Pasuram 4.8.1

Tamil text and transliteration:

ஏறு ஆளும் இறையோனும் திசைமுகனும் திருமகளும்,
கூறு ஆளும் தனி உடம்பன் குலம் குலமா அசுரர்களை,
நீறு ஆகும்படியாக நிருமித்து படை தொட்ட,
மாறாளன் கவராத மணி மாமை குறைவு இலமே. (2)

ēṟu āḷum iṟaiyōṉum ticaimukaṉum tirumakaḷum,
kūṟu āḷum taṉi uṭampaṉ kulam kulamā acurarkaḷai,
nīṟu ākumpaṭiyāka nirumittu paṭai toṭṭa,
māṟāḷaṉ kavarāta maṇi māmai kuṟaivu ilamē. (2)

English translation of verse 4.8.1:

Of what use is my complexion lovely
If it attracts not my valorous Lord,
Who resolved to rout the Asura hordes
And destroyed them with weapons deadly,
On whose unique person, vast and expansive, dwell
Ticaimukaṉ (Brahmā), Iṟaiyōṉ, whose mount is the bull
And Tirumakaḷ (Lakṣmī) (well apart)?

Note

The Āḻvār highlights the Lord’s ‘Sauśilya’ or condescending love, allotting portions of His body, well demarcated, for the occupation of Iṟaiyōṉ (Śiva), Brahmā and Lakṣmī. And then, the Lord’s valour is talked about. By a mere resolve, He could create the entire universe and likewise, He could as well destroy all the evil forces. And yet, He incarnated, now and then, and engaged the ungodly in a personal combat and destroyed them with His mighty weapons, simply because of His intolerance of their affront to His devotees. The enemies of His devotees are regarded by Him as His opponents and He will never forgive them. If the Lord, so loving and valorous, did not come and delightfully pounce upon Parāṅkuśa Nāyakī, of what use is her lovely complexion? She too, finds no charm in a complexion which ceases to attract the Lord.