Periya Tirumozhi 9.5.1 · verse 1788 of the four thousand
Meaning
(The girl, pining for the Lord of Thirukkurungudi, pleads with those around her.) The sea where the white young crescent leaps, the cool flower-scented south breeze and the anril bird all join to cut through my heart until it droops and fails; through these misty nights I lie sleepless. He does not pity me, thinking, "She too is a tender creeper of a girl." He took away all five of my joys long ago, He whose colour is the blue lily. He dwells at Kurungudi: take me there.
Word by word
- tavaḷa iḷam piṟai
- the white young crescent moon
- aṉṟil
- the anril bird, which calls for its mate at night
- cūḻ paṉi nāḷ
- misty nights
- ōr peṇkoṭi
- a tender creeper of a girl
- eṉ nalam aintum
- all five of my joys
- kuvaḷai malar niṟa vaṇṇar
- He whose colour is the blue lily
- kuṟuṅkuṭikkē eṉṉai uyttiṭumiṉ
- take me to Kurungudi, the refrain
Periya Tirumozhi 9.5.2 · verse 1789 of the four thousand
Meaning
The young north wind, cool with moonlight, comes having embraced the jasmine as it opens its pollen; right now that gale wanders about, buffets me and devours me, and I do not sleep a single night. The bangled girls who sleep may sit and talk about me in their simplicity; let them talk. Take me to Kurungudi of Him on whose chest dwells the Lady of the fragrant flower, wearing her garland.
Word by word
- tātu aviḻ mallikai
- jasmine opening its pollen
- iḷa vāṭai
- the young north wind
- ūtai tiritantu uḻaṟi
- the gale wanders and buffets
- ōr iravum uṟaṅkēṉ
- I do not sleep a single night
- peyvaḷaiyār
- girls wearing bangles
- naṟu malar maṅkai mārvaṉ
- He on whose chest is the Lady of the fragrant flower
Periya Tirumozhi 9.5.3 · verse 1790 of the four thousand
Meaning
Morning has become like evening; an hour of the night stretches out like an age. Such a state has come upon me and stays. And the north wind, if I must speak of it, is like a leaping fire. Before the other wonders of Mal, the great gem-coloured One, come upon me as well, take me to Kurungudi of the woodlands, where lovely peacocks make their home.
Word by word
- kālaiyum mālai ottuṇṭu
- morning has become like evening
- nāḻikai ūḻiyil nīṇṭu
- an hour stretches longer than an age
- poṅku aḻalē okkum vāṭai
- the north wind is like a leaping fire
- mā maṇi vaṇṇaṉ māyam
- the wonders of the great gem-coloured One
- vantiṭāmuṉ
- before they come upon me
- kōla mayil
- lovely peacocks
Periya Tirumozhi 9.5.4 · verse 1791 of the four thousand
Meaning
The bull with the dark hump, wearing black beads, goes about with the white heifer, his neck bent low, and the lone sound of his bell pushes at my heart; I lie awake night after night. Speak of the greatness of the great Gracious One, the great gem the gods place upon their heads, and take me to Kurungudi of the woodlands, where streams scatter bright gems.
Word by word
- karu maṇi pūṇṭu
- wearing black beads
- veṇ nāku aṇaintu
- going with the white heifer
- kār imil ēṟṟu
- the bull with the dark hump
- oru maṇi ōcai
- the lone sound of a bell
- pēr aruḷāḷaṉ
- the great Gracious One
- kuru maṇi nīr koḻikkum
- where streams scatter bright gems
Periya Tirumozhi 9.5.5 · verse 1792 of the four thousand
Meaning
The bell of the bull with the sturdy hump, the sweet flute of the cowherd, the evening that comes with the south breeze, and with them the lovely young crescent born of twilight: these are not as they once were to us. They wither the life of me, a sinner. Take me to Kurungudi, where He dwells whose colour is the rain-cloud and the gem.
Word by word
- tiṇ timil ēṟṟiṉ maṇiyum
- the bell of the bull with the sturdy hump
- āyaṉ tīm kuḻal
- the cowherd's sweet flute
- anti īṉṟa
- born of twilight
- paṇṭaiya alla
- are not as they once were
- āviyai vāṭṭam ceyyum
- wither my life
- koṇṭal maṇi niṟa vaṇṇar
- He whose colour is the rain-cloud and the gem
Periya Tirumozhi 9.5.6 · verse 1793 of the four thousand
Meaning
Night and broad day the jewelled women sit and scold me; let them scold. They are good women; we do not understand their ways. Shyness, innocence and fear: none of these is left in us here. Even if they delight in saying harsh things, we will not forget the great gem-coloured One. Take me to Kurungudi, where the young mullai growing in the back gardens clings and climbs.
Word by word
- elliyum naṉ pakalum
- night and broad day
- ēntiḻaiyār
- jewelled women
- nāṇ maṭam accam
- shyness, innocence and fear
- vallaṉa colli
- saying harsh things
- mā maṇi vaṇṇarai nām maṟavōm
- we will not forget the great gem-coloured One
- iḷa mullai
- young mullai, wild jasmine
Periya Tirumozhi 9.5.7 · verse 1794 of the four thousand
Meaning
A divine One, tall, dark of form, with red eyes, came in here; my limbs grew thin and my bangles slipped off. And after He asked, "Is it so?", the bowman of the five arrows began to play his strength on me, and I cannot understand it. Take me to Kurungudi of the woodlands, ringed by cool fields where honeyed flowers bloom.
Word by word
- ceṅ kaṇ neṭiya kariya mēṉit
- red-eyed, tall, dark of form
- aṅkam meliya
- my limbs grew thin
- vaḷai kaḻala
- my bangles slipped off
- aiṅkaṇai villi
- the bowman of the five arrows, Kama
- aṟiyamāṭṭēṉ
- I cannot understand it
- taṇ paṇai
- cool fields
Periya Tirumozhi 9.5.8 · verse 1795 of the four thousand
Meaning
The roar of the sea is no small thing. Listen: the flute in the Cowherd's hand comes and presses upon me to the very limit of my life. And more than that, before this one, the love-god, picks out his five arrows, shows his skill with the bow, and comes in like this to shoot me, understand what the Dancer of the cowherds intends, and take me to Kurungudi.
Word by word
- kēvalam aṉṟu
- is no small thing
- kaṭaliṉ ōcai
- the roar of the sea
- āyaṉ kai āmpal
- the flute in the Cowherd's hand
- āvi aḷavum
- to the very limit of my life
- aintu kaṇai terintiṭṭu
- picking out his five arrows
- kōvalar kūttaṉ kuṟippu aṟintu
- knowing what the Dancer of the cowherds intends
Periya Tirumozhi 9.5.9 · verse 1796 of the four thousand
Meaning
Though I stood and worshipped Him saying, "I bow to You," He did not pity me. He took my old beauty and went, leaving me a golden cloth to wear to this day, this golden pallor. I do not know to which town He went. My breasts grow old in vain, never embracing His broad chest. Take me to Kurungudi, loved by the Dancer, the King of the immortals.
Word by word
- cōttu eṉa niṉṟu
- standing and saying, "I bow to You"
- tol nalam koṇṭu
- taking my old beauty
- poṉ paṭam
- a golden cloth, the pallor of love-sickness
- pōyiṉa ūr aṟiyēṉ
- I do not know which town He went to
- moy akalam
- His broad chest
- imaiyavar kōṉ
- the King of the immortals
Periya Tirumozhi 9.5.10 · verse 1797 of the four thousand
Meaning
He destroyed the enemy till southern Lanka reeled. He is the Lord of the gods, who, though He has the great Lady Sri, took my heart for His temple: the great Gracious One. Kaliyan, Thirumangai Alwar, of lovely glory, learned to speak His greatness, and He never leaves Kaliyan's eyes or mind: the victorious King, Ruler of the whole world. Take me to Kurungudi, where He stands.
Word by word
- teṉ ilaṅkai malaṅka
- till southern Lanka reeled
- tiru mā makaḷaip peṟṟum
- though He has the great Lady Sri
- eṉ neñcakam kōyil koṇṭa
- who took my heart for His temple
- kāmaru cīrk kaliyaṉ
- Kaliyan of lovely glory, Thirumangai Alwar
- kaṇ akattum maṉattum akalāk
- who never leaves the eyes and mind
- muṟṟu ulaku āḷi
- Ruler of the whole world
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.