(athipattha nAyanAr purANam - Periyapuranam as English poetry)

 
 
        "I am a servitor of Athi Patthar of Naakai which 
        Is girt with the extensive and billowy main." 
         
                        - The Tiru-th-Tonda-th-Tokai. 
 
1.     The beauteous city of Naakaippattinam as of right 
    Belongs to the divine race of hoary and pre-eminent 
    Cholas who hail from the ever-during solar dynasty. 
    Verily a blossom of the karpaka liana, the realm 
    Of Ponni, abounds in weal and wealth.                (3992) 
 
2.     Black clouds that have drunk deep the black sea-waters, 
    Mistaking for hills the gold-bright and beauteous 
    Mansions, crawl over their sides; many are the raised 
    Platforms in those mansions where lasses whose 
    Rows of chains made of pearls dangle low and whose 
    Locks decked with honey-laden flowers get loosened, 
    As they play with a ball.                    (3993) 
 
3.     This city is full of glorious sounds; it is 
    The beloved abode of Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth; 
    It yields all things desired; it looks vaster than 
    The sea with its waves of elephants, steeds, 
    Gems and garments and other things thither brought 
    In barks and barkentines.                    (3994) 
 
4.     As there flourish increasingly its people who own 
    All the glorious and manifold goods which abound 
    In the hoary and ever-during realms-- 
    Eighteen in numbers—k and as its rich citizens 
    Are more than a crore, this beauteous and hoary city 
    Is like unto a mirror mandala which reflects 
    (Within it) the whole world.                    (3995) 
 

                                                       
 
 
5.     Near this vast and beautiful city, at the marge 
    Of the billowy sea and near unto the places 
    Where long and foam-crested waves crawl, 
    Are the dense habitations of fishermen 
    Who pursue their ancient calling of fishing 
    With their nets and who flourish well 
    With the leaping wealth of the tide.                (3996) 
 
6.     Near their small hutments where the nets spread 
    For drying, looked like resting clouds, the new 
    Gold coins received from the buyers of fishes 
    Were heaped and measured; the long and dark eyes 
    Of the fishwives measured and assessed the worth 
    And price of the kayal fish brought by the fishermen 
    Who flourished by plying their fishing boats on the main.    (3997) 
 
7.     The flocks of swans that came thither with storks 
    That flew there with intent to lift away the kippered fish, 
    Vanquished by the beauteous gait of the women 
    Endowed with lithe and slender waists, 
    Flew up and perched on the black branches 
    Of the fragrant punnai trees in bewilderment.            (3998) 
 
8.     The noise of those that stretched the long nets 
    To mend them, the call of the vendors of heaped fishes 
    To intending buyers and their noisy bargain 
    As well as the noise of those who shored up white shells 
    Of great excellence, were like unto the echo 
    Of the long and billowy and noisy sea.                (3999) 
 
9.     In that habitation, from a bountiful family  
    Of fishermen he came to be born; he applied 
    Himself devotedly to the service of the Lord who wears 
    The young crescent on His crest; he was the noble 
    Athipatthar of glowing servitorship.                (4000) 
 
10.     He, the devotee, was the chief of the fishermen 
    Who plied their boats over the lucid, billowy 
    And resounding main; they threw their nets on (all) sides 
    And caught the fishes; these they set before 
    Their chief in endless heaps of highly-priced 
    Varieties; thus he flourished.                    (4001) 
 
11.     When the fishermen who thrived by killing fish 
    Brought before him the fishes netted by them, 
    He would, from out of them, select a fish par excellence, 
    Dedicate it to the Lord-Dancer and throw it back 
    Into the sea; this he did daily 
    In uninterrupted love and devotion.                (4002) 
 
12.     Even when the beauteous nets did but secure for him 
    Only one fish a day, he would, in dedication, 
    Throw it back into the sea; thus rolled on many days 
    When he threw back daily into the cloud-resting sea 
    The only netted fish.                        (4003) 
 
13.     He grieved not for the sorrowing of his rare kin 
    Steeped in hunger as they could not any longer 
    Come by wealth and edibles secured by sale of fishes; 
    He dedicated the single fish that was his daily share 
    To the Lord whose hand sports the antelope, 
    And lived in joy.                        (4004) 
 
14.     Many days passed by in this way; he wilted 
    Without food; his comely boy sorely languished; 
    Yet he was steadfast in his divine servitorship; 
    Aware of this, the Lord that ate the poison Aalam, 
    Longed to quaff the nectar of His servitor’s love.        (4005) 
 
15.     One day the Lord made even the single fish 
    Unavailable; however He caused to fall into a net 
    A fish whose limbs were wrought of fresh gold 
    And ninefold gems of purest lustre; 
    This wondrous fish was worth the whole world.            (4006) 
 
16.     When the long net was drawn from the billowy sea 
    To the shore, the fish which was caught therein 
    Dazzled like the rising sun and flashed forth 
    To the wonderment of the world; witnessing this 
    The fishermen who stood nearby removed it, 
    And told him: “We have caught a fish.”                (4007) 
 
17.     When thus they told him, the serviteur of ever-during 
    Splendour said: “This very different fish 
    With its limbs wrought of gold and ray-clustered 
    Ninefold gems is for my Lord who rules me; 
    Go forth and reach His feet of golden anklets.” 
    So saying he threw it amain into the main.            (4008) 
 
18.     As a rule all the world runs after wealth; 
    The truthful servitor flawlessly shook himself 
    Free of that great shackle; before him that thus 
    Flung away the love of gold, the Lord appeared 
    On the heavens seated on His Bull; the Devas 
    Showered celestial flowers.                    (4009) 
 
19.     All the five celestial instruments sounded; 
    Atipatthar fell prostrate on the ground, rose up 
    And stood folding his hands above his head; the Lord 
    Whose beauteous throat shines with the stain 
    Of poison, blessed him to reach Siva-loka and there abide 
    In the beauteous and holy company of devotees.            (4010) 
 
20.     Adoring the resplendent feet of Atipatthar, who 
    Poised in the vocation of his clan, had rendered 
    True and great and fitting service, we now 
    Proceed to indite the great servitorship 
    Of Kalikkampar established in redemptive piety, 
    And duly celebrated by all the three worlds.            (4011) 
 
---------------- 
 
NOTES 
 
Verse No. 
 
    Atipatthar: Skt. Ati Bhakta. 
 
  11.    This Naayanaar, the head of the piscators, would throw back into  
    the sea the best fish that was netted, every day.  Sivaarpanam Astu. 
 
  17.    The only fish netted this time was a very different one.  By selling the  
    fish, the entire clan could thrive for generations.  Yet our Naayanaar,  
    even in the chill grip of penury, chose to dedicate it to Siva.  He was  
    a king among the fishermen. They obeyed him loyally. 
 
  18.    As a rule...... wealth: A true Atiyaar is one who is never after the  
    “saint-seducing” gold.  To him gold and pot-sherds are of equal value. 
    “Odum semponnum okkave nokkuvar” are the words of St. Sekkizhaar. 
    Wealth for a Naayanaar is something different. “Selvan Kazhal yetthum  
    selvam selvame” (That is wealth which is comprised in hailing the feet  
    of the opulent Siva) are the words of St. Sambandhar. 
 
 
        Here ends the Puranam of Athipattha Naayanaar 
 
Sincere thanks to Sri. T N Ramachandran of thanjavur, for permitting his English rendering of the holy text periyapurANam be published here.

See Also: 
1. adhipaththa nAyanAr purANam in English prose 
2. அதிபத்த நாயனார் புராணம் (தமிழ் மூலம்) 
3. thiruththoNDar purANam main page
4. 12 shaivite thirumuRais