Summary
When death knocks at one's door, the body & mind may become so weakthat one won't be able to utter Lord's divine Names and be able to
go to His Abode. Who can think of Him when yamA's men frighten
and terrorize the one who is on the verge of death. periAzhwAr,
therefore, pleads with Lord that he constantly utter His
Names when he's in good shape and that, the Lord, keeping this in
mind, should save him at the moment of death. We are left with
no choice but to simply follow AzhwAr's method, namely-
repeat His divine Names at all times.
(1)
thuppudaiyaarai adaivadhellaam
sOrvidaththuth thuNaiyaavarenRE
oppilEnaakilum ninnadaindhEn
aanaikku nee aruL seydhamaiyaal
eyppu ennaivandhun aliyumpOdhu
angu Edhumn aanunnain inaikkamaattEn
appOdhaikku ippOdhE sollivaiththEn
arangathth aravaNaippaLLiyaanE
Purport
Weak & unfit, I seek Your shelter, knowing You'll protect,like once You saved the elephant from getting wrecked;
when disease & death comes knocking, I may not think of Thee;
Lying on serpent-bed in srirangam, save me, now I make this plea!
(2)
saamidaththu ennaikkuRikkoL kaNdaay
sangodu sakkaramEndhinaanE
naamadiththu ennai anEkathaNdam
seyvadhaa niRparn amanthamarkaL
pOmidath thuunthi Raththu eththanaiyum
pukaavaNNam niRpadhOr maayai vallai
aamidaththE unnaich chollivaiththEn
arangathth aravaNaip paLLiyaanE
Purport
Oh, who holds Conch & Discus; who in srirangam lies on serpent-bed;yamA's men, with tongue folded, waiting to punish me when I am dead;
Deluded, I cannot think of You then even for a moment or pray;
let me submit now, protect me in every possible way!
(3)
ellaiyilvaasal kuRukach chenRaal
eRRi namanthamar paRRumpOdhu
nillumi nennum upaayamillai
nEmiyum sangamum EndhinaanE
sollalaam pOdhE un naamamellaam
sollinEn ennaik kuRikkoNdu enRum
allal padaavaNNam kaakkavENdum
arangathth aravaNaip paLLiyaanE
Purport
When death strikes me & yamA's men come my way;I have no idea how to stop them from dragging me away;
With Discus & Conch,lying on serpent-bed in srirangam, You must
remember to protect me always for I speak Your names reposing trust!
(4)
oRRaividaiyanum naan mukanum
unnaiyaRiyaap perumaiyOnE
muRRaulakellaam neeyEyaaki
moonRezhuththaaya mudhalvanEyaa
aRRadhu vaaNaaLivaRk enReNNi
ancha namanthamar paRRaluRRa
aRRaikku neeennaik kaakkavENdum
arangathth aravaNaip paLLiyaanE
Purport
Neither matchless sivA nor brahmA knows Your endless fame!You're the Universe, syllable OM, primeval One, all the same.
When yamA's men thinking 'his life's done' frighten & catch me;
Oh! who sleeps on snake-bed in srirangam, protect me & not flee!
(5)
paiy aravinaNaip paaRkadaluL
paLLikoLkinRa paramamoorththi
uyyaulaku padaikka vENdi
undhiyil thORRinaay naanmukanai
vaiya manisaraip poyyenReNNik
kaalanaiyum udanE padaiththaay
aiya-ini ennaik kaakkavENdum
arangathth aravaNaip paLLiyaanE
Purport
Oh great one! who reclines on serpent hood in the milky ocean!out of Your navel came brahmA for uplifting world's creation!
Its You who created yamA thinking people may abadon Your laws;
Lying on snake-bed in srirangam, please save me from yamA's jaws.
(6)
thaNNena villai namanthamarkaL
saalakkodumaikaL seyyaa niRpar
maNNodu neerum eriyumkaalum
maRRum aakaasamu maakininRaay
eNNalaam pOdhEun naamamellaam
eNNinEn ennaikkuRik koNdu enRum
aNNalE nee ennaik kaakkavENdum
arangathth aravaNaip paLLiyaanE
Purport
Showing no mercy, yamA's men would punish me at their best;You are indeed Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Space & all the rest!
Lord of all! when I was good, I spoke all Your divine Names;
resting on snake-bed in srirangam, save me from hell's flames!
(7)
senchol maRaip poruLaaki ninRa
dhEvarkaL naayakanE emmaanE
enchalil ennudaiy innamudhE
Ezhulakumudaiyaay ennappaa
vanchavuruvin namanthamarkaL
valindhu nalindhu ennaip paRRumpOdhu
anchalamenRu ennaik kaakkavENdum
arangathth aravaNaip paLLiyaanE
Purport
You're the meaning of great words of vedAs, You're the God-head!You're faultless, nectar & the Lord of 7 worlds that're spread!
My father! who reclines on snake-bed in srirangam! when yamA's men
come furious to catch me, rescue me & say 'don't fear', then!
(8)
naanEdhu munmaaya monRaRiyEn
namanthamar paRRi nalindhittu indha
oonE pukEy enRum OdhumpOdhu
angEdhum naan unnai ninaikkamaattEn
vaanEy vaanavarthangaLeesaa
madhuraip piRandha maamaayanE en
aanaay nee ennaik kaakkavENdum
arangathth aravaNaip paLLiyaanE
Purport
I know not Your mystical nature! when yamA's men torture me;and push me into another terrible body, I'll not think of Thee!
Lord of celestials! Oh, born in mathurA, You possess magical powers!
You're in srirangam on snake-bed, save me from those dreadful hours.
(9)
kunReduththu aanirai kaaththaaayaa
kOnirai mEyththavanE emmaanE
anRumudhal inRaRudhiyaa
aadhiyan chOdhi maRandhaRiyEn
nanRum kodiya namanthamarkaL
nalindhu valindhu ennaip paRRumpOdhu
anRangu nee ennaik kaakkavENdum
arangathth aravaNaip paLLiyaanE
Purport
My Lord! You saved cows by lifting the Hill & herded them;Till now, never did I forget Your form, which is radiant gem!
when the deadly yamA's men hold me & get ready to torture me;
You, who lie on serpent-bed in srirangam, save me & set me free!
(10)
maayavanai madhusoodhananai
maadhavanai maRaiyOrkaLEththum
aayarkaLERRinai achchudhanai
arangathth aravaNaip paLLiyaanai
vEyar pukazh villipuththoorman
vittu chiththan sonnamaalai paththum
thooya manaththanaraaki vallaar
thoomaNi vaNNanukkaaLar thaamE.
Purport
One with great powers, slayer of madhu, spouse of Sri,scholars' dear, cowherds' Head, who lies on snake-bed with glee;
is sung by periAzhwAr of fame in ten verses like a garland;
staying pure who reads this will serve blue-gem-hued in His land.