Periyalwar Tirumozhi 4.1.1 · verse 328 of the four thousand
Meaning
If you are looking for the place where Rama of matchless greatness dwells, whose tall crown shines as if a thousand suns blazed together, there are those who have truly seen Him: as the Man-Lion, He tore open the chest of Hiranya, whose mighty shoulders were made for battle and whose anklets rang, and sat there with His hands smeared in blood.
Word by word
- katir āyiram iravi kalantu eṟittāl otta
- as if a thousand suns blazed together
- etir il perumai irāmaṉai
- Rama of matchless greatness
- irukkum iṭam nāṭutirēl
- if you seek the place where He dwells
- iraṇiyaṉ ākam piḷantu ariyāy
- as the Lion, tearing open Hiranya's chest
- utiram aḷainta kaiyōṭu
- with hands smeared in blood
- uḷḷavā kaṇṭār uḷar
- there are those who saw Him as He truly is
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 4.1.2 · verse 329 of the four thousand
Meaning
If you are looking for the place where great Rama dwells, who bears the sword Nandaka, the conch, the mace, the Sarnga bow with its twanging string and the sacred discus, there are those who saw Him at the sacrifice of Janaka, chief among kings, when for the sake of Sita, whose fingers are like kantal buds, He went and broke the stern bow.
Word by word
- nāntakam caṅku taṇṭu
- the sword Nandaka, conch and mace
- nāṇ olic cārṅkam
- the Sarnga bow with twanging string
- tiruccakkaram
- the sacred discus
- kāntaḷ mukiḻ viraṟ cītaikku
- for Sita, with fingers like kantal buds
- kaṭuñcilai ceṉṟu iṟukka
- going and breaking the stern bow
- caṉakarācaṉtaṉ vēḷviyiṟ
- at King Janaka's sacrifice
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 4.1.3 · verse 330 of the four thousand
Meaning
If you are earnestly seeking the God who plucked out the tusk of the killer elephant, fought and destroyed the armies of His foes, and with His bow shot through the sala trees, there are those who saw Him there, seated in majesty on the shore of the surging sea, when the monkey hosts carried great rocks on their heads and went to dam it.
Word by word
- kolaiyāṉaik kompu paṟittuk
- plucking out the killer elephant's tusk
- kūṭalar cēṉai
- the armies of His foes
- cilaiyāl marāmaram eyta
- who shot through the sala trees with His bow
- talaiyāl kurakkiṉam tāṅkic ceṉṟu
- the monkey hosts carrying rocks on their heads
- taṭavarai koṇṭu aṭaippa
- damming it with great rocks
- alai ār kaṭaṟkarai vīṟṟiruntāṉai
- Him seated in majesty on the shore of the surging sea
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 4.1.4 · verse 331 of the four thousand
Meaning
If you would seek that wondrous Child who took His ancient form in the midst of the spreading waters, come, I will tell you where to find His trace: there are those who truly saw Him stand sweating after He fought and destroyed all seven fierce bulls for the sake of Nappinnai, the young cowherd girl.
Word by word
- tōyam paranta naṭuvu
- in the midst of the spreading waters
- māyak kuḻavi
- the wondrous Child
- vammiṉ cuvaṭu uraikkēṉ
- come, I will tell you His trace
- āyar maṭamakaḷ piṉṉaikku āki
- for Nappinnai, the young cowherd girl
- aṭal viṭai ēḻiṉaiyum
- all seven fierce bulls
- viyarttu niṉṟāṉai
- Him standing there sweating
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 4.1.5 · verse 332 of the four thousand
Meaning
If you are looking for Tirumal, before whom the blue-throated Shiva, with water on his red matted locks, and four-faced Brahma stand speaking words of praise each in turn, there are those who clearly saw Him when He seized Rukmini by force, set her on His chariot, and fought in the midst of the army.
Word by word
- nīr ēṟu ceñcaṭai nīlakaṇṭaṉum
- the blue-throated Shiva, with water on his red locks
- nāṉmukaṉum
- four-faced Brahma
- cīr ēṟu vācakañ ceyya
- speaking words of praise
- uruppiṇiyai valiyap piṭittukkoṇṭu
- seizing Rukmini by force
- cēṉai naṭuvu pōr ceyya
- fighting in the midst of the army
- cikkeṉak kaṇṭār uḷar
- there are those who clearly saw
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 4.1.6 · verse 333 of the four thousand
Meaning
If you are looking for the place where the great sapphire-coloured Lord dwells, He who could put His lips to the breast of the hideous demoness till she died, there are those who saw Him seated on His throne in Dwaraka, where the sea dashes its waves, with His many thousands of great queens and everyone gathered around Him.
Word by word
- pollā vaṭivu uṭaip pēycci
- the demoness of hideous form, Putana
- vāymaṭukka vallāṉai
- He who could put His lips to
- mā maṇivaṇṇaṉai
- the great sapphire-coloured Lord
- pallāyiram perun tēvimāroṭu
- with many thousands of great queens
- pauvam eṟi tuvarai
- Dwaraka, where the sea dashes its waves
- ciṅkācaṉattē iruntāṉaik
- Him seated on the throne
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 4.1.7 · verse 334 of the four thousand
Meaning
If you ask where He is, whose hands hold the white, calling conch and the sacred discus of fierce flame, come, I will tell you His trace in a word: there are those who saw Him standing in front on the victorious chariot with white horses and the monkey banner, a crafty comrade in arms, fighting the Bharata war.
Word by word
- veḷḷai viḷicaṅku
- the white, calling conch
- veñcuṭart tiruccakkaram
- the sacred discus of fierce flame
- uḷḷa iṭam viṉavil
- if you ask where He is
- veḷḷaip puravik kurakku velkoṭit tērmicai
- on the victorious chariot with white horses and the monkey banner
- kaḷḷap paṭaittuṇai ākip
- as a crafty comrade in arms
- pāratam kaiceyyak
- fighting the Bharata war
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 4.1.8 · verse 335 of the four thousand
Meaning
Devaki's little son fought on, hour by hour, before the kings who stood guarding and counting out the time. That day He hid the sun with His discus, and in the fighting Jayadratha's head rolled away into the waste. There are those who saw Him close at hand there.
Word by word
- nāḻikai kūṟu iṭṭuk kāttu niṉṟa aracarkaḷ
- the kings who stood guard, counting out the hours
- tēvaki taṉ ciṟuvaṉ
- Devaki's little son
- āḻikoṇṭu aṉṟu iravi maṟaippa
- that day hiding the sun with His discus
- cayattirataṉ talaiyaip
- Jayadratha's head
- pāḻil uruḷap
- rolling away into the waste
- pakkamē kaṇṭār uḷar
- there are those who saw Him close at hand
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 4.1.9 · verse 336 of the four thousand
Meaning
If you are earnestly seeking the God who surely swallowed and then brought forth the earth, the mountains, the rolling seas and everything else besides, there are those who saw Him when He became a Boar beyond all reckoning, entered the vast earth, lifted it up, and was united with the lady of lovely dark tresses, the Earth.
Word by word
- maṇṇum malaiyum maṟikaṭalkaḷum
- the earth, the mountains and the rolling seas
- viḻuṅki umiḻnta tēvaṉaic
- the God who swallowed and brought them forth
- eṇṇaṟku ariyatu ōr ēṉam āki
- becoming a Boar beyond all reckoning
- irunilam pukku iṭantu
- entering the vast earth and lifting it
- vaṇṇak karuṅkuḻal mātarōṭu
- with the lady of lovely dark tresses, Bhudevi
- maṇantāṉaik
- Him who was united
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 4.1.10 · verse 337 of the four thousand
Meaning
Pattarpiran, Periyalwar, the Veda-scholar shining with grace, of Puduvai, where red paddy grows tall in the fields, sang this garland of ten, telling the traces left by those who saw the wondrous Lord whose body is like a dark cloud. Devotees whose hearts love to praise Him will reach the feet of the Supreme.
Word by word
- kariya mukil purai mēṉi māyaṉaik
- the wondrous Lord whose body is like a dark cloud
- kaṇṭa cuvaṭu uraittup
- telling the traces of those who saw Him
- cennel ōṅki viḷai kaḻaṉip putuvait
- Puduvai, where red paddy grows tall in the fields
- maṟaivāṇaṉ paṭṭarpirāṉ
- Pattarpiran, the Veda-scholar
- paramaṉ aṭi cērvarkaḷē
- will reach the feet of the Supreme
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.