Pasuram 4.1.3

Tamil text and transliteration:

அடி சேர் முடியினர் ஆகி அரசர்கள் தாம் தொழ,
இடி சேர் முரசங்கள் முற்றத்து இயம்ப இருந்தவர்,
பொடி சேர் துகளாய்ப் போவர்கள் ஆதலில் நொக்கெனக்,
கடி சேர் துழாய்முடிக் கண்ணன் கழல்கள் நினைமினோ.

aṭi cēr muṭiyiṉar āki aracarkaḷ tām toḻa,
iṭi cēr muracaṅkaḷ muṟṟattu iyampa iruntavar,
poṭi cēr tukaḷāyp pōvarkaḷ ātalil nokkeṉak,
kaṭi cēr tuḻāymuṭik kaṇṇaṉ kaḻalkaḷ niṉaimiṉō.

English translation of verse 4.1.3:

The earthly overlords of empires mighty, who care least
For the kings who on them wait days on end and get lost
In singing and dancing, the drums in the courtyards beating fast,
Will, in no time, get ground to mere bits of dust;
Be quick, therefore, to meditate on the feet of Kaṇṇaṉ,
Wearing tuḷaci garland full of fragrance sweet on His Crown.

Note

The supercilious overlords who once took pride in despising their subordinates, will soon be reduced to a predicament wherein they will, in turn, be despised by others. From the durbar hall to the dust is not a long way cff and these men of erstwhile eminence become imperceptible non-entities, as good as the life-less dust men tread upon. The Āḻvār, therefore, advises us to spurn the ephemeral wealth of the world and switch on to the feet of the Lord wearing the sweet ṭuḷaci garland on His crown, the symbol of His undisputed sovereignty over one and all.