Pasuram 4.2.4

Tamil text and transliteration:

கோது இல வண்புகழ் கொண்டு சமயிகள்,
பேதங்கள் சொல்லிப் பிதற்றும் பிரான்பரன்,
பாதங்கள் மேல் அணி பைம் பொன் துழாய் என்றே
ஓதுமால், ஊழ்வினையேன் தடந் தோளியே.

kōtu ila vaṇpukaḻ koṇṭu camayikaḷ,
pētaṅkaḷ collip pitaṟṟum pirāṉparaṉ,
pātaṅkaḷ mēl aṇi paim poṉ tuḻāy eṉṟē
ōtumāl, ūḻviṉaiyēṉ taṭan tōḷiyē.

English translation of verse 4.2.4:

Ha! this terrific sinner’s daughter, with shoulders fair,
Craves for the tuḷaci, pretty like Gold, fresh and pure,
That decorates the feet of the Supreme Lord in heaven.
Whose traits flawless are debated upon
By the votaries over there with great fascination.

Notes

(i) The debate by the distinguished denizens of Heaven arises from the fact that one section feels attracted by the Lord’s transcendent glory (Paratva) while another is drawn towards His ‘Saulabhya’, simplicity galore. Each section adores the Lord from its own angle. A trait is said to be flawless only when the person who contemplates it is wholly immersed in it without being led on to any other trait. The Lord’s traits are flawless in the sense that each one of them is of unlimited dimensions and one can get immersed in, rather, rivetted to it, for all time.

(ii) The mother having pointed out that the Lord’s incarnate forms belonged to the irretrievable past, like the rivers, once in spate, having gone dry, the Nāyaki would be satisfied if she could at least get hold of the tuḷaci garland from the Lord, in His transcendental abode.