Periya Tirumozhi 10.9.1 · verse 1932 of the four thousand
Meaning
(The mother of a girl in love with the Lord reproaches Him, in a string of old proverbs.) Putana came in the dead of night in the shape of a bird, and You made her die; You commanded bright fire to spread and devour Lanka. Is it the pride of those deeds that makes You speak of my girl's love, she with the honey-dripping garland, and of our lovely daughter's heart, as though they were a bowl in a child's hand? O my Father, my Lord!
Word by word
- puḷ uru āki
- in the shape of a bird
- naḷ iruḷ
- the dead of night
- pūtaṉai
- Putana, the demoness
- oḷ eri maṇṭi uṇṇa
- for bright fire to spread and devour
- kaḷ aviḻ kōtai
- the girl with the honey-dripping garland
- piḷḷai-taṉ kaiyil kiṇṇamē
- a bowl in a child's hand, a plaything
Periya Tirumozhi 10.9.2 · verse 1933 of the four thousand
Meaning
You danced gladly in the village square; You crushed the seven great bulls; that day, while the cowherds trembled, You protected the herds. Is it the pride of that valour? I do not know. O Lord who stands for us, Lord the colour of the wide sea, You took the bangles from this girl's forearm as easily as honey from the drumstick tree that grows in the front yard of Your own temple!
Word by word
- maṉṟil
- in the village square
- māl viṭai ēḻum aṭarttu
- crushing the seven great bulls
- ā-nirai kātta
- who protected the herds
- nīḷ kaṭal vaṇṇā
- O Lord the colour of the wide sea
- muruṅkaiyil tēṉā
- like honey on the drumstick tree, within easy reach
- muṉ kai vaḷai kavarntāyē
- You took the bangles from her forearm
Periya Tirumozhi 10.9.3 · verse 1934 of the four thousand
Meaning
Holding the discus with its radiant spokes together with the conch, adding strength upon strength, O Lord the colour of the dark rain cloud: is it the fierce might with which You once overcame Kamsa? O You of full beauty, this finely jewelled girl, a cluster of pearls, like nectar from the wide sea: You think of her as a gaming piece in Your lovely hand!
Word by word
- ār mali āḻi
- the discus with its radiant spokes
- āṟṟalai āṟṟal mikuttu
- adding strength upon strength
- kañcaṉai
- Kamsa
- nittilat tottai
- a cluster of pearls
- neṭuṅ kaṭal amutu aṉaiyāḷai
- her who is like nectar from the wide sea
- am kaiyil vaṭṭu
- a gaming piece in Your lovely hand
Periya Tirumozhi 10.9.4 · verse 1935 of the four thousand
Meaning
Is it the goodness with which You gave a share of Yourself even to Shiva, who has strong shoulders and wears a deerskin? Or is it pride in the skill of the hand that destroyed Naraka? You came and stood right before us and took away the lovely colour of my girl with her garland of lilies. Tell me, my noble One, how is it that You treat her like a stick in Your servants' hands?
Word by word
- māṉ uri ataḷum
- a deerskin, worn by Shiva
- ōr pākam nalkiya
- who gave a share
- narakaṉait tolaitta
- who destroyed Naraka
- alli am kōtai
- the girl with a garland of lilies
- aṇi niṟam koṇṭu
- taking her lovely colour
- toṇṭar kait taṇṭu
- a stick in a servant's hand, used as he likes
Periya Tirumozhi 10.9.5 · verse 1936 of the four thousand
Meaning
Kings who never turned back in battle died as You wheeled the chariot, and the hard road to heaven by which they went became crowded. Is it the pride of that valour? I do not know. Alas, You have given no thought to the worth of our girl, sweet of speech, wearing a garland of honeyed flowers. You speak of her as easier to get than a jamun fruit on the highway!
Word by word
- ceru aḻiyāta maṉṉarkaḷ
- kings who never turned back in battle
- tēr valam koṇṭu
- as You wheeled the chariot
- aru vaḻi vāṉam
- the hard road to heaven
- atarpaṭak kaṇṭa
- made it a crowded path
- tirumoḻi
- sweet of speech
- peru vaḻi nāval kaṉiyiṉum eḷiyaḷ
- easier to get than a jamun fruit on the highway
Periya Tirumozhi 10.9.6 · verse 1937 of the four thousand
Meaning
With Your bow You broke the pride of the king of Lanka with its lovely walls, till the rakshasa women were left forlorn, and You stood there as the gods bowed to You. Is it that valour You are showing today? You stand right before us and go off with the white conch bangles from the forearm of my girl with lips like palash petals. Why swing a battle-axe to cut an erukku leaf, my Father, my Lord?
Word by word
- arakkiyar ākam pul eṉa
- till the rakshasa women were left forlorn
- aṇi matiḷ ilaṅkaiyār-kōṉaic
- the king of Lanka with its lovely walls
- cerukku aḻittu
- breaking his pride
- murukku itaḻ vāycci
- the girl with lips like palash petals
- veṇ caṅkam
- white conch bangles
- erukku ilaikku āka eṟi maḻu ōccal
- swinging a battle-axe to cut an erukku leaf
Periya Tirumozhi 10.9.7 · verse 1938 of the four thousand
Meaning
Kings with strong chariots came and bowed to the one who once ruled the wave-washed world; You took up the battle-axe and his thousand mighty arms fell. Is it the pride of that strength, that You come and stand before us and take away the gem-like colour of my soft-eyed girl? Why take a club to a white hen's egg, my Father, O Lord the colour of the wide sea?
Word by word
- āḻi am tiṇ tēr aracar
- kings with strong-wheeled chariots
- pāḻi am tōḷ ōr āyiram
- a thousand mighty arms, of Kartavirya
- paṭai maḻup paṟṟiya
- who took up the battle-axe, as Parasurama
- māḻai meṉ nōkki
- the girl with a soft, tender gaze
- kōḻi veṇ muṭṭaikku
- for a white hen's egg
- kuṟuntaṭi
- a club
Periya Tirumozhi 10.9.8 · verse 1939 of the four thousand
Meaning
Long ago You tore open the foe's chest with Your sharp nails, and the birds gladly came to it; in pity for the noble Sugriva You turned in anger on Vali. Is it the pride of that greatness You show today? You never thought of the worth of my girl with large, wide eyes and a garland the bees swarm to. To tell it plainly, O Lord the colour of the dark sea, You treat her like a mouthful of water to be spat out!
Word by word
- poruntalaṉ ākam
- the foe's chest
- vaḷ ukirāl piḷantu
- tearing it with sharp nails
- vāliyai muṉinta
- who turned in anger on Vali
- curumpu uṟu kōtai
- a garland the bees swarm to
- karuṅ kaṭal vaṇṇā
- O Lord the colour of the dark sea
- kavuḷ koṇṭa nīr
- water held in the mouth, to be spat out
Periya Tirumozhi 10.9.9 · verse 1940 of the four thousand
Meaning
Is it the thought of Your own nature, You who stand as water, fire and sky, the wide earth and the wind? Or is it the confidence that my girl with the lovely garland has no one but You? She is like the rare nectar of the ocean that girds the earth; yet for me, who has sinned, You hold my doll of a girl in Your mind as lightly as the garden of a brahmin busy tending his sacred fire.
Word by word
- nīr aḻal vāṉ āy
- as water, fire and sky
- neṭu nilam kāl āy
- as the wide earth and the wind
- tēṟṟaṉmai
- confidence
- pār keḻu pavvattu
- of the ocean that girds the earth
- pāvaiyaip
- my doll of a girl
- ār aḻal ōmpum antaṇaṉ tōṭṭam
- the garden of a brahmin tending the sacred fire
Periya Tirumozhi 10.9.10 · verse 1941 of the four thousand
Meaning
Seeking nothing for himself, bowing at His two feet and standing firm in truth, Kaliyan, Thirumangai Alwar, leader of Mangai, with his army of mighty swords and his proud spear, sang these songs to our Lord who wears a radiant crown and a fresh garland of open blossoms, praising Him with old proverbs. Those who sing them will grow in devotion, and their hearts will overflow with blessing.
Word by word
- vēṭṭattaik karutātu
- seeking nothing for himself
- meymmaiyē niṉṟu
- standing firm in truth
- maṅkaiyar talaivaṉ
- leader of Mangai
- cuṭar muṭiyāṉaip
- the Lord with the radiant crown
- paḻamoḻiyāl
- with old proverbs
- pattimai peruki
- devotion growing
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.