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 5.7.3
Tamil text and transliteration:
கருளப் புள் கொடி சக்கரப் படை வான நாட! என் கார்முகில் வண்ணா
பொருள் அல்லாத என்னைப் பொருளாக்கி அடிமைகொண்டாய்
தெருள் கொள் நான்மறை வல்லவர் பலர்வாழ் சிரீவரமங்கலநகர்க்கு
அருள்செய்து அங்கு இருந்தாய்! அறியேன் ஒரு கைம்மாறே
karuḷap puḷ koṭi cakkarap paṭai vāṉa nāṭa! eṉ kārmukil vaṇṇā
poruḷ allāta eṉṉaip poruḷākki aṭimaikoṇṭāy
teruḷ koḷ nāṉmaṟai vallavar palarvāḻ cirīvaramaṅkalanakarkku
aruḷceytu aṅku iruntāy! aṟiyēṉ oru kaimmāṟē
English translation of verse 5.7.3:
Oh, Lord of Heaven, on Your banner is Karuḷaṉ and in Your hand
Is the discus valiant, my cloud-hued Lord, mere chaff was I
And yet, You Who gracefully reside in Cirīvaramaṅkai,
Full of Vedic scholars of knowledge chaste, have turned
This dud into Your vassal [hymning Your glory great]
I know not how to recompense You, my Benefactor great.
Note
In between the preceding stanza and this one, there would appear to have ensued a scintillating dialogue between the Lord and the Āḻvār. Put briefly, the Āḻvār who prayed in the last song for the bestowal on Him of the Lord’s grace, gets pulled up by Him, saying that there should be due merit in him deserving of His grace. The Āḻvār is quick to put the ball back into the Lord’s court, by pointing out that He had already enlisted him. a mere dud with no equipment whatever, in His service. Had it not been for His grace galore, the Āḻvār wouldn't be able to render the glorious service (vācika kaiṅkarya) of singing the Tiruvāymoḻi, songs, par excellence. And so, the Āḻvār prays unto the Lord to go on bestowing His spontaneous grace on him as before, without looking for any merit (Means) in him; in fact, he has none whatsoever, comparable to the end in view, and what little merit there is in him already, has also been implanted by Him only. Oh, how gracious is the Supreme Lord of Heaven, obliging the pious and scholarly residents of Vāṉamāmalai with His nectarean presence, in the same way He does unto the denizens of Heaven and how indeed can the Āḻvār recompense Him for His Grace galore!