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 5.6.7
Tamil text and transliteration:
உற்றார்கள் எனக்கு இல்லை யாரும் என்னும் உற்றார்கள் எனக்கு இங்கு எல்லாரும் என்னும்
உற்றார்களைச் செய்வேனும் யானே என்னும் உற்றார்களை அழிப்பேனும் யானே என்னும்
உற்றார்களுக்கு உற்றேனும் யானே என்னும் உற்றார் இலி மாயன் வந்து ஏறக்கொலோ?
உற்றீர்கட்கு என் சொல்லிச் சொல்லுகேன் யான்? உற்று என்னுடைப் பேதை உரைக்கின்றவே?
uṟṟārkaḷ eṉakku illai yārum eṉṉum uṟṟārkaḷ eṉakku iṅku ellārum eṉṉum
uṟṟārkaḷaic ceyvēṉum yāṉē eṉṉum uṟṟārkaḷai aḻippēṉum yāṉē eṉṉum
uṟṟārkaḷukku uṟṟēṉum yāṉē eṉṉum uṟṟār ili māyaṉ vantu ēṟakkolō?
uṟṟīrkaṭku eṉ collic collukēṉ yāṉ? uṟṟu eṉṉuṭaip pētai uraikkiṉṟavē?
English translation of verse 5.6.7:
What indeed can 1 tell you, my kinsmen?
Says my little one, with vision clear, relatives she has none
And yet, all are related to her, she makes relations
And ‘tis she that destroys them too, she is all-in-one
Unto those that seek her, heart and soul; seems taken in
By the wondrous Lord whom by mere self-effort none can attain?
Notes
(i) The Lord can be said to have no relations, in the sense that the individual souls either stray away from Him and run after minor deities or those that seek Him are not quite conscious of their true inter-relationship. In any case, none has ever attained Him through self-effort alone, without His co-operative grace.
(ii) All are related to the Lord, as they are all His subjects for whom He has great concern and He helps them all, unseen, even though they may not be conscious of this. Even if the subjects propitiate minor deities, He is the ultimate object of adoration, being the Internal Controller of those deities as well.
(iii) The Lord makes relatives in the sense that He attracts the subjects unto Him by exhibiting His charms. He also puts aside those, who are. by dint of their Karma, oblivious of their relationship with Him and are inclined towards minor deities. This is just as bad as destroying their relationship with Him. In a sense, the Lord can also be taken to destroy His devotees, exclusively related to Him, by making them solely absorbed in His beauty, traits and deeds and destroying their sense of individuality. Thus, they get literally lost in Him.
(iv) The Lord is ‘All-in-one’ and constitutes every conceivable relationship unto those that look upon Him, as the Sole Sustainer, (c.f. Śloka 5 of Stotra Ratna of Saint Yāmuna, where he adores Saint Nammāḻvār, in this manner.)