Pasuram 2.5.7

Tamil text and transliteration:

பாம்பு அணைமேல் பாற்கடலுள் பள்ளி அமர்ந்ததுவும்,
காம்பு அணை தோள் பின்னைக்கு ஆய் ஏறு உடன் ஏழ் செற்றதுவும்,
தேம் பணைய சோலை மராமரம் ஏழ் எய்ததுவும்,
பூம் பிணைய தண் துழாய்ப் பொன் முடி அம் போர் ஏறே.

pāmpu aṇaimēl pāṟkaṭaluḷ paḷḷi amarntatuvum,
kāmpu aṇai tōḷ piṉṉaikku āy ēṟu uṭaṉ ēḻ ceṟṟatuvum,
tēm paṇaiya cōlai marāmaram ēḻ eytatuvum,
pūm piṇaiya taṇ tuḻāyp poṉ muṭi am pōr ēṟē.

English translation of verse 2.5.7:

Trim and lovely, like the martial bull, my Lord,
Sporting the gold crown and the tulacī garland.
Cool and well-knit, on the serpent-bed reclined
In the milk-ocean, tamed all at once the bulls seven
For the sake of Piṉṉai of shoulders fine and pierced the trees seven.

Notes

(i) In terms of the new technique adopted by the Lord, as set out in the previcus song, the Lord exhibited a few of the wondrous deeds performed by Him long back and the Āḻvār records them here, as envisioned by him.

(ii) According to one tradition, Nappiṇṇai, the charming shepherdess, believed to be an incarnation of Goddess Nīlā Devī, was a niece of Yaśodhā. Her father had set up a precondition for any one seeking her hand, namely, the taming of seven unruly bulk, all at once. Śrī Kṛṣṇa’ assumed seven different forms, tackled these bulls effectively and tamed them to win the charming bride. A Demon named Kālanēmi had been slain by the Lord in a previous Yuga. The seven sons of the demon swore vendetta against the Lord and were reborn as seven bulls, determined to kill Śrī Kṛṣṇa.