Periya Tirumozhi 4.1.1 · verse 1248 of the four thousand
Meaning
All around the groves where flowers have burst into bloom, the beating waves of the broad Manni river come and toss, scattering their pollen. On its southern bank is the place where Madhava, Lakshmi's Lord, dwells: Thiruthevanarthogai in Nangur of the rich fields, where the striped bees hum their song, "thetena".
Word by word
- pōtu alarnta poḻil
- groves where blossoms have opened
- poru tiraikaḷ
- beating, dashing waves
- tātu utira
- so that the pollen scatters
- taṭa maṇṇit teṉ karaimēl
- on the southern bank of the broad Manni river
- mātavaṉ
- Madhava, the Lord of Lakshmi
- vari vaṇṭu
- striped bees
- tiruttēvaṉārtokaiyē
- Thiruthevanarthogai, a divya desam in Thirunangur
Periya Tirumozhi 4.1.2 · verse 1249 of the four thousand
Meaning
He became all beings and all things; He became the meaning of the beautiful Vedas; He became the three, and He is the First, the very form of the Lord. The place where He sits and dwells is Thiruthevanarthogai, in Nangur, home of men who win victories over kings with mighty armies of horses, a place of groves where even the gods come and bow down.
Word by word
- yāvarum āy yāvaiyum āy
- becoming all beings and all things
- eḻil vētap poruḷkaḷum āy
- becoming the meaning of the beautiful Vedas
- mūvarum āy
- becoming the three (Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva)
- mutal āya mūrtti
- the Lord who is the First
- mā varum tiṇ paṭai
- strong armies with horses
- tēvarum ceṉṟu iṟaiñcu
- where even the gods go and bow
Periya Tirumozhi 4.1.3 · verse 1250 of the four thousand
Meaning
The heavenly world, the earthly world and the many lives besides: my Lord, the Master, became all of these Himself. The place where He sits and dwells is Thiruthevanarthogai in Nangur, home of brahmins learned in the rare Vedas, whose great wealth never fails, a place ringed by flowering groves full of honey.
Word by word
- vāṉ nāṭum maṇ nāṭum
- the heavenly world and the earthly world
- pal uyirum
- the many lives
- tāṉ āya
- who became them Himself
- talaivaṉ
- the Master
- āṉāta peruñ celvattu
- of great wealth that never runs out
- aru maṟaiyōr
- brahmins learned in the rare Vedas
- tēṉ ārum malarp poḻil
- flower groves full of honey
Periya Tirumozhi 4.1.4 · verse 1251 of the four thousand
Meaning
Indra and the unblinking gods, the sages, four-faced Brahma on his beautiful fragrant lotus, the Sun and the Moon all stand before Him and pray, "Our Father, show us grace!" The place where He stands and grants it is lovely Nangur: Thiruthevanarthogai, ringed on every side by beautiful, fine groves.
Word by word
- imaiyavarum
- the gods, the unblinking ones
- canta malarc catumukaṉum
- four-faced Brahma on the fragrant lotus
- katiravaṉum cantiraṉum
- the Sun and the Moon
- entai emakku aruḷ
- "Our Father, grace us!"
- niṉṟaruḷum iṭam
- the place where He stands and grants grace
- cuntara nal poḻil
- beautiful, fine groves
Periya Tirumozhi 4.1.5 · verse 1252 of the four thousand
Meaning
The Lord who once swallowed the universe, this wave-tossed ocean, the lands and the great mountains, dwells in Thiruthevanarthogai in Nangur, where strong and valiant people live. It stands on the southern bank of the shining Manni, whose clear waves come rolling in and heap up bright gems, sandalwood, fragrant agil wood and gold.
Word by word
- aṇṭamum iv alai kaṭalum
- the universe and this wave-tossed sea
- kula varaiyum
- the great mountains
- uṇṭa pirāṉ
- the Lord who swallowed them all
- oḷi maṇi cantu akil kaṉakam
- bright gems, sandalwood, agil wood and gold
- teṇ tiraikaḷ
- clear waves
- tiṇ tiṟalār
- people of firm strength
Periya Tirumozhi 4.1.6 · verse 1253 of the four thousand
Meaning
Having swallowed the whole world, the Supreme One lies as a little child on a banyan leaf, a child whom even the four Vedas cannot follow. His place is on the southern bank of the broad Manni, where the paddy grows rich and plentiful: Thiruthevanarthogai in Nangur, whose fields are alive with leaping carp.
Word by word
- ñālam ellām amutu ceytu
- having eaten the whole world as His meal
- nāṉmaṟaiyum toṭarāta
- whom even the four Vedas cannot follow
- āl ilaiyil paḷḷikoḷḷum
- lying asleep on a banyan leaf
- paramaṉ
- the Supreme One
- cāli vaḷam
- the wealth of fine paddy
- cēl ukaḷum vayal
- fields where carp leap
Periya Tirumozhi 4.1.7 · verse 1254 of the four thousand
Meaning
Taking the form of the man-lion who never turns back, He tore Hiranya apart with His great claws that never blunt, and stirred his blood. That loving Lord's place is Nangur, home of fine Vedic brahmins whose great wealth keeps growing: Thiruthevanarthogai, embraced by groves grown rich and lush.
Word by word
- ōṭāta āḷariyiṉ uru
- the form of the man-lion who never retreats
- iraṇiyaṉai
- Hiranya
- vāṭāta vaḷ ukirāl
- with great claws that never weaken
- piḷantu aḷainta
- tore apart and stirred (his blood)
- mālatu iṭam
- the place of Mal, the loving Lord
- eḻil maṟaiyōr
- fine Vedic brahmins
- cēṭu ēṟu poḻil
- groves grown lush
Periya Tirumozhi 4.1.8 · verse 1255 of the four thousand
Meaning
To wed Maithili, Sita of the young, bodice-bound breasts, the peerless young bull broke the great, strong bow. The place He holds dear is Nangur, home of fine Vedic brahmins of great and graceful wealth: Thiruthevanarthogai, ringed by flowering groves full of beauty.
Word by word
- maitiliyai
- Maithili, Sita, princess of Mithila
- maṇam puṇarvāṉ
- in order to marry
- tiṇ cilai iṟutta
- who broke the strong bow
- taṉik kāḷai
- the peerless young bull, Rama
- karutum iṭam
- the place He holds dear
- cīr ārum malarp poḻil
- flower groves full of beauty
Periya Tirumozhi 4.1.9 · verse 1256 of the four thousand
Meaning
The great rutting elephant with its huge brow fell broken along with its mahout when He, the Dancer, plucked out its tusk and flung it away. He sits and dwells in Nangur, fragrant with champak flowers bursting into bloom: Thiruthevanarthogai, with walls of red gold and groves all around.
Word by word
- kumpam miku mata yāṉai
- the rutting elephant with huge frontal globes
- pākaṉoṭum
- together with its mahout
- kompu ataṉaip paṟittu eṟinta
- who plucked out its tusk and flung it
- kūttaṉ
- the Dancer, Krishna
- vampu aviḻum ceṇpakattu
- of champak flowers opening their fragrance
- cem poṉ matiḷ
- walls of red gold
Periya Tirumozhi 4.1.10 · verse 1257 of the four thousand
Meaning
Krishna, whose sacred body is dark as a rain cloud, sits and dwells in Thiruthevanarthogai in Nangur of glorious groves. Of that place Kaliyan, Thirumangai Alwar of the sharp spear, sang these ten Tamil verses. Those who master them will dwell with the immortals in beautiful Vaikuntam.
Word by word
- kār ārnta tirumēṉi
- sacred body dark as a rain cloud
- kaṇṇaṉ
- Krishna
- kūr ārnta vēl kaliyaṉ
- Kaliyan of the sharp spear, Thirumangai Alwar
- tamiḻp pattum vallār
- those who master these ten Tamil verses
- ēr ārnta vaikuntattu
- in beautiful Vaikuntam
- imaiyavarōṭu iruppārē
- will dwell with the immortals
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.