Periyalwar Tirumozhi 4.10.1 · verse 423 of the four thousand
Meaning
People seek out the strong because they will help in a time of weakness. I have nothing to offer, yet I have come to You, because You showed Your grace to the elephant. When weariness comes and torments me at the end, I will not be able to think of You at all. So I am telling You now, for that hour, O You who recline on the serpent bed at Srirangam.
Word by word
- tuppuṭaiyārai aṭaivatu ellām
- all who seek out the strong
- cōrviṭattut tuṇai āvar
- they will help in weakness
- oppilēṉ ākilum
- though I am worth nothing
- āṉaikku nī aruḷ ceytamaiyāl
- because You showed grace to the elephant
- appōtaikku ippōtē colli vaittēṉ
- I tell You now, for that hour
- araṅkattu aravaṇaip paḷḷiyāṉē
- O You who recline on the serpent bed at Srirangam
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 4.10.2 · verse 424 of the four thousand
Meaning
At the hour of my death, keep me in Your mind, O You who hold the conch and the discus. Yama's servants will bite their tongues in rage and keep inflicting punishment after punishment on me. But You have the wondrous power to stand so that not one of them can come near one who is Yours as he goes. So, while I still can, I have told You this, O You who recline on the serpent bed at Srirangam.
Word by word
- cām iṭattu
- at the hour of death
- kuṟikkoḷ kaṇṭāy
- keep me in Your mind
- nā maṭittu
- biting their tongues in rage
- namaṉtamarkaḷ
- Yama's servants
- māyai vallai
- You have wondrous power
- ām iṭattē
- while I still can
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 4.10.3 · verse 425 of the four thousand
Meaning
When I come near the gate at the end of life, and Yama's servants strike me and seize me, I will have no way to tell them, Stop! O You who hold the discus and the conch, while I could still speak I have spoken all Your names. Keep me in Your mind, and guard me always from suffering, O You who recline on the serpent bed at Srirangam.
Word by word
- ellaiyil vācal
- the gate at the end of life
- nillumiṉ eṉṉum upāyam illai
- no way to say Stop!
- nēmiyum caṅkamum
- the discus and the conch
- collalām pōtē
- while I could still speak
- allaṟ paṭāvaṇṇam
- so that I do not suffer
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 4.10.4 · verse 426 of the four thousand
Meaning
O great One, whom even Shiva, rider of the single bull, and four-faced Brahma cannot know! O First One, who became all the worlds entirely, and who is the three-lettered syllable! On that day when Yama's servants decide, This one's days are over, and seize me so that I tremble, You must protect me, O You who recline on the serpent bed at Srirangam.
Word by word
- oṟṟai viṭaiyaṉum
- Shiva, rider of the single bull
- uṉṉai aṟiyāp perumaiyōṉē
- great One whom they cannot know
- mūṉṟu eḻuttu āya mutalvaṉē
- First One who is the three-lettered syllable, Om
- aṟṟatu vāḻnāḷ
- his days are over
- aṟṟaikku
- on that day
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 4.10.5 · verse 427 of the four thousand
Meaning
Supreme Being who lies on the hooded serpent bed in the ocean of milk! Wishing to make the worlds so that souls might be saved, You brought forth four-faced Brahma from Your navel. Knowing the people of the earth would stray from truth, You made Death together with them. My Master, now You must protect me, O You who recline on the serpent bed at Srirangam.
Word by word
- pai araviṉ aṇaip pāṟkaṭaluḷ
- on the hooded serpent bed in the milk ocean
- parama murtti
- Supreme Being
- untiyiṟ tōṟṟiṉāy nāṉmukaṉai
- brought forth Brahma from Your navel
- kālaṉaiyum uṭaṉē paṭaittāy
- You made Death along with them
- aiya
- my Master
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 4.10.6 · verse 428 of the four thousand
Meaning
There is no mercy in them: Yama's servants will commit great cruelties. You stand as earth and water, fire and wind, and the sky as well. While I could still count, I counted over all Your names. Keep me in Your mind forever; O Lord, You must protect me, O You who recline on the serpent bed at Srirangam.
Word by word
- taṇṇaṉavu illai
- there is no mercy
- cālak koṭumaikaḷ
- great cruelties
- maṇṇoṭu nīrum eriyum kālum
- earth, water, fire and wind
- eṇṇalām pōtē
- while I could still count
- aṇṇalē
- O Lord
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 4.10.7 · verse 429 of the four thousand
Meaning
Lord of the gods, who stand as the meaning of the Veda of perfect words! My Master, my sweet nectar that never runs short, Owner of the seven worlds, my Father! When Yama's servants of deceitful form torment me and seize me by force, You must protect me, saying, Do not fear, O You who recline on the serpent bed at Srirangam.
Word by word
- ceñcol maṟaipporuḷ
- the meaning of the Veda of perfect words
- eñcalil eṉṉuṭai iṉ amutē
- my sweet nectar that never runs short
- eṉ appā
- my Father
- vañca uruviṉ
- of deceitful form
- añcalai eṉṟu
- saying Do not fear
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 4.10.8 · verse 430 of the four thousand
Meaning
I know nothing of Your wonders. When Yama's servants seize and torment me and beat me, shouting, Get into this body of flesh! I will not be able to think of You at all. Lord of the gods who dwell in heaven, great wondrous One born in Mathura, You are mine: You must protect me, O You who recline on the serpent bed at Srirangam.
Word by word
- uṉ māyam oṉṟu aṟiyēṉ
- I know nothing of Your wonders
- ūṉē pukē
- get into this body of flesh!
- vāṉavar taṅkaḷ īcā
- Lord of the gods
- maturaip piṟanta mā māyaṉē
- great wondrous One born in Mathura
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 4.10.9 · verse 431 of the four thousand
Meaning
O Cowherd who lifted the hill and saved the herds! You who grazed the cows, my Master! From that day to this I have never once forgotten You, First One, beautiful Light. When Yama's most cruel servants torment me and seize me by force, then and there You must protect me, O You who recline on the serpent bed at Srirangam.
Word by word
- kuṉṟu eṭuttu ānirai kātta āyā
- Cowherd who lifted the hill and saved the herds
- kōnirai mēyttavaṉē
- You who grazed the cows
- āti añ cōti
- First One, beautiful Light
- maṟantu aṟiyēṉ
- I have never forgotten
- naṉṟum koṭiya
- most cruel
Periyalwar Tirumozhi 4.10.10 · verse 432 of the four thousand
Meaning
The wondrous One, Madhusudana, Madhava, the bull of the cowherds whom Vedic scholars praise, Achyuta, who reclines on the serpent bed at Srirangam: on Him Vishnuchitta, Periyalwar, lord of Villiputtur praised by the Veyar, spoke this garland of ten. Those who master it with pure minds will be servants of the pure, gem-hued Lord.
Word by word
- māyavaṉai matucūtaṉaṉai
- the wondrous One, Madhusudana
- āyarkaḷ ēṟṟiṉai
- the bull among cowherds
- accutaṉai
- Achyuta, who never lets go
- vēyar pukaḻ
- praised by the Veyar
- tūya maṉattiṉar āki
- with pure minds
- tū maṇivaṇṇaṉukku āḷar
- servants of the pure, gem-hued Lord
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.