Periya Tirumozhi 10.4.1 · verse 1878 of the four thousand
Meaning
(Yashoda calls the child Krishna to come and nurse.) You used to run to me gladly, all alone, Your flower-scented locks hanging down, take my breast and put it to Your mouth. O noble One, whom Nanda was blessed to have as his son, nectar that I delight to feast on, my Father, my Lord, drink! Drink the milk I have kept for You!
Word by word
- canta malark kuḻal tāḻa
- Your flower-scented locks hanging down
- mulaittaṭam-taṉṉai
- my breast
- nantaṉ peṟap peṟṟa nampī
- noble One whom Nanda was blessed to have
- nāṉ ukantu uṇṇum amutē
- nectar that I delight to feast on
- ammam
- mother's milk, a child's feed
- cēmam
- kept safe for You
Periya Tirumozhi 10.4.2 · verse 1879 of the four thousand
Meaning
O You the colour of the sea where ships roll on the waves, noble One like a great rain cloud, tall One with red eyes, my treasure, whose mouth is like a red lotus! My breasts are overflowing; I have called and called You and not seen You. Where are You, playing with the cowherds, and why?
Word by word
- vaṅka maṟi kaṭal vaṇṇā
- O You the colour of the ship-tossing sea
- mā mukilē okkum
- like a great rain cloud
- ceṅkaṇ neṭiya tiruvē
- tall red-eyed One, my treasure
- ceṅkamalam purai vāyā
- You whose mouth is like a red lotus
- koṅkai curantiṭa
- my breasts overflowing
Periya Tirumozhi 10.4.3 · verse 1880 of the four thousand
Meaning
Noble One, You frolic in the streets with the cowherds' boys, radiant with beauty. When I see the mischief You do, my heart melts, and sweet milk comes streaming from my breasts. Come, settle in my lap, and drink at my breast!
Word by word
- tiruvil polinta eḻil ār
- radiant, full of beauty
- teruvil tiḷaikkiṉṟa
- frolicking in the streets
- tīmaikaḷ
- mischief
- tīm pāl
- sweet milk
- kuṭaṅkāl
- on my lap
Periya Tirumozhi 10.4.4 · verse 1881 of the four thousand
Meaning
The women who live in this world do penance, it seems, to bear children, and to each, her child is as precious as her own eyes. O my First One, You who are like a rutting young elephant! I will bring down the young red crescent moon and put it in Your hand. Come, sit on my hip, and drink Your milk happily and sweetly.
Word by word
- makkaḷ peṟu tavam
- penance to bear children
- piṟar kaṇṇukku-okkum
- as precious to others as their own eyes
- mutalvā
- O First One
- matak kaḷiṟu aṉṉāy
- You who are like a rutting elephant
- cekkar iḷam piṟai
- the young red crescent moon
- okkalaimēl
- on my hip
Periya Tirumozhi 10.4.5 · verse 1882 of the four thousand
Meaning
Strong boy with curly locks black as kohl, You who walked between the two great marudu trees! Clever One, do not rush away, wondrous One who swallows the butter! O best of all, my breasts cannot stay brimming past this hour. Drink Your milk! You who measured the worlds, drink Your milk!
Word by word
- maitta karuṅ kuñci
- curly locks black as kohl
- mā marutu ūṭu naṭantāy
- You who walked between the great marudu trees
- vittakaṉē
- O clever One
- vikirtā
- O wondrous One
- ulaku aḷantāy
- You who measured the worlds
Periya Tirumozhi 10.4.6 · verse 1883 of the four thousand
Meaning
You never do what other children do. Speak to You, and You are very stubborn. There is deceit in Your heart, and You do mischief right before my eyes. My heart melts, and milk streams from my breasts. Do not pretend to be going to sleep; come and drink this nectar of milk!
Word by word
- piḷḷaikaḷ ceyvaṉa ceyyāy
- You never do what children do
- peritum valiyai
- You are very stubborn
- kaḷḷam maṉattil uṭaiyai
- there is deceit in Your heart
- paḷḷik kuṟippuc ceyyātē
- do not pretend to be going to sleep
- pāl amutu
- the nectar of milk
Periya Tirumozhi 10.4.7 · verse 1884 of the four thousand
Meaning
The cruel demoness Putana offered You her breast as though You were her own son, and You, a fierce son indeed, drew out her life as You drank. O noble One, Bridegroom of the good cowherd girl and of the Lady of the earth! My son, drink Your milk; drink the milk I have kept for You!
Word by word
- vaṉ pēycci
- the cruel demoness, Putana
- avaḷ āvi vāṅki
- drawing out her life
- naṉ makaḷ āymakaḷōṭu
- with the good cowherd girl, Nappinnai
- nāṉila-maṅkai maṇāḷā
- Bridegroom of the Lady of the earth, Bhudevi
- eṉ makaṉē
- my son
Periya Tirumozhi 10.4.8 · verse 1885 of the four thousand
Meaning
Your father will be angry; and I cannot bring myself to strike You and hurt You with the stick in my hand. When all your herds of cows come home in the lovely evening hour, do not stand out there while the gods in the sky look on. You with the discus in Your beautiful hand, come!
Word by word
- untam aṭikaḷ muṉivar
- your father will be angry
- nontiṭa mōtavum killēṉ
- I cannot strike You and hurt You
- ā-nirai
- herds of cows
- anti am pōtu
- the lovely evening hour
- āḻi am kaiyaṉē
- You with the discus in Your beautiful hand
Periya Tirumozhi 10.4.9 · verse 1886 of the four thousand
Meaning
Child of our king Nandagopa, lord of the cattle, so full of grace! Young prince of the whole gathered clan, One of ancient fame who has been born among us! Young elephant who roamed the woods, turning back the calves herd by herd! Why, my Lord, have You stayed away without drinking my milk?
Word by word
- peṟṟat talaivaṉ
- lord of the cattle, Nandagopa
- pēr aruḷāḷaṉ matalāy
- child of the most gracious one
- cuṟṟak kuḻāttu iḷaṅ kōvē
- young prince of the gathered clan
- tol pukaḻāḷā
- One of ancient fame
- kaṟṟu iṉam tōṟum maṟittu
- turning back the calves herd by herd
- kaḷiṟē
- O young elephant
Periya Tirumozhi 10.4.10 · verse 1887 of the four thousand
Meaning
So that the troubles of this life may end, Kalikanri, Thirumangai Alwar, of lofty, handsome shoulders, made these songs in fine poetry, telling the tall Lord with red eyes, "Drink Your milk." Those who hold these ten in a true heart and sing them may even become dwellers of heaven.
Word by word
- immai iṭar keṭa
- for the troubles of this life to end
- ēntu eḻil tōḷ
- lofty, handsome shoulders
- cemmaip paṉuval
- fine, flawless poetry
- ceṅkaṇ neṭiyavaṉ-taṉṉai
- the tall Lord with red eyes
- meymmai maṉattu vaittu
- holding them in a true heart
- viṇṇavar ākalum āmē
- may even become dwellers of heaven
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.