Periya Tirumozhi 1.1.1 · verse 948 of the four thousand
Meaning
I withered, I withered and suffered in my mind, born into great sorrow and distress. I joined, I joined the company of young women, seeking only the pleasures they gave. I ran and ran, until by the grace that saves, my mind turned to the great path of true knowledge. I searched and searched, and I have found it: the name "Narayana".
Word by word
- vāṭiṉēṉ
- I withered
- varuntiṉēṉ
- I suffered
- perun tuyar iṭumpaiyil
- great sorrow and distress
- kūṭiṉēṉ
- I joined
- kalaviyē
- worldly pleasures
- ōṭiṉēṉ
- I ran
- uyvatu ōr poruḷāl
- that which saves, the Lord's grace
- uṇarvu
- true knowledge
- nāṭiṉēṉ
- I searched
- kaṇṭukoṇṭēṉ
- I have found
- nārāyaṇā eṉṉum nāmam
- the name "Narayana"
Periya Tirumozhi 1.1.2 · verse 949 of the four thousand
Meaning
Thinking of each woman as "my life, my nectar", melting for them, leaning on their full breasts for support, I, a sinner, never understood; so many days went by, wasted and gone. Now, worshipping at Thirukkudanthai, ringed by waters, where feathered swans join with their mates, I have found, so that I may be saved by my own tongue, the name "Narayana".
Word by word
- āviyē amutē
- my life, my nectar
- paṇai mulai tuṇaiyāp
- leaning on full breasts for support
- paḻutupōy oḻintaṉa nāḷkaḷ
- the days went by, wasted
- tūvi cēr aṉṉam
- feathered swans
- cūḻ puṉal kuṭantaiyē
- Thirukkudanthai, ringed by waters
- nāviṉāl uyya
- to be saved through my tongue
- nārāyaṇā eṉṉum nāmam
- the name "Narayana"
Periya Tirumozhi 1.1.3 · verse 950 of the four thousand
Meaning
Seeking only my own comfort, heaping up evil deeds, clinging to nothing but the forms of young women, those days of mine passed by, more futile than a dream seen by one who cannot speak. Our Lord, the father of Kama, dwells in the hearts of those who reach Him. So that I may be saved, I have found His name: the name "Narayana".
Word by word
- cēmamē vēṇṭi
- seeking only my own comfort
- tīviṉai perukki
- heaping up evil deeds
- terivaimār uruvamē maruvi
- clinging to the forms of young women
- ūmaṉār kaṇṭa kaṉavilum paḻutu
- more futile than a dream seen by a mute
- kāmaṉār tātai
- the father of Kama, god of love
- tam aṭaintār maṉattu iruppār
- who dwells in the hearts of those who reach Him
Periya Tirumozhi 1.1.4 · verse 951 of the four thousand
Meaning
Seeking only to win, grieving over wealth that is bound to perish, thinking only of union with women whose eyes are like spears, I have a heart that never stays where it is set. What could I do? The mighty Lord with the discus once became a boar towering up to the high sky and dug up the earth. His grace alone is good: so that I may be saved, I have found the name "Narayana".
Word by word
- veṉṟiyē vēṇṭi
- seeking only to win
- vīḻ poruṭku iraṅki
- grieving over perishable wealth
- vēlkaṇār
- women with spear-like eyes
- niṉṟavā nillā neñciṉai
- a heart that never stays where it is set
- neṭu vicumpu aṇavum paṉṟi āy
- as a boar towering to the high sky
- pārakam kīṇṭa
- who dug up the earth
- pāḻiyāṉ āḻiyāṉ aruḷē
- the grace of the mighty Lord with the discus
Periya Tirumozhi 1.1.5 · verse 952 of the four thousand
Meaning
I became a thief; I lived by deceit; I roamed wherever I pleased. Yet now I have become clear-minded and fit for the path that leads on; I have firmly gained His holy grace. My whole being within has melted, my voice is choked, tears stream down all over my body, and through the deep darkness of night and through the day I call out the name "Narayana".
Word by word
- kaḷvaṉēṉ āṉēṉ
- I became a thief
- paṭiṟu ceytu iruppēṉ
- I lived by deceit
- teḷḷiyēṉ āṉēṉ
- I have become clear-minded
- cel katikku amaintēṉ
- made fit for the path that leads on
- cikkeṉat tiruvaruḷ peṟṟēṉ
- I have firmly gained His holy grace
- kural taḻuttu
- my voice choked
- naḷ iruḷ aḷavum pakalum
- through the deep night and the day
Periya Tirumozhi 1.1.6 · verse 953 of the four thousand
Meaning
He is my Lord, my Father, my kin, my King, my very life; our great one who pressed the rakshasas hard with His arrows till they shook with fear, and took their lives. Bowing at the great Mani Koyil of Thanjai, with its tall walls and fragrant groves, O good people, I have found, so that I may be saved, the name "Narayana".
Word by word
- eṉṉuṭaic cuṟṟam
- my kin
- eṉṉuṭai vāḻnāḷ
- my very life
- arakkar verukkoḷa nerukki
- pressing the rakshasas till they feared
- em aṇṇal
- our great one
- vampu ulām cōlai
- fragrant groves
- tañcai mā maṇik kōyilē
- the great gem temple of Thanjai, Thanjavur
- nampikāḷ
- O good people
Periya Tirumozhi 1.1.7 · verse 954 of the four thousand
Meaning
You know nothing of their family or birth, you cannot tell one man from another, you do not see what they truly are; yet you sing of mere men as you please, calling them "wish-granting tree" and "refuge of poets". You do not use words for their true meaning. Come, I will tell you: worship at Thirukkudanthai, ringed by waters, see the true good, sing it, and be saved: the name "Narayana".
Word by word
- il-piṟappu aṟiyīr
- you do not know their family or birth
- kaṟpakam
- the wish-granting tree
- pulavar kaḷaikaṇ
- refuge of poets
- toṇṭaraip pāṭum
- singing of mere men
- col poruḷ āḷīr
- you do not use words for their true meaning
- nal poruḷ kāṇmiṉ
- see the true good
- pāṭi nīr uymiṉ
- sing and be saved
Periya Tirumozhi 1.1.8 · verse 955 of the four thousand
Meaning
I did not learn the sacred lore; I trained my mind only on what the five senses crave, and so, foolish one, I gained no good. I roamed about wanting only enmity with every dear life on this great earth; now I have given that up. Thinking of how to be saved and reach the path ahead, I, His servant, have taken as my good companion the name "Narayana".
Word by word
- kaṟṟilēṉ kalaikaḷ
- I did not learn the sacred lore
- aimpulaṉ karutum karuttuḷē
- only on what the five senses crave
- pētaiyēṉ
- foolish me
- ceṟṟamē vēṇṭit tiritarvēṉ
- I who roamed wanting only enmity
- cel katikku uyyum āṟu
- the way to be saved for the path ahead
- nal tuṇai ākap paṟṟiṉēṉ
- I have held it as my good companion
Periya Tirumozhi 1.1.9 · verse 956 of the four thousand
Meaning
It gives noble family, it gives wealth; it levels to the ground every sorrow that devotees suffer; it grants the high heaven; with grace it gives the great earth too; it gives strength and gives all else besides; it does more good than the very mother who bore us. I have found the word that brings all good: the name "Narayana".
Word by word
- kulam tarum
- it gives noble family
- aṭiyār paṭu tuyar
- the sorrows devotees suffer
- nilam taram ceyyum
- levels them to the ground
- nīḷ vicumpu aruḷum
- grants the high heaven
- valam tarum
- gives strength
- peṟṟa tāyiṉum āyiṉa ceyyum
- does more good than one's own mother
- nalam tarum collai
- the word that brings all good
Periya Tirumozhi 1.1.10 · verse 957 of the four thousand
Meaning
Kalikanri of the sword, Thirumangai Alwar, of Mangai with its great waters and cloud-touched groves where bees hum, raised this good and holy garland in fine words. O devotees, hold to these firmly: call the name when your end comes, think of it when sorrow comes; even when you have no sorrow, it is good to say it. See, it is poison to our karma, our past deeds: the name "Narayana".
Word by word
- mañcu ulām cōlai
- groves where clouds roam
- maṅkaiyār vāḷ kalikaṉṟi
- Kalikanri of the sword, lord of Thirumangai
- teyva nal mālai
- a good and holy garland of verses
- tuñcumpōtu aḻaimiṉ
- call it at the time of death
- tuyar varil niṉaimiṉ
- think of it when sorrow comes
- nañcu-tāṉ kaṇṭīr
- see, it is poison
- nammuṭai viṉaikku
- to our karma
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.