Tiruvaymoli (Thiruvaimozhi): English translation
by S. Satyamurthi Ayyangar | 388,514 words
This is the English translation of the Tiruvaymoli (or, Thiruvaimozhi): An ancient Tamil text consisting of 1102 verses which were sung by the poet-saint Nammalvar as an expression of his devotion to Vishnu. Hence, it is an important devotional book in Vaishnavism. Nammalvar is one of the twelve traditional saints of Tamil Nadu (Southern India), kn...
Pasuram 2.5.9
Tamil text and transliteration:
சொல்லீர் என் அம்மானை என் ஆவி ஆவிதனை,
எல்லை இல் சீ ர் என் கருமாணிக்கச் சுடரை,
நல்ல அமுதம் பெறற்கு அரிய வீடும் ஆய்,
அல்லி மலர் விரை ஒத்து ஆண் அல்லன் பெண் அலனே.
collīr eṉ ammāṉai eṉ āvi āvitaṉai,
ellai il cī r eṉ karumāṇikkac cuṭarai,
nalla amutam peṟaṟku ariya vīṭum āy,
alli malar virai ottu āṇ allaṉ peṇ alaṉē.
English translation of verse 2.5.9:
Better sing the praise of my Sire,
The Soul of my soul, the lustrous sapphire,
Of auspicious qualities endless, the delectable nectar,
The Ordainer great of ‘Mokṣa’, difficult to attain,
Sweet like the fragrance of the lotus flower,
Neither the male nor the female we know of.
Notes
(i) Although the Āḻvār found himself speechless, yet he could not resist the urge to sing the Lord’s praise, in the company of the worldlings. And, therefore, he exhorts them to desist from the worldly affairs, at least for a while, and sing the Lord’s glory along with him.
(ii) Being a ‘Puruṣa’ (Male), the Lord is certainly not a female and being a ‘Puruṣottama’ (gem of a male), He is very different from the other males, we know of. That is why it has been said here that He is neither the male nor the female of the known variety.