Pasuram 7.1.3

Tamil text and transliteration:

வேதியாநிற்கும் ஐவரால் வினையேனை மோதுவித்து உன் திருவடிச்
சாதியாவகை நீ தடுத்து என் பெறுதிஅந்தோ,
ஆதி ஆகி அகல் இடம் படைத்து உண்டு உமிழ்ந்து கடந்து இடந்திட்ட-
சோதி நீள் முடியாய்! தொண்டனேன் மதுசூதனனே!

vētiyāniṟkum aivarāl viṉaiyēṉai mōtuvittu uṉ tiruvaṭic
cātiyāvakai nī taṭuttu eṉ peṟutiantō,
āti āki akal iṭam paṭaittu uṇṭu umiḻntu kaṭantu iṭantiṭṭa-
cōti nīḷ muṭiyāy! toṇṭaṉēṉ matucūtaṉaṉē!

English translation of verse 7.1.3:

Oh Lord, sporting the long crown radiant, the worlds You did create
And gulped them down during deluge and later spat out,
You spanned them once and again, from deep waters, pulled out;
Oh, Slayer of Matu, You did enthral me but then, shut me out
From Your lovely feet, flocking me against the senses with no respite,
Alas! this sinner knows not how, by this, You do profit.

Notes:

(i) The Scriptures enjoin that the Brahmins should tend the ritualistic (sacramental) fire throughout life and stipulate the morning and the evening as the periods during which it should be done. The Āḻvār, however, yearned to serve the Lord all his life without any intermission whatever. But what is happening? He is cruelly dominated by the wayward senses without break.

(ii) The wondrous deeds of the Lord, mentioned in this song reveal Him as the Benign Sustainer, but the question now is, why He does not play the same beneficent role, in the case of the Āḻvār also, without keeping him under the terrific clutches of the malignant senses.