Pasuram 5.8.8

Tamil text and transliteration:

களைவாய் துன்பம் களையாது ஒழிவாய் களைகண் மற்று இலேன்
வளை வாய் நேமிப் படையாய்! குடந்தைக் கிடந்த மா மாயா
தளரா உடலம் எனது ஆவி சரிந்து போம்போது
இளையாது உன தாள் ஒருங்கப் பிடித்துப் போத இசை நீயே.

kaḷaivāy tuṉpam kaḷaiyātu oḻivāy kaḷaikaṇ maṟṟu ilēṉ
vaḷai vāy nēmip paṭaiyāy! kuṭantaik kiṭanta mā māyā
taḷarā uṭalam eṉatu āvi carintu pōmpōtu
iḷaiyātu uṉa tāḷ oruṅkap piṭittup pōta icai nīyē.

English translation of verse 5.8.8:

My wondrous Lord, reposing in Kuṭantai, when life ebbs out
Of my body worn out, let me by you be blest,
Oh, wielder of the discus lovely, with its mouth bent!
That I relax not my hold on your feet; whether or not
You do my miseries cut out, other than you I’ve no resort.

Notes

(i) The ‘Prapanna’, pursuing the path of loving surrender to the Lord’s spontaneous grace, has to invoke the Lord’s grace as the sole saviour, for deliverance from all ills and evils; he shall not knock at any door other than His, whatever be the provocation. Whether the Lord fulfils His part of the obligation or not. the Āḻvār will not budge from his avowed stand.

(ii) Why should the Lord not cut out the Āḻvār’s ills despite His holding the discus, ever ready for going into action? This seems to be the Āḻvār’s idea in referring to the Discus in the Lord’s hand.

(iii) What indeed is the purpose of the Lord’s manifestation in His iconic Form at Tirukkuṭantai, if not to cure the ills and evils of devotees like the Āḻvār? The Āḻvār invokes the Lord’s grace, so that he may remain steadfast unto Him.