Pasuram 6.3.8

Tamil text and transliteration:

வன்சரண் சுரர்க்கு ஆய் அசுரர்க்கு வெம் கூற்றமும் ஆய்
தன்சரண் நிழற்கீழ் உலகம் வைத்தும் வையாதும்
தென்சரண் திசைக்குத் திருவிண்ணகர் சேர்ந்த பிரான்
என்சரண் என் கண்ணன் என்னை ஆளுடை என் அப்பனே

vaṉcaraṇ curarkku āy acurarkku vem kūṟṟamum āy
taṉcaraṇ niḻaṟkīḻ ulakam vaittum vaiyātum
teṉcaraṇ ticaikkut tiruviṇṇakar cērnta pirāṉ
eṉcaraṇ eṉ kaṇṇaṉ eṉṉai āḷuṭai eṉ appaṉē

English translation of verse 6.3.8:

In Tiruviṇṇakar, the Refuge of the southerly direction, stays
Kaṇṇaṉ, my Liege-Lord, my sole Refuge, the Devas haven safe,
The deadly opponent of the Asuras, Who caresses under His feet
And shelters the devout and leaves others in scorching heat.

Notes

(i) The Lord is known to be absolutely impartial and yet, whenever the Devas are tormented by the Asuras, the former seek refuge in Him and He engages Himself in a pitched battle against the Asuras and vanquishes them. There is, however, no inconsistency, if looked at in the manner indicated below.

(ii) In the tanks dug by charitable men, one man allays his thirst, while another drowns himself of death. The lamp is there to shed light during nights and make our movements easy. But then, the winged ants rush in and die. The Lord, by Himself, is not overzealous in protecting the Devas or hell-bent to put down the Asuras but none can help the latter category if they court destruction, as in the instances cited here.

(iii) Unto those, who seek Him as the Sole Refuge, He grants cool shelter and makes them forgot all their erstwhile miseries. On the other hand, those who stray away from Him and run after the sensual pleasures, like unto trying to quench one’s thirst by swallowing the blazing flame or reposing under the shade cast by the swinging hood of the Cobra, are left severely alone, to wither away.