(78 Pāsurams)
God in his yogic sleep on the ocean.
As his bright emerald earrings throw out light, the lord is like a large mountain resting on the dotted snake Adisesha with shining jewels on his thousand divine heads The crowded stars in the sky shine and cover him like an umbrella.(1)
The sun and moon are his lights and the waves of the ocean fan him. (2)
The Earth goddess
At Mahābali’s sacrifice with his divine lotus feet he measured the earth goddess whose hair is the clouds. and the stars are the flower garlands that decorate it.(3)
The tall hills of the Pandya king and the divine northern Himalayas are her breasts, and she walks like a swan. (4) As the lord sleeps in deep yoga her beautiful hands caress his feet.
Sages in Moksha
The god created a shining lotus on his navel and the four-headed Brahma on it. (5) Brahma created the four Vedas that show the path to dharma, poruḷ and happiness on the earth and moksha. (6) Moksha can only be attained after the body has gone to the other world. Those who want to reach it should eat fallen fruits, dried leaves, make their bodies thin, sleep in a hut roofed with leaves (7) and do tapas standing in the heat of the sun and plunging into the water in ponds. One can only say that these are the people who could reach moksha. This is what one knows. No one can tell others could reach moksha by any other way unless they see them there. (8)
If you know any people who have reached moksha, crossing the world of heat (9) tell us who they are. Without knowing their names just to say that we know that they reached moksha shows that they are ignorant. We will talk about them later. (9-10)
The sages enter Indra’s world and enjoy it. (11 - 22)
Let us look at the life of sages. As the gods praise them, they enter the golden world of Indra, the thousand-eyed king of the gods. They sit on shining thrones (11 and 12) where young women with long sword-like eyes fan them and a fresh breeze blows on them. (13) There gentle doe-eyed women with waists as thin as lightning smile with their white teeth that shine like the rising crescent moon. The sages see the karpaga forest glittering like gold where bees in the groves sing sweetly and the honey from the blossoms of the Mandaram trees that grow everywhere and they play in that world with the dark-eyed Apsaras with waists thin as lightning and beautiful as peacocks . (14) They stay in the golden diamond-studded mandapam whose marble shines and with coral pillars and there they listen contentedly to the sweet music that the Aparasas play on their yāzhs. (15)
Indra’s Palace (16 -22)
The sages stay in palaces that shine like lightning as the clouds float above them. The moon shines from the sky and many bright lamps hang in the rooms where they stay(16). Women with lovely cool eyes, wearing flowers that drip honey in their hair, spread beds and open the doors for them. ((17) There men wear fragrant mandaram flower garlands on their arms and bees from the karpaga flowers swarm around them. Swans wander in the garden. The sweet fresh breeze enters their room and dries the fragrant sandal paste that the Apsarasas have smeared on their young breasts. (18) The men joyfully put their hands on the lightning-like waists and the ornaments on the women’s breasts make noise.(19) The sound of their jewels give joy to the hearts of the men. They drink the nectar from the mouths of the women with large eyes that never blink, enjoying their doe-like look and lovely smiles. (20)
Such is the result of their penance, which at best achieves only passion. I have described (21) Doe-eyed women who walk like swans will not ride on maḍal when they love men even if others gossip about them. I have heard this and know it from the southern tradition, but I don’t want to worry about that. I haveonly described what the northern tradition says. (22)
23 - 28. Those who do not want to follow the northern tradition will not know the coolness of the sandal paste from the Podiyam hills of Pandyan kings. (23) They will not understand the beauty of the sweet music of the flutes of the cowherds, or the suffering of women when hear the bells of the cows returning home in the evening. (24) When they hear the sorrowful sound of the calling of the andril birds on the palm tree separated from their mates, they will not feel pain. (25) When the shining moon in the sky sends its cool rays, their bodies will not burn. (26)
When Kama shoots his flower arrows from his everlasting bow they will not die and go to the golden street in heaven. (27) They will stay on their flower beds with women whose hair is decorated with flowers as a breeze caresses their waists and soft breasts, and they will sleep with those women who are precious like gold. Let them enjoy themselves. (28)
Women who suffered to find and follow their beloveds.
Vaidehi. Rama going to the forest with Vaidehi.
Rama obeyed his father, the heroic king Dasaratha, gave up the rich kingdom making all the people of the kingdom suffer and left his country. (29) He went fast as lightning in a bright chariot, wandered in a hot forest where murderous hungry peys wandered. The paths there were filled with stones and bamboo plants were broken and burned, and the wind blew wildly (30) Vaidehi, his beautiful wife, went with him, walking like a swan on her soft cotton-like feet on stone paths where the cruel sun’s strong heat burned the earth. (31)
Vegavathi searching for her beloved.
When Vegavathi, a young girl with a waist as thin as lightning lost her husband as dear as her life, she went with her elder brother to find him. They searched and finally found him who was strong as a bull, with mighty arms like stone and she embraced his golden chest. (32)
The daughter of Nagarajan of the snake world finding Arjuna.
Arjuna the matchless hero, whose shining long spear killed his enemies, was the son of Guru, the king of the famous country where the Ganges flows with abundant water. The beautiful daughter of the king of snakes without shyness, fear or modesty embraced him, crushing her breasts on his mountain-like golden chest and took him to the snake world where she loved him and they lived happily. Haven’t we heard that story? (33 -36)
Usha, Vāṇan’s daughter and Māyavan.
Vāṇan, the king of the Asurans with a shining sword ruled a golden country that was like Indra’s world and conquered the whole earth surrounded by the oceans. His daughter was more beautiful than any other woman. (37) Her dear friend obtained the thulasi garland of the lord Māyavan with lovely mountain-like arms and gave it to Usha. Then she brought the god Māyavan to her so that he could be happy with her. O friends, haven’ṭ you heard this story? (37 -39)
Parvathi doing tapas to marry Shiva.
O, beautiful girls, what more can I say? Uma, the precious daughter of the king of Himalayas, was as divine as a goddess, with teeth like shining jewels and a red mouth, a soft waist and the walk of a swan. As she did tapas to see Shiva, wearing her hair as matted locks her golden body withered and she controlled all her senses.
Shiva came to the forest where she was doing tapas, extending his thousand arms and hands in all the eight directions and shining like fire. His feet adorned with heroic anklets crossed all the seven precious worlds and went to the sky. The gods in the sky worshiped the lord and the everlasting mountains, the wind and the stars whirled around the dancer Shiva adorned with vibhuthi. She praised the trident of the dancing lord that destroys Asurans and embraced him.
She says, “Don’t you know that I have done bad karma and have not received the grace of the god like they have? If I begin to tell all the stories of wonderful women it will be endless like the Bharatham. (40 -42)
“I will tell how I suffer from love—listen. I entered the golden door of the palace studded with diamonds, as large as the mountain in Thirunaṛaiyur surrounded with thick groves where good Vediyars recite the Vedas (43) and I saw the lord there and my eyes rejoiced. His divine chest, mouth, feet, beautiful hands and eyes shone like flowers blooming in a forest on a golden mountain. His chest is adorned with a long thread and he wears arm bracelets, shining earrings, chains, a tall crown and a Sulamaṇi ornament that shines like the bright sun as he shines like an emerald hill. (45)
She describes Lakshmi
Lakshmi his wife, like a beautiful young vanji creeper stays near him. Her walk is like a swan’s, her eyes are innocent like a doe’s, she is lovely as a peacock and shines like lightning. Her arms are like young bamboo, her breasts are like two pots, her mouth is red like a thondai fruit and her eyes are like two kendai fish. Divine, she stood near him but I did not see her as she stood there.
She says, “My heart and my mind grew weak, the bracelets on my hands and the golden mekalai on my waist grew loose. The roaring of the ocean increases the pain of my love. (46) and the cool moon sheds its hot rays on me. How is it their nature has changed? The sweet breeze carrying the fragrance of the blossoms on the southern king Pandiyan’s mountain Pothiyam, mingled with the smell of sandal wood and the pollen of flowers blows making all the people of the world happy. But to me that fresh breeze is as if burning air were streaming on me. As the andril bird in a nest made of screw pine flower on a palm tree calls her beloved male bird with her small voice it is like a sword splitting open my chest. What can I do? “
She says, “Kama has a sugarcane bow in his arms that are strong as stone. He bends it, flexing his arms, and shoots flower arrows (47) at me with my chest as his target. There is no one to protect me from him.” (48)
She says, “I am innocent. What is the use of my being a woman, my beauty and my breasts if I cannot embrace the golden chest of the lord who shines like a golden hill and is the beloved of Lakshmi?
If my breasts do not embrace the lord of Thirukaṇṇapuram my breasts and my beauty will become like a blooming creeper that withers spreading its fragrance in vain in a stony forest in a dry land
All these things are burden for me. Is there anyone who knows a remedy to stop this pain of love that keeps increasing?( 49, 50)
The sound of the bells tied on the necks of the cows in the evening is sweet for most people, (51) but to my ears it is as cruel as the sound of a killing spear. Tell me how I can save myself from this pain, tell me. (52) The cloud-colored lord whose chest is adorned with a fragrant thulasi garland gave me this love sickness.” (53)
The heroism of the Lord and how she riding on madal after telling the power of Thirumāl. (54 - 78)
She says, “He released the beautiful crescent moon from his curse, built a bridge on the ocean to go to Lanka, shot his arrows and fought with king Rāvaṇa in a cruel battle made his ten heads decorated with golden crowns fall to the ground and sent him to the golden world in the sky.” (54).
Hiraṇyan and the man-lion.
She says, “Hiraṇyan with his strong hands fought with thousand-eyed Indra, king of the gods and the gods and took over Indra’s world and the golden world of the gods. Our god with a discus in his mighty hand took the form of a lion (55) went to Hiraṇyan with fiery eyes and fought with him, pulling the Asuran by the hair, sitting him on his thigh, and splitting open his chest with his sharp claws.
God in the form of a boar
“When the earth goddess was hidden in the bottom of the ocean by an Asuran, our god, the dancer, took the form of a boar, went into the ocean and brought up the earth goddess on his sharp murderous tusks. (56)
Thirumāl churning the milky ocean with gods and Asurans.
“Using Mandara mountain as a churning stick and the snake Vasuki as the rope, he churned the milky ocean and the bright sun, moon and all shining things in the sky swirled around as he churned. The generous god took the sweet nectar from the ocean, gave it to the gods in the sky and removed their affliction. (57)
God in the form of a dwarf
“Taking the form of a dwarf whom no one could recognize he went as a bachelor to the golden sacrifice of king Mahābali. (58) He cheated the heroic king, melted his heart by pretending to be a sage. He asked the king, ‘O king, I want three feet of land and I will measure the distance with my feet.’ Before the dwarf could finish speaking, the king said, ‘I have already given that.’ At those words, (59) the god grew tall and his crown, shining like lightning, touched the sky and his ankleted feet crossed over all the seven worlds.(60) All the gods and the Asurans saw him and trembled as his feet went upwards and took over the wide world and the sky. He cheated Mahābali with his feet and made all the world his own.” (61)
She praises the Divyadesams where the god stays and worships him
“He, the beloved of the goddess with a lighting-like waist, fights in the war like a bull. He stays on the golden mountain of Thiruviṇṇagar and he is the god of the flourishing Kudandai where the Ponni river brings jewel and leaves them on its banks. Majestic as a red coral hill, he is the god of Thirukkkuṛunguḍi in the Pandiyan country. He is the generous god of Thiruthaṇcheṛai. (62) my sweet nectar and the god of Thiruvayalāli surrounded with beautiful water where swans sleep. Strong as a mountain, he is the god of Thiruyevvuḷ, and generous as the kaṛpagam tree, and the god of Thirukkaṇṇamangai surrounded with strong forts. He is lightning, the bright sun and moon and the god of Thiruveḷḷaṛai. As precious as gold, he is the god of Thirukkallaṛai. Gold and emerald, a fighting bull, he is the god of Thirupuṭkuzhi. He, the god of everlasting Srirangam shines like a precious diamond. (63)
He, the beloved of Lakshmi, stays in Thiruvallavāzh. Never born, he is the god of Thirupperur. He lies on Adisesha on the ancient ocean, He is a faultless shining jewel and he stays in my mind always. He is the lord of Thiruviḍaventhai, the Māyavan, the god of Thirukkaḍalmallai, (64) worshipped by the gods in the sky
He is the strong god of Thiruthangāl, the essence known by no one, a pearl. He took the form of a swan, fish, man-lion and he is the divine Vedas whose meaning no one knows. He swallowed all the worlds in ancient times. (65) He is the god of everlasting Thiruviḍaikkazhi who drank the milk from Putana as she screamed, (66) the shining god of Thiruvazhundur where swans look for food in the wet mud. He, my dear lord, stays in south Thillaichithrakuḍam, (67) the clever god of Thiruvenkaṭam where clouds move with lightning. He, a king and the beloved of Lakshmi, stays in Thirumālirunjolai carrying a discus that kills his enemies. (68) He has the form of a man-lion in Thirukkoṭṭiyur, a flood of sweet nectar and the god of Thirumeyyam, the good Andaṇan of Thiruvindaḷur, the man-lion of Thiruveḷukkai in Thirukkachi surrounded with strong forts. He is the young god of Thiruppāḍagam, (69) the god of Thiruvekkaa sunk in deep yoga. He is the god of Thiruvuragam, the strong bull of Thiruvaṭṭapuyagaram and the Esan who stays in my heart. (70)
He, the god of the gods, is the light of Thirumuzhikkaḷam and the god of Thiruvādanur giving food to all. He is past, present and future, (71) the god of Thiruneermalai and the four everlasting Vedas.
He is Tamizh flourishing in Thiruppullāṇi in the Pandiyan country and he is Sanskrit. He is the beloved of Lakshmi and shines like the moon, the god of Maṇimādakkoyil in Naagai, and the god of Thiruchengāḍu surrounded by the ocean. (72) I worship the god Kaṇṇan, the lord of Thirukkaṇṇapuram and of Maṇimāḍakkoyil in southern Thirunaṛaiyur.”
She says, “He is as strong as a bull with arms like mountains. I will go and see him, folding my hands and worshiping him. I will tell him how I feel, if my dear lord does not give his grace holding me close to his chest, (73)
I will go to the villages where girls with lightning-thin waists, Vediyars and sages live and tell the kings with spears that kill enemies in battles and all the crowds of people and the people who live in all countries about all the things he has done to me.” (74) .
She says, “When he went to the cowherd village, stole butter and yogurt churned and kept by beautiful fish-eyed cowherd women, and ate them and filled his stomach full, the women caught him and tied him to a mortar. When he took the form of a bhudam and ate all the food that the cowherds had kept for Indra, (75) Indra grew angry, brought a storm, and the lord carried Govardhana mountain as an umbrella and protected the cowherds and the cows from the storm.
When Kaṇṇan went to Duriyodhana’s assembly for the Pandavas as a messenger, he was disgraced by the Kauravas. He danced on a pot as drums were beaten and beautiful women saw looked on in enjoyment, exclaiming, ‘How could he dance so wonderfully?’
When Surpankaha, the princess of Lanka, Ravana’s sister, fell in love with Rama, took the form of a beautiful woman and came to the forest and told Rama that she loved him, (76) Rama was angry and cut off her nose. He also killed the mighty Thāḍagai (77) when she came to fight with him.
MADAL
I will think of all these deeds and ride on horse made of palm leaves, the maḍal, of a flourishing palm tree.” (78)