Tiruvāymoḷi of Nammāḷvār | Book 8

Śrī:
Śrīmate rāmāṉujāya nama:
Tiruvāymoḻi eṭṭām pattu

BOOK 8

Eighth Centum-First Decade

1.1

Your spouses Śrī and Bhū command, and all the celestials serve;
the blessed three worlds are your domain, the forms you will are yours. 
O Gem-Lord with lotus eyes and coral lips that haunt me! 
O My soul's ambrosia! Lord who churned the ocean! Bless me with your vision

1.2

My only wish is to see you, tears flood my eyes, alas!
Make me love you in every way, and prate your names,
Show yourself to me.  O Lord, , Krishna, Kalpa-fruit!
O Lord who lifted the Earth from the waters, you are the ambrosia for devotees

1.3

O Sweet child, dear as life to chieftain Nandagopal
O Chubby elephant-calf, Yaśodā's joy, deep as the ocean! 
You tore apart the wide chest of the wicked Hiraṇya with your claws! 
Come again in your nerot form, or else, how will devotees live?

1.4

O Lord who unleashed a terrible army on Earth in the war!
O celestials' ambrosia, poison to the Asuras, dear to my soul!
Then I too may doubt that you appear before devotees,
-in forms that they worship, -and accept their offerings

1.5

O Great soul! You made the Earth, ate, remade, lifted and measured it! 
O Glorious soul! You made the Ocean, you sleep on it,
you churned it, parted it and brided it! 
O The Oversoul, what gods are to men, you are to the gods,
O, Soul of all the worlds, where can I come and meet you?

1.6

You are the formless, the souls, and the wokeful celestials.
You are the seven worlds and the gods therein, and their deeds,
if there is anything beyond space, that too is you,
So where can I go from here to meet you, my Lord?

1.7

O Lord who took Nappinnai's slender bamboo-soft arms in embrace!
O Lord sweet as fresh milk and freshly churned butter! 
O Lord sweet as the ocean's ambrosia!  O Past, present and Future! 
Alas, even I may begin to doubt that you are all these!

1.8

?

1.9

If it is true that I am you and Heaven an Hell are also you,
then how does it matter whether I enter sweet Heaven or Hell?
And yet my Lord, the thought of Hell does frighten me! 
O Lord residing in sweet Heaven, Pray grant me your feet

1.10

O Effulgent Lord of thousand arms and thousand heads,
thousand lotus eyes, thousand feet and thousand names! 
For the gift of your feet to this destitute, -my Lord and Father! –
I give my priceless life to you, and embrace you to my heart

1.11

This decade of the thousand songs by great Kurukūr city's Caṭakōpaṉ
on the Grand Father, -Brahma's father, Rudra's father,
 the Bard's father, the gods' father, and the sole father of the world, -
Devotees! master it, you too can attain liberation

2.1

O Fair-bangled Sakhis, I am shamed by our wicked one,
I look for words to speak, I find none to face you with,
My bangles have slipped, my colour has faded, my breasts are sagging.  I faint,
Alas, I went after the Vēṅkaṭam Lord who rides the fierce-eyed Garuda bird!

2.2

O Sakhis who are good at going to him and getting your favours!
Alas, my wicked self has no words to unburden my woes on you!
If ever that rogue with comely lotus eyes, our Lord, is seen here again,
how I yearn to receive from him my lost bangles and my lustre!

2.3

O Fair, Sakhis!  It is Time that will end, not me, just wait and see,
I have borne heaps of slander, now what use shying? 
I will wait as long as I have to, but get my bangles and my radiance
from the dark hued effulgent Lord, my Krishna who took them

2.4

O Sakhis! the wonder-dancer Mayakkuttan lives westwards
in Southern Kulandai amid groves and mansions. 
The deft spinner of the war discus rode away on his dancing Garuda-mount,
Filled with desire, I followed; my bangles fell, my heart and all left me. 
I stand shamed before bangled friends, now what can I lose?

2.5

O Sakhis! The Lord has effulgence that traps all like moth-unto-the-candle. 
Through countless ages, great seers have thought of him and failed. 
Are we the first to desire the discus wielder and make him come into our midst? 
Tell me, are your words proper now?

2.6

O Sakhis! The radiant Lord beyond words, is hard to attain even for the celestials,
Be that as it may, he stole my hue, and denied me his pollen-laden Tulasī. 
Alas, to whom can I address my grievances now? 
He sleeps with large lotus eyes in kudandai amid fertile groves

2.7

O Flower-coiffured Ladies, my fair Sakhis! 
He has deserted me disappeared without a trace, making me prate, "
Mal, Hari, Keśava, Nārāyaṇa, Śrī Mādhava, Govinda, Vaikuṇṭha"
and many such names, what can I do?
Though many years may pass, I swear I will see him. 
You may take it that you and I have nothing in common hence-forth!

2.8

Out, out, my pet Mynas, Parrots, my Kōels and my peacocks! 
He has stolen my health, wealth, heart and all else to the last bit. 
He resides in fair Vaikuṇṭha, in Milk Ocean and on Vēṅkaṭam hill.
Till my last remaining passions leave me, he will not see me, so get out!

2.9

O Sakhis! The Lord of celestials is hot the one to show himself easily. 
He came as a sweet lad, then grew and took the Earth, sky and all. 
He has beautiful arms of exceeding radiance and mischief,
I have lost my dignity and my shame to him. So what can I lose now?

2.10

O My fair-bangled Sakhis!  My heart left me saying,
Not thine anymore", and joined the lotus feet of the Lord.
Who came walking like a huge dark mountain with the radiant Sun-
like discus and Moon-white conch in hands, Now what can I do?

2.11

The faultless decade from the Andadi of thousand songs
by Kurukūr Caṭakōpaṉ who gave up all his passions for securing Krishna's feet, -
those can sing this to the glorious Krishna Lord
will become faultless and attain everything on Earth and in Heaven

3.1

O Lord bearing a conch and discus,
with Lotus, Dame, Earth Dame and Nappinnai blending in you! 
Gods and Asuras everywhere worship you
and seek refuge in you, but fall to fathom you

3.2

Without ever learning the sacred Vedic Chants,
we have cut attachments and destroyed the woes of birth,
 death, old age and disease,
by simply serving the radiant discus-Lord
who is our fortress of strength

3.3

Alas, nobody comes here bearing his conch and discus,
nobody comes following him with his dagger and bow,
I look out for him every day
to serve and worship him, on this Earth, but do not see him, alas!

3.4

O Lord who swallowed the Earth
as a "A devotee waits there longing for morsel and slept like a child,
floating on chance to go out with you bearing your conch and discus"

3.5

O Lord lying still in beautiful kolur and Pullingudil
what makes you sleep so soundly? 
Are you weary from the battle of Lanka
or from taking long strides over the Earth and sky?

3.6

Being the Lord of gods, he receives their homage,
he wields a beautiful conch and discus, look! 
He destroys the pall of existence,
he will came and light my heart with his gem-hue

3.7

The Lord resides in Parisaram with Lakshmi on his chest.
Pilgrims come and go but alas, none to say to him,
"A devotee waits there longing for; morsel and slept like a child,
floating on chance to go out with you bearing your conch and discus"

3.8

O Lord of discus who strode the seven mountains,
the seven oceans and the seven worlds in one step! 
O when will you consider and grant me
the joy of serving your lotus feet?

3.9

my love overflowing, I call out;
"O First-Lord, Time, my gem-hued Master, my Tirumāl",
who can comprehend my Lord's glory?
Not even Brahma, Śiva and the gods, now what use talking?

3.10

The clear-sighted austere Munis can only see the shore. 
The great eternal celestials only stand and worship.
How can we ever fully praise the Lord
who churned the deep ocean, pray fell me!

3.11

This decade of the beautiful thousand songs
by tall mansioned Kurukūr city's Caṭakōpaṉ
addresses the tall-crowned Lord who destroys the sickness of birth. 
Those who master it will secure freedom from rebirth

4.1

The mountain-like tusker rolled, overflowing with strong drink,
The creeping mahout was killed, the display-wrestlers routed. 
The petrified kings on balconies turned and fled; kamsa's head was crushed,
when our Lord of Tirucchengunrur came as the Victorious cowherd lad!

4.2

Our sweet destination is Tirucchengunrur where fish dance
enchanted in nectar-sweet waters of Tirucchitraru surrounding our first-Lord.
He is the Lord who takes various forms to create, protect and destroy the world. 
Other than him, our ambrosia and master, who can be my refuge?

4.3

My eternal Lord came and measured the Earth and sky. 
He rules over me, destroying my past karmas by the root.
He stands in Tirucchengunrur, jewel of the South, on Tirucchitraru. 
I cannot think of a refuge other than his lotus feet

4.4

Then he came as Vāmana, his frame grew and covered the Earth.
My beautiful gem-hued Lord then also churned the ocean, in Tirucchengunur,
where plantain,  Areca and coconut trees line the sky,
he appears in true form, standing his feet are my refuge

4.5

Any other refuge is not different from him, who is all.  
This is true, but even my heart seeks him alone.
Hence his abode in high mansioned Tirucchengunrur is my only refuge,
where the fragrant smoke of the Vedic sacrifice clouds the sky

4.6

I have found the refuge for my soul, in high mansioned Tirucchengunrur. 
Here he resides amid three thousand devotees with Śiva and Brahma.
He is father and mother to the celestials and the sages.
He reclines in the deep ocean, not knowing his own nature

4.7

I see the lustrous Lord standing in Tirucchengunur
with lotus eyes, lotus feet, lotus hands, lotus navel,
and lotus chest, coral lips and red garments, and an auspicious red crown;
his radiant form with ornaments and five weapons fills my heart

4.8

The Lord in my thoughts resides in Tirucchengunrur,
worshipped by sages and celestials. He is the refuge of devotees.
He gives death to the Asuras.  I know not how to praise him.
He is the creator, protector, and the destroyer of the three worlds

4.9

The Lord who is these is himself Brahma, Śiva and Indra too.
He fills all the worlds and is himself all of them.
He resides in Tirucchengunrur, no words can praise him, -
with generous nobles, scholars, craftsmen and devotees

4.10

The eternal Lord graces all by becoming all of them,
I have attained forever the Lord who is Śiva and Brahma too. 
He resides in Tirucchengunrur on the banks of Tirucchitraru,
inspiring three thousand Vedic seers and devotees of high merit

4.11

This decade of the thousand songs by Kurukūr Caṭakōpaṉ
on the lotus-navel Lord, sweet as honey, milk, sugar and sap,
who swallowed the Earth, -
those who can sing it will end this dance and attain Heaven

5.1

Vāmana, my love! Your frame is a cool lotus pond, -
your eyes, hands and feet are like full lotus blossoms,
you radiant lips like their buds, your limbs like the dark, leaves!
O Wonderful dancer, will you not come one day to see me?

5.2

With faltering steps I roam the good Earth in shame,
I call and look everywhere, with parched lips and dried tears. 
Alas, will you not come one day, showing your dark frame
and glistering hair like a new mountain with a black Sun rising over its peaks?

5.3

O Lord of radiant coiffure, Lord of fragrant garland,
O Rain-cloud Lord, I despair and weep calling for you,
Alas, I do not see you,  with your befitting ear rings,
your coral lips, your four arms and slender waist!

5.4

O Lord your coral lips and dew-fresh lotus eyes and radiant form
have occupied my heart, I cannot say how,
I see you reclining in the Milk Ocean
like a dark rain-cloud on a snowcapped mountain pass

5.5

O Dark-cloud Lord who swallowed the round Earth and waters,
I cannot describe the effulgence of your radiant feet.
They are like two young suns of infinite light shining in my heart.
Now how can the darkness of evil every approach me?

5.6

O My Krishna, dear-as-my-eyes, Lord of the universe, my Master!
O Cloud-hued Lord, O Pot-dancer, my Lord, I am calling you,
come from the sky, or come from the Earth, or from the Ocean,
or from wherever else, but come you must, and show me your lotus feet!

5.7

Come before me or else call me to your presence,
that I may serve the lotus feet that strode the Earth,
O Dark Lord resembling a black Sun of infinite lustre
with glowing red spots of cool lotus eyes, lips, hands and feet!

5.8

Every time I see dark flocking clouds, my heart melts says
"This is what my Lord looks like", and day by day I die.
O Lord who drove the chariot for the godly five
in war against the wicked hundred!
Come now, is this fair?

5.9

I weep and call in despair, O Lord of lightning-discus,
O Lord of Garuda-banner!  Alas, what indeed does he intend? 
Did he not appear in the beautiful groves of Mathura
and rid the world of its miseries?

5.10

O Lord who came and fought the great Bhārata war!
 Lord who is Earth, Five, sky, wind, water and all else
Lord invisible as the butter in fresh milk!
Alas, where can I see you?

5.11

This decade of the beautiful thousand songs
by Kurukūr Caṭakōpaṉ asking the Lord,
"O Where can I see you,  my sweet Tulasī-garland Lord?" –
those who can sing it will enjoy bliss here and now, night and day

6.1

The Lord wearing a wreath of Tulasī blossoms,
 lives with fortune-favoured ones in Tirukkodittanam,
Night and day worshipped with joy,
he gives us grace and all else

6.2

Look! The Lord has liked my thoughts destroyed my woes to the end.
He lives to Tirukkadittanam, and lives m both in cool fragrant Tirukkadittanam,
'This he, who showered arrows then,
and we destroyed the pride filled Rākṣasas

6.3

The Lord was one, then two, then became three,
 then mingled himself into all, sweetly in my heart.
The wonder-Lord resides in Tirukkadittanam
with the dame-of-lotus Lakshmi on his chest

6.4

The wonder-Lord who cut my wicked karmas
has made my loving heart his cool abode.
He lives in the midst of the radiant gods in Tirukkadittanam
surrounded by fragrant groves

6.5

The Lord who lives in godly Tirukkadittanam
has also made my heart his temple,
It is he, -the wonderful pot dancer,-
who is worshipped by all the temple gods

6.6

The Lord of Lilas, Madhusūdana, destroyed my woes to the end,
He lives in cool fragrant Tirukkadittanam,
worshipping him will end all our woes, just see!

6.7

The lotus feet of Govinda-, who measured the Earth, sky and all, -
are worshipped by earthings, and gods in Tirukkadittanam,
place him in your heart and end your woes

6.8

The Lord has many good city-resorts,
in the sky, on Earth and in me ocean,
yet he has chosen my lowly heart
and Tirukkadittanam, as his abodes

6.9

The Lord who lives in many good resorts
is the chief of cowherd-clan and the eternals.
 He resides in godly company,
in Tirukkadittanam, what a wonder!

6.10

The wonder-Lord Nārāyaṇa-Hari, is Vāmana residing in my heart.
The sound of Vedic chants reverberates
through the groves of kalipa trees in Tirukkadittanam

6.11

This decade of the thousand songs, sweet as milk and honey,
by walled Kurukūr city's Caṭakōpaṉ
on Tirumāl in good Tirukkadittanam
will secure the high Vaikuṇṭha, wonders!

7.1

I worshipped and called for many days fervently,
and prayed that I be heard and bound to his feet.
Lo, the beautiful Vāmana noticed me.
He stole into my heart and made me his

7.2

All the while he stood watch over my lowly self,
destroying the reckless five that ruled my heart,
what more grace from the Lord,
who graced the elephant in distress?

7.3

More precious than the three worlds,
he resides in me dispelling darkness.
What a strange wonder this is!
More than this, what grace can there be?

7.4

Gopāla my Lord is the lion of the celestials.
He shall deceive me no more with his tricks.
He placed his pure radiance within me.
His grace shines m all the worlds!

7.5

The radiant Lord is praised by all the worlds,
like a radiant mountain gem,
he came and stood in my heart
does anything else matter now?

7.6

If he gave me something else of value
then whom would he give himself to?
He stands in me like a mountain-gem, with coral lips,
lotus chest; limbs and eyes, and lotus nave!

7.7

He stands before me with lotus navel, coral lips and pearl-white teeth,
wearing radiant ear- rings, He is of exceeding effulgence, -
Oh, with a smile I could embrace!
He stays in my heart, I do not know a greater grace

7.8

The Lord graces for nothing those whom he chooses.
A greater grace I do not know.
Containing the three worlds in himself,
he has come to stay in my small heart

7.9

The Lord who contains the three worlds
and all beings and celestials
stands as one, forever unchanging,
I have him in my heart forever!

7.10

I have placed in the recess of my heart
the Lord who sleeps on a hooded serpent
deep in the cool ocean of Milk.
I shall never tire of contemplating him

7.11

This decade of the thousand songs
by Caṭakōpaṉ of Kurukūr city
addressing the Lord on hooded couch
will secure the grace of the red-eyed Lord cutting rebirth

8.1

Someone stands within me with large red eyes and ripe coral lips,
pearly white teeth and radiant dangling earnings shaped like Makara-fish.
Dark as the rain-cloud, he wears a radiant crown, has four arms,
and holds a beautiful bow, discus, conch, mace

8.2

The Lord in my heart is also in my body and in the world and beyond,
Celestial Lord beyond pain and pleasure, he defies all definition.
The celestial body of knowledge the glory of eternal joy,
he has the nature of pure fragrant dew-fresh flowers

8.3

To attain by his grace that celestial body of knowledge,
I placed him in my heart, that too by his sweet grace.
He made me realise that consciousness, life, body
and possessions are all useless, then became myself

8.4

The Lord who became me was there before all things and beings.
The first-cause who cleaved himself, and became Brahma and Śiva, -
sweet as honey, milk and sugarcane juice, stands in my consciousness,
in my life, and in my body.  I have realised him

8.5

I have realised the permanent one, whose nature is so subtle,
he cannot be spoken of as 'this' or 'that', much less be seen.
Becoming finer and finer till nothing remains attached,
he transcends good and bad, and transcends all knowledge

8.6

Go well beyond knowledge, and break the limit of the senses,
contemplate the great endless continuum, repeatedly,
Shed attachments and go beyond pain and pleasure.
That liberation, then and there, is the only one there is

8.7

Knowing this, with no attachments, empty yourself,
for that indeed is liberation, and the joy of Heaven.
Not knowing this, those who fire and ask,
"What is liberation?", "Where lies joy?" will only fire and fire again

8.8

Kith and kin will hover around and call, "He is going!",
weep and fall and clutch your feet, as you depart,
cutting through attachment and rising madness,
if you can only go and join the Lord in your heart, that is well done!

8.9

"It is well that we join him then; but till such time as that,
the Garuda-banner Lord is Lord and soul is soul, so mind!
It is not hard to see men wandering in self-made heavens.
Such Yogis are galore on Earth, they have been and will be!

8.10

My Lord who is 'not and 'is not' has revealed himself,
My Lord has come to stay with me and destroyed forever growth and decay,
like the moon waxing and waning, like knowledge and nescience,
like sunlight and shade

8.11

This decade of the thousand songs by Caṭakōpaṉ,
blessed by the Lord who destroys knowledge and nescience,
the Lord who is Brahma, Śiva and Indra,
secures the lotus feet of the black-gem Lord

9.1

My ladies!  What can I do? She utters not a word,
save the names of the sweet Lord of kuttanattu Tiruppullyur,
who stands like a gem mountain with ponds.
His chest, lips, eyes, navel, hands, feet and vestment are like lotus thickets on it

9.2

My Dear Ladies!  what shall I do?
She sings in praise in the crown and necklace and radiant ornaments. "
Like the bright Sun on Meru, like the stars in the sky",
which the Lord wears in Punnai grooved sweet Tiruppuliyur

9.3

Night and day she stands and sings
in praise of the bright mansioned Tiruppuliyur's grandeur.
Like the ocean catching fire, lashing balls of hooping fire, -
his fiery weapons are impatient to destroy the Asuras

9.4

Yoked bullocks plough the fertile fields in Kuttanadu,
where groves and plantations grow tall to speak the wealth, -
of the Lord who swallowed and remade the world, the Lord of celestials.
This bright dame speaks to none, except about his glories

9.5

The jewels and the dress she wears, the joy in her face, -
ever wondered where they came from? Oh, it is unthinkable!
In the cool tank of Tiruppuliyur, where a large lotus blooms,
she immersed herself in the grace of the Lord of the worlds!

9.6

There is clear proof that the slender one
has received the favours and grace of the Lord.
Her lips have acquired the red hue of Areca fruit
that grows in Tiruppulliyur graced by the Lord

9.7

Betel creepers with tender leaves embrace the Areca trunks there.
The cool breeze blows over ripe plantain fruit
and wafts the fragrance over caressing coconut leaves in Tiruppuliyur.
This young one has attained the feet of the affluent Krishna there

9.8

O Ladies!  How can I make you understand?
Good scholars of the Sanskrit Vedas feed the fire whose smoke
clouds the land of the celestials in cool Puliyur, home of the serpent recliner,
she only prates his names forever

9.9

Night and day she speaks only of the cloud-hued Lord
who resides in Tiruppuliyur surrounded by fertile fields,
where alligator ponds are aflame with red lotus blooms,
and sounds of beautiful music rise with Vedic Chants incessantly

9.10

Or else how does her person waft the fragrance of Tulasī?
She surely has received the favours of the Tiruppuliyur Lord,
who stands as a beacon in the Southern Kuttanadu,
amid beautiful jewelled mansions rising by the score

9.11

This decade of the beautiful thousand songs by Caṭakōpaṉ,
devotee of the devotees of the Lord who is master of the three worlds,
will secure a life of service to the Lord for those who recite it

10.1

I only thought I would serve the Lord
Lo, my evil karmas disappeared instantly without a hitch!
But come to think of it, other than serving his devotees,
can there by a greater wealth in the three worlds?

10.2

The wealth of the three worlds and the enjoyment of one's self in heaven,
put together, -will it equal the joy I have found here and now,
through serving the selfless devotees of the cloud-hued Lord's lotus-feet?

10.3

Is it proper for me to join the lotus feet of the beautiful manikin with lotus eyes, -
who extended his small frame and took the worlds, -
when his devotees, great humble men, my masters, roam the Earth?

10.4

My Lord of coral lips and red lotus eyes swallowed and remade the Earth;
I sing his glories, I worship his grace with fit flowers in my hands,
I have his form in my heart, so what do I lack now?

10.5

Were I blest with service to his lotus feet,
were I to enjoy his swirling flood of heavenly radiance,
would that compare with this birth, -albeit in a lowly body, -
where I sit and enjoy singing his names in a flood of sweet poetry?

10.6

The wealth of the three worlds and the enjoyment of one's self in heaven,
put together, -will it equal the joy I have found here and now,
through serving the selfless devotees of the cloud-hued Lord's lotus-feet?

10.7

Rather than attain the lotus feet of the great Lord, -
the Lord of exceeding glories,
eternal, self-made seed from which sprouted all the three worlds, -
I only wish to enjoy the sweet union of his devotees forever

10.8

He made the cool ocean, and spread his peerless from on it.
His countless heads, hands and feet are like a Kalpa forest
growing wild over a gem-mountain with the radiance of a thousand suns,
I only long for the sweet company of his band of devotees

10.9

The Lord has the power to destroy the karmas of his devotees,
with his conch, discus, bow, mace, dagger and other weapons.
He is youthful, and love-god kama's father,
I only wish to serve the servants of his devotees

10.10

Through life after life, in every age after age,
I only wish to be born in the family of bonded serfs of my masters,
the servants of the servants of the Lord, -
who has a kaya hue, four arms, and wields a discus

10.11

This good decade of the thousand songs by Kurukūr Caṭakōpaṉ
addressing Krishna, Lord-of-blue-lotus-hue, who fills the Universe,
will secure a happy domestic life for those who can sing it