first ten first thirumozhi

Summary

periAzhwAr recounts the birth of sri Krishna
and describes the ecstatic feelings of the inmates
of gOkulam. AzhwAr describes in these pAsurams
the joyous circumstances prevalent then.

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(1)
vaNNamaadangaLsoozh thirukkOttiyur
kaNNan_kEsavan nambipiRanthinil
eNNeysuNNam ethirethir_thoovidak
kaNNanmuRRam kalandhu_aLaraayiRRE

Purport

One who's stationed in thirukkOshtiyur, filled
with colorful palaces, takes birth as Lord Krishna
(also known as Kesava) in the beautiful palace
of Sri Nandagopa. To celebrate this glorious
event, the inmates of the fortunate place
called gOkulam(Thiruvaaipaadi in Tamil) resorted
to throwing oils and turmeric powder on one
another with absolute indescribable joy. As a result
of this play, the palace courtyard became wet and slushy.
(Note: Although Krishna was born in the prison of Kamsa,
AzhwAr states in the pAsuram that He was born in the palace
of Nandagopa. AzhwAr prefers to hide the fact considering
the safety of Krishna. Such is AzhwAr's extreme love
towards Krishna. AzhwAr was intensely living in
Krishnaanubhavam, perhaps transcending the time barrier)

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(2)
Oduvaarvizhuvaar ukandhaalippaar
naaduvaarn^ampiraan enkuththaanenbaar
paaduvaar_kaLum palpaRaikottan^inRu
aaduvaar_kaLum aayiRRu_aayppaadiyE

Purport

People started running here and there and some of them
fell to the ground, some were shouting
"where is our Kannan.. where is He?" Some were singing
happily and yet some of them danced to the tune of
playing of musical instruments and drum beats.

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(3)
pENichcheerudaip piLLaipiRandhinil
kaaNaththaampukuvaar pukkuppOdhuvaar
aaNoppaar ivann^ErillaikaaN thiru
vONaththaa _nulaKaaLumenbaar_kaLE.

Purport

The local people of Thiruvaaipaadi safeguarded the
child from the evil eyes of Kamsa. The cowherd people
were curious about the child and made frequent visits
to see the child. Some of them were of the firm opinion
that there is no equal to this great child. Some were
certain that since the child was born on an auspicious
thiruvona nakshatra day, He was bound to rule all the Worlds.

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(4)
uRiyaimuRRaththu uruttin^inRaaduvaar
naRun^eypaalthayir nanRaakaththoovuvaar
seRimen_koondhal avizhaththiLaiththu engum
aRivazhindhanar aayppaadiyarE.

Purport

Some of them picked the mud pots containing butter,
curd and milk and rolled them over the floor.
Some of them gave away in charity all the ghee,
milk and curd they had with them. Some of them were
roaming the streets with disheveled hairs,
like people not in their ordinary senses

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(5)
koNdathaaLuRi kOlakkodumazhu
thaNdinar paRiyOlaichchayanaththar
viNdamullai yarumbannapallinar
aNdarmiNdippukundhu neyyaadinaar.

Purport

The cowherd clan, with their possessions
such as dress made of bark, staff, axe and
fiber mattress were celebrating the birth of
Krishna with unbounded joy. They laughed
heartily showing their shining white teeth in
the process, smeared their bodies with oil,sang,
hugged each other and danced with ethereal happiness.

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(6)
kaiyumkaalumn^imirththuk kadaaran^eer
paiyavaattip pasunchiRumanchaLaal
aiyan^aavazhiththaaLukku angaandhida
vaiyamEzhumkaNdaaL piLLaivaayu

Purport

One day, child Krishna was being given bath
by Yasoda. In a typical way, she stretches the
limbs of Sri Krishna and gives him a bath with warm
water sanitized by turmeric. Then, when she was
about to clean the tongue of little Krishna,
Lo and Behold! She saw all the seven worlds
inside His small and beautiful mouth.

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(7)
vaayuLvaiyakamkaNda madan^allaar
aayar_puththiranallan arundheyvam
paayaseerudaip paNbudaippaalakan
maayanenRu makizhndhanarmaadharE.

Purport

The innocent women who were with Yasoda at the time
of this wonderful display of divine potency by
Sri Krishna, also saw for themselves all the worlds
displayed inside His little mouth. They were bemused
beyond imagination and exclaimed to one another:
"This is not an ordinary cowherd child; He is verily
the supreme God endowed with most auspicious
traits and great magic powers."

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(8)
paththu naaLumkadandha iraNdaan^aaL
eththisaiyum sayamaramkOdiththu
maththamaamalai thaangiyamaindhanai
uththaanamseythu ukandhanar_aayarE.

Purport

on the twelfth day of the birth of child,
the inmates of gOkulam gathered together with
great pomp to participate in the naming ceremony
for the child. The child was named Sri Krishna.
They took the child in their hands with great
love and affection and recollected how once He
effortlessly lifted the Govardhana hill with
His little hand and protected the people
who were subjected to great suffering by Indra.

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(9)
kidakkil thottilkizhiya_uthaiththidum
eduththukkoLLil marungaiyiRuththidum
odukkippulkil utharaththEpaayndhidum
midukkilaamaiyaal naanmelindhEnn^angaay.

Purport

Displaying extraordinary strength even as a
new born child, Sri Krishna was determined to
make it known to Yasoda that He is not an ordinary
child. When Krishna was placed inside the cradle,
he would kick it and break it. When Yasoda lifted
Him from the cradle and placed Him on her slender
waist, His legs would encircle her waist with such
a force that she would again try to change the
position and now securing His limbs, she would keep
Him in a position of embrace. Even in this position,
He would dive down to her stomach with fierce strength.
Experiencing all this, Yasoda tells the other ladies
around her that she has become lean because of
unbearable acts of little Krishna.
(Note: Some eminent commentators give another meaning
to this and say that Yasoda was very much concerned
that Krishna was getting thinner because of carrying
out such strenuous acts with His tender limbs,
unbecoming of a new born child)

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(10)
sennelaar vayalsoozh thirukkOttiyoor
mannu naaraNan nambipiRandhamai
minnu nool vittuchiththanviriththa ip
pannupaadalvallaarkku illaipaavamE.

Purport

The same Krishna who incarnated as an avatar in
thiruvaaippaadi is stationed, as Sriman Narayana,
at thirukkOshtiyur, a beautiful divya desam surrounded
by fertile paddy fields. These pAsurams composed by
Vishnu chitthan (periAzhwAr), who wears the sacred thread,
describes the glorious period of Krishna's birth. Those
who can sing these pAsurams, which are always recited by
the learned men, shall be freed from all sins.

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