Periya Tirumozhi 8.8.1 · verse 1718 of the four thousand
Meaning
Long ago, when the ancient sea rose up as high as the heavens, the cool lotus-eyed Lord came as a mighty fish and joyfully rescued all. He is the Cowherd of the cattle, whose forms never end. I, His servant, have found Him in Thirukkannapuram, among beautiful, ripening fields and forest-rich lands.
Word by word
- vāṉōr aḷavum
- as high as the heavens
- mutu munnīr
- the ancient sea
- mīṉ āy vantu
- coming as a fish, Matsya
- uyyak koṇṭa
- who rescued
- taṇ tāmaraik kaṇṇaṉ
- the cool lotus-eyed Lord
- āṉ āyaṉ
- the Cowherd of the cattle
- aṭiyēṉ kaṇṭukoṇṭēṉē
- I, His servant, have found Him
Periya Tirumozhi 8.8.2 · verse 1719 of the four thousand
Meaning
As the long flood with all its creatures was churned up, He planted a mountain there and became a tortoise, and until the shining, radiant nectar came, He lay in the wide sea bearing the mountain as it whirled. I, His servant, have found that wise One in Thirukkannapuram by the troubled sea.
Word by word
- neṭu veḷḷam maṟuka
- as the long flood was churned
- ōr varai naṭṭu
- planting a mountain
- ār amutam
- the precious nectar
- ōr āmai āy
- becoming a tortoise, Kurma
- vilaṅkal tiriyat
- as the mountain whirled
- vittakaṉai
- the wise, skilful One
- kalaṅkal munnīrk
- the troubled, churning sea
Periya Tirumozhi 8.8.3 · verse 1720 of the four thousand
Meaning
When the ancient sea spread over the whole earth, the mighty Lord became a beautiful boar with curving tusks and lifted it up. I, His servant, have found Him in Thirukkannapuram, with its rain-fed lands, where herons dive for the sharp-snouted aral fish and the carp dart away.
Word by word
- pār ār aḷavum
- over the whole earth
- vaḷai maruppiṉ
- with curving tusks
- ēṉam āy
- becoming a boar, Varaha
- eṭutta āṟṟal ammāṉai
- the mighty Lord who lifted it
- kūr ār āral
- the sharp-snouted aral fish
- kuruku pāya
- as herons dive
- kayal iriyum
- carp dart away
Periya Tirumozhi 8.8.4 · verse 1721 of the four thousand
Meaning
He made the raging lion and the human form appear together as one; His fury grew until the sky grew hot, and in fierce battle He split open the chest of the foe with His curved claws. I, His servant, have found Him in Thirukkannapuram, whose lands become threshing floors as the great cool sheaves of red paddy are cut.
Word by word
- uḷainta ariyum māṉiṭamum
- the raging lion and the human form
- oṉṟuvittu
- joining them as one, Narasimha
- viṇ vetumpa
- so that the sky grew hot
- vēṟṟōṉ akalam
- the chest of the foe, Hiranya
- vaḷainta ukirāṉai
- the Lord with curved claws
- cennel kulai taṭintu
- cutting the sheaves of red paddy
Periya Tirumozhi 8.8.5 · verse 1722 of the four thousand
Meaning
He came and appeared before Mahabali in the worshipful form of a little dwarf, and long ago took the whole sea-girt earth: He is the Lord whose form never ages. I, His servant, have found Him in Thirukkannapuram, where ploughing in the watered fields turns up gold, and on one side red water-lilies bloom with jasmine buds.
Word by word
- toḻum nīr vaṭiviṉ
- of a form worthy of worship
- kuṟaḷ uruvu āy
- as a little dwarf, Vamana
- māvalipāl
- before Mahabali
- mūvā uruviṉ
- of a form that never ages
- poṉ kiḷaippa
- turning up gold
- mullai mukaiyōṭum kaḻunīr
- red water-lilies with jasmine buds
Periya Tirumozhi 8.8.6 · verse 1723 of the four thousand
Meaning
He came and appeared with a sharp axe as His weapon, and thrice seven times weeded out the kings of the earth: He is the mighty Lord. I, His servant, have found Him in Thirukkannapuram of fragrant lands, where beautiful blue lilies pour out honey for the bees that settle there to drink.
Word by word
- vaṭivāy maḻuvē paṭai āka
- with a sharp axe as weapon, as Parasurama
- mūveḻukāl
- thrice seven times
- aracu kaḷaikaṭṭa
- weeded out the kings
- pāḻiyāṉai
- the mighty One
- kōla nīlam maṭṭu ukukkum
- beautiful blue lilies pour out honey
- kaṭi ār puṟaviṉ
- of fragrant lands
Periya Tirumozhi 8.8.7 · verse 1724 of the four thousand
Meaning
He appeared as a king who bowed to none, while the whole world bowed to Him together, and fought a fierce war in cruel battle so that the people of fierce, well-guarded Lanka fled from their homes. I, His servant, have found our Supreme in Thirukkannapuram, hedged with screwpine, fragrant with its rich, cool seaside groves.
Word by word
- vaṇaṅkā maṉṉaṉāy
- as a king who bowed to none, Rama
- kaṭi ilaṅkai
- well-guarded Lanka
- kuṭikoṇṭu ōṭa
- so that its people fled
- namparaṉai
- our Supreme
- kāṉal
- seaside groves
- kaitai vēlik
- hedged with screwpine
Periya Tirumozhi 8.8.8 · verse 1725 of the four thousand
Meaning
He appeared with a single earring and a plough at His side, and in fierce battle His victorious deeds sent kings with spears and conquering deeds off to the heavens. I, His servant, have found Him in Thirukkannapuram, where learned Vedic scholars keep the three sacred fires burning in their homes.
Word by word
- oṟṟaik kuḻaiyum nāñcilum
- a single earring and a plough, as Balarama
- vēl vēntar
- kings with spears
- viṇpāl cella
- so that they went to the heavens
- koṟṟat toḻilāṉai
- the One of victorious deeds
- centī mūṉṟum
- the three sacred fires
- kaṟṟa maṟaiyōr
- learned Vedic scholars
Periya Tirumozhi 8.8.9 · verse 1726 of the four thousand
Meaning
So that the Lady Earth, with lips like ripe red fruit, could be freed of her sorrow and live, He was born on a dark night, and in the Bharata war He rushed upon the kings and threw them into confusion. I, His servant, have found that Lord in Thirukkannapuram, where on one side the tide of the salt sea throws up pearls, and on the other bright red paddy waves like whisks.
Word by word
- tuvarik kaṉivāy nila maṅkai
- the Lady Earth with lips like ripe red fruit
- pāratattuḷ
- in the Bharata war
- aracar taṭumāṟa
- so that the kings were confounded
- iruḷ nāḷ piṟanta ammāṉai
- the Lord born on a dark night
- uvari ōtam muttu unta
- the salt sea's tide throwing up pearls
- kavari vīcum
- waving like whisks
Periya Tirumozhi 8.8.10 · verse 1727 of the four thousand
Meaning
He became the Fish, the Tortoise, the Boar, the Lion and the Dwarf; the first Rama, Parasurama; Rama who was Himself; the later Rama, Balarama; Damodara, Krishna; and Kalki too. On Him at Thirukkannapuram, His servant Kaliyan, Thirumangai Alwar, made this garland of Tamil, of sweet words full of honey. When it is recited, sins will not stay.
Word by word
- mīṉōṭu āmai kēḻal ari kuṟaḷ āy
- becoming the Fish, Tortoise, Boar, Lion and Dwarf
- muṉṉum irāmaṉ āy
- the first Rama, Parasurama
- piṉṉum irāmaṉ āy
- the later Rama, Balarama
- tāmōtaraṉ āy
- Damodara, Krishna bound at the waist
- kaṟkiyum
- Kalki too
- tēṉ ār iṉ col
- sweet words full of honey
- 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.