Mudhal Tiruvandadi 11 · verse 2092 of the four thousand
Meaning
My mouth will praise no one but Him. My hands will worship no one but Him who strode across the worlds. My eyes will see, and my ears will hear, nothing but the form and the names of Him who drank the poison in the demoness's breast as though it were food.
Word by word
- vāḻttātu
- will not praise
- ulakam tāyavaṉai
- Him who strode across the worlds
- pēy mulai nañcu
- the poison in the demoness Putana's breast
- ūṇ āka uṇṭāṉ
- drank it as if it were food
- uruvoṭu pēr
- His form and His names
- kāṇā kaṇ kēḷā cevi
- eyes will not see, ears will not hear
Mudhal Tiruvandadi 12 · verse 2093 of the four thousand
Meaning
Ear, mouth, eye, nose and body, the five senses; fire, earth, wind, water and sky, the five elements; and knowledge that never fades, sacrifice, and good dharma: all these, the wise say, are the very nature of Him who stood as the Boar.
Word by word
- aimpulaṉum
- the five senses
- pūtam aintum
- the five elements
- aviyāta ñāṉamum
- knowledge that never fades
- vēḷviyum
- sacrifice
- nallaṟamum
- good dharma
- ēṉamāy niṉṟāṟku iyalvu
- the nature of Him who stood as the Boar
Mudhal Tiruvandadi 13 · verse 2094 of the four thousand
Meaning
Those whose very nature is to strive to reach the feet of the Lord who wears sweet tulasi, and Him alone, are immortals in truth. Praising Him as is fitting, reciting by right rule and keeping their vows, they stand foremost among all.
Word by word
- īṉ tuḻāyāṉ aṭikkē
- to the feet of Him who wears sweet tulasi, and no other
- muyalvār
- those who strive
- iyal amarar
- immortals in their very nature
- nītiyāl ōti
- reciting by right rule
- niyamaṅkaḷāl parava
- praising Him with vows and observances
- ātiyāy niṉṟār
- stand first, foremost
Mudhal Tiruvandadi 14 · verse 2095 of the four thousand
Meaning
People praise each in the way they themselves have learned, and say, "This one, this one is our Lord." They paint images on walls, set up figures, and worship them. But the form of the Lord who measured the world is the First, the source of all.
Word by word
- avar avar tām tām aṟintavāṟu
- each in the way they themselves know
- ivar ivar em perumāṉ
- this one, this one is our Lord
- cuvarmicaic cārttiyum
- painting them on walls
- vaittum toḻuvar
- setting them up and worshipping
- ulaku aḷanta mūrtti
- the Lord who measured the world
- mutal
- the First, the cause of all
Mudhal Tiruvandadi 15 · verse 2096 of the four thousand
Meaning
Those who stand first are three; and among those three, the First is He whose colour is the mighty sea. In this world ringed by the fearsome ocean, unless the grace of that good, First One is there, the grace of all the many others is of no avail.
Word by word
- mutal āvār mūvarē
- those counted first are three
- mūri nīr vaṇṇaṉ
- He whose colour is the mighty sea
- nallāṉ aruḷ
- the grace of the good One
- nāma nīr vaiyakattu
- in this world ringed by the fearsome sea
- pallār aruḷum paḻutu
- the grace of the many others fails
Mudhal Tiruvandadi 16 · verse 2097 of the four thousand
Meaning
Afraid that so many days had gone by in waste, I wept. Then I saw Him on His serpent bed and worshipped the feet of the mighty One coloured like the sea, the red-eyed One who lies in sleep while the waves of the ocean wash against His feet.
Word by word
- paḻutē pala pakalum pōyiṉa
- so many days have gone by in waste
- aḻutēṉ
- I wept
- aravu-aṇaimēl kaṇṭu
- seeing Him on the serpent bed
- kāl alaippa
- washing against His feet
- kaṇvaḷarum ceṅkaṇ
- the red-eyed One who lies in sleep
- aṭal ōta vaṇṇar
- the mighty One coloured like the sea
Mudhal Tiruvandadi 17 · verse 2098 of the four thousand
Meaning
On the day He measured the world, they say, His foot went past the earth, His shoulders spread over the directions, and His crown measured the sky. He is the One who tore apart Hiranya's chest with sharp nails, and who rides the bird of great wings.
Word by word
- aṭiyum paṭi kaṭappa
- His foot crossing past the earth
- tōḷ ticaimēl cella
- His shoulders spreading over the directions
- muṭiyum vicumpu aḷantatu
- His crown measured the sky
- vaṭi ukirāl
- with sharp nails
- iraṇiyaṉatu ākam
- the chest of Hiranya
- irum ciṟaip puḷ
- the bird with great wings, Garuda
Mudhal Tiruvandadi 18 · verse 2099 of the four thousand
Meaning
He who drank the poison at the tip of the hanging breast; who ate the butter from the hanging pot so that it showed on Him; who pressed down on the victorious elephant and fought it until it broke; who tore open the beak of the bird-demon; who went between the two marudu trees: He is Mal, who measured the earth.
Word by word
- nāṉṟa mulaittalai nañcu
- poison at the tip of the hanging breast
- uṟi veṇṇey
- butter in the hanging pot
- veṉṟi cūḻ kaḷiṟṟai
- the elephant famed for victory, Kuvalayapida
- puḷvāy kīṇṭāṉum
- He who tore open the bird-demon's beak
- marutu iṭai pōy
- going between the marudu trees
- maṇ aḷanta māl
- Mal who measured the earth
Mudhal Tiruvandadi 19 · verse 2100 of the four thousand
Meaning
O dark sea, restless and roaring as if lost in love! What penance did you do? The Lord of the discus, who swallowed the world and slept on a banyan leaf, the red-eyed Mal of beautiful dark form, lies asleep on you, and you are always allowed to touch His sacred body.
Word by word
- mālum karuṅ kaṭalē
- O dark sea, restless as if lost in love
- eṉ nōṟṟāy
- what penance did you do?
- āliṉ ilait tuyiṉṟa
- who slept on a banyan leaf
- kōlak karu mēṉi
- beautiful dark form
- kaṇpaṭaiyuḷ
- while He sleeps
- tirumēṉi nī tīṇṭappeṟṟu
- you are granted the touch of His sacred body
Mudhal Tiruvandadi 20 · verse 2101 of the four thousand
Meaning
He left those who bore Him so that their chains fell away; then, taking the form of a dwarf, the red-eyed Mal strode across the land of those who opposed Him. The gods stand with folded hands and praise His good red feet, lovely as lotus flowers, offering flowers row upon row.
Word by word
- peṟṟār taḷai kaḻala
- so that the chains of His parents fell away
- kuṟaḷ uruvāy
- in the form of a dwarf, Vamana
- ceṟṟār paṭi kaṭanta
- strode across the land of His foes
- cēvaṭiyai
- His red feet, here likened to lotus flowers
- kai kūppi
- with folded hands
- nirai malar koṇṭu
- with rows of flowers
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.