Periya Tirumozhi 1.7.1 · verse 1008 of the four thousand
Meaning
Long ago, to the terror of this wide and lovely world, He came there as a peerless Man-Lion and split the swelling chest of the asura Hiranya with His sharp claws. The place of that Pure One is Singavel Kunram (Ahobilam), where the red-eyed yali, the fierce lion-beast, lays the tusks of green-eyed elephants at His feet in devotion and bows down in worship.
Word by word
- am kaṇ ñālam
- this beautiful, wide world
- āḷ ari
- the Man-Lion, Narasimha
- vaḷ ukirāl
- with sharp claws
- puṉitaṉ
- the Pure One
- ceṅ kaṇ āḷi
- the red-eyed yali, a fierce lion-like beast
- ciṅkavēḻkuṉṟamē
- Singavel Kunram, the hill of Ahobilam
Periya Tirumozhi 1.7.2 · verse 1009 of the four thousand
Meaning
He became a lion beyond compare, with a great gaping, tossing mouth and gleaming teeth, and with His sharp claws He tore open the heart of the asura whose hands knew only killing. His place is Singavel Kunram, where the din never dies away: bow-bearing hunters fall upon the caravans that pass, shouting, while their strong thudi drums beat fiercely.
Word by word
- pēḻ vāy vāḷ eyiṟṟu
- great gaping mouth and gleaming teeth
- kōḷari
- a mighty lion
- kolaik kaiyāḷaṉ
- the one whose hands were bent on killing
- kūr ukirāḷaṉ
- the One of sharp claws
- cel cāttu
- caravans of travellers passing by
- vaṉ tuṭi
- the strong thudi, a small hunting drum
- cilaik kai vēṭar
- hunters with bows in hand
Periya Tirumozhi 1.7.3 · verse 1010 of the four thousand
Meaning
As a matchless lion with a fitting great mouth and gleaming teeth, the Lord ripped apart with His sharp claws the sturdy chest of the asura. His place is Singavel Kunram, where there is nothing to be seen but beasts worn out and spent, hills split and broken, and bamboo burnt away by the fire that stands blazing there.
Word by word
- ēynta pēḻ vāy
- a great, fitting gaping mouth
- vāynta ākam
- the sturdy chest
- vakirnta ammāṉatu iṭam
- the place of the Lord who ripped it apart
- ōynta māvum
- beasts worn out and spent
- uṭainta kuṉṟum
- hills split and broken
- tēynta vēyum
- bamboo burnt and wasted away
Periya Tirumozhi 1.7.4 · verse 1011 of the four thousand
Meaning
Hiranya, the one named for gold, the enemy who bore a cruel, hot spear that brought grief to all: the Lord took his dear life and tore his chest apart with His sharp claws. His place is Singavel Kunram, where biting dogs and vultures roam, where at the height of noon the winds whirl round, and where none but the gods can go.
Word by word
- evvam vev vēl
- a cruel, hot spear that causes grief
- poṉpeyarōṉ
- the one named for gold, Hiranya
- ētalaṉ
- the enemy
- iṉ uyirai vavvi
- seizing his dear life
- uccippōtoṭu
- at the noon hour
- teyvam allāl cella oṇṇāc
- where none but gods can go
Periya Tirumozhi 1.7.5 · verse 1012 of the four thousand
Meaning
As a peerless lion with a great grinding mouth and gleaming teeth, He split the asura's chest with His sharp claws so that he perished. The place of that Pure One is Singavel Kunram, a temple hard to reach and see, where whirlwinds scoop up the red fire that stands burning there and send it flying into the vast sky.
Word by word
- meṉṟa pēḻvāy
- great mouth, grinding its teeth
- poṉṟa
- so that he perished
- pōḻnta puṉitaṉ
- the Pure One who split him
- niṉṟa centī
- the red fire that stands burning
- cūṟai
- whirlwind
- ceṉṟu kāṇṭaṟku-ariya kōyil
- a temple hard to go and see
Periya Tirumozhi 1.7.6 · verse 1013 of the four thousand
Meaning
With burning green eyes, a gleaming gaping mouth and teeth, He sat there, and the gods cried, 'What form is this?' and fled in confusion. The place of that Lord is Singavel Kunram, where, from caves among crushed bamboo, a tiger watches for the tracks of the elephants that have wandered along the long forest path.
Word by word
- erinta paiṅ kaṇ
- burning green eyes
- itu ev uru
- what form is this?
- irintu vāṉōr kalaṅki ōṭa
- the gods scattering and fleeing in confusion
- nerinta vēyiṉ muḻaiyuḷ
- in caves among crushed bamboo
- tirinta āṉaic cuvaṭu
- tracks of wandering elephants
Periya Tirumozhi 1.7.7 · verse 1014 of the four thousand
Meaning
His fierce rage shot up and scorched the sky, and the three worlds and everything else trembled when He sat there as the Man-Lion. The place of that Lord is Singavel Kunram, where, what with roaring fires, stones, and hunters armed with bows, no one can go even a millet seed's distance.
Word by word
- muṉaitta cīṟṟam
- fierce, rising rage
- viṇ cuṭa
- scorching the sky
- āḷ ari āy irunta
- sitting there as the Man-Lion
- kaṉaitta tīyum
- roaring fires
- vil uṭai vēṭarum
- hunters bearing bows
- tiṉaittaṉaiyum
- even a millet seed's measure
Periya Tirumozhi 1.7.8 · verse 1015 of the four thousand
Meaning
Four-faced Brahma and Shiva praised Him in due order till their tongues grew calloused, as He sat there as the peerless Man-Lion. The place of that Lord is Singavel Kunram, where the dried pods of the vagai tree rattle, and the sky glows red with the fire struck when bamboos rub against each other along the stony paths.
Word by word
- nāt taḻumpa
- till their tongues grew calloused
- nāaṉmukaṉum īcaṉum
- four-faced Brahma and Shiva
- muṟaiyāl ētta
- praising in due order
- vākai neṟṟu
- dry pods of the vagai tree
- kal atar
- stony paths
- viṇ civakkum
- the sky turns red
Periya Tirumozhi 1.7.9 · verse 1016 of the four thousand
Meaning
You are good, my heart! Let us worship. The place of our own great Lord, the thousand-shouldered One whom the lady of the lotus embraces, is Singavel Kunram, where the nelli trees grow thick and split the rocks, the dry grass and leaves rustle along the paths, and the crickets never stop their shrill 'sil, sil'.
Word by word
- nallai neñcē
- you are good, my heart
- allimātar pulka
- embraced by the lady of the lotus, Lakshmi
- āyiran tōḷaṉ
- the thousand-shouldered One
- nelli malki
- nelli (gooseberry) trees growing thick
- kal uṭaippa
- splitting the rocks
- cilli
- crickets
Periya Tirumozhi 1.7.10 · verse 1017 of the four thousand
Meaning
Our Master and Lord owns Singavel Kunram, where the red-eyed yali lays down its offering and bows. Kaliyan, Thirumangai Alwar, lord of Mangai, poet of great Tamil works, of lasting, ancient fame, wearing a garland where bees swarm, generous of hand, made this garland of fine words on Him. Those who can recite it will be free of all evil.
Word by word
- irun tamiḻ nūl-pulavaṉ
- poet of great Tamil works
- maṅkai āḷaṉ
- lord of Thirumangai
- vaṇṭu arai tārk kaliyaṉ
- Kaliyan, wearing a garland where bees hum
- ceṅkaiyāḷaṉ
- the generous-handed one
- ceñcol mālai
- garland of fine words
- tītu ilarē
- will be free of evil
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.