Pasuram 4.1.4

Tamil text and transliteration:

நினைப்பான் புகில் கடல் எக்கலின் நுண்மணலில் பலர்,
எனைத்தோர் உகங்களும் இவ் உலகு ஆண்டு கழிந்தவர்,
மனைப்பால் மருங்கு அற மாய்தல் அல்லால் மற்றுக் கண்டிலம்,
பனைத் தாள் மத களிறு அட்டவன் பாதம் பணிமினோ.

niṉaippāṉ pukil kaṭal ekkaliṉ nuṇmaṇalil palar,
eṉaittōr ukaṅkaḷum iv ulaku āṇṭu kaḻintavar,
maṉaippāl maruṅku aṟa māytal allāl maṟṟuk kaṇṭilam,
paṉait tāḷ mata kaḷiṟu aṭṭavaṉ pātam paṇimiṉō.

English translation of verse 4.1.4:

The number of those that ruled for long this land
And into oblivion passed, leaving no trace behind
Of their erstwhile possessions and things around.
Far exceeds the particles of the sea-sand minute;
So then, worship the feet of the one Who slew
(Kuvalayāpīṭa [Kuvalayāpīḍa]) the monstrous elephant in rut.

Note

When a mighty tree comes crashing down, it destroys quite a few things all around, as well. Likewise, when the kingdoms of the earthly Lords perished the territories around also got wiped off, the unrelenting ravage of time! The Āḻvār is emphasising the intransigence of the mundane wealth in so many ways, song after song. Side by side, he stresses the positive need for worshipping Viṣṇu, the Supreme Lord, the Eternal Wealth. During His avatāra as Kṛṣṇa, the Lord slew that monstrous elephant in rut set on Him by Kaṃsa, the felon of an uncle, by pulling out the tusks.

Other Vaishnavism Concepts:

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Supreme Lord, Mighty tree, Worship the feet.