Periya Tirumozhi 2.2

Periya Tirumozhi 2.2.1 · verse 1058 of the four thousand

Meaning

The danava Ravana, wrapped in an ascetic's ochre robe, came hurrying, burning with desire; the Perfect One, our Lord, on whom all may rely, brought his city to ruin. The young women with shoulders like bamboo stood mocking Him, 'This is the one who ate the butter!' That Lord of ours lies resting at Thiruvevvul.

Word by word

kācai āṭai mūṭi

wrapped in an ascetic's ochre robe

kātal cey tāṉavaṉ

the demon burning with desire, Ravana

nampa valla nampi

the Perfect One on whom all may rely

vēyiṉ aṉṉa tōḷ maṭavār

young women with shoulders like bamboo

veṇṇey uṇṭāṉ ivaṉ

this is the one who ate the butter

evvuḷ kiṭantāṉē

He lies resting at Thiruvevvul (Thiruvallur)

Periya Tirumozhi 2.2.2 · verse 1059 of the four thousand

Meaning

The sword-bearing rakshasa lusted after the lady Sita. In the fierce battle that day, my Father, our Lord, sent a single red arrow and made his ten golden crowns, nine and one more, all real, roll to the ground. He lies resting at Thiruvevvul.

Word by word

taiyalāḷmēl kātal ceyta

who lusted after the lady, Sita

vāḷ arakkaṉ

the sword-bearing rakshasa, Ravana

poy ilāta poṉ muṭikaḷ

golden crowns, all real

oṉpatōṭu oṉṟum

nine and one more, ten

ōr ceñcarattāl uruḷa

rolling down at one red arrow

Periya Tirumozhi 2.2.3 · verse 1060 of the four thousand

Meaning

Long ago He sent His word through the mouth of a monkey messenger, and then in anger destroyed with His arrows the rakshasa's royal city. Later that same One became the messenger of the first kings, so that the people of the wide earth said, 'He is so-and-so's messenger.' He lies resting at Thiruvevvul.

Word by word

tūtu vāṉarattiṉ vāyil

through the mouth of the monkey messenger, Hanuman

maṉ ūr-taṉṉai

the royal city, Lanka

vāḷiyiṉāl māḷa

destroyed by arrows

āti-maṉṉarkku

for the first kings, the Pandavas

iṉṉār tūtaṉ

so-and-so's messenger

Periya Tirumozhi 2.2.4 · verse 1061 of the four thousand

Meaning

For the sake of the doll-like girl with soft fingers that hold a ball, He became the King who conquered the seven bulls of fierce strength. The Perfect One became the son of Nandagopa of wide fame; He is our Lord, the Lord of my father and of his father. He lies resting at Thiruvevvul.

Word by word

pantu aṇainta mel viralāḷ

the girl with soft fingers holding a ball

pāvai

doll-like girl, Nappinnai

ven tiṟal ēṟu ēḻum

the seven bulls of fierce strength

nantaṉ maintaṉ

son of Nandagopa

entai tantai tam perumāṉ

the Lord of my father and his father

Periya Tirumozhi 2.2.5 · verse 1062 of the four thousand

Meaning

Long ago, as an infant, He swallowed all seven worlds and lay for many days upon a banyan leaf; He is the lotus-eyed One. He lies resting at Thiruvevvul, amid green countryside fragrant with cardamom, by lovely cool fields of water lilies where countless dark bees feed and live.

Word by word

pālaṉ āki

as an infant

ñālam ēḻum uṇṭu

swallowing the seven worlds

āl ilaimēl

on a banyan leaf

tāmaraik kaṇṇaṉ

the lotus-eyed One

neytal am taṇ kaḻaṉi

lovely cool fields of water lilies

ēlam nāṟum paim puṟaviṉ

green countryside fragrant with cardamom

Periya Tirumozhi 2.2.6 · verse 1063 of the four thousand

Meaning

His servants crowd after Him, calling, 'Hail to You, Perfect One!' He is the trusted Kinsman, the red-eyed Perfect One. Even so, the sages bow and praise Him as the Eldest of all the gods, the Lord with three eyes. That Perfect One, our Lord, lies resting at Thiruvevvul.

Word by word

cōttam nampi

Hail to You, Perfect One

miṇṭit toṭarntu aḻaikkum

crowding after Him, calling

āttaṉ

the trusted Kinsman

ceṅkaṇ nampi

the red-eyed Perfect One

tēvarkku ellām mūtta nampi

the Eldest of all the gods

mukkaṇ nampi

the Lord with three eyes

Periya Tirumozhi 2.2.7 · verse 1064 of the four thousand

Meaning

He became the moon, water, sky, fire and wind. He is the Father of four-faced Brahma. Shiva, father of Skanda, who has a place in His side, whose long crown bears the Ganga and a garland where bees feed, stands bearing His anklet-ringed feet on his head. That Father of ours, our Lord, lies resting at Thiruvevvul.

Word by word

tiṅkaḷ appu vāṉ eri kāl

moon, water, sky, fire, wind

ticaimukaṉār taṅkaḷ appaṉ

the Father of four-faced Brahma

cāmi appaṉ

the father of Skanda, Shiva

pākattu irunta

who has a place in His side

appu nīḷ muṭiyāṉ

with a long crown bearing water, the Ganga

cūḻ kaḻal cūṭaniṉṟa

wearing His anklet-ringed feet on his head

Periya Tirumozhi 2.2.8 · verse 1065 of the four thousand

Meaning

He is the Sage and the Form; becoming the Three, He set forth the Vedas in full. He is the Pure One, the One with the hue of the kaya flower, the Master, the Holy One, King of the gods. He stands alone, far beyond reach; yet though He is One without a second, to His own devotees He is sweet. He is my Father, our Lord, who lies resting at Thiruvevvul.

Word by word

muṉivaṉ mūrtti

the Sage and the Form

mūvar āki

becoming the Three

vētam virittu uraitta

who set forth the Vedas in full

pūvai vaṇṇaṉ

the One with the hue of the kaya flower

viṇṇavar-kōṉ

King of the gods

taṉiyaṉ cēyaṉ

the matchless One, far beyond reach

taṉṉaṭiyārkku iṉiyaṉ

sweet to His own devotees

evvuḷ kiṭantāṉē

He who lies resting at Thiruvevvul

The word-separated edition leaves out line 3; it is given from the Project Madurai edition by K. Kalyanasundaram, unseparated as printed there.

Periya Tirumozhi 2.2.9 · verse 1066 of the four thousand

Meaning

On His chest comes to rest the doll-like Lady of the cool, dewy flower, with soft fingers that hold a ball. His body is dark blue, the hue of a sapphire. He is Lord even to Indra, who is set as king of the gods who live in the sky. He lies resting at Thiruvevvul.

Word by word

pantu irukkum mel viralāḷ

she of soft fingers holding a ball

paṉi malarāḷ

the Lady of the cool flower, Lakshmi

vantu irukkum mārvaṉ

He on whose chest she comes to rest

nīla mēṉi maṇi vaṇṇaṉ

dark blue body, sapphire hue

intiraṟkum tam perumāṉ

Lord even to Indra

Periya Tirumozhi 2.2.10 · verse 1067 of the four thousand

Meaning

His servants praise Him with flower garlands as He lies at Thiruvevvul. On Him, Kaliyan, Thirumangai Alwar, king of Mangai with its green countryside where bees sing, made this garland of twice five verses in cool Tamil, with the glory he had gained. Those who master them will surely rule the universe; if not, they will rule the world of the immortals.

Word by word

iṇṭai koṇṭu

with flower garlands

maṅkaiyar-kōṉ kaliyaṉ

Kaliyan, king of Mangai

taṇ tamiḻ cey mālai

a garland made in cool Tamil

īr aintum

twice five, all ten

āṇai

surely, on oath

amar ulakē

the world of the immortals