Pasuram 1.5.4

Tamil text and transliteration:

தான் ஓர் உருவே தனிவித்தாய் தன்னின் மூவர் முதலாய
வானோர் பலரும் முனிவரும் மற்றும் மற்றும் முற்றும் ஆய்
தான் ஓர் பெருநீர் தன்னுள்ளே தோற்றி அதனுள் கண்வளரும்
வானோர் பெருமான் மா மாயன் வைகுந்தன் எம் பெருமானே.

tāṉ ōr uruvē taṉivittāy taṉṉiṉ mūvar mutalāya
vāṉōr palarum muṉivarum maṟṟum maṟṟum muṟṟum āy
tāṉ ōr perunīr taṉṉuḷḷē tōṟṟi ataṉuḷ kaṇvaḷarum
vāṉōr perumāṉ mā māyaṉ vaikuntaṉ em perumāṉē.

Preamble

Finding the Āḻvār, a little less scared of the Lord’s exaltation than a little while ago, some persons asked him what exactly he was intending to do, whether to get near the Lord or get away from Him. This stanza provides the answer to this question, real or supposed.

The Āḻvār says:

“Even if I wish to keep aloof, my Lord would not give me up. Look at His condescending love of amazing dimensions. The great Creator of all the worlds and all classes of sentient and non-sentient beings, the Supreme Master of all, including the celestials in the High Heaven, above wants of any kind, reclining on the bosom of the vast expanse of water in Yoga nidrā, is now tight here to claim me as His inalienable property”.

English translation of verse 1.5.4:

The Supreme Lord beside whom there was none.
Created the first three (Brahmā, Śiva and Indra), this, that and the other,
(Devas, Sages, men, birds, beasts and all) with no external aid (i) whatever
And reposed (in Yoga nidra) on the vast expanse of water,
He had raised; the wondrous Lord, Chief of celestials, Vaikuntaṉ, is also my Master (ii).

Notes

(i) The Lord is at once the Material (Upādāna) cause, Operative (nimitta) cause and Instrumental or efficient (Sahakāri) cause of Creation.

(ii) This is the key word for this stanza. The Master has come to reclaim His property (the Āḻvār) and He shall not be a party to its slipping through the fingers.