Chapter 12 - Thirupanaiyur or Tiruppanaiyur (Hymn 87)

I

The conviction which grew up into the message to the learned in the previous hymn develops in the Thirupanaiyur hymn into his exquisite joy resonating with the dance of the Lord sustaining the universe, a dance which he sees reflected in the buildings and natural beauty of Thirupanaiyur, a beauty which makes the poet exclaim at the end of every verse as if in chorus, “He is alone the Beautiful”.

II

It is the dance of the divine form which is both masculine and feminine, a dance unknown to Visnu and Brahma (7), which makes the followers also dance in beautiful harmony (1). The sacred ash (2), the beautiful crescent (3, 8), the laurel of a river (2), the fire (5), the deer (5) and the axe (5) in his hands, the victory over the elephant (6), the worship by the Devas and men (8), the crushing of Ravana (9), the pancagavya bath (6) are all beautiful because of the underlying harmony of love. There arises the grandeur of moral beauty in this very form, for there overflows from it His Grace and compassion. His followers therefore dance (1). He dances within the mind of those who contemplate on Him (2), removing all their karmas rushing on them (3). He is capable of saving them, though cruel to the cruel and egoistic Ravana-like men (9).

III

The same harmony, dance and joy, our poet sees in Thirupanaiyur, in those matamalikai, gopuram and mantapam growing as it were in the midst of groves in and around which the bees hum and sing in that city of fertile fields (1), of rich soil, on which grow the harmony of varied fragrant flowers, viz., “cenkalunir, mallikai, cenpakam” (2). The ruddy eyed buffaloes, after having laboured hard in the fields, rush into the ponds and this makes the smaller fish jump and dance in the fields (3). The dance continues. The sword-fish jumps, creating a commotion rather a fluttering or gamaka amidst other fishes which frisk into the fields surrounded by the beautiful arecanut palms (4). God’s love takes the form of the Mother and we see her varied reflections in the damsels who bathe in the ponds making the water flowers usually blossoming at different times bloom in harmony at one and the same time (5), in that land of Colar surrounded by the Kaviri—the land which sings the praises of that Ocean of love through the poets of Thirupanaiyur and through their ever expanding poetry (6). With the buffalo (3), the fish (4) and the damsels (5), the monkeys also dance on the mantapas, matas, malikais and gopurams (7) and the peacocks dance on trees (7) whilst the drums resound (8) everywhere and the music of the harp proceeds from the matamalikai gopurams (8). This dance of happiness spreads everywhere whlist the monkey dances and jumps (9). The honey-comb bursts and overflows (10).

IV

The divine joy has coursed through every pore of his body, every part of his soul and his aesthetic experience of divine beauty makes our poet assure the world that those who listen to and enjoy these beautiful words of his, are indeed themselves but embodiments of beauty (10).