Periya Tirumozhi 3.4.1 · verse 1178 of the four thousand
Meaning
As a unique dwarf He begged three steps of land of the great earth, gathered all the worlds into two strides, and saying, "Give the third," held Mahabali in bondage. You who would reach the feet of Thadalan, the Lord of the great stride: go and reach Sri Rama Vinnagaram in Kazhi, which excels in worthy fame, in the four great bodies of the Veda, the five sacrifices, the six limbs, the seven modes of music, and the wealth of festivals that crowd its streets.
Word by word
- oru kuṟaḷ āy
- as a unique dwarf, Vamana
- mūvaṭi maṇ vēṇṭi
- begging three steps of land
- īr aṭiyāl oṭukki
- gathering into two strides
- ciṟaiyil vaitta
- held in bondage
- tāṭāḷaṉ
- Thadalan, the Lord of the great stride, the deity here
- icaikaḷ ēḻum
- the seven modes of music
- kāḻic cīrāmaviṇṇakarē
- Sri Rama Vinnagaram in Kazhi (Sirkazhi)
Periya Tirumozhi 3.4.2 · verse 1179 of the four thousand
Meaning
Through the glorious and truthful sage Romasa, He humbled Brahma's pride in his long span of days, and He freed Shiva from eating out of the skull-bowl: He is my Father. You who would reach His radiant, flower-like red feet: go and reach Sri Rama Vinnagaram in Kazhi, where, as the ploughing bulls run, old herons circle the pearls spilled from the mouths of pregnant conches, taking them for their eggs, and fish leap everywhere in lotus fields brimming with honey.
Word by word
- nāṉmukaṉ nāḷ mikait tarukkai
- Brahma's pride in his long span of days
- urōmacaṉāl
- through the sage Romasa
- talai ōṭṭu ūṇ oḻitta
- who ended eating from the skull-bowl
- oḷi malarc cēvaṭi
- radiant, flower-like red feet
- uḻu cē ōṭac
- as the ploughing bulls run
- tol kuruku ciṉai eṉa
- old herons, taking them for eggs
Periya Tirumozhi 3.4.3 · verse 1180 of the four thousand
Meaning
Becoming a unique boar with sharp-tipped tusks, He dug up and lifted the whole earth in triumph; with His discus He cut away the strong arms of Bana. You who would reach His feet: go and reach Sri Rama Vinnagaram in Kazhi, where the farm women entering the fields think the dark kuvalai lilies and the neythal are their own eyes, and the blooming kumudam their mouths, and climb out without weeding them away.
Word by word
- nutik kōṭṭu varākam
- the boar with sharp-tipped tusks
- iṭantu eṭuttu
- digging up and lifting
- tikiriyiṉāl
- with the discus
- vāṇaṉ tiṇ tōḷ
- the strong arms of Bana
- kuvaḷaikaḷ tam kaṇkaḷ eṉṟum
- thinking the lilies are their own eyes
- kaṭaicimārkaḷ
- the farm women
- kaḷai kaḷaiyātu
- without weeding them out
Periya Tirumozhi 3.4.4 · verse 1181 of the four thousand
Meaning
Long ago, for Nappinnai whose feet are soft as cotton, He subdued the seven charging bulls; with His claws for spears He tore open the chest of Hiranya, decked in fresh ornaments, till the blood poured: He is the Spotless One. You who would reach His feet: go and reach beautiful Sri Rama Vinnagaram in Kazhi, where blue lilies spread a darkness thick as evening, pearls there show the light of the cool moon, and coral spreads the red glow of the sun.
Word by word
- pañciya mel aṭip piṉṉai
- Nappinnai, whose feet are soft as cotton
- pāy viṭaikaḷ ēḻ
- the seven charging bulls
- poṉṉaṉ
- the golden one, Hiranya
- ukir vēl āṇṭa
- who used His claws as spears
- niṉmalaṉ
- the Spotless One
- taṇ matiyiṉ nilāk kāṭṭa
- showing the cool moonlight
- ceñ cuṭar veyil
- the red-rayed sunlight
Periya Tirumozhi 3.4.5 · verse 1182 of the four thousand
Meaning
He took the blood of fierce hostile kings and made offerings for those of His noble line who had died; He tore apart the cruel-mouthed horse and killed the elephant: He is the Lord of the gods. You who would reach His feet: go and reach Sri Rama Vinnagaram in Kazhi, ringed by fields where kuvalai lilies show the long, bright eyes of charming women, lotuses show their faces, and the ambal nearby shows their red lips.
Word by word
- maṟa maṉṉar kuruti koṇṭu
- with the blood of fierce kings (as Parasurama)
- tirutticeytu
- making offerings for the departed
- vev vāya mā kīṇṭu
- tearing the cruel-mouthed horse
- vēḻam aṭṭa
- who killed the elephant
- viṇṇavar-kōṉ
- the Lord of the gods
- aravintam mukam kāṭṭa
- lotuses showing their faces
- āmpal
- the ambal, water lily
Periya Tirumozhi 3.4.6 · verse 1183 of the four thousand
Meaning
He bent His bow so that Vali, tawny-eyed, mighty and red-faced, died, and Kabandha in the spreading forest, and Viradha of strong, weapon-filled hands, fierce eyes and great strength, fell: He is the Lord of the gods. You who would reach His feet: go and reach beautiful Sri Rama Vinnagaram in Kazhi, where on mansions tall as hills, the glow of the lotus faces of slender-waisted women chatting with their friends puts the moon's face to shame.
Word by word
- vāli māḷa
- so that Vali died
- kavantaṉoṭum
- along with Kabandha
- virātaṉ uka
- so that Viradha fell
- vil kuṉitta
- who bent His bow
- tuṭi iṭaiyār
- women with waists slender as the tudi drum
- tiṅkaḷ mukam paṉi paṭaikkum
- makes the moon's face sweat, shamed
Periya Tirumozhi 3.4.7 · verse 1184 of the four thousand
Meaning
He made the ten crowns of the matchless, mighty rakshasa scatter on the earth like toppled anthills: He is the King with mountain-like shoulders, His hand holding the bow that wins in battle. You who would be saved by reaching His holy feet: go and reach Sri Rama Vinnagaram in Kazhi, where right-whorled conches, borne on the clear waves, play through the backwaters among the thazhai, reach the fields, settle in channels of rainwater, and lay pearls in the streets.
Word by word
- arakkaṉ muṭikaḷ pattum
- the ten crowns of the rakshasa, Ravana
- puṟṟu maṟintaṉa pōlap
- like toppled anthills
- malait tōḷ vēntaṉ
- the King with mountain-like shoulders
- tiruvaṭi cērntu uykiṟpīr
- you who would be saved by reaching His feet
- kaitaik kaḻi
- backwaters with thazhai (screw-pine)
- valampuri taraḷam īṉum
- right-whorled conches lay pearls
Periya Tirumozhi 3.4.8 · verse 1185 of the four thousand
Meaning
For His beloved, with her lovely form, coral-red lips, long graceful shoulders, long doe-like eyes, words sweet as milk and tresses dripping honey, He brought the tree from the grove of the gods. You who would reach His feet: go and reach Sri Rama Vinnagaram in Kazhi, where, as squirrels leap, the red nuts of tall-leaved dark areca palms drop, and the plump ripe fruits crowding the low boughs of tall jackfruit trees burst and pour out honey.
Word by word
- pavaḷac cev vāy
- coral-red lips
- piṇai neṭuṅ kaṇ
- long doe-like eyes
- pāl ām iṉcol
- words sweet as milk
- vāṉōr kāviṉ maram koṇarntāṉ
- He who brought the tree (parijata) from the gods' grove
- aṇilkaḷ tāva
- as squirrels leap
- matuc coriyum
- pour out honey
Periya Tirumozhi 3.4.9 · verse 1186 of the four thousand
Meaning
He keeps Shiva, with the crescent in his matted hair, on His right side; He brought forth Brahma from His navel; He holds on His chest Lakshmi, whose wide eyes are like a stained spear. You who would reach His feet: go and reach Sri Rama Vinnagaram in Kazhi, ringed by fields where winged bees gather at the red water lilies, sleep in the lotuses by the banks, then reach the pollen packed in the thazhai petals and sing in delight.
Word by word
- piṟai taṅku caṭaiyāṉai
- Shiva, with the crescent in his matted hair
- valattē vaittu
- keeping on His right side
- taṉ untiyilē tōṟṟuvittu
- bringing forth from His navel
- tiruvai mārpil kalantavaṉ
- He who holds Lakshmi on His chest
- cuṇṇam
- pollen
- ciṟai vaṇṭu kaḷi pāṭum
- winged bees sing in delight
Periya Tirumozhi 3.4.10 · verse 1187 of the four thousand
Meaning
Sri Rama Vinnagaram in Kazhi is the home of Vedic scholars like Brahma on his red lotus, and of my red-eyed Lord. Of Him sang Kaliyan, Parakalan of the victorious spear: lord of Ali Nadu ringed by wide fields of lovely lotuses, a rain of grace, crusher of the arrogant, a lion to his foes, king of Mangai, beloved of women with flower-decked tresses. Those who master these ten verses of choice Tamil will be lords of the world girdled by the wide sea.
Word by word
- ceṅ kamalattu ayaṉ aṉaiya maṟaiyōr
- Vedic scholars like Brahma on the red lotus
- ceṅ kaṇ mālai
- the red-eyed Lord
- āli nāṭaṉ
- lord of Ali Nadu (Thiruvali region)
- aruḷ māri
- a rain of grace
- aṭaiyār cīyam
- a lion to his foes
- parakālaṉ kaliyaṉ
- Parakalan, Kaliyan: names of Thirumangai Alwar
- caṅka mukat tamiḻ-mālai
- a garland of choice Tamil
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.