Tāmōtaraṉ, my incomparable, primordial Lord of oceanic hue, devoured all the worlds. Even exalted Ticaimukaṉ (Brahmā) and Civaṉ (Śiva) cannot fully understand Him, despite residing on His person, worshiping Him, and believing they can fathom His glory.
Explanatory Notes
The Lord cannot be comprehended through one’s own effort by any one, including the exalted Brahmā and Śiva, although they stay right on His body and are inclined to be presumptuous, venturing to attempt the impossible. But He is fully comprehended by the Āzhvār and devotees like him to whom the Lord has, on His own, vouchsafed all that knowledge, clear and concise, full + Read more
Word by Word (WBW) meaning
(The words may be rearranged to facilitate poetry to prose conversion (Aṉvayam). Please read the meanings (in black) continiously to form the sentence and understand the simple meaning of those verse.)
dhāmŏdharanai — having the simplicity of showing total subservience towards his devotees [as krishṇa- dhāmŏdhara]; thani mudhalvanai — having the greatness of being the singular cause for all worlds; gyālam uṇdavanai — one who has the ability to protect all during pral̤ayam (annihilation); tharam — analyse; aṛiya — know; oruvarkku — for anyone; āmŏ — is it possible?; enṛu — saying thus; thozhum avargal̤ — those who worship; dhāmŏdharan — for such dhāmŏdhara; uru āgiya — servitors who are the prakāram (mode/form) of emperumān; sivaṛkum — for rudhra; thisai mugaṛkum — for brahmā; en — in me; āzhi vaṇṇan — placing his ocean of auspicious qualities; emmān — my lord who accepted my service; tharam — measure; aṛiya āmŏ — is it possible to know?
Detailed WBW explanation
Highlights from Nampiḷḷai's Vyākhyānam as documented by Vadakkuth Thiruvīdhip Piḷḷai
Brahmā and other celestial beings extol Emperumān by proclaiming, "Who can truly comprehend 'Dhāmodharan', 'Thani Mudhalvan', and 'Jagat Udāsīnavan'?"
Dhāmodharanai - Can one truly grasp how He manifests utter subservience to His devotees, as exemplified when He allowed Himself