Periya Tirumozhi 7.3.1 · verse 1568 of the four thousand
Meaning
He is the Archer who struck down the angry, red-eyed rakshasas till their lives ended, so the learned hold Him in their minds and stand praising Him always; He is the great Sage, the mighty One who pierced the seven trees with an arrow; He is hard to reach for anyone who seeks Him in waking life. I, His servant, saw the Nambi who stands at Naraiyur in a dream; and because I saw Him today, my two eyes rejoiced, and I rejoiced.
Word by word
- ceṅ kaṇ arakkar
- red-eyed rakshasas
- ceṟṟa villi
- the Archer who destroyed them
- kaṟṟavar
- the learned
- maram ēḻ eyta maintaṉai
- the mighty One who pierced seven trees
- naṉavil
- in waking life
- kaṉavil kaṇṭēṉ
- I saw Him in a dream
- kaṇ-iṇaikaḷ kaḷippa
- my two eyes rejoicing
Periya Tirumozhi 7.3.2 · verse 1569 of the four thousand
Meaning
Like a calf that thinks of its mother, He made me think only of Him, and thinking of me as His own, He blesses me: He is my Father. His mouth once swallowed this world and brought it out again; makara earrings hang from His ears; He is the mighty One, the Cowherd in the narrow passage at walled Thirukkovalur, the lion among the immortals, my Beloved. None but Him will I cherish.
Word by word
- tāy niṉainta kaṉṟē okka
- like a calf thinking of its mother
- taṉṉaiyē niṉaikkac ceytu
- made me think of Him alone
- uṇṭu umiḻntiṭṭa vāyaṉai
- whose mouth swallowed and brought out the world
- makarak kuḻaik kātaṉai
- He whose ears wear makara (fish-shaped) earrings
- matiḷ kōval iṭaikaḻi āyaṉai
- the Cowherd of the passage at walled Thirukkovalur
- amararkku ari ēṟṟai
- the lion among the immortals
- ātariyēṉē
- I will cherish none else
Periya Tirumozhi 7.3.3 · verse 1570 of the four thousand
Meaning
The day He came, He came and made my heart His home; He knows no other heart. Becoming my very thought, He will never let me be handed to the men of the south, Yama's servants: this I have gained, and hold fast. He is the King at Thirukkudanthai ringed by groves full of clustered blossoms, the Dancer who danced with pots, my Father, the Lord of my father's father, my Lord. How could I ever forget Him?
Word by word
- neñcu iṭam koṇṭāṉ
- made my heart His home
- maṟṟu ōr neñcu aṟiyāṉ
- He knows no other heart
- teṉpularkku
- to the men of the south, Yama's servants
- cikkeṉap peṟṟēṉ
- I have gained it and hold it fast
- kuṭantait talaik kōviṉai
- the King at Thirukkudanthai
- kuṭam āṭiya kūttaṉai
- the Dancer who danced with pots
- ettāl maṟakkēṉē
- how could I forget Him?
Periya Tirumozhi 7.3.4 · verse 1571 of the four thousand
Meaning
So that the kings proud of their strength perished, my Lord went for the five brothers in the Bharata war on a single chariot, drove it with compassion and gave them sweet grace. He is ruler of Srirangam on the Kaveri's fragrant waters, my ruler, ruler of heaven; He went so that sea-girt Lanka was shaken, and wielded His arrows. To none but that lotus-eyed Lord will my mind bow down.
Word by word
- uraṅkaḷāl iyaṉṟa maṉṉar
- kings made proud by their strength
- oru tēr aivarkku āy
- a single chariot, for the five Pandavas
- iraṅki ūrntu
- driving with compassion
- araṅkam āḷi
- ruler of Srirangam
- eṉ āḷi viṇ āḷi
- my ruler, ruler of heaven
- ilaṅkai malaṅka
- so that Lanka was shaken
- maṉam tāḻntu nillātē
- my mind will not bow
Periya Tirumozhi 7.3.5 · verse 1572 of the four thousand
Meaning
When I am sinking there in cruel hell, my Lord will come there saying "Do not fear," and hold up His servant with His golden, lotus-like feet. He is the lion of Thiruvenkatam who stands as an ornament to the gods, who tore apart the horse-demon, who ate the butter and was tied to the mortar: sweet sugarcane, honey, good milk. My mind will think of nothing but Him.
Word by word
- vem narakattu aḻuntumpōtu
- when I sink into cruel hell
- añcēl eṉṟu
- saying "Do not fear"
- tāṅku
- holds up
- tāmarai aṉṉa poṉ ār aṭi
- golden feet like lotuses
- umparkku aṇi āy niṉṟa
- who stands as an ornament to the gods
- vēṅkaṭattu ariyai
- the lion of Thiruvenkatam
- pari kīṟiyai
- who tore the horse-demon, Kesi
Periya Tirumozhi 7.3.6 · verse 1573 of the four thousand
Meaning
His glory never leaves my mind even for the time it takes to see a sesame seed. He is the gold, the sweet lump of candy of Thirumaliruncholai, with its deep groves of kongu trees spreading their gold-plate blossoms; He is the sweet juice the sugarcane yields; the learned One who lovingly taught the four Vedas long ago; the lion asleep on the ocean; my gracious Lord. Of no one else will I sing.
Word by word
- eḷ taṉaippoḻutu ākilum
- even for a sesame seed's moment
- alar kōṅkiṉ
- of blossoming kongu (silk-cotton) trees
- tirumāliruñcōlai
- Thirumaliruncholai
- kaṭṭiyai
- the lump of sweet candy
- maṟai nāṉkum muṉ ōtiya paṭṭaṉai
- the learned One who first taught the four Vedas
- paravait tuyil ēṟṟai
- the lion asleep on the ocean
- paṇpaṉai
- the gracious One
Periya Tirumozhi 7.3.7 · verse 1574 of the four thousand
Meaning
Becoming the palai melody drawn from the strings of the yazh, sweeter than any song, He entered here and made my eyes, my heart and my mouth His home. Having taken them, He is the Lord of those in heaven, dwelling in the minds of Vedic scholars, my Lord; He has the colour of the sea where makaras play in swelling waters, the colour of a great sapphire, my Master. My mouth will speak of nothing but His beauty.
Word by word
- yāḻ narampil peṟṟa pālai
- the palai melody drawn from the yazh's strings
- kaṇṇum neñcum vāyum
- my eyes, heart and mouth
- iṭam koṇṭāṉ
- made them His home
- maṟaiyōr maṉam taṉ uḷ
- within the minds of Vedic scholars
- makaram tiḷaikkum kaṭal vaṇṇaṉ
- sea-coloured One, where makaras play
- mā maṇi vaṇṇaṉ
- the colour of a great sapphire
- vāy uraiyātē
- my mouth will speak of nothing else
Periya Tirumozhi 7.3.8 · verse 1575 of the four thousand
Meaning
Tell me, what sin can come and reach me now, when I have gained His grace in this very life? He is the ancient path that took a form of its own, ending crushing sorrow and giving only joy; the Sage whom the world worships; the pearl the gods bow to; the fruit His devotees savour; the Thief who lovingly took my heart. Today I have seen Him.
Word by word
- iṉi ep pāvam vantu eytum
- what sin could reach me now?
- immaiyē aruḷpeṟṟamaiyāl
- having gained grace in this very life
- aṭum tuṉiyait tīrttu
- ending crushing sorrow
- tol neṟiyai
- the ancient path, the Lord Himself as the way
- pattar-tām nukarkiṉṟatu ōr kaṉiyai
- the fruit His devotees savour
- uḷḷam koṇṭa kaḷvaṉai
- the Thief who took my heart
Periya Tirumozhi 7.3.9 · verse 1576 of the four thousand
Meaning
Tell me, what can I, His servant, do about this? The glorious ruler of Thanjai is always in my mind. Long ago He tore open the chest of the one with the golden name; He dammed the encircling sea so that the city of the rakshasa, whose bright sword flashed like fire, was laid waste. He is the great golden mountain the immortals worship, the hill of gems. To no one else will my mind say "Praise be!"
Word by word
- eṉ ceykēṉ
- what can I do?
- tañcai āḷiyai
- the ruler of Thanjai (Thanjai Mamanikkoil)
- poṉpeyarōṉ
- the one with the golden name, Hiranya
- cūḻ kaṭal ciṟai vaittu
- damming the encircling sea
- poṉ cey māl varaiyai
- the great golden mountain
- maṇik kuṉṟiṉai
- the hill of gems
- pōṟṟi eṉṉātē
- will not say "Praise be!"
Periya Tirumozhi 7.3.10 · verse 1577 of the four thousand
Meaning
Kaliyan of the sword, scion of the Mangai people whose flower groves burst into bloom, lord of the land of Thiruvali, wore on his head the fine, great, flower-like red feet of the Nambi who stands at good Naraiyur; worshipping, rising and dancing, he made this garland of ten songs for the devotees. Sing them, O devotees: as you sing, sin will not stay among you.
Word by word
- tōṭu viṇṭu alar pūm poḻil
- flower groves where petals open and bloom
- vāḷ kaliyaṉ
- Kaliyan of the sword
- tiru āli nāṭaṉ
- lord of the land of Thiruvali
- malarc cēvaṭi ceṉṉiyil cūṭiyum
- wearing His flower-like red feet on his head
- eḻuntu āṭiyum
- rising and dancing
- pāvam nillāvē
- sins will not stay
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.