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...

Tamil text and transliteration:

கருமமும் கரும பலனும் ஆகிய காரணன் தன்னை,
திருமணி வண்ணனை செங்கண் மாலினை தேவபிரானை,
ஒருமை மனத்தினுள் வைத்து உள்ளம் குழைந்து எழுந்து ஆடி,
பெருமையும் நாணும் தவிர்ந்து பிதற்றுமின் பேதைமை தீர்ந்தே.

karumamum karuma palaṉum ākiya kāraṇaṉ taṉṉai,
tirumaṇi vaṇṇaṉai ceṅkaṇ māliṉai tēvapirāṉai,
orumai maṉattiṉuḷ vaittu uḷḷam kuḻaintu eḻuntu āṭi,
perumaiyum nāṇum tavirntu pitaṟṟumiṉ pētaimai tīrntē.

English translation of verse 3.5.10:

Shed all your conceit, sense of shame and ignorance
And leap about, uttering with ecstatic incoherence,
The names of the gem-hued, red lotus-eyed Tirumāl, the Ordainer
Of the Universe, the deeds and their fruits, Chief of Celestials,
With a mind fixed on Him as the ‘Means’ and the ‘End’ all at once.

Notes

(i) The Lord has to be looked upon, as both the ‘Means’ and the ‘End

(ii) As the Internal Controller of the Individuals, He enables them to perform deeds and He confers the results, reward or punishment, as the case may be, because the deeds by themselves can’t grant rewards or inflict punishments.

(iii) The Saint calls upon the people to shed their ill-conceived notions, born of conceit, which preclude them from coming under the emotional sway of the Lord’s auspicious traits and the stupid sense of shame that they shall not exhibit in public their emotional upsurge and join the ranks of the illustrious devotees moving along, singing the Lord’s glory and dancing in ecstasy.

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