(tirukUttachiRappu - Periyapuranam as English poetry)

 
 
1.     The Lord of Bhootas is of the Ant-Hill and is 
    Also the Primal Lord; in His Flower-Temple 
    Is the great and bright and beauteous courtyard; 
    Here is the mantapam called Devasiriyan 
    Abutting the forted wall and entrance-tower.                (136) 
 
2.     Brahma of the lotus-flower, Indra and Vishnu 
    On whose bosom dwells Lakshmi, 
    And other gods for ever abide here 
    In Devasiriyan, the mantapam divine.                    (137) 
 
3.    By the blaze of the white lustre that issues 
    From the holy ash, duly worn by the devotees 
    Who can set at nought the misery of all beings, 
    By its sheer purity, and by the resounding 
    Everywhere of the protective Panchakshara, 
    It is like a confluence of many a milky main.                (138) 
 
4.     It is the devotees who adore nought but the feet 
    Of the Lord, -- the Author of all the worlds --, 
    Who are entitled to rule all the words; 
    To hail them and to be ruled by them, 
    Men from all the worlds here assemble. 
    So it is like all the worlds duly juxtaposed.                (139) 
 
5.     The devotees are made servitors as willed by the Father; 
    In love are they thrilled with mysterium tremendum; 
    They ply their hands for ever in the Lord’s service; 
    With these were also companied innumerable devotees.            (140) 
 
6.     Flawless rudraksha-beads deck their frame; 
    Pure are they inly too, like the holy ash they wear; 
    By their lustre they make all the directions radiant; 
    Their glory is indeed ineffable.                    (141) 
 
7.     Even if the elements five should quake, 
    They swerve not from their adoration 
    Of the flower-feet of Ammai-Appar; 
    They stand rooted in bhakti hailed by the holy ones; 
    They are flawless hills of piety.                    (142) 
 
8.     They are the ever-blest who have beyonded 
    Both prosperity and adversity; 
    Ruddy gold and potsherds, they view alike; 
    Adoration of the Lord in love is their sole goal; 
    They seek not even Moksha; 
    Such is their firmness of purpose.                    (143) 
 
9.     Their wreaths are wrought of rudraksha-beads, 
    Their habiliments are but rags; 
    Service to the Lord is their sole duty, nought else. 
    Milk of loving kindness wells up in them; 
    They lack nothing.  Can I ever 
    Describe their peerless valour in words?                (144) 
 
10.     They can assume any form at will; 
    Unique servitors are they of the Dancing Lord; 
    Infinite indeed is their glory; 
    I am to sing their glory, mirabile dictu, but how?            (145) 
 
11.    This holy company of divine tapaswis great 
    Was hailed in beauteous Tamil verse 
    By Alala Sundarar of endless glory -- my deity --; 
    In unison with his Tiru-th-tonda-th-Tokai 
    We indite this, our work.                        (146) 
 
---------------- 
 
Stanza     Line 
 
   1     1    The Lord of 
        Bhootas        :     “Hail the Lord of Bhootas!”  (Bhootha Pathaye  
                    Nama) is one Of the 108 mantras with which  
                    Lord Siva is hailed.  A description of the Bhootas  
                    is already mentioned in stanza 16.  The devotee  
                    of Siva is also referred to by the word ‘Bhoota’. 
 
   5     1    The Father    :     Siva. 
 
  10     4    Mirabile dictu    :     Marvellous to tell. 
 
Sincere thanks to Sri. T N Ramachandran of thanjavur, for permitting his English rendering of the holy text periyapurANam be published here.

1. பெரிய புராணம் திருக்கூட்டச் சிறப்பு (தமிழ் மூலம்) 

2. thiruththoNDar purANam main page

3. 12 shaivite thirumuRais