quickly and let me ward off harm from You.
Word by word
- iṉpam ataṉai uyarttāy
- You who raise joy to its height
- imaiyavarkku eṉṟum ariyāy
- ever hard for the gods to reach
- kumpak kaḷiṟu aṭṭa
- who killed the elephant with the great brow, Kuvalayapida
- koṭuṅ kañcaṉ neñciṉiṟ kūṟṟē
- death in cruel Kamsa's heart
- celvattiṉāl vaḷar piḷḷāy
- child who grows up amid plenty
- kampak kapāli
- the fearsome skull-bearer, a figure to hurry a child home
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 2.8.9 · verse 200 of the four thousand
Meaning
The handsome Vedic brahmins have come with Rig Veda hymns and water in a conch, and stand waiting. Do not be headstrong, Nambi, standing out at the crossroads; heed your mother's word for a few days at least. You who stand at radiant Vellarai, come so that I may set the sacred protection on You; now I will light the evening lamp, so that it shines and shows every shape. Come!
Word by word
- irukkoṭu nīr caṅkiṟ koṇṭiṭṭu
- with Rig Veda hymns and water in a conch
- eḻil maṟaiyōr
- the handsome Vedic brahmins
- tarukkēl
- do not be headstrong
- canti niṉṟu
- standing at the crossroads
- tirukkāppu
- sacred protection, the rite against the evil eye
- uruk kāṭṭum anti viḷakku
- the evening lamp that shows every shape
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 2.8.10 · verse 201 of the four thousand
Meaning
These are the words of Yashoda, highest among women, as she warded off harm from her son, the Lord of Thiruvellarai, who is united with the blessed tender shoot, Lakshmi, seated on the lotus. Vishnuchitta, Periyalwar, who can draw the fruit of the Vedas, sang this garland. The devotees who can take its fruit, line by line, will see their past deeds fall away.
Word by word
- pōtu amar celvakkoḻuntu
- the blessed tender shoot seated on the lotus, Lakshmi
- mātarkku uyarnta acōtai
- Yashoda, highest among women
- kāppiṭṭa māṟṟam
- the words as she warded off harm
- vētap payaṉ koḷḷa valla
- who can draw the fruit of the Vedas
- viṭṭucittaṉ
- Vishnuchitta, Periyalwar's name
- pātap payaṉ koḷḷa valla
- able to take the fruit of its lines, or of His feet
- viṉai pōmē
- their past deeds will go
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.