Periya Tirumozhi 2.5.1 · verse 1088 of the four thousand
Meaning
He is the coral pillar who swallowed the earth and brought it forth again; the nectar from the deep sea; the glorious One who tore apart the horse's mouth; my Lord; the sweet sugarcane that sprouted and grew in the hearts of His servants; the warrior bull who broke the war elephant's tusk; the golden hill who walked between the twin marudu trees and broke them; the wishing tree who ended the dark elephant's distress. I saw Him at Thalasayanam in Kadalmallai!
Word by word
- pavaḷat tūṇai
- the coral pillar
- pari vāy kīṇṭa
- who tore apart the horse's mouth, Kesi
- tīm karumpiṉai
- the sweet sugarcane
- pōr ēṟṟiṉai
- the warrior bull
- poṉ kuṉṟiṉai
- the golden hill
- kaṟpakattai
- the wishing tree, kalpaka
- kaṭalmallait talacayaṉattē
- at Thalasayanam in Kadalmallai (Mamallapuram)
Periya Tirumozhi 2.5.2 · verse 1089 of the four thousand
Meaning
Do not bind yourselves to futile service of others, nor keep reciting false books as true, nor perish in vain. Come! My Father, the One I bow to, praised by the hosts of heaven, the Tall One, the dark cloud, my Lord, the pearl of Thiruninravur, who made Khandava forest with its clustered groves pour into the blazing fire's mouth: I saw Him at Thalasayanam in Kadalmallai!
Word by word
- piṟarkku aṭaintu toṇṭu paṭṭu
- taking refuge in others and serving them
- poyn nūlai meyn nūl eṉṟu
- calling false books true
- kaṇaṅkaḷ ēttum
- whom the heavenly hosts praise
- karu mukilai
- the dark cloud
- niṉṟavūr nittilattai
- the pearl of Thiruninravur
- kāṇṭavattai
- the Khandava forest
Periya Tirumozhi 2.5.3 · verse 1090 of the four thousand
Meaning
Holding the Three as one in His own body, yet as distinct forms, He stands so the world may be saved. That day the clever One drank the demoness's poison; He loved to herd the calves and play. He is the dark cloud that drinks the pools in the forests on the hills; He is the temple at Thanjai; the one great way for those on the path of penance; Kalki on a swift horse, who will guard the world. I found Him at Thalasayanam in Kadalmallai, ringed by fragrant groves!
Word by word
- mūṉṟu oṉṟāy mūrtti vēṟu āy
- the Three as one, yet distinct forms
- ulaku uyya niṉṟāṉai
- who stands so the world may be saved
- vittakaṉai
- the clever, wondrous One
- tañcaik kōyil
- the temple at Thanjai
- tava neṟikku ōr peru neṟiyai
- the one great way on the path of penance
- kaṭum parimēl kaṟkiyai
- Kalki on a swift horse
- kaṭi poḻil
- fragrant groves
Periya Tirumozhi 2.5.4 · verse 1091 of the four thousand
Meaning
He is the child who drank at the breast of the demon-mother; the dark elephant with twin tusks; the King who relished the curd and butter of the cowherd mothers with doe-like eyes; the nectar of the Brahmins; who led the kuravai dance; the Dancer of the pot dance; who held up the hill and kept the herds of cows from harm; my Lord. I found Him at Thalasayanam in Kadalmallai, ringed by fragrant groves!
Word by word
- pēyt tāyai
- the demon-mother, Putana
- piṇai maruppiṉ karuṅ kaḷiṟṟai
- the dark elephant with twin tusks
- piṇai māṉ nōkkiṉ
- with eyes like a doe's
- antaṇar-tam amutattai
- the nectar of the Brahmins
- kuṭam āṭu kūttaṉ
- the Dancer of the pot dance
- kuṉṟam ēnti
- holding up the hill
Periya Tirumozhi 2.5.5 · verse 1092 of the four thousand
Meaning
He kicked so that the rolling cart shattered and fell. As an infant He delighted to rest on a banyan leaf. He is my Lord, whose four great shoulders are like hills, like a mountain of gems full of shining light. He embraced the shoulders of the Earth-lady. Going as a messenger, He blazed in anger so that the wrestlers hidden in that treacherous pit were destroyed. I found Him at Thalasayanam in Kadalmallai, ringed by fragrant groves!
Word by word
- tiri cakaṭam
- the rolling cart, Sakatasura
- āl ilaiyil paḷḷi
- resting on a banyan leaf
- maṇik kuṉṟu aṉṉa
- like a mountain of gems
- īr iraṇṭu māl varait tōḷ
- four great hill-like shoulders
- nilamakaḷ tōḷ
- the shoulders of the Earth-lady
- poy aṟaivāy
- in the treacherous pit
- mallar maṅka
- so that the wrestlers were destroyed
Periya Tirumozhi 2.5.6 · verse 1093 of the four thousand
Meaning
He lies in the wide ocean upon the serpent's hoods. When the bright-spotted deer went running, He followed after it. He plucked out the tusk of the elephant in musth. As a boar with curving tusks, He dug up the earth with His tusk. He strode so that the vast earth and the great sky could not contain Him. I found my Lord at Thalasayanam in Kadalmallai, ringed by fragrant groves!
Word by word
- paṇaṅkaḷ mēvi
- upon the serpent's hoods
- kiḷar poṟiya maṟi
- the bright-spotted deer, Maricha
- paṭu matatta kaḷiṟṟiṉ kompu
- the tusk of the elephant in musth
- vaḷai maruppiṉ ēṉam
- a boar with curving tusks
- eytā vaṇṇam kaṭantāṉai
- who strode beyond their reach
Periya Tirumozhi 2.5.7 · verse 1094 of the four thousand
Meaning
That day He crushed and broke the great hill-like shoulders, so that the strong rakshasas who would not honour Him were brought low. He is the mighty warrior who split the jewelled chest of the asura king; the One who rests asleep in the surging sea; the rider of the bird; who drank the poison of the demoness's breast as food; who dwells in the hearts of those who think of Him. I wandered, not seeing Him; now I have found Him at Thalasayanam in Kadalmallai!
Word by word
- pēṇāta vali arakkar
- strong rakshasas who would not honour Him
- peru varait tōḷ iṟa nerittu
- crushing the great hill-like shoulders
- avuṇar-kōṉaip
- the asura king, Hiranya
- puḷ ūrtiyai
- the rider of the bird, Garuda
- uḷḷuvār uḷḷattē
- in the hearts of those who think of Him
- kāṇātu tiritaruvēṉ
- I, who wandered without seeing Him
Periya Tirumozhi 2.5.8 · verse 1095 of the four thousand
Meaning
He became a woman and kept the sweet nectar from the asuras by a trick. Once He swelled into a mighty lion with crescent teeth. He lies upon the serpent's hoods on the great hill called Meyyam, ringed by cool, long waters. His glory is past all counting; His long eyes are like a lotus full of shining light. I found Him, and saw Him to my eyes' fill, at Thalasayanam in Kadalmallai!
Word by word
- peṇ āki
- becoming a woman, Mohini
- iṉ amutam vañcittāṉai
- who kept the sweet nectar by a trick
- aṭal ariyāy
- as a mighty lion
- meyyam
- Thirumeyyam
- eṇ iṟanta pukaḻiṉāṉai
- whose glory is past counting
- aravintam pōṉṟu nīṇṭa kaṇṇāṉai
- whose long eyes are like the lotus
- kaṇ ārak kaṇṭukoṇṭēṉ
- I saw Him to my eyes' fill
Periya Tirumozhi 2.5.9 · verse 1096 of the four thousand
Meaning
His servants praise His feet. The king of the rakshasas of southern Lanka refused to be saved by becoming the servant of Him whose feet strode across the world; so He let fly arrows from His right hand, and the beasts fed on that king. He beheld the ancient four Vedas, the five sacrifices, all sacred learning and the six limbs. I, His servant, have found Him at Thalasayanam in Kadalmallai!
Word by word
- toṇṭu āyār-tām paravum aṭiyiṉāṉai
- Him whose feet His servants praise
- paṭi kaṭanta tāḷāḷaṟku
- to Him whose feet strode across the world
- teṉ ilaṅkai arakkar vēntai
- the king of the rakshasas of southern Lanka
- vilaṅku uṇṇa
- for beasts to feed on
- aintu vēḷvikaḷum
- the five daily sacrifices
- aṅkam āṟum
- the six limbs of the Vedas
Periya Tirumozhi 2.5.10 · verse 1097 of the four thousand
Meaning
Once He lay on the hooded serpent bed; He raged so that the asura king perished; He went between the marudu trees. Now the lotus-eyed Leader lies resting at Thalasayanam in Kadalmallai, rich with tanks and fenced by fields. Kalikanri, Thirumangai Alwar, master of dark elephants in musth, victorious in war, sang these sweet resounding songs. Those who master these five and five firmly will be able to cut evil karma off at its root.
Word by word
- paṭa nākattu aṇai
- the hooded serpent bed
- paḻaṉa vēli
- fenced by fields
- tāmaraikkaṇ tuyil amarnta talaivaṉ
- the lotus-eyed Leader who rests in sleep
- kaṭam ārum karuṅ kaḷiṟu vallāṉ
- master of dark elephants in musth
- ivai aintum aintum
- these five and five
- tīviṉaiyai mutal ariya
- to cut evil karma at its root
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.