328  * kadirāyiram iravi * kalanderittāl otta nīḷ muḍiyan *

  ediril perumai irāmanai * irukkumiḍam nāḍudirēl **

  adirum kaḻaṛporu tōḷ * iraṇiyan ākam piḷandu *ariyāy

  udiram aḷainda kaiyōḍirundānai * uḷḷavā kaṇḍāruḷar  

Periyāḻvār proclaims, “If you hanker to see Emperor Rāma, who is effulgent like thousands of suns with unlimited rays and of unparalleled glories, rest assured that there are many who have seen Him in the form of Nṛsiṁha with blood dripping hands when He tore in to two halves the chest of the demoniac Hiraṇyakaśipu, who was sporting heavy anklets and war hungry shoulders.”    

329  nāndakam saṅgu taṇḍu * nāṇolic cārṅgam tiruc cakkaram *

  ēndu perumai irāmanai * irukkumiḍam nāḍudirēl **

  kāndaḷ mugiḻ viral sītaikkāgik * kaḍuñjilai senṛiṛukka *

  vēndar talaivan janaka rājan tan * vēḷviyil kaṇḍāruḷar  

“If you hanker to see Rāma of matchless fame, wielding the Nandaka sword, conch shell named Pāñcajanya, club named Kaumodakī, bow named Śārṅgam producing victorious twang, and the disc, rest assured that there are many who have seen Him breaking a mighty bow in the great sacrifice performed by Janaka, the King of kings, for mother Sītā, who has delicate fingers like the petals of the Flame lily flowers.”  

330  kolai yānaik kombu paṛittuk * kūḍalar sēnai porudaḻiya *

  silaiyāl marāmaram eyda devanaic * cikkena nāḍudirēl **

  talaiyāl kurakkinam tāṅgic cenṛu * taḍavarai koṇḍaḍaippa *

  alaiyār kaḍaṛkarai vīṭṛṛirundānai * aṅguttaik kaṇḍāruḷar              

“If you hanker to see Lord Rāma, who broke the tusk of the murderous elephant Kuvalayāpīḍa, massacred the rākṣasas’ army in Janasthāna; and pierced the seven Sāl trees with one arrow, rest assured that there are many who saw Rāma on the shore of the ocean with great waves, which was crossed over on a bridge built by the army of monkeys with huge mountains carried on their heads.”

331  tōyam paranda naḍuvu sūḻalil * tollai vaḍivu koṇḍa *

  māyak kuḻaviyadanai nāḍuṛil * vammin suvaḍuraikkēn **

  āyar maḍamagaḷ pinnaikkāhi * aḍalviḍai ēḻinaiyum *

  vīyap porudu viyarttu ninṛānai * meymmaiyē kaṇḍāruḷar              

“If you hanker to see the incredible baby form, floating on the vast pralaya water, assumed by the primeval Lord, come, I will divulge a clue; rest assured that there are many who have truly seen Him defeating the seven ferocious bulls to marry the noble lady Nappinnai, the daughter of Kuṁbaka, mother Yaśodā's brother, and standing with His body profusely sweating because of the effort.”[1]   

332  nīrēṛu ceñjaḍai nīlakaṇḍanum * nānmuhanum muṛaiyāl *

  sīrēṛu vācakañjeyya ninṛa * tirumālai nāḍudirēl **

  vārēṛu koṅgai uruppiṇiyai * valiyap piḍittuk koṇḍu

  tērēṭṛṛi * sēnai naḍuvu pōr seyyac * cikkenak kaṇḍāruḷar              

“If you hanker to see the Lord of Śrī Lakṣmī, worshipped with sacred prayers by Rudra—who received the holy water from the lotus feet of the Lord on his matted reddish hair and sports a bluish neck line—and four-headed Brahmā, rest assured that there are many who have seen Him with determination to fight with the army sent by Rukmī when He kidnapped Rukmiṇī, the noble lady with respectably corseted breasts, and held her firmly while driving the chariot.”  

333  pollā vaḍivuḍaip pēycci tuñjap * puṇar mulai vāy maḍukka

vallānai * māmaṇi vaṇṇanai * maruvumiḍam nāḍudirēl **

pallāyiram perundēvimāroḍu * pauvam ēṛiduvārai *

ellārum sūḻac siṅgāsanattē * irundānaik kaṇḍāruḷar              

“If you hanker to see the blue sapphire gemstone-hued Lord, who sucked the poisoned nipple and then the life-air of the devilish Pūtanā, rest assured that there are many who have seen Him decorating the siṁhāsana—ringed by 16,108 consorts—in Dwārakā sprayed over continuously with ocean droplets.”   

334  veḷḷai viḷisaṅgu veñjuḍar tiruc cakkaram * ēndu kaiyan *

  uḷḷaviḍam vinavil * umakku iṛaivammin suvaḍuraikkēn **

  veḷḷaip puravik kurakku velkoḍit * tērmisai munbu ninṛu *

  kaḷḷap paḍait tuṇaiyāhip * bhāratam kaiseyyak kaṇḍāruḷar              

“If you hanker to see Him, who wields the resounding white conch Pāñcajanya, and the fiercely radiant disc, come, I will divulge a clue; there are many who have seen Him as the charioteer—of the chariot drawn by white horses and with a victorious flag marked with Hanumān—shrewdly guiding the Pāṇḍava army and also orchestrating the Mahābhārata war.”     

335  nāḻihai kūṛiṭṭuk kāttu ninṛa * aracarkaḷ tammugappē *

  nāḻihai pōhap paḍai porudavan * devakī tan siṛuvan **

  āḻi koṇḍu anṛu iravi maṛaippac * sayattiratan talaiyai *

  pāḻiluruḷap paḍai porudavan * pakkamē kaṇḍāruḷar   

“There are many who have seen the son of Devakī covering the sun with His disc to mislead those kings—in the Kaurava army, who were closely calculating the time and keeping vigil to save Jayadratha,—that the day was over so that Arjuna could severe Jayadratha’s head and destroy him with his arrow.”

336  maṇṇum malaiyum maṛikaḍalhaḷum * maṭṛṛum yāvum ellām *

  tiṇṇam viḻuṅgi umiḻnda ḍhēvanaic * cikkena nāḍudirēl **

  eṇṇaṛkariyadōr ēnamāhi * irunilam pukkiḍandu *

  vaṇṇak karuṅguḻal mādarōḍu * maṇandānaik kaṇḍāruḷar              

“If you hanker to see the Lord, who swallowed completely the earth, mountains, wavy oceans and everything during mahā-pralaya and recreated later, there are many who have seen Him in the inconceivable form of a boar, bringing out the submerged earth from the depth of the Causal Ocean, and marrying the beautiful dark-haired Bhū-devī.”

337  * kariyamuhil puraimēni māyanaik * kaṇḍa suvaḍuraittu *

  puravimuham ceydu cennelōṅgi * viḷaikaḻanip puduvai **

  tiruviṛpoli maṛaivāṇan * paṭṭar pirān sonna mālai pattum *

 paravu manamuḍaip pattaruḷḷār * paramanaḍi sērvargaḷē   

Periyāḻvār—effulgent by the blessing of Śrī Lakṣmī, expert in the Vedas, and the head of Śrīvilliputtūr, having fields where the well-grown paddy crops are bent like the face of a horse—rendered as garlands of words the clues to many having seen the fresh rain cloud-hued Lord who exhibits incredible qualities and actions; those devotees who have the heart to recite these ten songs will attain the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.    

[1] Nappinnai: See Tirumoḻi 4—Come to bathe! 

338  * alambā veruṭṭāk * konṛu tiriyum arakkarai *

  kulam pāḻ paḍuttuk * kula viḷakkāy ninṛa kōn malai **

  silambārkka vandu * deyva magaḷirgaḷ āḍum cīr *

  silambāṛu pāyum * ten tirumāliruñcōlaiyē      

Periyāḻvār upholds, “Charming Tirumāliruñcōlai—where the celestial women with anklets tinkling come to bathe in the glorious perennial river Silambāṛu—is the hill which is the eternal abode of Lord Rāmacandra, pride of the Ikṣvāku dynasty, who annihilated the Rākṣasas always engaged in terrorizing and slaughtering the animals.”

339  vallāḷan tōḷum * vāḷarakkan muḍiyum * taṅgai

  pollāda mūkkum * pōkkuvittān porundum malai **

  ellā iḍattilum * eṅgum parandu pallāṇḍoli *

  sellā niṛkum sīrt * ten tirumāliruñcōlaiyē      

“Charming Tirumāliruñcōlai—which has the glory of Pallāṇḍu vibrated and reverberating all over and everywhere—is the hill which is the eternal abode of Lord Rāmacandra, who cut off the shoulders and heads of the mighty Rāvaṇa, who had the sword given by Rudra, and the nose of Śūrpaṇakhā, sister of Rāvaṇa.”

340  takkār mikkārgaḷaic * sañjalam seyyum calavarai *

 tekkā neṛiyē pōkkuvikkum * selvan ponmalai **

  ekkālamum senṛu * sēvittirukkum aḍiyarai *

  akkāneṛiyai māṭṛṛum * taṇ tirumāliruñcōlaiyē    

“Tirumāliruñcōlai—which mitigates the misery (of the material jungle) of the devotees who always go and worship the lotus feet of the Lord, who despatches those miscreants—who harass those devotees who are as merciful as the Lord and those devotees considered peerless because of being more merciful than the Lord—to the abode of Yama through the southern path—is the hill which is the resplendent abode of the Lord of Śrī Lakṣmī.”

341  ānāyar kūḍi * amaitta viḻavai * amarar tam

  kōnārkkoḻiyak * govardhanattuc ceytān malai **

  vānāṭṭil ninṛu * māmalark kaṛpagattottiḻi *

  tēnāṛu pāyum * ten tirumāliruñcōlaiyē     

“Charming Tirumāliruñcōlai—where the nectar flowing from the Kalpavṛkṣa flowers of the heaven runs as a river—is the hill of Kaṇṇan who prevented the cowherd men from offering the cooked feast to Indra, the king demigods, and instead offer to Govardhana Hill.”

342  oru vāraṇam * paṇi koṇḍavan poygaiyil * kañjan tan

  oru vāraṇam * uyir uṇḍavan senṛuṛaiyum malai **

  karu vāraṇam * tan piḍi tuṛandōḍa * kaḍalvaṇṇan

 tiruvāṇai kūṛat tiriyum * tan tirumāliruñcōlaiyē   

“Tirumāliruñcōlai, which mitigates the misery (of the material jungle)—where the bull elephant checks the sullen female elephant from running away uttering, “I swear in the name of ocean-hued Lord!”—is the abode of the Lord who delivered one elephant (accepting the prayer of elephant king Gajendra caught by the crocodile) and decimated another (the mammoth elephant Kuvalayāpīḍa of Kaṁsa).”  

343  ēviṭṛṛuc ceyvān * ēnṛedirndu vanda mallarai *

  cāvat tagartta * cāndaṇi tōḷ caturan malai **

  āvattanamenṛu * amarargaḷum nanmunivarum *

  sēvittirukkum * ten tirumāliruñcōlaiyē        

“Charming Tirumāliruñcōlai—venerated as the highest shelter and worshipped by the demigods headed by Brahmā and the four Kumāras and other ṛṣis—is the abode of the adept Kaṇṇan who massacred the aggressive expert wrestlers like Cāṇūra, Muṣṭika, and others engaged by Kaṁsa with His shoulders smeared with the sandalwood paste by the hunchbacked Kubjā.”

344  mannar maṛuga * maittunanmārkku oru tērin mēl *

  munnaṅgu ninṛu * mōḻai eḻuvittavan malai **

  konnavil kūrvēṛkōn * neḍumāṛan ten kūḍaṛkōn *

 tennan koṇḍāḍum * ten tirumāliruñcōlaiyē      

“Charming Tirumāliruñcōlai—venerated by Malayadhvaja, the king of Madurai, wielder of a murderous weapon, a sharp spear, acclaimed as a judicious ruler, a noble fighter and the chief of southern direction—is the abode of Kaṇṇan, envied by all the demoniac kings who lament, “How can we defeat Him?” For the sake of His cousins, the Pāndavas, Kaṇṇan became the charioteer of the wonderful chariot of Arjuna; He brought forth a fountain of water by piercing the earth with Varuṇastra.”

345  kuṛugāda mannaraik kūḍu kalakki * veṅgāniḍaic

  siṛukāl neṛiyē pōkkuvikkum * selvan ponmalai **

  aṛukāl vari vaṇḍukaḷ * āyira nāmam solli *

  ciṛukālaip pāḍum * ten tirumāliruñcōlaiyē      

“Charming Tirumāliruñcōlai—where the six-legged beautiful bumblebees hum the thousand names of the Lord everyday early morning—is the auspicious abode of the Lord of Śrī Lakṣmī, who destroys the palaces of the demoniac kings and sends them scrambling through the tough tracks in the forest.”  

346  cindap puḍaittuc * ceṅgurudi koṇḍu * bhūtaṅgaḷ

  andi bali koḍuttu * āvattanam sey appan malai **

  indira gōbaṅgaḷ * emberumān kani vāyoppān *

  cindum puṛavil * ten tirumāliruñcōlaiyē       

“Charming Tirumāliruñcōlai—which has gardens, where the multitude of Cochineal insects, trying in vain to compete with the reddish lips, resembling the scarlet gourd, of Lord Aḻagar—is the abode of the Lord who is venerated as the highest shelter and worshipped by the pious bhūtās who pummel and break the limbs of atheists, and offer the blood gushing out of their bodies to the Lord at twilight.”[1] [2]

347  eṭṭut tisaiyum * eṇṇiṛanda perundēvimār *

  viṭṭu viḷaṅga * vīṭṛṛirunda vimalan malai **

  paṭṭip piḍigaḷ * pagaḍuṛiñjic cenṛu mālai vāyt *

  teṭṭit tiḷaikkum * ten tirumāliruñcōlaiyē     

“Charming Tirumāliruñcōlai—where at night the freely roaming female elephants brush against the bull elephants and enjoy erotic pleasure—is the abode of the majestic and pristine Lord of Dwārakā, famous in eight directions, and who is surrounded by His most beautiful 16,108 consorts.”        

348  * marudap poḻilaṇi * māliruñcōlai malai tannai *

  karudi uṛaiginṛa * kārkkaḍal vaṇṇan ammān tannai **

  viradam konḍēttum * villiputtūr viṭṭu cittan sol *

  karudi uraippavar * kaṇṇan kaḻaliṇai kāṇbargaḷē    

The master of Śrīvilliputtūr, Periyāḻvārwho has avowed to exult the dark ocean-hued Lord,—who has chosen Tirumāliruñcōlai Hill, decorated by groves of Arjuna trees, as His eternal abode—has rendered these divine songs; those who recite them with love will attain the lotus feet of Kaṇṇan.

[1] Cochineal insects: Dactylopius coccus is a scale insect in the suborder Sternorrhyncha, from which the natural dye carmine is derived.

[2] Scarlet gourd: See Glossary, Third Decade.

349  * uruppiṇi naṅgai tannai mīṭpān * toḍarndōḍic cenṛa *

  uruppanaiyōṭṭik koṇḍiṭṭu * uṛaittiṭṭa uṛaippan malai **

  poruppiḍaik konṛai ninṛu * muṛiyāḻiyum kāsum koṇḍu *

 viruppoḍu pon vaḻaṅgum * viyan māliruñcōlaiyadē    

Periyāḻvār affirms, “Amazing Tirumāliruñcōlai—where golden shower trees on the hill shed myriads of round yellow petals and curved stamens resembling gold rings and coins strewn around by charitable persons—is the hill of the majestic Kaṇṇan, who caught hold of Rukmī—who chased the chariot of Kaṇṇan to rescue Rukmiṇī—and humiliated him.”     

350  kañjanum kāḷiyanum * kaḷiṛum marudum erudum *

  vañjanaiyil maḍiya * vaḷarnda maṇivaṇṇan malai **

  nañjumiḻ nāgam eḻundaṇavi * naḷir māmadiyai *

  ceñjuḍar nāvaḷaikkum * tirumāliruñcōlaiyadē    

“This Tirumāliruñcōlai—where the poison-spitting cobra stretches and tries to lick with its reddish tongue the cool full moon on the hill top—is the hill of the blue sapphire gemstone-hued Lord in Gokula, who eliminated the wicked king Kaṁsa, the venomous serpent Kālīya, the murderous elephant Kuvalayāpīḍa, the deceptive Arjuna trees, and the seven wild bulls by their own turpitude.”   

351  mannu narakan tannaic * cūḻ bōki vaḷaitteṛindu *

  kanni magaḷir tammaik * kavarnda kaḍalvaṇṇan malai **

  punnai cerundiyoḍu * punavēṅgaiyum kōṅgum ninṛu *

  ponnari mālaigaḷ cūḻ * poḻil māliruñcōlaiyadē    

“This Tirumāliruñcōlai—which looks as if decorated by huge circles of garlands because of the fully bloomed mastwood trees, golden champak trees, Indian kino trees, and red cotton trees grown in  neat lines in the groves—is the hill of the ocean-hued Lord, who made plans to kill the arrogant Narakāsura, encircled his city and killed him, and rescued 16,100 princesses whom He married.” 

352  māvali tannuḍaiya * magan vāṇan magaḷirunda *

  kāvalaik kaṭṭaḻitta * tanik kāḷai karudum malai **

  kōvalar govindanaik * kuṛa mādargaḷ paṇkuṛiñjip *

  pāvoli pāḍi naḍam payil * māliruñcōlaiyadē     

“This Tirumāliruñcōlai—where the women of the gypsy tribe compose songs about Govinda, who grew up in the cowherd clan, and sing in Kuriñji note (high pitch) and dance to the tune— is the favourite abode of the inconceivably ever-youthful Kaṇṇan, who easily broke the high security arranged for his daughter, Ūṣā, by Bāṇāsura, the son of Bali Mahārāja.”         

353  * pala pala nāḻam sollip * paḻitta śiśupālan tannai *

  alaivalaimai tavirtta * aḻagan alaṅgāran malai **

  kulamalai kōlamalai * kuḷir māmalai koṭṛṛamalai *

  nilamalai nīṇḍamalai * tirumāliruñcōlaiyadē      

“This Tirumāliruñcōlai—a prominent hill temple for the devotees, a panoramic hill, a cool and majestic hill, a triumphant hill, a hill with fertile earth, and an auspicious hill—is the hill of the fully bedecked and alluring Kaṇṇan, who gave liberation to the envious Śiśupāla, a habitual blasphemer of Kaṇṇan.”    

354  pāṇḍavar tammuḍaiya * pāñcālī maṛukkamellām *

  āṇḍu aṅgu nūṭṛṛuvar tam * peṇḍir mēl vaitta appan malai **

  pāṇtagu vaṇḍinaṅgaḷ * paṇkaḷ pāḍi madup paruga *

  tōṇḍaluḍaiya malai * tollai māliruñjōlaiyadē   

“This distinguished Tirumāliruñcōlai—where the buzzing bumble bees constantly hum prayers and drink the honey from the flowers in the groves nourished by perennial streams—is the hill of the benefactor Kaṇṇan, who never forgot the angsts of Pāñcālī and shifted them to the wives of the Kauravas.”  

355  kanaṅguḻaiyāḷ poruṭṭāk * kaṇai pārittu * arakkar taṅgaḷ

  inam kaḻuvēṭṛṛuvitta * eḻil tōḷ emmirāman malai **

  kanamkoḻi teḷḷaruvi * vandu sūḻndu agal ñālam ellām *

inam kuḻuvāḍum malai * eḻil māliruñjōlaiyadē    

“This all auspicious hill Tirumāliruñcōlai—where devotees from all over the world gather in droves and bathe in the opulent and pure waterfall—is the hill of our mighty shouldered benefactor Rāma, who hoisted on the spears of His incessantly released arrows, the lives of the rākṣasa clan, for the sake of Mother Sītā wearing golden ear-rings.”   

356  eri cidaṛum carattāl * ilaṅgaiyinai * tannuḍaiya

  varicilai vāyil peydu * vāyk kōṭṭam tavirttukanda **

  araiyan amarum malai * amararoḍu kōnum senṛu *

  tirisuḍar sūḻum malai * tirumāliruñjōlaiyadē     

“This hill Tirumāliruñcōlai—which is circumambulated by the demigods headed by Indra, and the ever ambulatory sun and moon—is the hill of the  King, who was happy after eliminating the demoniac Rāvaṇa, king of Laṅkā, by releasing fire spitting arrows from His long bow, called Śārṅga.”

357  kōṭṭumaṇ koṇḍiḍandu * kuḍaṅgaiyil maṇ koṇḍaḷandu *

  mīṭṭumaduṇḍumiḻndu * viḷaiyāḍu vimalan malai **

  īṭṭiya palporuḷgaḷ * embirānukku aḍiyuṛaiyenṛu *

  ōṭṭarum taṇ silambāṛuḍai * māliruñjōlaiyadē    

“This Tirumāliruñcōlai—where, while rushing down, Silambāṛu brings with its water a variety of valuables like gold, pearls, and agarwood as an offering to the lotus feet of our Lord—is the hill of the pristine Lord, who exhibits amazing pastimes with the planet earth—when the earth was pushed in to the pralaya ocean by the demon Hiraṇyākṣa, He retrieved it and later swallowed it; He made Bali first offer water in His palm, then measured the planets and got back the earth captured by Bali and later again swallowed it, and later brought out the earth again.”      

358  * āyiram tōḷ parappi * muḍiyāyiram minnilaga *

  āyiram paintalaiya * ananta śayanan āḷum malai **

  āyiram āṛugaḷum * cunaigaḷ palavāyiramum *

  āyiram pūmpoḻilumuḍai * māliruñjōlaiyadē     

“This Tirumāliruñcōlai—which has many rivers, thousands of springs and multitudes of lovely bowers—is the hill ruled by the thousand-hooded Śeṣa Nāga, who spreads His thousands of shoulders and whose thousands of extended hoods are adorned with dazzling jewels.”   

359  * māliruñjōlai ennum * malaiyai uḍaiya malaiyai *

  nālirumūrti tannai * nālvedak kaḍal amudai **

  mēliruṅ kaṛpagattai * vedānta viḻup poruḷil *

  mēlirunda viḷakkai * viṭṭucittan virittanavē    

These divine songs were rendered by Periyāḻvār glorifying the Lord, who—has the hill named Tirumāliruñcōlai as His abode; is like a huge reclining mountain; is the source of  the first expansion of the caturvyūha, quadruple forms: Vāsudeva, Saṅkarṣaṇa, Pradyumna and Aniruddha; is the nectarean essence of the ocean of Vedas, and is the Supreme Kalpavṛkṣa— and, the absolute truth explained in the Vedānta.      

360  * nāvakāriyam sollilādavar * nāḷtoṛum virundōmbuvār *

dēvakāriyam seydu * vedam payinṛu vāḻ tirukkōṭṭiyūr **

mūvar kāriyamum tiruttum * mudalvanaic sindiyāda * vap

pāvakārigaḷaip paḍaittavan * eṅṅanam paḍaittān kolō 

Periyāḻvār bemoans, “Tirukkoṣṭiyūr, the eternal residence of Vaiṣṇavas, who—have never uttered a lie, serve prasāda daily to other Vaiṣṇavas, engage in devotional service, study Vedas to know about the Absolute Truth, and worship the Lord in the temple—and is the abode of the “Cause of all causes,” who is the saviour of Brahmā, Rudra, and Indra; I wonder for what purpose has He created also those who do not even think of Him?”

361  kuṭṛṛaminṛik guṇam perugik * gurukkaḷukku anukūlarāy *

  ceṭṛṛamonṛumilāda * vaṇkaiyinārgaḷ vāḻ tirukkōṭṭiyūr **

  tuṭṛṛiyēḻulaguṇḍa * tūmaṇivaṇṇan tannait toḻādavar *

  peṭṛṛa tāyar vayiṭṛṛinaip * perunōy seyvān piṛandārgaḷē 

“Tirukkoṣṭiyūr, the eternal residence of those who—are sinless, endeavour for Brahman realisation, serve their spiritual masters, are unenvious, and benevolent, and is the abode of the pristine and blue sapphire gemstone-hued Lord, who swallowed the seven middle and lower planetary systems at the time of pralaya; those who do not worship Him have born to inflict immense pain on their mothers.”        

362  vaṇṇa nalmaṇiyum * maragadamum aḻutti * niḻaleḻum

  tiṇṇai sūḻ * tirukkōṭṭiyūrt tirumālavan tirunāmaṅgaḷ **

  eṇṇak kaṇḍa viralgaḷāl * iṛaip poḻudum eṇṇagilādu pōy *

  uṇṇak kaṇḍa tam ūttai vāykkuk * kavaḷamunduginṛārgaḷē         

“Tirukkoṣṭiyūr, full of houses with bright porticos studded with pure gemstones and emerald stones, and is the abode of the Lord of Śrī Lakṣmī; those who do not use their fingers for counting while chanting His holy names and do not remember Him even for a moment, use those fingers to feed their foul-smelling mouths with balls of food.”

363  uragamellaṇaiyān kaiyil * uṛai caṅgam pōl maḍavannaṅgaḷ *

  nirai gaṇam parandēṛum * ceṅgamala vayal tirukkōṭṭiyūr **

  narakanāsanai nāviṛ koṇḍaḻaiyāda * māniḍa jādiyar *

  parugu nīrum uḍukkuṅ kūṛaiyum * pāvam seydana tāṅkolō               

“In Tirukkoṣṭiyūr—full of fields dotted with lotus blooms and thronged by flocks of swans—white and pure like the Pāñcajanya held in the hand of the Lord reclining on the bed of Śeṣa Nāga—the water sipped and the clothes worn by those born as human beings but do not call out for the ‘Saviour from hell’ aren’t sinful?”  

364  āmaiyin mudugattiḍaikkudi koṇḍu * tūmalar cāḍip pōy *

  tīmai seydu iḷavāḷaigaḷ * viḷaiyāḍu nīrt tirukkōṭṭiyūr **

  nēmi sēr taḍaṅgaiyinānai * ninaippilā vali neñjuḍai *

  būmi bāraṅgaḷ uṇṇum cōṭṛṛinai vāṅgip * pullait tiṇiminē               

“In Tirukkoṣṭiyūr—full of water bodies in which the young ribbon fish frolic jumping on the tortoises back, brushing against the lotus and other flowers and frightening away small fish and insects—those stone-hearted persons, who never remember the Lord—who wields the disc in His large hand—are a burden to the earth; they should be denied food and instead their mouths are to be stuffed with grass.”      

365  bhūtam aindoḍu vēḷvi aindu * pulangaḷ aindu poṛigaḷāl *

  ēdam onṛumilāda * vaṇkaiyinārgaḷ vāḻ tirukkōṭṭiyūr **

  nādanai narasiṅganai * navinṛēttuvārgaḷ uḻakkiya *

  pāda tūḷi paḍudalāl * ivvulagam bākkiyam seydadē  

“Those who do not commit any sin with the five knowledge acquiring senses, and the five organs for action, and are compassionate live eternally in Tirukkoṣṭiyūr. This earth is fortunate to be purified by the dust particles falling from the lotus feet of those who chant the glories of the presiding deity Śrī Sowmya Nārāyaṇa and Lord Nṛsiṁha.”    

366  kurundam onṛosittānoḍum senṛu * kūḍiyāḍi viḻā seydu *  

  tirundu nānmaṛaiyōr irāp pagal * ētti vāḻ tirukkōṭṭiyūr **

  karuntaḍa mugil vaṇṇanaik * kaḍaik koṇḍu kaitoḻum paththargaḷ *

  irunda ūril irukkum māniḍar * ettavaṅgaḷ seydār kolō 

“What amount of austerities have been performed by those people who live in Tirukkoṣṭiyūr, the residence of the Vaiṣṇavas, who are expert in the four Vedas, and gather together to devoutedly exult day and night the glories of the dark rain cloud-hued Kaṇṇan—who broke the wild lime tree—and humbly pay obeisances to Him!”       

367  naḷirnda sīlan nayācalan * abimāna tuṅganai nāḷ toṛum *

  teḷinda selvanaic sēvagaṅkoṇḍa * ceṅgaṇmāl tirukkōṭṭiyūr **

  kuḷirnduṛaiginṛa govindan * guṇam pāḍuvār uḷḷa nāṭṭiniḷ *

  viḷainda dāniyamum irākkadar * mīdu koḷḷagilārgaḷē  

“The Rākṣasas will not plunder even the grains grown in Tirukkoṣṭiyūr, the abode of Kaṇṇan—the master of the genteel, just, remarkable in unalloyed devotional service, and ever self-controlled Selva Nambi—and the home of devotees who sing the inconceivable qualities of the benevolent Govinda.”    

368  kombinār poḻilvāy * kuyilinam govindan guṇam pāḍu sīr *

  cemponār madiḷ sūḻ * ceḻuṅgaḻaniyuḍait tirukkōṭṭiyūr **

  nambanai narasiṅganai * navinṛēttuvārgaḷaik kaṇḍakkāl *

  embirān tana cinnaṅgaḷ * ivarivarenṛu āsaigaḷ tīrvanē  

“Recognizing them as the messengers of the Lord, I will fulfil my desires when I see those who lovingly worship the divine patron Nṛsiṁha in Tirukkoṣṭiyūr, full of dense palm groves inhabited by cuckoos singing the auspicious qualities of Govinda; surrounded by fertile fields and fortified by grand ramparts.”      

369  kāsin vāyk karam viṛkilum * karavādu māṭṛṛili sōṛiṭṭu *

  tēsavārttai paḍaikkum * vaṇkaiyinārgaḷ vāḻ tirukkōṭṭiyūr **

  kēśavā puruḍōttamā * kiḷar jothiyāy kuṛaḷā enṛu *

  pēsuvār aḍiyārgaḷ * entammai viṛkavum peṛuvārgaḷē 

“We are the loyal servants at the beck and call of those who live in Tirukkoṣṭiyūr, who do not hoard but distribute the grains in their possession even in inflationary times of severe draught and rightly glorified as magnanimous persons, and who always chant Keśava! Puruṣottama! The effulgent One! Vāmana!” 

 370  * Sīdanīr puḍaisūḻ * ceḻuṅgaḻaniyuḍait tirukkōṭṭiyūr *

  ādiyān aḍiyāraiyum * aḍimaiyinṛit tirivāraiyum **

  kōtil paṭṭarpirān * kuḷir puduvaiman viṭṭucittan sol *

  ēdaminṛi uraippavar * iruḍīkeśanukkāḷarē

These divine songs, praising the servants of the primeval Lord presiding in Tirukkoṣṭiyūr—surrounded by fertile fields irrigated by cool water—and cursing those not interested in devotional service but indulge in sense gratification, have been rendered by Periyāḻvār who is sinless, compassionate to Vaiṣṇavas, and head of Śrīvilliputtūr—which mitigates the misery (of the material jungle). Those who can recite these songs flawlessly will become the servant of Hṛṣīkeśa.

371  * āsai vāy senṛa sindaiyarāhi * annai attan en puttirar bhūmi *

  vāsavār kuḻalāḷ enṛu mayaṅgi * māḷumellaik kaṇvāy tiṛavādē **

  kēśavā puruḍōttamā enṛum * kēḻalāgiya kēḍilī enṛum *

  pēsuvār avar eydum perumai * pēsuvān puhil namparamanṛē        

Periyāḻvār proclaims, “Those who are deluded (with bodily consciousness), out of attachment, keep saying till their death, ‘My mother,’ ‘My father,’ ‘My sons,’ ‘My land,’ ‘My wife with fragrant tresses,’ and so on. Whereas, it is beyond our ability to speak about the glories attained by those who, instead of calling out the temporary body relationships, keep chanting, ‘Keśavanē! Puruṣottamanē! O blemishless form of Varāha!’”  

372  cīyināl seṛindēṛiya puṇ mēl * ceṭṛṛalēṛik kuḻambirundu eṅgum *

  īyināl arippuṇḍu mayaṅgi * ellaivāy senṛu sērvadan munnam **

  vāyināl namō nāraṇāvenṛu * mattagattiḍaik kaigaḷaik kūppi *

  pōyināl pinnai ittisaikku enṛum * piṇaik koḍukkilum pōgavoṭṭārē       

“Before swooning and meeting death in pain—when the flies sit and lay eggs on the pus-filled abscesses from which the pus starts oozing out causing itching of the whole body—if people join their hands above their heads and chant, ‘Namo Nārāyaṇāya’ and leave their body, even if the ‘eternally liberated’ give assurance of coming back, the eternal associates of the Lord in Vaikuṇṭha will not allow them to go.”     

373  sōrvināl poruḷ vaittatuṇḍāhil * sollu sollenṛu suṭṛṛumirundu *

  ār vinavilum vāy tiṛavādē * andhakālam aḍaivadan munnam **

  mārvam enbadōr kōyil amaittu * mādhavanennum ḍheyvattai nāṭṭi *

  ārvam enbadōr pūviḍa vallārkku * aravadaṇḍattil uyyalumāmē        

“Before meeting death—without opening the mouth (to answer even the dear second wife) when the relatives stand surrounding and ask, ‘Please tell, please tell the place if you have buried any valuable items and forgotten to tell us’—those who can make the heart a divine temple, establish Lord Mādhava there, and offer the flower of love, can escape the punishment from the Yamadūtas.”   

374  mēleḻundadōr vāyuk kiḷarndu * mēl miḍaṭṛṛinai uḷḷeḻa vāṅgi *

  kālum kaiyum vidir vidirttēṛik * kaṇṇuṛakkam adāvadan munnam **

  mūlamāgiya oṭṛṛai eḻuttai * mūnṛu māttirai uḷḷeḻa vāṅgi *

  vēlai vaṇṇanai mēvudirāhil * viṇṇagattinil mēvalumāmē         

“Before one falls into an eternal sleep—with the life air going up, the chest caving in and legs and hands shuddering—if one chants Oṁkāra, the Supreme Absolute Truth, in the prescribed way and take shelter of the ocean-hued Lord, one may attain the Supreme Abode.” 

375  maḍi vaḻi vandu nīrp pulan sōra * vāyilaṭṭiya kañjiyum mīṇḍē *

  kaḍai vaḻivārak kaṇḍam aḍaippak * kaṇṇuṛakkam adāvadan munnam **

  toḍai vaḻi ummai nāygaḷ kavarā * sūlattāl ummaip pāyvadum eyyār *

  iḍai vaḻiyil nīr kūṛaiyum iḻavīr * iruḍīkēśan enṛētta vallīrē         

“Before you fall into an eternal sleep—(on seeing the Yamadūtas) the water from the stomach dribbling out as urine from the penis, the puffed rice gruel fed in to the mouth chocking the throat, and trickling out of the mouth—if you can chant, ‘Keśava!’ (while you transit from the world) you will not lose your clothes, (nor go to Yamaloka) nor the hounds will tear into your thighs, nor the Yamadūtas will pierce you with their tridents.”    

376  aṅgam viṭṭavai aindum agaṭṛṛi * āvi mūkkinil sōditta pinnai *

  saṅgam viṭṭavar kaiyai maṛittup * paiyavē talai sāyppadan munnam **

  vaṅgam viṭṭulavum kaḍaṛpaḷḷi māyanai * madhusūdananai mārbil taṅga viṭṭu vaittu *

āvadōr karumam sādippārkku * enṛum sādikkalāmē     

“Before the relatives throw up their hands and hang their heads down, —when the five kinds of life airs leave the body and after they (the relatives) check the nose for sign of breathing and understand that there is no life and finally lose hope—if one establishes the Lord Madhusūdana—who reclines on the milk ocean where ships wander ever, and whose actions are inconceivable—in his heart and worship Him, can worship Him eternally.”    

377  tennavan tamar ceppamilādār * cēvadakkuvār pōlap pugundu *

  pinnum vankayiṭṛṛāl piṇitteṭṛṛip * pin munnāga iḻuppadan munnam **

  innavan inaiyān enṛu solli * eṇṇi uḷḷattiruḷaṛa nōkki *

  mannavan madhusūdan enbār * vānagattu manṛāḍigaḷ tāmē  

“Before being bound with stout ropes, tortured, and dragged like an animal, even inferior to a buffalo (to the Yamaloka), by the ruthless servants of the chief of southern direction, Yama, those who meditate on the transcendental form and qualities of the Lord of Yama, chant constantly His holy name ‘Madhusūdana,’ and remove the darkness of ignorance from their heart, will become contenders for the services rendered by the eternally liberated souls in Vaikuṇṭha.”

378  kūḍikkūḍi uṭṛṛārgaḷ irundu * kuṭṛṛam niṛka naṭṛṛaṅgaḷ paṛaindu *

  pāḍippāḍi ōr pāḍaiyil iṭṭu * narippaḍaikku orupākuḍam pōlē **

  kōḍimūḍi eḍuppadan munnam * kauttuvamuḍaik govindanōḍu *

  kūḍiyāḍiya uḷḷattarānāl * kuṛippiḍam kaḍandu uyyalumāmē       

“Before the relatives crowd around, ignoring his misdeeds sing elegy praising his good deeds; then place him on the bier, cover him with a shroud, and take him to the burning ghat as if to offer a feast to the foxes there, if his heart latches on to the pastimes of Govinda, marked by the Kaustubha gem suspended from His neck, it will be possible for him to skip the Yamaloka (and instead go to Vaikuṇṭha).”         

379  vāyoru pakkam vāṅgi valippa * vārnda nīrk kuḻikkaṇgaḷ miḻaṭṛṛa *

  tāy orupakkam tandai orupakkam * tāramum orupakkam alaṭṛṛa **

  tī ōrupakkam sērvadan munnam * ceṅgaṇmāloḍum cikkenac cuṭṛṛa

  māy * orupakkam niṛka vallārkku * aravadaṇḍattil uyyalumāmē        

“Before the mouth is pulled one side, the eyes sink in, turn unfocussed and watery; the father on one side, mother on one side, and the wife at the feet wail pitifully; and the funeral pyre is lit at the burning ghat, those who can seek the red lotus-eyed Supreme Personality as the sole shelter, and remain detached from the bodily relationships, will escape the cruel punishments from the Yamadūtas.”    

380  * settup pōvadōr pōdu ninaindu * seyyum seykaigaḷ devapirān mēl *

  pattarāy iṛandār peṛum pēṭṛṛaip * pāḻittōḷ viṭṭucittan puttūrk kōn **

  cittam nankoruṅgit tirumālai * seyda mālai ivai pattum vallār *

  cittam nankoruṅgit tirumāl mēl * senṛa sindai peṛuvar tāmē         

These ten divine songs rendered by Periyāḻvār—who has glorious shoulders (that have defeated the material attachment) and is the head of Śrīvilliputtūr, meditating on the Lord of Lakṣmī—about the ruthless actions of the Yamadūtas when persons die and also the benefit a person attains on death if he has engaged in devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Those who can recite these ten songs with devotion will attain love of Godhead.

381  * kāsum kaṛaiyuḍaik kūṛaikkum * aṅgōr kaṭṛṛaikkum

  āsaiyināl * aṅgavattap pēriḍum ādargāḷ **

  keśavan pēriṭṭu * nīṅgaḷ tēnittiruminō *

  nāyagan nāraṇan * tam annai naragampugāḷ     

Periyāḻvār admonishes, “O blind fools! Desiring (material benefits like) money, opulent cloths, and a morsel of grains you give the lowly names of influential persons to your children. (Instead) Name your children with the holy names of the benefactor Keśava such as Nārāyaṇa and be happy. The mother of Nārāyaṇa will not go to hell!”  

382  aṅgoru kūṛai * araik kuḍuppadan āsaiyāl *

  maṅgiya māniḍa jātiyin * pēriḍum ādargāḷ **

  ceṅgaṇeḍumāl * śirīdharā enṛu aḻaittakkāl *

  naṅgaigāḷ nāraṇan * tam annai naragampugāḷ    

“O blind fools! Desiring to get a free saree from the rich you give the lowly names of the mortal human beings (to your children).[1] O less intelligent ladies! If you call your children, ‘O Puṇḍarīkākṣa!’  ‘O Śrīdhara!’ the mother of Nārāyaṇa will not go to hell!”   

383  ucciyil eṇṇeyum * cuṭṭiyum vaḷaiyum ugandu *

  eccam polindīrgāḷ * en seyvān piṛar pēriṭṭīr **

  piccai pukkākilum * empirān tirunāmamē

  naccumin * nāraṇan * tam annai narakampukāḷ    

“O fortunate mothers! Desiring gifts of oil for the head, forehead pendant, and bangles why did you give the names of those (decrying the Lord)? Even if you have to beg and live, name and call your children by the holy names of the Lord. The mother of Nārāyaṇa will not go to hell!”      

384  māniḍa jādiyil tōnṛiṭṛṛu ōr * māniḍa jādiyai *

  māniḍa jādiyin pēriṭṭāl * maṛumaikkillai **

  vānuḍai mādhavā * govindā enṛu aḻaittakkāl *

  nānuḍai nāraṇan * tam annai naragampugāḷ      

“If you name a human being by the names of other human beings born to enjoy or suffer according to their previous births’ actions, you will never attain liberation. Instead, if you give the names of my Lord Nārāyana, the Lord of Vaikuṇṭha and call, ‘O Mādhavā! ‘O Govindā!’ the mother of Nārāyaṇa will not go to hell!”      

385  malamuḍai ūttaiyil tōnṛiṭṛṛu ōr * mala ūttaiyai *  

  malamuḍai ūttaiyin pēriṭṭāl * maṛumaikkillai **

  kulamuḍaik govindā * govindā enṛu aḻaittakkāl *

  nalamuḍai nāraṇan * tam annai naragampugāḷ      

“If you name a foul-smelling body born from a foul-smelling body by the name of another foul-smelling body, you will never attain liberation. Instead, if you give the name of the Lord of all opulences and call, ‘O Govindā!’ ‘O Govindā!’ the mother of Nārāyaṇa will not go to hell!”              

386  nāḍum nagarum aṛiya * māniḍap pēriṭṭu *

  kūḍiyaḻuṅgik * kuḻiyil vīḻndu vaḻukkādē **

  cāḍiṛap pāynda talaivā * dāmodarā enṛu

  nāḍumin * nāraṇan * tam annai naragampugāḷ    

“Following the simple-minded villagers or the (so-called) sophisticated city people, do not give the name of the lowly names of the mortal human beings, associate freely with them, degrade like them, and fall in the same hellish pit. Instead, name and call, ‘O my Lord, who kicked and dismantled Śakaṭāsura! O Dāmodarā! The mother of Nārāyaṇa will not go to hell!”              

 387  maṇṇil piṛandu maṇṇāgum * māniḍap pēriṭṭu * aṅgu

  eṇṇamonṛinṛi irukkum * ēḻai maniṣargāḷ **

  kaṇṇukkiniya * karumugil vaṇṇan nāmamē

  naṇṇumin * nāraṇan * tam annai naragampugāḷ

“O foolish humans! You take birth on this earth, give (your children) the lowly names of the humans who die and go back to the earth, and are ignorant of the ultimate goal of life; instead, develop love for the holy names of the sweet, and dark rain cloud-hued Lord; the mother of Nārāyaṇa will not go to hell!”            

388  nambi pimbi enṛu * nāṭṭu māniḍap pēriṭṭāl *

  nambum pimbum ellām * nālu nāḷil aḻuṅgip pōm **

  cemperuntāmaraik kaṇṇan * pēriṭṭaḻaittakkāl *

  nambigāḷ nāraṇan * tam annai naragampugāḷ      

“O wise people! If you give lowly names (to your children) like ‘Nambi,’ ‘Pimbi’ of the other humans, those names will become insignificant quickly; instead, if you give the names of the big, red lotus-eyed Lord and call (by those auspicious names), the mother of Nārāyaṇa will not go to hell!”             

389  ūttaik kuḻiyil * amudam pāyvadu pōl * uṅgaḷ

  mūttirap piḷḷaiyai * en mugilvaṇṇan pēriṭṭu **

  kōttuk kuḻaittuk * guṇālamāḍit tiriminō *

  nāttagu nāraṇan * tam annai naragampugāḷ      

“Like nectar poured in to a dirty hole, if you give your contaminated child the nectarean names of my dark cloud-hued Lord, associate (with devotees), sing, dance, and chant the holy names, your tongue will be purified; the mother of Nārāyaṇa will not go to hell!”             

 390  * sīraṇimāl * tirunāmamē iḍattēṭṛṛiya *

  vīraṇi tolpugaḻ * viṭṭucittan viritta **

  ōraṇi oṇtamiḻ * onbadōḍonṛum vallavar *

  pēraṇi vaikuṇṭhattu * enṛum pēṇiyirupparē   

“These decade of illuminating songs—radiant like a jewel—on the propitious advise (to the humans) to give (their children) only the names of the Lord with all auspicious qualities to conquer the senses have been rendered by the eternally glorious Periyāḻvār. Those who can recite these ten songs will attain the shelter of the all opulent Vaikuṇṭha.”   

[1] Saree: A garment worn by Indian women, consisting of a long piece of cotton or silk wrapped around the body with one end draped over the head or over one shoulder.

391  * taṅgaiyai mūkkum tamaiyanait talaiyum taḍinda * em dāśarathi  pōy *

  eṅgum tan pugaḻāvirundu arasāṇḍa * em puruḍottaman irukkai **

  gaṅgai gaṅgaiyenṛa vācakattālē * kaḍuvinai kaḷaindiḍagiṛkum *

  gaṅgaiyin karai mēl kaitoḻa ninṛa * kaṇḍamennum kaḍinagarē               

The auspicious city, Tirukaṇḍaṅgaḍi (Devaprayāg)—situated on the bank of the holy river Ganges which can nullify the reactions of even the most sinful actions if one just utters the word, “Ganges, Ganges” (when taking bath in any water, anywhere), and worshipped by the devotees—is the abode of Puruṣottama, our Dāśarathi (Emperor Rāma, son of Daśaratha), who cut off the nose of (Śūrpaṇakhā) Rāvaṇa’s sister and her brother’s (Rāvaṇa’s) heads, and ruled for eleven thousand years spreading His glories everywhere.  

392  jalampodiyuḍambin taḻalumiḻ pēḻvāyc * candiran veṅgadir añja *

  malarndeḻundaṇavu maṇivaṇṇa uruvin * mālpuruḍottaman vāḻvu **

  nalam tigaḻ jaḍaiyān muḍik konṛai malarum * nāraṇan pādat tuḻāyum *

  kalandiḻi punalāl pugar paḍu gaṅgaik * kaṇḍamennum kaḍinagarē               

The auspicious city, Tirukaṇḍaṅgaḍi, situated on the bank of the holy river Ganges—with sparkling water (falling down from the sky) mixed with the (Golden shower tree) flowers from the matted hair of Rudra, and the fresh Tulasī leaves offered to the lotus feet of Nārāyaṇa—is the abode of Puruṣottama, the benevolent, blue sapphire gemstone-hued Lord, who stretched His leg far above the snow-filled, cool moon, and the sun with multitudes of hot rays, kindling their fear.

393  adirmuhamuḍaiya valampuri kumiḻtti * aḻalumiḻ āḻi koṇḍeṛindu * aṅgu

  edirmuhavasurar talaihaḷai iḍaṛum * em puruḍottaman irukkai **

  catumukhan kaiyil catuppuyan tāḷil * śaṅkaran jaḍaiyinil taṅgi *

  kadirmukhamaṇi koṇḍiḻi punal gaṅgaik * kaṇḍamennum kaḍinagarē                

The auspicious city, Tirukaṇḍaṅgaḍi, situated on the bank of the holy river Ganges—with water, falling down from the palm of the four-headed Brahmā, on to the lotus feet of the four-handed Trivikrama, and then on the matted hair of Rudra, and flowing dotted with sparkling-faceted gems—is the abode of our Puruṣottama, who blew the resounding conchshell Pāñcajanya, and threw the fire-spitting disc on the challenging asuras and cut off their heads.      

394  imaiyavar iṛumāndirundarasāḷa * ēṭṛṛu vandedir poru sēnai *

  namapuram naṇuha nāndakam visiṛum * nam puruḍottaman nagar tān **

  imavandam toḍaṅgi iruṅgaḍal aḷavum * irukarai ulagiraittāḍa *

  kamaiyuḍaip perumaik gaṅgaiyin karai mēl * kaṇḍamennum kaḍinagarē            

The auspicious city, Tirukaṇḍaṅgaḍi, situated on the bank of the holy river Ganges—who is glorious because she mercifully nullifies the sins of those, coming from all over the world spread from the top of the Himalayas down to the huge ocean, crowding on her banks and taking holy dip—is the abode of our Puruṣottama, who with His sword Nandaka, despatches the armies of aggressors to Yamaloka, so that the demigods headed by Indra can rule over fearlessly.      

395  uḻuvadōr paḍaiyum ulakkaiyum villum * oṇsuḍar āḻiyum saṅgum *

  maḻuvoḍu vāḷum paḍaikkalam uḍaiya * māl puruḍottaman vāḻvu **

  eḻumaiyum kūḍi īṇḍiya pāvam * iṛaippoḻudaḷavinil ellām *

  kaḻuviḍum perumaik gaṅgaiyin karai mēl * kaṇḍamennum kaḍinagarē               

The auspicious city, Tirukaṇḍaṅgaḍi, situated on the bank of the holy river Ganges—who is glorious because she quickly washes off all the sins accumulated over seven lives—is the abode of the benevolent Lord Puruṣottama, whose arsenal of weapons include the plough, the pestle, the bow, the dazzling disc, the conch, the axe, and the sword.  

396  talaippeydu kumuṛi jalampodi mēgam * salasala poḻindiḍak kaṇḍu *

  malaipperum kuḍaiyāl maṛuttavan madurai * māl puruḍottaman vāḻvu **

  alaippuḍait tirai vāy arundava munivar * avapiradam kuḍaintāḍa *

  kalappaigaḷ koḻikkum gaṅgaiyin karai mēl * kaṇḍamennum kaḍinagarē               

The auspicious city, Tirukaṇḍaṅgaḍi, situated on the bank of the holy river Ganges—in whose water, surging and hitting the banks, very austere sages take avabhṛtha-snāna, and the tools of sacrifice like the plough are washed away—is the abode of

Puruṣottama, the benevolent Lord of Mathurā, who held Govardhana Hill, like a huge umbrella—when huge clouds, with massive collection of water, accumulated over Gokula and poured incessant rains accompanied with thunder—and protected the cowherd clan and their cows and calves.     

397  viṛpiḍittiṛuttu vēḻattai murukki * mēlirundavan talai cāḍi *

  maṛporudeḻap pāyndu araiyana udaitta * māl puruḍōttaman vāḻvu **

  aṛpudamuḍaiya airāvata madamum * avariḷampaḍiyar oṇcāndum *

  kaṛpaga malarum kalandiḻi gaṅgaik * kaṇḍamennum kaḍinagarē                 

The auspicious city, Tirukaṇḍaṅgaḍi, situated on the bank of the holy river Ganges—whose water carries the musth secretion of the celestial elephant Airāvata, the Kalpataru, or desire tree flowers, and the sandalwood paste adorned by the beautiful wives of the demigods—is the abode of Puruṣottama, the benevolent Lord, who strung the bow (of Kaṁsa) and broke it, broke the tusk of the elephant (Kuvalayāpīḍa); smashed the head of the caretaker of the elephant with its tusk; fought with and killed the wrestlers; and jumped onto the high dais of Kaṁsa, pulled down and kicked him to death.    

398  tirai porukaḍal sūḻ tiṇ madiḷ duvarai vēndu * tan maittunanmārkkāy *

  arasinai aviya arasinai aruḷum * ari puruḍottaman amarvu **

  nirai niraiyāga neḍiyanayūbam * nirandaram oḻukku viṭṭu * iraṇḍu

  karai purai vēḷvip pugai kamaḻ gaṅgai * kaṇḍamennum kaḍinagarē                

The auspicious city, Tirukaṇḍaṅgaḍi, situated on the bank of the holy river Ganges—whose banks are dotted with closely fixed posts for tethering cows, and are covered with the aromatic smoke from the sacrificial fire—is the abode of Puruṣottama, the king of Dwārakā, protected by strong ramparts and surrounded by sea with large waves. He, who nullifies all sins, helped His cousins, the Pāndavas, annihilate the Kaurava army headed by Duryodhana, and win back the kingdom.

399  * vaḍatisai madurai śāḷakkirāmam * vaikuṇṭham duvarai ayotti *

  iḍamuḍai vadari iḍavagai uḍaiya * em puruḍottaman irukkai **

taḍavarai adirat dharaṇi viṇḍiḍiyat * talaip paṭṛṛik karai maram cāḍi *

  kaḍalinaik kalaṅgak kaḍuttiḻi gaṅgaik * kaṇḍamennum kaḍinagarē                

The auspicious city, Tirukaṇḍaṅgaḍi, situated on the bank of the holy river Ganges—which flows very swiftly, making the great mountains rumble and the earth crack and crumble; rising above the tall trees and uprooting many trees, and churning the ocean—is the abode of our Lord Puruṣottama, who has many other abodes such as Mathurā in the north, the Śālagrāma, Vaikuṇṭha, Ayodhya, and the Badarikāśrama.   

400  * mūnṛeḻuttadanai mūnṛeḻuttadanāl * mūnṛeḻuttākki * mūnṛeḻuttai

  ēnṛu koṇḍiruppārkku irakkam nanguḍaiya * em puruḍottaman irukkai **

  mūnṛaḍi nimirttu mūnṛinil tōnṛi * mūnṛinil  mūnṛuruvānān *

  kān taḍam poḻil sūḻ gaṅgaiyin karai mēl * kaṇḍamennum kaḍinagarē                

The auspicious city, Tirukaṇḍaṅgaḍi, situated on the bank of the holy river Ganges—which is surrounded by fragrant orchards—is the abode of our Puruṣottama, who is the origin of the three syllables oṁkāra praṇava; creator of the three forms, ākāratraya (the three types of eternal relationship between the Lord and the servant - the Enjoyer and the enjoyed, the Master and the servant, and the Ultimate Shelter and the surrendered) through the three syllabled nirukta (etymology) from the three syllables oṁkāra; and who is merciful to those devotees who meditate with devotion on those three syllables (oṁkāra) manifesting in the three forms (ākāratraya).    

401  * poṅgoli gaṅgaik karaimali kaṇḍattu * uṛai puruḍottaman aḍi mēl *

  veṅgali naliyā villiputtūrk kōn * viṭṭucittan viruppuṭṛṛu **

  taṅgiya anbāl sey tamiḻ mālai * taṅgiya nāvuḍaiyārkku *

  gaṅgaiyil tirumāl kaḻaliṇaik kīḻē * kuḷittirunda kaṇakkāmē

This garland of Tamiḻ songs has been woven by Periyāḻvār—the master of Śrīvilliputtūr, unblemished by the ill effects of Kali-yuga—and offered to the lotus feet of Puruṣottama, whose eternal abode is the all-auspicious city, Tirukaṇḍaṅgaḍi, situated on the bank of the holy river Ganges gushing forth sonorously. Those who constantly recite these divine songs will attain the benefit of bathing in the Ganges water and serving eternally the glorious feet of the benevolent Lord of Śrī Lakṣmī.        

402  * mādavatton puttiran pōy * maṛikaḍal vāy māṇḍānai *

  ōduvittadakkaṇaiyā * uruvuruvē koḍuttānūr **

tōdavattit tūymaṛaiyōr * tuṛaipaḍiyat tuḷumbi eṅgum *

  pōdil vaitta tēn soriyum * punalaraṅgam enbaduvē  

The divine city called Śrīraṅgam—where, when the pure Vaiṣṇavas who always wear well washed clothes, and follow the Vedic injunctions, take bath in the Tirumugattuṛai and other ghats of the river Kāverī, the agitated water sprays on the flowers on the banks and make the honey ooze out—is the eternal abode of Kaṇṇan who brought back the dead son, as he was, of his spiritual master Sāndīpani Muni, as guru-dakṣiṇā, from the wavy ocean. 

403  piṛappagattē māṇḍoḻinda * piḷḷaigaḷai nālvaraiyum *

  iṛaippoḻudil koṇarndu koḍuttu * oruppaḍitta uṛaippanūr **

  maṛaip perundī vaḷarttiruppār * varuvirundai aḷittiruppār *

  ciṛappuḍaiya maṛaiyavar vāḻ * tiruvaraṅgam enbaduvē  

The divine city called Śrīraṅgam—the residence of pure Vaiṣṇavas who are well acclaimed for performing fire sacrifices as specified in the Vedas, and respectfully offering food to the visitors—is the eternal abode of Kaṇṇan who had the power to bring back instantly the four sons killed on birth (to the great joy of His parents).    

404  marumagan tan sandadiyai * uyirmīṭṭu maittunanmār *

  urumagattē vīḻāmē * gurumugamāyk kāttānūr **

  tirumugamāyc ceṅgamalam * tiruniṛamāyk karuṅguvaḷai *

  porumugamāy ninṛalarum * punal araṅgam enbaduvē   

The water-rich city called Śrīraṅgam—where red lotus flowers, trying in vain to match the charming face of the Lord, and blue lily flowers, trying in vain to match the alluring body hue, in abundance, brush with each other—is the eternal abode of Kaṇṇan who gave back life to the son (King Parīkṣit) of His nephew (Abhimanyu), and protected, taking the role of a spiritual master, the Pāndavas from falling dead in the battle of Kurukṣetra.  

405  kūntoḻuttai sidaguraippak * koḍiyavaḷ vāyk kaḍiya sol kēṭṭu *

  īnṛeḍutta tāyaraiyum * irācciyamum āṅgoḻiya **

  kān toḍutta neṛi pōgik * kaṇḍakaraik kaḷaindānūr *

  tēn toḍutta malarc cōlait * tiruvaraṅgam enbaduvē               

The city called Śrīraṅgam—surrounded by dense copses of honey-rich flowering plants is the eternal abode of Rāma who left for the forest—leaving His loving mother and the kingdom, when the coronation ceremony was stopped on the cruel order of Kaikeyī, instigated by the hunch-backed Manthara—and annihilated the Rākṣasas in Janasthāna.

406  peruvaraṅgaḷ avai paṭṛṛip * piḻakkuḍaiya irāvaṇanai *

  uruvaraṅgap porudaḻittu * ivvulaginaik kaṇ peṛuttānūr **

  kuruvarumbak kōṅgalarak * kuyil kūvum kuḷir poḻil sūḻ *

  tiruvaraṅgam enbaduvē * en tirumāl sērviḍamē    

The city called Śrīraṅgam—surrounded by cool copses where, tarenna trees sprout buds, Malabar silk-cotton trees sprinkle red flowers, and the cuckoo birds call joyously—is the favourite abode of my Lord (Rāma) who devastated and killed Rāvaṇa—the tormentor of demigods and sages, taking advantage of the powerful boons offered to him— with brahmāstra and saved this world.   

407  kīḻulagil asurargaḷaik * kiḻaṅgirundu kiḷarāmē *

  āḻi viḍuttu avaruḍaiya * karuvaḻitta vaḻippanūr **

 tāḻai maḍalūḍuriñjit * tavaḷa vaṇṇap poḍi aṇindu *

  yāḻinisai vaṇḍinaṅgaḷ * āḷam vaikkum araṅgamē    

The city called Śrīraṅgam—where droves of bees humming sweetly like vīṇā (similar to lute) are smeared with the white powder when they enter the just blooming fragrant screw-pine plants and in happiness sing the glories of the Lord—is the abode of the Lord who sent His disc weapon to the netherworld to keep the asuras subdued and subject their pregnant wives to abortions.  

408  koḻuppuḍaiya ceḻuṅgurudi * koḻittiḻindu kumiḻtteṛiya *

  piḻakkuḍaiya asurargaḷaip * piṇam paḍutta perumānūr **

  taḻuppariya sandanaṅgaḷ * taḍavarai vāy īrttuk koṇḍu *

  teḻippuḍaiya kāviri vandu * aḍi toḻum sīraraṅgamē  

The celebrated city of Śrīraṅgam—where the surging river Kāverī worship the lotus feet of the Lord and seems to offer Him huge sandalwood trees uprooted and dragged along from the hills—is the abode of the Supreme Lord who massacred the asuras, the tormentors of the world, with viscous blood spewing out and effuse bubbling like a hot spring.       

409  valleyiṭṛṛuk kēḻalumāy * vāḷeyiṭṛṛuc cīyamumāy *

  ellaiyillāt taraṇiyaiyum * avuṇanaiyum iḍandānūr **

  elliyampōdu iruñjiṛai vaṇḍu * emperumān guṇam pāḍi *

  malligai veṇ caṅgūdum * madiḷ araṅgam enbaduvē   

The walled city of Śrīraṅgam—where in the evenings the large winged bumble bee sings with love the auspicious qualities of our Lord and blows the white conch-like jasmine flower—is the abode of the Lord who lifted with ease both the colossal earth and Hiraṇyakaśipu, as Varāha with strong tusks and as Nṛsiṁha with effulgent nails respectively.    

410  kunṛāḍu koḻumugil pōl * kuvaḷaigaḷ pōl kuraikaḍal pōl *

  ninṛāḍu gaṇamayil pōl * niṛamuḍaiya neḍumālūr **

  kunṛāḍu poḻil nuḻaindu * koḍiyiḍaiyār mulaiyaṇavi *

  manṛūḍu tenṛalumām * madiḷ araṅgam enbaduvē    

The walled city of Śrīraṅgam—where the cool breeze, passing through the groves on the Himālayas, and caressing the sandalwood paste-smeared breasts of thin-waisted ladies, wafts through the crossroads—is the abode of the inconceivable Lord whose body hue resembles that of the cool rain clouds grazing the hills; the silken blue lily flowers; the dark deep ocean, and the dancing peacocks.

411  * paruvaraṅgaḷ avai paṭṛṛip * paḍaiyālitteḻundānai *

  ceruvaraṅgap porudaḻitta * tiruvāḷan tiruppadi mēl **

  tiruvaraṅgat tamiḻ mālai * viṭṭucittan virittana koṇḍu *

 iruvaraṅgam erittānai * ētta vallār aḍiyōmē   

This garland of Tamiḻ songs have been woven, glorifying Śrīraṅgam in every song, has been woven by Periyāḻvār exulting the victorious Lord of Śrī Lakṣmī, who destroyed the vanity of Rāvaṇa—conceited and arrogant because of the great boons he obtained—and decimated him. We are the servants of those who can worship the Lord who burnt the twin Rākṣasas, Madhu and Kaiṭabha, with these songs. 

412 * maravaḍiyait tambikku * vānpaṇaiyam vaittup pōy vānōr vāḻa *

  ceruvuḍaiya tisaik karumam * tirutti vandu ulagāṇḍa tirumāl kōyil **

  tiruvaḍitan tiruvuruvum * tirumaṅgai malarkaṇṇum kāṭṭi ninṛu *

  uruvuḍaiya malar nīlam * kāṭṛṛāṭṭa ōsalikkum oḷi araṅgamē                

The effulgent city called Śrīraṅgam—where the hue of the lovely blue lily flowers swayed by the breeze match the charming body hue of Śrī Raṅgan and the colour of the bright lotus eyes of His consort, Śrī Raṅga Nāyakī, —is the abode of the Lord of Śrī Lakṣmī, who gave His wooden chappals to His surrendered brother Bharata as a token of His promise to return, then went to the south to accomplish the purpose of His incarnation,—to annihilate the miscreants (annihilation of the Rākṣasas headed by Rāvaṇa) and to deliver the pious (establish Vibhīṣaṇa as the king of Laṅkā and free the demigods and the sages from the tyranny of the Rākṣasas)—and ruled the world from Ayodhyā with His consort, Sītā.

413  * tannaḍiyār tiṛattagattut * tāmaraiyāḷāgilum cidaguraikkumēl *

  ennaḍiyār adu seyyār * seydārēl nanṛu seydār enbar pōlum *

  mannuḍaiya vibhīḍaṇaṛkā * madiḷ ilaṅgait tisai nōkki malarkaṇ vaitta *

  ennuḍaiya tiruvaraṅgaṛkanṛiyum * maṭṛṛoruvarkku āḷāvarē                

Even if His consort Sītā complains about His surrendered devotees, He refutes her saying, “My devotees will not even think of committing any harm to me; even if they do, it will be only for my benefit.” To reiterate His promise of protecting the noble Vibhīṣaṇa, He reclines always looking with His lotus eyes at the fortified Laṅkā. Can any body become a servant of any one other than such a merciful Lord of Śrīraṅgam? 

414  karuḷuḍaiya poḻil marudum * kadakkaḷiṛum pilambanaiyum kaḍiya māvum *

  uruḷuḍaiya cakaḍaraiyum mallaraiyum * uḍaiya viṭṭu ōsai kēṭṭān **

  iruḷ agaṭṛṛum eṛikadirōn * maṇḍalattūḍu ēṭṛṛi vaittu ēṇi vāṅgi *

  aruḷ koḍuttiṭṭu aḍiyavarai * āṭkoḷvān amarumūr aṇiyaraṅgamē              

The auspicious city of Śrīraṅgam is the abode of the Supreme Master who is eulogised by His devotees for the incredible acts like: breaking the twin Arjuna trees, apparently harmless but with an evil intention to kill Him; slaughtering the mad aggressor, elephant Kuvalayāpīḍa, Pralambāsura, the cruel Keśī demon, the cunning Śakaṭāsura, and decimating the wrestlers like Cāṇūra and Muṣṭika. That benevolent Lord demonstrates His kindness by removing the darkness of ignorance of His devotees; taking them to the ultimate abode, Vaikuṇṭha in the effulgent brahmajyoti, to be with His eternal associates, and serve Him eternally.   

415  padināṛāmāyiravar * dēvimār paṇi seyya * duvarai ennum

  adil nāyagarāgi vīṭṛṛirunda * maṇavāḷar mannu kōyil **

  pudu nāṇmalark kamalam * emberumān ponvayiṭṛṛil pūvē pōlvān *

  podu nāyagam pāvittu irumāndu * pon sāykkum punal araṅgamē                

The eternal temple-abode of the Lord—who ruled gloriously the impenetrable Dwārakā, being served eternally by His 16,108 wives—is that city of Śrīraṅgam which is rich in water bodies where the just bloomed red lotus flower considers itself very unique—out of proudness because of resembling the lotus like golden navel of the Lord—and mocks at the other lotus flowers.   

416  āmaiyāyk gaṅgaiyāy * āḻkaḍalāy avaniyāy aruvaraigaḷāy *

  nānmuganāy nānmaṛaiyāy * vēḷviyāyt dakkaṇaiyāyt tānumānān **

  kṣemamuḍai nāradanār * senṛu senṛu tutittiṛaiñjak kiḍandān kōyil *

  pūmaruvip puḷḷinaṅgaḷ * puḷḷaraiyan pugaḻ kuḻaṛum punal araṅgamē            

The temple-abode of the Lord in reclining posture—who is visited often; praised and worshipped by Devaṛṣi Nārada Muni to whom the Lord revealed that He is the most inconceivable and worshipful of all; Nārada Muni was shown that He is the tortoise in the water of Ganges, the Ganges which is the home of the living beings like the tortoise, the deep ocean which is the shelter for all the rivers like Ganges, the earth which contains all the oceans, the huge mountains which support the earth, the four-faced Lord Brahmā who is the creator, the four Vedas offered to Brahmā, the yajñās indicated in the Vedas, the oblations which complete the yajñās, and above all, the most incredible and worshipful Lord of the yajñās who fulfils the desires of those offering the oblations—is that city of Śrīraṅgam, rich in water bodies, where varieties of flocks of birds like the swans stay amongst the flowering water plants and keep chattering the glories of their leader Garuḍa.

417  maittunanmār kādaliyai * mayir muḍippittu avargaḷaiyē mannarākki *

  uttarai tan siṛuvanaiyum * uyyak koṇḍa uyirāḷan uṛaiyum kōyil **

  pattargaḷum pakavargaḷum * paḻamoḻi vāy munivargaḷum paranda nāḍum *

  cittargaḷum toḻudiṛaiñjat * tisai viḷakkāy niṛkinṛa tiruvaraṅgamē             

The eternal temple-abode of the Lord—who helped Draupadī, the consort of His nephews, the Pāṇḍavas, to braid her hair (on the fulfilment of her vow of the death of the Kauravas), and re-established them as the rulers; revived the life of the son of Uttarā (Emperor Parīkṣit), and the Master of all living beings—is that city of Śrīraṅgam which illuminates all the directions and is worshipped and prayed to by the devotees, the mendicants, the ṛṣis constantly chanting the Vedic scriptures, those in the vast city, and the eternally liberated siddhas.

418  kuṛaṭ biramacāriyāy * māvaliyaik kuṛumbadakki arasu vāṅgi *

  iṛaip poḻidil pātāḷam kalavirukkai * koḍuttuganda emmān kōyil **

  eṛippuḍaiya maṇivarai mēl * iḷañāyiṛu eḻundāṛpōl aravaṇaiyin vāy *

  ciṛappuḍaiya paṇaṅgaḷ misaic * ceḻumaṇigaḷ viṭṭeṛikkum tiruvaraṅgamē             

The temple-abode of the Lord—who went in the form of a dwarf brahmacāry to Bali Mahārāja, subdued his pride, obtained his kingdom as charity, and instantly sent him down to Pātāla-loka; and was happy that He fulfilled the desire of Indra—is that city of Śrīraṅgam where the invaluable gemstones on the divine hoods of Ananta Śeṣa are effulgent like many morning suns appearing on a brilliant blue sapphire gemstone mountain.

419  uram paṭṛṛi iraṇiyanai * ugirnudiyāl oḷḷiya mārbuṛaikka ūnṛi *

  siram paṭṛṛi muḍiyiḍiyak kaṇ piduṅga * vāyalarat teḻittān kōyil **

  uram peṭṛṛa malark kamalam * ulagaḷanda cēvaḍipōl uyarndu kāṭṭa *

  varampuṭṛṛa kadirc cennel * tāḷ sāyttut talai vaṇakkum taṇṇaraṅgamē          

The cool city of Śrīraṅgam—where the bright lotus flower stands tall like the stretched lotus foot of Trivikrama covering all the upper planetary systems, and in the fields the matured paddy displays tall panicles, laden with rice grains, bent as if bowing down—is the temple-abode of the Lord who cleaved the strong chest of the proud Hiraṇyakaśipu with His sharp fingernails, crushed his head shattering his crown, causing the eyes to bulge out, and mouth scream, and roared victoriously.   

420  tēvuḍaiya mīnamāy āmaiyāy ēnamāy * ariyāyk kuṛaḷāy *

  mūvuruvin irāmanāyk * kaṇṇanāyk kaṛkiyāy muḍippān kōyil **

  sēvaloḍu peḍai annam * ceṅgamala malarēṛi ūsalāḍi *

  pūvaṇaimēl tudaindeḻu * cempoḍiyāḍi viḷaiyāḍum punal araṅgamē             

The city of Śrīraṅgam—rich in water bodies, where pairs of cob and pen swans sit on the red lotus, shake and swing it, roll over the petals and the central bed of stamens and stigmas, and play smearing their bodies with the red pollen dust—is the temple-abode of the Lord who assumed the effulgent and powerful forms of a fish, a tortoise, a hog, Nṛsiṁha, Vāmana, Paraśurāma, Rāma, Balarāma, Kṛṣṇa, and Kalki to annihilate the asuras and Rākṣasas   

421  ceruvāḷum puḷḷāḷan maṇṇāḷan * cerucceyyum nāndakam ennum

  oruvāḷan * maṛaiyāḷan ōḍāda paḍaiyāḷan * viḻukkaiyāḷan **

  iravāḷan pagalāḷan ennaiyāḷan * ēḻulagap perum puravāḷan *

  tiruvāḷan inidāgat * tirukkaṇgaḷ vaḷarginṛa tiruvaraṅgamē             

The city of Śrīraṅgam is the temple-abode of the Lord—the ruler of the mighty Garuḍa, the proprietor of the earth, wielder of the invincible sword Nandaka, compiler of the Vedas, the chivalrous army commander, the Supreme Benefactor, master of day and night, my Lord, the owner of the immeasurable planetary systems, and the consort of Śrī—in mystic sleep. 

422  * kainnāgattiḍar kaḍinda * kanalāḻip paḍaiyuḍaiyān karudum kōyil *

  tennāḍum vaḍanāḍum toḻa ninṛa * tiruvaraṅgam tirupatiyin mēl **

  meynnāvan meyyaḍiyān viṭṭucittan * viritta tamiḻ uraikka vallār *

  eññānṛum emberumān iṇaiyaḍik kīḻ * iṇaipiriyādiruppar tāmē

Those who can recite this garland of divine words in Tamiḻ—about the divine city of Śrīraṅgam, the favourite temple-abode of the wielder of the effulgent disc weapon, the liberator of the elephant king Gajendra, and which is worshipped by the devotees in both northern and southern cities—woven by Periyāḻvār, a truthful and faithful devotee, will attain the eternal shelter of the matchless lotus feet of the Lord of Vaikuṇṭha, and eternal association of His devotees.   

423 * tuppuḍaiyārai aḍaivadellām * sōrviḍattut tuṇaiyāvarenṛē *

  oppilēnāgilum ninnaḍaindēn * ānaikku nī aruḷ seytamaiyāl **

  eyppu ennai vandu naliyum pōdu * aṅgu ēdum nān unnai ninaikka māṭṭēn *

  appōdaikku ippōdē solli vaittēn * araṅgattaravaṇaip paḷḷiyānē        

“O Lord of Śrīraṅgam reclining on a serpent bed! Though I am not on the level of those exalted devotees who surrender to You, the ultimate shelter, knowing well that You will protect them when they are devoid of all sustenance, I surrender to You because You were merciful to the elephant king Gajendra. I will not be able to remember You when I am overpowered by mucus and bile, and choke when death approaches me; so, I beg for Your mercy now when I am in a sound condition.”  

424  cāmiḍattu ennaik kuṛikkoḷ kaṇḍāy * caṅgoḍu cakkaram ēndinānē *

  nāmaḍittu ennai anēha daṇḍam * seyvatā niṛpar naman tamargaḷ **

  pōmiḍattu un tiṛattu ettanaiyum * pugā vaṇṇam niṛpadōr māyai vallai *

  āmiḍattē unnaic colli vaittēn * araṅgattaravaṇaip paḷḷiyānē       

“O Lord of Śrīraṅgam reclining on a serpent bed! O wielder of the conch and the disc! When the angry Yamadūtas, clucking in condemnation, approach and drag me swearing that they will mete out many cruel punishments, You, the expert mystic, will conceal Yourself, not allowing me to remember You. So, now when I am in a sound condition, I plead to You, ‘Please be merciful to me though I will not be able to remember You at the time of my death.’”     

425  ellaiyil vāsal kuṛugac cenṛāl * eṭṛṛi naman tamar paṭṛṛum pōdu *

  nillumin ennum upāyamillai * nēmiyum caṅgamum ēndinānē **

  sollalām pōdē un nāmam ellām * sollinēn ennaik kuṛik koṇḍu enṛum *

  allalpaḍā vaṇṇam kākka vēṇḍum * araṅgattaravaṇaip paḷḷiyānē       

“O Lord of Śrīraṅgam reclining on a serpent bed! O wielder of the conch and the disc! At the time of my death, when the Yamadūtas beat me and drag me, I will not have any recourse. So, now when I can, I chant all Your holy names; Please be merciful to me and protect me from suffering at the hands of the Yamadūtas.” 

426  oṭṛṛai viḍaiyanum nānmuganum * unnai aṛiyāp perumaiyōnē *

  muṭṛṛa ulagellām nīyēyāhi * mūnṛeḻuttāya mudalvanēyō **

  aṭṛṛatu vāṇāḷ ivaṛkenṛeṇṇi * añja naman tamar paṭṛṛal uṭṛṛa *

  aṭṛṛaikku nī ennaik kākka vēṇḍum * araṅgattaravaṇaip paḷḷiyānē       

“O Lord of Śrīraṅgam reclining on a serpent bed! O Cause of all causes! Your glories are beyond the understanding of both Rudra who rides a matchless bull carrier, and the four-headed Brahmā! You have manifested as the cosmic planetary systems, and You are the origin of the three syllables oṁkāra praṇava! When the Yamadūtas approach me when my days are over and I get caught in their stranglehold, You, my saviour, must save me from them.”

427  paiyaravinaṇaip pāṛkaḍaluḷ * paḷḷi koḷhinṛa parama mūrti *

  uyya ulagu paḍaikka vēṇḍi * undiyil tōṭṛṛināy nānmuganai **

  vaiya maniṣaraip poyyenṛeṇṇik * kālanaiyum uḍanē paḍaittāy *

  aiya ini ennaik kākka vēṇḍum * araṅgattaravaṇaip paḷḷiyānē       

“O Lord of Śrīraṅgam reclining on a serpent bed! O divine Lord in yoga-nidrā (mystic sleep) on the cosy bed of Ananta Śeṣa in the ocean of milk! When You decided mercifully to liberate the living beings, You manifested the four-headed Brahmā to create the cosmic world; then to punish those sinful human beings who do not follow Your scriptural injunctions, You created immediately the dreaded Yama. O divine friend! You must save me, Your surrendered devotee, from the clutches of the Yamadūtas.”     

428  taṇṇenavillai naman tamargaḷ * cālak koḍumaihaḷ seyyā niṛpar *

  maṇṇoḍu nīrum eriyum kālum * maṭṛṛum ākāśamumāhi ninṛāy **

  eṇṇalām pōdē un nāmam ellām * eṇṇinēn ennaik kuṛik koṇḍu enṛum *

  aṇṇalē nī ennaik kākka vēṇḍum * araṅgattaravaṇaip paḷḷiyānē       

“O Lord of Śrīraṅgam reclining on a serpent bed! O Supreme Lord, You have manifested as earth, water, fire, air, and ether! The merciless Yamadūtas mete out very cruel punishments; when I can, I have faithfully and lovingly chanted all Your divine names; You must always remember me, Your true worshipper, and protect me.” 

429  ceñjol maṛaip poruḷāgi ninṛa * devargaḷ nāyaganē emmānē *

  eñjalil ennuḍai innamudē * ēḻulagum uḍaiyāy ennappā **

  vañja uruvin naman tamargaḷ * valindu nalindu ennaip paṭṛṛum pōdu *

  añjalamenṛu ennaik kākka vēṇḍum * araṅgattaravaṇaip paḷḷiyānē       

“O Lord of Śrīraṅgam reclining on a serpent bed! O substance of the sacred Vedas! O Lord of the devas! O my Master! You are my everlasting, delectable ambrosia! The Lord of all the worlds! My benefactor! When the invisible Yamadūtas catch and drag me mercilessly, You must be my saviour and protect me.”

430  nān ēdum un māyam onṛaṛiyēn * naman tamar paṭṛṛi nalindiṭṭu * inda

  ūnē pugēyenṛu mōdumpōdu * aṅgēdum nān unnai ninaikka māṭṭēn *

  vānēy vānavar taṅgaḷ īśā * mathuraip piṛanda māmāyanē * en

  ānāy nī ennaik kākka vēṇḍum * araṅgattaravaṇaip paḷḷiyānē       

“O Lord of Śrīraṅgam reclining on a serpent bed! I don’t know anything about Your inconceivable mystic deeds; O Lord of the eternal associates in Vaikuṇṭha! O incredible Lord who appeared in Mathurā! I am attracted to You like an obedient elephant to its master. When the Yamadūtas torture me and force me to enter a special body for further persecution in hell, You, my saviour, must protect me.”  

431  kunṛeḍuttu ānirai kātta āyā * kōnirai mēyttavanē emmānē *

  anṛumudal inṛaṛudiyā * ādiyañjōti maṛandaṛiyēn **

  nanṛum koḍiya naman tamargaḷ * nalindu valindu ennaip paṭṛṛum pōdu *

  anṛaṅgu nī ennaik kākka vēṇḍum * araṅgattaravaṇaip paḷḷiyānē       

“O Lord of Śrīraṅgam reclining on a serpent bed! You lifted the Govardhana Hill to protect the herds of cows; Like the cowherd boys, You grazed the herds of cows; O my Lord! Right from that day I surrendered to You, till now, I never forgot Your causal and most effulgent divine form. When the ruthless Yamadūtas catch me to forcefully mete out devious punishments, You must save me.” 

432  * māyavanai madhusūdananai * mādavanai maṛaiyōrgaḷ ēttum *

  āyargaḷ ēṭṛṛinai accutanai * araṅgattaravaṇaip paḷḷiyānai **

  vēyar pugaḻ villiputtūrman * viṭṭucittan sonna mālai pattum *

  tūya manattanarāgi vallār * tūmaṇi vaṇṇanukkāḷar tāmē

“Those who can recite with a pure heart this garland of divine words woven by Periyāḻvār, the master of Śrīvilliputtūr who is eulogised by all in his clan and city—about the Lord of Śrīraṅgam reclining on a serpent bed, master of all mysticism, Madhusūdana, Mādava, exulted by all transcendalists, Lord of the cowherd clan, and Acyuta—will perform eternal devotional service to the blue sapphire gemstone-hued Lord.”                      

Agarwood: Aquilaria malaccensis. Also known as lign-aloes tree is the principal producer of resin-suffused

agarwood used in aromatic incense production.

Airāvata: The wondrous elephant carrier of the heavenly king Indra.

Avabhṛtha-snāna: The ceremonial bath taken immediately upon the completion of a Vedic sacrifice.

Blue lily flowers: Nymphaea violacea. The flowers are violet, blue or white.

Fragrant screw-pine: Pandanus odorifer is an aromatic monocot species of plant. Commonly known as kewda, umbrella tree and screw tree.

Golden champak trees: Ochna obtusata DC. Also known as Ramdhan champa, Mickey mouse plant or Kalkuruvi. The flowers are yellow.

Indian kino trees: Pterocarpus marsupium, also known as Malabar kino, or vijayasar. The flowers are yellow.

Golden shower trees: Cassia fistula, commonly known as Indian Laburnum tree, purging cassia, or pudding-pipe tree.

Janasthāna: It was a colonial state of Laṅkā under the reign of Rāvaṇa. Rāvaṇa's governor Khara ruled this province. It was the stronghold of all the rākṣasa tribes living in the Daṇḍaka forest. It is roughly the Nāśik district, Mahārāśtra with Janasthāna (Nāśik city) as its capital.

Kalpavṛkṣa: A wish-fulfilling divine tree found in heaven.

Kuriñji note: This is a very ancient note, said to have been inducted into Carnātic music from Tamiḻ folk music.

Malabar silk-cotton tree: Bombax ceiba. Also known as cotton tree, red silk-cotton, or red-cotton tree.

Mastwood trees: Calophyllum inophyllum, commonly called tamanu, beach calophyllum, or beautyleaf. The flowers are yellow.

Red cotton trees: Bombax ceiba, known as Malabar silk-cotton tree or red silk-cotton. The flowers are red.

Seven Sāl trees: Shorea robusta (Sārai). Before killing Vāli, Sugrīva asked Rāma to show His strength by piercing one of these trees right through with an arrow.

Tarenna trees: Tarenna asiatica