Periya Tirumozhi 4.4.1 · verse 1278 of the four thousand
Meaning
When He came and was born, the jewelled crowns, the strength and the splendour of enemy kings slipped away, and with them the earrings of their beloved wives, and the fetters on His father's feet too. Know this: that is Krishna, who protects and gives grace. In Nangur, where the old spathe of a young areca palm, in a hollow full of hundred-petalled lotuses, scatters white pearls into the muddy hole of a split-mouthed crab, He stands in Thiruthetriyambalam: my red-eyed, loving Lord.
Word by word
- māṟṟaracar maṇi muṭiyum
- the jewelled crowns of enemy kings
- kātalimār kuḻaiyum
- the earrings of their beloved wives
- tantai kāl taḷaiyum
- the fetters on His father's feet
- uṭaṉ kaḻala
- slipping off all together
- nūṟṟitaḻ koḷ aravintam
- hundred-petalled lotuses
- paku vāy naṇṭiṉ
- of the split-mouthed crab
- tirutteṟṟiyampalattu
- at Thiruthetriyambalam, a divya desam in Thirunangur
- eṉ ceṅ kaṇ mālē
- my red-eyed, loving Lord
Periya Tirumozhi 4.4.2 · verse 1279 of the four thousand
Meaning
The cruel, wicked demoness took the form of a young girl with golden bangles on her arms and gave Him her breast as if she were the mother who bore Him. Know this: that is the Child who drank the poison no one could bear, and was glad. In Nangur, where blue lilies bloom thick among the paddy, the hum of large-winged bees and the tinkle of anklets on the little feet of long-eyed women ring out; there in Thiruthetriyambalam stands my red-eyed, loving Lord.
Word by word
- poṟṟoṭit tōḷ maṭa makaḷ
- a young girl with golden bangles on her arms
- pollāta vaṉ pēycci
- the wicked, cruel demoness, Putana
- peṟṟu eṭutta tāypōla
- like the mother who bore Him
- ārum pēṇā nañcu
- poison no one could bear
- malar nīlam
- blooming blue lilies
- iruñ ciṟaiya vaṇṭu
- large-winged bees
- neṭuṅ kaṇār
- long-eyed women
Periya Tirumozhi 4.4.3 · verse 1280 of the four thousand
Meaning
He would slip into the little huts shut with wicker doors and eat fresh butter to His fill through the whole cattle-yard; He would catch at the garments of women whose spear-like eyes conquer all, making mischief as He roamed. Know this: that is the Master. In Nangur, where the Ponni's waters, as ripe fruit falls from the tall coconut palms, come rolling heaps of mangoes, raise up mounds and flow down laden with flowers, there in Thiruthetriyambalam stands my red-eyed, loving Lord.
Word by word
- paṭal aṭaitta ciṟu kurampai
- little huts shut with wicker doors
- pacu veṇṇey
- fresh butter
- vēl kaṇār tōkkai paṟṟi
- catching the garments of spear-eyed women
- alantalaimai ceytu
- making mischief
- aiyaṉ
- the Master
- nīrp poṉṉi
- the waters of the Ponni, the Kaveri
- malar cumantu
- carrying flowers
Periya Tirumozhi 4.4.4 · verse 1281 of the four thousand
Meaning
For Nappinnai, the young girl of bodice-bound breasts, He subdued the strong dark bulls with curved horns, fierce rage and sturdy legs, and won her in marriage. Know this: that is my Krishna, whose sacred colour is that of a dark rain cloud. In Nangur, where lovely flowering groves embrace everything and glorious jewelled mansions shine with radiant light, so tall that the beautiful moon brushes past them, there in Thiruthetriyambalam stands my red-eyed, loving Lord.
Word by word
- piṉṉaikku āki
- for the sake of Nappinnai
- vaḷai maruppiṉ
- with curved horns
- tiṇ viṭai aṭarttu
- subduing the strong bulls
- vatuvai āṇṭa
- who won the marriage
- karu mukilpōl tiru niṟattu
- whose sacred colour is like a dark rain cloud
- eḻil matiyai
- the beautiful moon
- maṇi māṭam
- jewelled mansions
Periya Tirumozhi 4.4.5 · verse 1282 of the four thousand
Meaning
Lakshmi, the lotus maiden whose wide hips gleam with fine cloth, and the dark-eyed cowherd girl whose smile is white as bright pearls: on their breasts the shining jewelled chains are worn smooth by His long, mountain-like arms that never age. Know this: that is the Lord. In Nangur, along streets of mansions with rows of crossroads tall as mountains, gentle-voiced women stop the men with the two bows of their brows and hold their hearts captive; there in Thiruthetriyambalam stands my red-eyed, loving Lord.
Word by word
- kamalap pāvai
- the lotus maiden, Lakshmi
- katir mutta veṇ nakaiyāḷ
- she whose smile is white as bright pearls
- karuṅ kaṇ āycci
- the dark-eyed cowherd girl, Nappinnai
- mūvāta varai neṭun tōḷ
- long, mountain-like arms that never age
- maṭa moḻiyār
- women of gentle speech
- cilai vilaṅki
- blocking (them) with the bows of their brows
- maṉam ciṟai koṇṭu
- holding hearts captive
Periya Tirumozhi 4.4.6 · verse 1283 of the four thousand
Meaning
Foes rose up against Him, each thinking himself His equal; the king of the rakshasas too rose up so, and He, the One without a second, cut off all his twenty hill-like arms together. Know this: that is He. In Nangur, where red-lipped women with soft glances like a deer's hold young parrots, green as emerald, on their hands and teach them soft, honey-sweet prattle, there in Thiruthetriyambalam stands my red-eyed, loving Lord.
Word by word
- ēṉṟu eḻuntāṉ
- rose up to oppose
- arakkar taṅkaḷ kōṉ
- the king of the rakshasas, Ravana
- kuṉṟam aṉṉa irupatu tōḷ
- twenty arms like hills
- oruvaṉ
- the One without a second
- māṉpōlum meṉ nōkkiṉ
- of soft, deer-like glances
- marakatampōl maṭak kiḷiyai
- young parrots green as emerald
- tēṉpōlum meṉ maḻalai
- soft, honey-sweet prattle
Periya Tirumozhi 4.4.7 · verse 1284 of the four thousand
Meaning
With the bright sacred thread and the deerskin hanging from Him, in the form of a wily dwarf He entered the auspicious Vedic sacrifice of the hostile asura king and begged for a little of the wide earth. Know this: that is the mighty youth. In Nangur, where the red, muddied water, coloured by the kumkum paste that bathed the breasts of women with fragrant flowers in their hair, creeps over the white sand, there in Thiruthetriyambalam stands my red-eyed, loving Lord.
Word by word
- puri nūlum tōlum tāḻa
- with sacred thread and deerskin hanging down
- pollāta kuṟaḷ uru
- the form of a wily dwarf
- poruntā vāṇaṉ
- the hostile asura king
- maṇ akalam kuṟai iranta
- who begged a little of the wide earth
- maintaṉ
- the mighty youth
- kuṅkumattiṉ kuḻampu
- kumkum paste
- ceṅ kalaṅkal
- red, muddied water
Periya Tirumozhi 4.4.8 · verse 1285 of the four thousand
Meaning
Great Meru rattled "kana kana" in His sacred hoof like a tiny pebble inside an anklet, and His sacred form shook as He dug up the Earth goddess, embraced her and graciously set her between His tusks. Know this: that is our King. In Nangur, shining with great, good wealth that resounds in all eight directions, the four bright Vedas, the six limbs, the seven notes and all learning, there in Thiruthetriyambalam stands my red-eyed, loving Lord.
Word by word
- cilampiṉ iṭaic ciṟu paralpōl
- like a tiny pebble inside an anklet
- periya mēru
- great Mount Meru
- tiruk kuḷampil
- in His sacred hoof (as Varaha, the boar)
- nila maṭantai taṉai iṭantu
- digging up the Earth goddess
- kōṭṭiṭai vaittaruḷiya
- who graciously set her between His tusks
- ēḻ icaiyum kēḷvikaḷum
- the seven notes and all learning
Periya Tirumozhi 4.4.9 · verse 1286 of the four thousand
Meaning
Once the flood of the final deluge covered the seven worlds and the low hills everywhere, filled the eight directions and the whole sphere, surged up to the vault of the universe as the ocean swelled. Know this: that is our Lord, who held it all within His belly. In Nangur, shining with tall jewelled mansions, home of those whose tongues carry all four great Vedas and whose wealth has grown age after age, there in Thiruthetriyambalam stands my red-eyed, loving Lord.
Word by word
- ēḻ ulakum tāḻ varaiyum
- the seven worlds and the low hills
- eṇ ticaiyum
- the eight directions
- ūḻi veḷḷam
- the flood of the deluge
- muṉ akaṭṭil oṭukkiya
- who once held it within His belly
- ūḻitoṟum ūḻitoṟum
- age after age
- nāṉmaṟai aṉaittum tāṅkum nāvar
- those whose tongues carry all four Vedas
Periya Tirumozhi 4.4.10 · verse 1287 of the four thousand
Meaning
Of my red-eyed, loving Lord at Thiruthetriyambalam in Nangur, gleaming with glorious jewelled mansions, Kaliyan, Thirumangai Alwar, sang this garland of verses: master of the sharp spear, lord of the Ali country, king of Mangai of bannered mansions, ruler of Kuraiyalur, whose ancient fame adorns the earth. Those who master these five and five will be kings of a glorious world, and then shine as gods in the far heaven.
Word by word
- kūr aṇinta vēl valavaṉ
- master of the sharp spear
- āli nāṭaṉ
- lord of the Thiruvali country
- koṭi māṭa maṅkaiyar kōṉ
- king of Thirumangai of bannered mansions
- kuṟaiyal āḷi
- ruler of Kuraiyalur
- pāmālai
- garland of verses
- aintum aintum
- five and five, all ten
- cēṇ vicumpil
- in the far heaven
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.