Periyalwar Tirumozhi 3.3.1 · verse 244 of the four thousand
Meaning
(Yashoda speaks.) A little cloth roll in one ear, and in the other a red glory-lily set on top; a lovely sash about the waist, a fine garment, and a cool necklace of pearls: come and see the dress of the One coloured like the sea, as He comes walking behind the cattle! O ladies, of all the women in this world who have borne a son, I alone have truly borne one; there is no one else.
Word by word
- cīlaik kutampai
- an ear-ornament of rolled cloth
- cenniṟa mēṟ tōṉṟippū
- a red glory-lily worn on top
- kōlap paṇaik kaccum
- a beautiful waist-sash
- kuḷir muttiṉ kōṭālamum
- a cool necklace of pearls
- kālip piṉṉē
- behind the cattle
- kaṭalvaṇṇaṉ
- the One coloured like the sea
- nāṉē maṟṟu ārum illai
- I alone, and no one else
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 3.3.2 · verse 245 of the four thousand
Meaning
O Madhusudana, O Kesava, whose glory abides in southern Srirangam on the Kaveri, ringed by fine great walls no enemy has ever breached and by flowering groves! Wretch that I am, caring only for our household's comfort, I fed You early in the morning and sent You off to graze the young calves. There is no woman with a harder heart than mine. My little one, come, give me a kiss.
Word by word
- kaṉṉi naṉ mā matil
- fine great walls, never breached, as if untouched
- kāvirit teṉṉaraṅkam
- southern Srirangam on the Kaveri
- matucūtaṉā kēcavā
- O Madhusudana, slayer of Madhu; O Kesava, of lovely locks
- pāviyēṉ
- I, the sinful one
- ciṟukālē
- early in the morning
- eṉṉiṉ maṉam valiyāḷ
- a woman harder of heart than I
- eṉkuṭṭaṉē muttam tā
- my little one, give me a kiss
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 3.3.3 · verse 246 of the four thousand
Meaning
You went through the forests grazing the calves, ran about, and came home wearing the glory-lilies of the rainy season, O Damodara. Look, Your body is covered with the dust raised by the calves! O Bridegroom of Nappinnai, whose grace is like a peahen's, I have made the water ready for Your bath. Bathe, and then eat. Your father has not eaten yet either; he will eat together with You.
Word by word
- kāṭukaḷ ūṭu pōy
- going through the forests
- kārkkōṭaṟpūc
- glory-lilies of the rainy season
- tāmōtarā
- O Damodara, once bound with a rope at the waist
- kaṟṟut tūḷi
- dust raised by the calves
- pēṭai mayiṟ cāyaṟ piṉṉai maṇāḷā
- Bridegroom of Nappinnai, graceful as a peahen
- nīrāṭṭu amaittu vaittēṉ
- I have made Your bath ready
- appaṉum uṇṭilaṉ
- Your father has not eaten either
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 3.3.4 · verse 247 of the four thousand
Meaning
O Lord of Thiruvenkatam, beautiful with fragrant groves, O dark young bull ready for battle! I had the umbrella, the sandals and the flute You love brought for You, but You went off without taking them, my dear one. You followed the calves into the harsh, burning forest, and Your little red lotus feet were scorched, Your eyes grew red, and You are worn out, my Lord.
Word by word
- kaṭi ār poḻil aṇi vēṅkaṭavā
- Lord of Thiruvenkatam, lovely with fragrant groves
- karum pōrēṟē
- O dark bull eager for battle
- kuṭaiyum ceruppum kuḻalum
- umbrella, sandals and flute
- mālē
- O dear one, Mal
- kaṭiya veṅ kāṉiṭaik
- in the harsh, burning forest
- ceṅ kamala- aṭiyum vetumpi
- Your red lotus feet scorched
- acaintiṭṭāy
- You are weary
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 3.3.5 · verse 248 of the four thousand
Meaning
O battle-bull who once set the Panchajanya conch to Your lips so that Your enemies trembled! My lion among the little cowherds! Bridegroom of Sita! My little dark one with red eyes! It seems You left Your little garment and Your little knife lying on the cot, went off with the cowherds who know the calves, grazed the calves among them, and came back home along with them.
Word by word
- paṟṟār naṭuṅka
- so that enemies trembled
- pāñcacaṉṉiyattai
- the Panchajanya, the Lord's conch
- ciṟṟāyar ciṅkamē
- O lion among the little cowherds
- cītai maṇāḷā
- Bridegroom of Sita
- ciṟṟāṭaiyum ciṟuppattiramum
- the little garment and the little knife
- kaṭṭiliṉ mēl vaittup pōy
- leaving them on the cot
- kalantu uṭaṉ vantāy pōlum
- it seems You came back with them
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 3.3.6 · verse 249 of the four thousand
Meaning
O beautiful One who holds the lovely radiant discus in Your hand! You plunged into the pond and wrestled with the serpent that spat poison, and yet I lived through it. Why did You torment me so, churning my very womb? You have no fear of anything at all. You did just what would have pleased Kamsa's heart, You who have taken on the colour of the kaya flower.
Word by word
- añcuṭar āḻi
- the lovely radiant discus
- poykai pukku
- entering the pond
- nañcu umiḻ nākattiṉōṭu
- with the poison-spitting serpent, Kaliya
- vayiṟu maṟukkiṉāy
- You churned my womb, tormented me
- ētum ōr accam illai
- no fear of anything
- kañcaṉ maṉattukku ukappaṉavē
- just what would please Kamsa's heart
- kāyāmpū vaṇṇam
- the dark blue colour of the kaya flower
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 3.3.7 · verse 250 of the four thousand
Meaning
O You whose colour is that of the ocean of milk, who became the Boar, the Tortoise and the Fish! When a deceitful demon came against You in the grazing field in the shape of a calf, it seems You went and seized him with Your little hands and flung him at the wood-apple tree. Whoever ever does harm to my child will meet just such an end.
Word by word
- paṉṟiyum āmaiyum mīṉamum
- the Boar, the Tortoise and the Fish
- pāṟkaṭal vaṇṇā
- O You coloured like the ocean of milk
- kaṉṟiṉ uruvāki
- taking the form of a calf
- kaḷḷa acurar
- the deceitful demon
- ciṟukkaikaḷālē
- with Your little hands
- viḷaṅkāy eṟintāy
- You flung him at the wood-apple
- aṅṅaṉam āvarkaḷē
- they will end the same way
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 3.3.8 · verse 251 of the four thousand
Meaning
I am hearing things never heard before, Kesava! It seems You mixed together and ate up all the rice, the curries and the curd that the cowherds had set out for Indra. I have nothing in store to feed You; managing You is always too much for me. O Vasudeva, whose fame never fades, from this day on I am afraid of You.
Word by word
- kēṭṭu aṟiyātaṉa
- things never heard of before
- kōvalar intiraṟkuk
- the cowherds, for Indra
- cōṟum kaṟiyum tayirum
- rice, curries and curd
- kalantu uṭaṉ uṇṭāy
- You mixed it all and ate it at once
- ūṭṭa mutal ilēṉ
- I have no store to feed You
- vāṭṭam ilāp pukaḻ
- fame that never fades
- añcuvaṉ iṉṟu toṭṭum
- from today I fear You
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 3.3.9 · verse 252 of the four thousand
Meaning
O You who hold the strong white conch! Your holy day, Thiruvonam, is seven days from today. I have called the women whose voices are sweet as music, set the sprouting seeds in pots, and had them sing 'Pallandu', long may You live. For the festive ceremony I have made the vegetables ready and the rice in its vessels. Kanna, from tomorrow do not go behind the calves; let me dress You up, and stay here at home.
Word by word
- tiṇ ār veṇcaṅku
- the strong white conch
- tirunāḷ tiru vōṇam
- the holy day of Thiruvonam
- paṇnēr moḻiyāraik kūvi
- calling women whose speech is like music
- muḷai aṭṭip
- setting the sprouting seeds, an auspicious rite
- pallāṇṭu kūṟuvittēṉ
- had them sing 'long may He live'
- kaṇṇālam ceyyak
- for the festive ceremony
- kōlam ceytu iṅkē iru
- be dressed up and stay here
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 3.3.10 · verse 253 of the four thousand
Meaning
Yashoda, the good cowherd woman, delighted to see her son Govinda come home from grazing the herds of calves, and spoke all these loving words to Him. Vittuchittan, Periyalwar, of southern Puduvai where people free of malice live, has set them down. Those who learn these words and can sing them will see the twin feet of the Lord who is coloured like the sea.
Word by word
- acōtai nal āycci
- Yashoda, the good cowherd woman
- puttiraṉ kōvintaṉaik
- her son Govinda
- kaṟpitta māṟṟam ellām
- all the words she spoke
- ceṟṟam ilātavar
- people free of malice
- teṉputu vai viṭṭucittaṉ
- Vishnuchitta of southern Puduvai, Srivilliputhur
- kaḻaliṇai kāṇparkaḷē
- will see His twin feet
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.