Pasuram 9.5.10

Tamil text and transliteration:

எழநண்ணி நாமும் நம்வானநாடனோடு ஒன்றினோம்
பழன நல்நாரைக் குழாங்கள்காள் பயின்றுஎன்இனி
இழைநல்லஆக்கையும் பையவே புயக்குஅற்றது
தழைநல்ல இன்பம் தலைப்பெய்து எங்கும் தழைக்கவே.

eḻanaṇṇi nāmum namvāṉanāṭaṉōṭu oṉṟiṉōm
paḻaṉa nalnāraik kuḻāṅkaḷkāḷ payiṉṟueṉiṉi
iḻainallaākkaiyum paiyavē puyakkuaṟṟatu
taḻainalla iṉpam talaippeytu eṅkum taḻaikkavē.

English translation of verse 9.5.10:

Ye, herds of herons, roaming in water-logged fields,
There’s no use your conspiring against me any more;
Joined have I my Lord in Heaven, having given up this abode,
This body with jewels bedecked will stay here no more,
May this land prosper and enjoy lasting happiness, all over!

Notes:

(i) Seeing a band of herons moving about, the Nāyakī felt that they had assembled together just to hatch a conspiracy against her, with a view to ending her life. She, however, hastened to tell them that there was hardly any need for it, as she had already gained access to the high Heaven. Questioned by the herons as to how she could make such a daring statement, while still in this abode, the Nāyakī enlightens them by asserting that her soul had already ascended Heaven and what they were beholding was only her body which too would fall off, in a day or two.

(ii) The last line of this song has been interpreted in three different ways by the great Ācāryas: (a) According to Saint Yāmunācārya, the great souls, bound for Heaven, would bless, on the eve of their ascent, the people over here, with all joy and prosperity. The Āḻvār just followed in their footsteps, when he made this benedictory statement.

(b) Saint Rāmānujācārya, however, thought that the Āḻvār only wished that the worldlings should be spared all the miseries and vicissitudes, gone through by him, soaked in God-love. Ironically speaking, the Āḻvār wished the men of this world, all joy, by keeping their hands off God-love.

(c) Parāśara Bhaṭṭārya opined that the people around were moved to pity, on seeing the Āḻvār’s sad plight and very much wished that the Lord be pleased to hasten his delivery. But the Āḻvār retorted and told them that they need not commiserate with him any more, as he was at the fag end of his heaven-ward journey, the consummation of his God-love being near at hand and wished them all joy.