"2672. You created Brahmā on a large lotus on your navel,
and you shot your fiery arrows and conquered and burned Lankā
surrounded with strong forts
around which even the sun and moon cannot move. "
"You took the form of a dwarf,
a Brahmin bachelor dressed in deerskin,
wore a shining string on your chest
and went to Mahābali’s sacrifice.
You asked the king for three feet of land
and measured all the three worlds and the sky
with your two feet. "
"Gajendra the elephant was caught by a crocodile
and you rode on Garudā with beautiful wings,
went to the deep pond with abundant water,
making all the directions shake,
and killed the crocodile
and saved the long-trunked Gajendra who dripped with ichor. "
"You are worshipped by Vediyars
who do five sacrifices with three fires,
recite the four Vedās and do six deeds.
Your good devotees controlling their five senses
and removing desires, pride and egoism from their minds,
are rid of the good and bad karmā that cause future births,
as they put their minds only on you.
You know the nature of those
who do not want to be born again. "
"You keep in your body the three-eyed Shivā
who has four arms, is adorned with a snake,
and has the Ganges flowing in his matted hair.
He knows your power and worships you
who swallowed all the seven worlds
and kept them in your stomach. "
"You are the six tastes-- sweet, bitter, sour, salty, astringent, pungent.
You carry six shining weapons in your hands,
have four arms and are colored like the dark ocean.
You rest on Adisesha on the ocean.
The Earth goddess and Lakshmi
who have beautiful moon-like faces
stay near your feet at all times of the day and caress them. "
"You are the four Varnas,
and the five elements–sky, fire, ocean, wind, and earth.
You fought and conquered the seven bulls
to marry Nappinnai whose hair swarms with six-legged bees
and lovely-haired Lakshmi stays on your chest.
All the six religions do not know who you are. "
"You are the four things–dharma, wealth, pleasure and Mokshā,
and the three gods Shivā, Brahmā and Vishnu,
and you, the giver of the results of good and bad karmā,
are the unique god of rich Thirukkudandai in the south
surrounded by flourishing vines
and groves where flowers always bloom dripping with honey.
The Kaveri river flows there with its abundant water,
bringing precious jewels and leaving them on its banks,
and good paddy flourishes there in beautiful fields.
You are the god of Thirukkudandai
where the flags on the golden places
fly in the sky and touch the young crescent moon
and Vediyars worship you reciting mantras.
O highest lord, you rest on Adisesha,
the snake bed on the ocean
and you know all things. I bow to your feet.
Remove the results of my karmā and my troubles. "
Word by Word (WBW) meaning
(The words may be rearranged to facilitate conversion from poetry to prose (Aṉvayam). Please read the meanings (in black) continuously to form the sentence and understand the simplified meaning based on the Divyārtha Dīpikai for the verse.)
iru — (from the) big; thavisil — seat (also petals of the flower); undhi — (that is your) divine nābhi (navel); malar — (which is like a lotus) flower; pĕr — (that is having the) greatness (of); oru — having no equals,; oru muṛai — at one time (during creation); īnṛanai — you created; ayanai — brahmā; iru sudar — moon and sun; mīdhinil iyangā — would not span above; ilangai — lankāpuri; oru muṛai — even once (due to fear); mum madhil̤ — (lankā) that is covered by three kinds of protection, by water, mountain, and forest,; attanai — (you) burned and destroyed (such lankā),; oru silai — (using your) unparalleled bow (sārngam); iru kāl val̤aiya — with its two ends curved,; vāl̤iyin — using the arrows; onṛiya īr eyiṛu — that are fit into the bow, and having 2 teeth; azhal vāi — and which have got the mouth that spits fire.; oru muṛai — once upon a time; muppuri nūlodu — with pūṇūl (yagyŏpavītham) and; mān uri — deer skin; ilangu mārvinil — adorned in your chest,; iru piṛappu oru māṇ āgi — as unparalleled Brahmin bachelor; vĕṇdi — (you) begged for; mū adi — three steps of land; nānilam — in this earth that has four kinds of areas,; al̤andhanai — (and) you spanned; mū ulagu — the three worlds; īr adi — with (your) two divine feet.; oru nāl̤ — once upon a time; nāl thisai nadunga — (got an anger such that) people in all four directions were scared; am siṛai paṛavai ĕṛi — (and you) got onto the garudan who has got beautiful feathers; iru nīr maduvul̤ — (and went to the shore of) the pond having deep waters; thīrththanai — and removed; arandhaiyai — the suffering of; nāl vāi — the one having a hanging mouth; mummadham — which lets out madha (intoxicated) water out of three places; iru sevi — and which has got two ears,; oru thani vĕzhaththu — that is the unparalleled elephant gajĕndhran who was alone.; andhaṇar vaṇangum thanmaiyai — (you are of the nature who is) prayed by the brāhmaṇas using; muththī — three types of agni (fire), and; nāl maṛai — four types of vĕdhas, and; aivagai vĕl̤vi — five types of yagyas (rituals), and; aṛu thozhil — six types of karmas.; aimpulan agaththinul̤ seṛuththu — (without letting roam around onto other bad influences outside) they control the five senses to stay inside; nāngu udan adakki — eating, sleeping, fearing, enjoying other pleasures are the four things they nullify; mukkuṇaththu — out of the three characteristics, sathvam, rajas, and thamas; agaṝi — they avoid; iraṇdu avai — rajas and thamas; onṛi ninṛu — and stay involved; onṛinil — only in sathva guṇam;; āngu — by such a bhakthi yŏgam; iru piṛappu aṛuppŏr — upāsakars (worshipers/followers who use their own efforts) avoid two types of births,; aṛiyum thanmaiyai — ẏou are of such a nature that they can reach ẏou (by their own efforts as the means).; mukkaṇ — (rudhran who is) having three eyes; nāl thŏl̤ — four shoulders; aivāi aravŏdu — having the snake which has got five mouths; āṛu podhi sadaiyŏn — and having river gangā in the plaits of his hair; aṛivu aru — cannot know you; thanmai — you are of that nature; perumaiyul̤ ninṛanai — you are having such a greatness; eyiṝinil koṇdanai — (by srī varaham) lifted into your trunk (dhantham); ĕzhulagu — all the worlds; kūṛiya aṛu suvaip payanum āyinai — six types of tastes (mentioned in the sāsthras) is ẏou who is all such tastes for me.; am kaiyul̤ — īn your beautiful divine hands; amarndhanai — you hold; sudar vidum ai padai — the five weapons that are bright;; sundhara nāl thŏl̤ — having four beautiful shoulders; munnīr vaṇṇa — ŏh emperumān, having the beauty like an ocean.; oru madhi mugaththu mangaiyar iruvarum — the two pirāttis, srīdhĕvi and bḥūdhĕvi (thirumadanthai, maṇmadanthai) with unparalleled divine face like the moon,; onṛiya manaththāl — (with their) mind immersed in; nin īr adi — your two divine feet; muppozhudhum — (they) always; varuda — press/caress (your divine feet); malar ena am kaiyin — using their beautiful hands that can be said as flowers; aṛi thuyil amarndhanai — while you are immersed in meditating sleep (yŏga nidhrā).; nāl vagai varuṇamum āyinai — ẏou control all four varṇas (category of births); neṛi muṛai — who conduct themselves according to sāsthra; mĕ thagum ai perum pūthamum nīyĕ — ẏou are the antharyāmi of all the five elements (bhūthams) into which āthmās can enter into and get set into them.; aṛupadham muralum kūndhal kāraṇam — ḫor nappinnai pirātti to whose hair the bees (six legs) come buśśing (for enjoying the honey),; ĕzh vidai — the seven bulls; adanga cheṝanai — (which you) crushed them together; aṛu vagai chamayamum — ṣix type of other philosophies; aṛivu aru — cannot know/understand; nilaiyinai — ẏou; such is your nature;; aimpāl ŏdhiyai — pirātti whose hair is identification of five ways of hair;; āgaththu iruththinai — have placed her in your divine chest.; aṛam mudhal nāngu avai āy — ẏou are the one who grants the four goals aṛam (dharma), porul̤ (things/wealth), inbam (pleasure), vīdu (srīvaikuṇtam); mūrthy mūnṛu āy — as antharyāmi for the three mūrthys; iru vagai payan āy — ẏou are the one who creates happiness and sadness (based on karmās); onṛu āi virindhu ninṛanai — just the self (in the beginning), and then expanded as the whole world.; kunṛā madhu — having unlimited honey; malar chŏlai — (from the) groves full of flowers,; vaṇ kodi padappai — and with gardens having beautiful creepers,; ponni — with cāuvĕry river; varu punal — always having proliferating water,; mā maṇi — and the best gems; alaikkum — great in number thrown by its waves,; sennel oṇ kazhani — having fields that are beautified by rice of yellowish hue,; thigazh vanam uduththa — surrounded in all the four sides by wilderness / grove / forest,; kaṛpŏr purisai — town inhabited by the learned,; kanakam māl̤igai nimir kodi — flags fluttering upward from the golden palaces/mansions; visumbil — in the sky; thuvakkum — touching/caressing; il̤a piṛai — the young moon,; selvam malgu — (it is the) wealthy and; then thiru kudanthai — beautiful thiruk kudanthai,; ādu aravu amal̤iyil — (where you are leaning) in the bed of ādhi sĕshan with its open hood; aṛi thuyil amarndha — and involved in doing yŏga nidhrai (meditating sleep),; anthaṇar — (that is suitable for) brāhmaṇas; manthiram mozhiyudan vaṇanga — to recite vĕdha sukthas;; parama — hey paramĕshwara!; nin adi iṇai paṇivan — am surrendering to your two divine feet; varum idar agala — for the removal of hurdles that may come in the way (of reaching ẏou);; māṝu vinai — please remove those hurdles by your mercy.; kudanthai — īn thirukkudanthai; sūzhum — that is surrounded; ponni — by kāvĕri; thāmarai koṇda thadam — and by the ponds having lotuses; thaṇ pū — full of cool/nice/pleasant flowers; malarndha — that have blossomed,; pal̤l̤i koṇdān — ārāvamudhāzhvār is lying down; padam koṇda pāmbu aṇai — in the bed that is thiruvananthāzhwān (ādhi sĕshan) who has opened his hood,; vidam koṇda — who is having venom; veṇ pal — and white teeth,; karum thuththi — dark dots (in the hood); sem kaṇ — and reddish eyes,; thazhal umizh vāi — and with mouth spitting fire;; thiru pādhangal̤ĕ — (such ārāvamudhāzhvār’s) beautiful divine feet (only); enṛum iṇangik kidappana — is always felt in; nenjaththu — (thirumangai āzhvār’s) heart; idam koṇda — (heart that is) wide and deep
Detailed Explanation
The Lord's Means of Protection
Due to Your causeless mercy (nirhētuka kṛpā), when the entire cosmos was submerged in the waters of the great dissolution (praḷayam), You willed its existence once more. You brought forth all the worlds and created Brahmā from Your ancient and magnificent lotus-navel. Residing within Brahmā as his indwelling soul (antaryāmi),