Pasuram 2.2.2

Tamil text and transliteration:

ஏ பாவம் பரமே ஏழ் உலகும்,
ஈ பாவம் செய்து அருளால் அளிப்பார் ஆர்,
மா பாவம் விட அரற்குப் பிச்சை பெய்,
கோபால கோளரி ஏறு அன்றியே.

ē pāvam paramē ēḻ ulakum,
ī pāvam ceytu aruḷāl aḷippār ār,
mā pāvam viṭa araṟkup piccai pey,
kōpāla kōḷari ēṟu aṉṟiyē.

English translation of verse 2.2.2:

Who but Kōpālaṉ, the mighty Lion,
Who unto Araṉ gave alms and from heinous sin
Redeemed, can the seven worlds graciously sustain.
Ridding them of all sins? What a pity, none can
Describe His glory, well beyond enumeration!

Notes

(i) In the preceding stanza, the Āḻvār averred that there is none superior to Kōpālaṉ (Lord Kṛṣṇa). When some persons questioned the propriety of such an assertion in the face of the Vedic texts glorifying Brahmā, Rudra and other Celestials, the Āḻvār turned round and said: “Well, you had better examine the record of performance of each of them and judge for yourselves. When they all got into trouble, each in his own way, they all sought asylum in Lord Maha Viṣṇu. Could there still be any misgiving about His supremacy over all the rest?”

(ii) The Āḻvār feels very much vexed that, in the midst of his God-enjoyment, he should have to leave the track and tackle these deluded enquirers, wasting much precious time in explaining the much-too-obvious, the difference between a priceless gem and poor clay.

(iii) The ill-effects of the sins committed by us, in a trice, can hardly be liquidated even after the sufferings of ages and yet it is the Lord’s redemptive grace that grinds them to a halt.