(Kannappa Nayanar Puranam - Periyapuranam as English poetry)

 
 
        "I am a servitor of Kannappar, the glorious polymath" 
 
                        - The Tiru-th-Tonda-th-Tokai 
 
1.     The country of Kannappar who attained beatification 
    By the grace of the Lord of Kalatthi who is the Protector 
    Of the Gospels and the Rider of the Bull and who burnt 
    The triple cities of the hostile foes is Potthappi-Nadu 
    Of ever-during foison, dight with flowery tanks 
    And gardens, hailed by bards of renown.                (650) 
 
2.     His town is hoary Uduppoor girt with a huge fortress 
    -- An impregnable fence reared on the buried tusks 
    Of inchorous tuskers --, and guarded by tall hills 
    From the slopes of which roll cascades with pearls.        (651) 
 
3.     The dwellers of this town were foresters; 
    To the branches of wood-apple trees were tethered 
    Their setters of bent ears; over these trees 
    Were thrown their nets which lay dangling; 
    Thither were many trained animals: 
    Hogs, tigers, bears and antelopes of many types. 
    They dried their wild rice on mounds and monticules.        (652) 
 
4.     With strong tiger-cubs and victorious elephant-cubs 
    The curly-headed infants would thither sport; 
    With lovely roes, sweet and endearing, 
    The little daughters of the hunters would romp and play.    (653) 
 
5.     From the hordes of stout-hearted hunters 
    Of violent words wielded victorious weapons, 
    Were heard the words: “Kill, throw, punch.” 
    Apart from such noise were also heard 
    The resounding of small-grained tudis, 
    Bugles and small-eyed little drums 
    And the shrill noise of gushing cataracts.            (654) 
 

 
 
6.     Thither were huge-seized kine and cattle 
    Lifted from various places by the dacoit-hunters; 
    Also were there herds of musty elephants 
    Which trumpeted aloud whenever clouds 
    Winged with lightning rumbled in the skies.            (655) 
 
7.     The foresters were inky dark in complexion; 
    Violent were they and knew neither dread nor mercy; 
    They were clad in thick hides; they ate rice minced with meat 
    And quaffed wild honey; they wielded poisonous darts fiery; 
    The leader of these hunters was called Nakan.            (656) 
 
8.     Though he had of yore wrought askesis, 
    By reason of his birth, he did only evil 
    And deemed it good; he reveled in cruelty. 
    He was a mighty bowman who was like an angry lion; 
    His housewife was called Thatthai.                (657) 
 
9.     She hailed from a great and hoary family 
    Of a warrior race; her taali-cord was set with 
    The teeth of tigers and beads of shells, 
    And it dangled down the nape of her neck. 
    She wore a flowery wreath stuck with the feathers 
    Of peacocks and tender shoots buzzed over by bees, 
    On her coiffure, and she looked a dreadful lionees.        (658) 
 
10.     All did declare that this peerless couple 
    Would not be blessed with a child at all; 
    But their desire to have a child waxed great; 
    So they daily adored at the shrine of Muruka, 
    The wearer of fragrant wreaths of flowers 
    And the holder of the ruddy spear. 
    Thus they dedicated themselves to Him on purpose.        (659) 
 
11.     They offered him chanticleers and speckled peacocks; 
    They planted festoons and hung thereon bells; 
    They wove beauteous garlands of katampa blooms 
    Buzzed over by bees, as votive offering to Him; 
    Again for Lord Muruka of the long spear 
    They arranged the festival of grand Ananku-dance 
    Where his glories were hymned in melody.            (660) 
 
12.     The grace of victorious and glorious Muruka 
    -- The long-armed wielder of the spear, who rode 
    The majestic peacock and smote the Krauncha hill, 
    The very son of our Lord Siva who smote the triple cities --, 
    Visited Nakan the leader of the hunters 
    Whose bodies were intrenched with deep scars.            (661) 
 
13.     For the flourishing of the clan of hunters, Thatthai 
    Became gravid; flawless sacrifices were offered; 
    The ritual-dance was performed; months passed by; 
    By reason of the limitless askesis wrought of yore, 
    Even as the briny sea gave birth to the full-moon, 
    Unto Thatthai a son was born.                    (662) 
 
14.     The tusks of elephants rained pearls; 
    The bamboos too showered their pearls; 
    The foresters too showered their gems; 
    The hills also rained their dazzling gems; 
    These apart the heavens too showered flowers, 
    As speckled bees and beetles wheeled their flight; 
    Not only the small-grained tudis but celestial tuntupis also 
    Resounded great from the ethereal realms.            (663) 
 
15.     The throng of people who lived in the little town 
    And who hailed from the race of rare foresters 
    Held a jubilant jamboree; like a black hill 
    Bearing on its crest the dark and huge nimbus 
    Nakan, the father, upbore on his hill-like shoulders 
    His son, in delight great.                    (664) 
 
16.     The beauteous child, dark and dazzling 
    Grew like a tiger-cub, hailed by the hunters; 
    He also showed signs that his glory could not be 
    Measured by the whole world; even thus he grew.            (665) 
 
17.     The great child could not be lifted with hands; 
    So mighty and weighty was he; 
    His father therefore said: “Call him Thinnan.” 
    Loud was the hunters’ uproar when he was thus christened. 
    With beauteous jewels, they that day, decked the child 
    Whose form was a peerless wonder of splendour 
    And an incarnation of piety.                    (666) 
 
18.     They invoked their sylvan tutelary deity 
    And performed unflawed the traditional rites 
    In keeping with their custom and usage. 
    They decked him with tender shoots and adorned him 
    With a waist-cord set with the seeds of jungle neem 
    And beads of chanks; thus he grew up pretty well.        (667) 
 
19.     For his each parva, they sacrificed fittingly 
    To their sylvan gods, in festive worship. 
    Auspicious organs were played, and the hunters 
    That gathered there sported in great glee. 
    Thus took place many a celebration.                (668) 
 
20.     At the end of the first year, when the child 
    Ceased to toddle and started walking gently 
    They decked his head of soft hair with chutti 
    Wrought of tiger’s claws; him they garlanded 
    With a string set with the teeth of tigers 
    And severed quills of porcupines.                (669) 
 
21.     His feet were decked with resounding chalankai 
    Set with bright gems and pretty tintinnabula; 
    His waist was adorned with a cord set with 
    Tiny coins and lovely jewels; his hands were 
    Decked with bracelets wrought of ivory; 
    Gemmy kutampais dazzled from his ear-lobes; 
    Thus he glowed flawless when he played 
    As a little child in the street.                (670) 
 
22.     To the great delight of his parents 
    He walked forth in pretty little gait; 
    His lovely words of prattle were soaked in his saliva 
    Of sheer nectar, holier than the water of the Ganga 
    And fell from his roseate lips enchantingly.            (671) 
 
23.     When a trained tiger oped its mouth agape 
    He deemed it a cave and into it inserted his golden hand; 
    His father in love brandished a green twig 
    At which his two beauteous eyes which can cure 
    The harm to be suffered by the sun and the moon, 
    Were suffused with tears; when these tear-drops 
    Rolled down his cheeks, Thatthai kissed them away.        (672) 
 
24.     He plied the go-cart shaped like a small tudi; 
    He caught hold of the tethering leash of a dog, 
    Tugged at it and snapped it; he kicked away 
    With his pretty feet – tender as shoot --, the toy-houses 
    Built by the little girls of the hunting clan; 
    He played with the infants of the bowmen 
    And thus sported in great fun in all the huts.            (673) 
 
25.     Varied were his sport and pastime, and he was now 
    Six summers old; with catapults and traps 
    He played with heroic hunter-boys in flowery gardens; 
    His play-field extended into the nearby jungle 
    Beyond the ivory fence set with Uzhuvais.            (674) 
 
26.     He chased the young rabbits swift, cubs of jungle hogs 
    And striped tigers and also the pups of red ferocious dogs, 
    Captured them and tethered them to the trees 
    That grew aloft in the foreyard of his house.            (675) 
 
27.     At dusk a matron of the hunting tribe would 
    Twirl round him a platter of smoking mustard, 
    Feed him and put him to bed in the place assigned; 
    At dawn she would feed him with meat 
    And leave him to pursue his sport. 
    Thus rolled on a few years, and he now reached 
    The parva when he could be taught to wield the bow.        (676) 
 
28.     His father felt glad that he reached the proper age; 
    He hugged him close with his strong shoulders; 
    Desiring to train him well in archery 
    He gathered the old and veteran bowmen; 
    After due consultation with them all, he fixed 
    An auspicious day and proclaimed it to his tribesmen.        (677) 
 
29.     All the heroic leaders of the hills in the neighbourhood 
    Heard the loud announcement through beat of tudi 
    That Thinnan -- the son of the hunters’ king Nakan, 
    Whose deeds proclaim him to be greater than 
    Men of great intellect, the one born on earth 
    By the grace of Lord Kandan --, is about to be 
    Initiated in the art of archery.                (678) 
 
30.     From all directions came the practicing bowmen 
    With gems of the hills, gold and pearls, 
    And also hides of tigers, tusks of murderous tuskers, 
    Heaps of peacock feathers, (wild) honey, 
    And countless jars of liquor, varieties of meat 
    Fruits and tubers too.                        (679) 
 
31.     They filled the little town with such wealth; 
    The bournes of the peerless town could not contain 
    What they brought with them in such abundance. 
    The King of hunters, Nakan then announced: 
    “Perform all the rituals of worship to the gods 
    To the delectation of the multifoliate kith and kin 
    For the initiatory ceremony of archery.”            (680) 
 
32.     The craftsmen who had duly wrought a bow 
    For the occasion, held it; the bow of Siva who wears 
    Honied konrai -- the hill of Meru – did excel Mt. Mantara 
    Which but churned poison out of the main; 
    On the bow like unto Mt. Meru, which would 
    For Siva procure fitting victuals from jungle 
    They wound the raksha.                        (681) 
 
33.     With the selfsame gut of the fierce tiger 
    Which was used as raksha for the bow, 
    At the hour propitious they wound the beauteous wrist 
    Of hill-like Thinnan, the son of Nakan 
    And the scion of the hunters’ tribe. 
    All the foresters loud proclaimed their benediction.        (682) 
 
34.     The expert cooks of the hunting clan cooked 
    Wild rice and other grains and also millet soft 
    Along with the hard grains of bamboos. 
    These were minced with tubers and meat; 
    The food-heap looked like a hill; 
    The wielders of angry bows gathered there to eat.        (683) 
 
35.     Some feasted on the powder of red millet and honey; 
    Some ate cooked flesh soaked in honey; 
    Some took wood-apples mixed with honey; 
    Some gorged winged white-ants well-cooked; 
    Thus the hunters gormandised varius dishes.            (684) 
 
36.     The visitors from adjoining hills and the local people 
    Ate exceedingly well; as the sun crossed the meridian 
    The hunters and huntresses started bibing 
    Limitless liquor of various types. 
    Thus were they all happily inebriate during the fete.        (685) 
 
37.     Thy wore wreaths of green leaves and many types 
    Of garlands and also jeweled leathern girdles; 
    They decked themselves with beads of shells; 
    They also wore flawless vetchi garlands 
    And other chaplets befitting them. 
    Then they came near the dreadful bow of the blemishless master.    (686) 
 
38.     Tondaka-drum, bugles, tudis and flutes of bamboo 
    Resounded and filled all the directions; 
    Coupled with this, rose the din of heroic hunters 
    Rumbling through the heavens; in such festal spree 
    They circumambulated the little town.                (687) 
 
39.     The hunters danced the vari-dance; the huntresses 
    The tunankai-dance; with joy danced 
    The awesome women divine; thus did they daily 
    Spend their days of the bow-festival 
    And on the seventh day, doubled their celebrations.        (688) 
 
40.     At the hour when the sun stood midmost in the sky 
    Benedictions resounded from everywhere and mingled 
    With the orchestration of many organs; 
    Through the master of archery of their hoary tribe 
    They caused Tinnan, the bright and dark bull, 
    To hold the martial bow.                    (689) 
 
41.     All the rites and rituals were duly performed 
    In the slope of the beauteous mountain; 
    From the day when he first held the bow 
    Each day he practiced the art of archery; 
    The skill of him – the lion of foresters, 
    And my own deity --, was crowned with consummation.        (690) 
 
42.     He who was like ‘the congregation of splendorous piety ever-growing’ 
    Became a great master of the bow and other weapons; 
    With ever-crescent beauty he shone a full moon; 
    He was now sixteen years old.                    (691) 
 
43.     As Thinnan throve thus, the chief 
    Of the Sylvan town where dwelt fierce hill-men 
    -- The dark strong-shouldered Nakan --, 
    For countless days through hills and forests 
    Hunted with his beauteous bow, quelled foes, 
    Lifted cattle and kept watch over his hill ranges. 
    He grew old and was enfeebled; 
    He was no longer the master of his bow.                (692) 
 
44.     When fierce forest boars, tigers, bears, kadamai, 
    Jungle-cows, angry-eyed marai and other wild animals 
    Thronged thick and laid waste the fields and gardens 
    In the great slopes of the beauteous hills 
    The hunters assembled, and as a body 
    Called on Nakan, the chief of their clan, 
    -- The wearer of cool wreath of flowers --, 
    And said: “Lack of periodical hunting 
    Has caused havoc.”                        (693) 
 
45.     When Nakan heard them, he considered 
    His ageing plight and addressed them thus: 
    “On account of my old age I am unable 
    To indulge in hunting as before; may you all 
    Accept the leadership of my son.” 
    When he spake thus, they felt sad 
    And eventually grew glad; they hailed 
    His feet and addressed him thus:                (694) 
 
46.     “All these years we abode under your bow; 
    We ate and flourished trouble-free; 
    Father, we’ll follow the way indicated by 
    Your mandate; no other path will we pursue; 
    Moreover you have blessed us with your son, 
    Thinnan who is the great scion of your line; 
    Call your son who is an expert archer and invest 
    Him with the right to rule the hills.” 
    Thus they spake in delight great.                (695) 
 
47.     When they spake thus, Nakan sent for his son 
    And uttered these words: “My son is to pursue 
    His maiden-hunting in the hilly forests; 
    Call the chief priestess of my clan to offer 
    Sacrifices pleasing to the sylvan deities.” 
    When hunters apprised her of his words 
    The old matron hastened in joy to Nakan.            (696) 
 
48.     The priestess wore a chaplet of speckled jungle shoots; 
    Her ears were adorned with rings cut from antler; 
    On her forehead was a tilaka of musk; 
    She wore a garland made of small chowries 
    Painted blue like the peacock’s neck; 
    Her shrunken breasts were sagging; 
    She wore a garment of bark into which 
    Were stuck the feathers of peacock. 
    She blessed him with flowers and wild rice 
    And stood hailing the martial king of hunters.            (697) 
 
49.     Addressing the aged matron -- a huntress --, he said: 
    “Mother, are you free from indigence? 
    Do you live well?” Hearing this, she blessed him 
    And said: “As you have allotted of yore, 
    I get goodly meat soft, winged white ants, 
    Honey, products of hills and other products too; 
    Abundant is the provision. Well, what for did you call me?”    (698) 
 
50.     “Thinnan, my flawless son, is to be invested by me with 
    The chieftainship of our clan and is to become 
    The leader of hunters who wield strung bows; 
    He should excel me as a hunter and should be 
    Successful in annexing the realms of foes; 
    So, perform sacrifices to the sylvan deities 
    That they may with joy relish the offerings.” 
    Thus spake he, relieved of all his worries.            (699) 
 
51.     The priestess who heard him speak thus, said: 
    “When I came here borne by love in joy, I espied 
    Such good omens which I have never witnessed; 
    Surely your son Thinnan, the wielder of the victorious bow, 
    Will prove to be far greater than you.” 
    She blessed him once again and went away with 
    A surfeit of things required by way of offerings 
    To gladden the woodland gods.                    (700) 
 
52.     When the priestess departed, Thinnan came to call on 
    His hunter-father at his bidding; 
    His tuft of hair was decked with a fragrant chaplet 
    And he looked like a blue gemmy hill; 
    Bowmen came with him, admiring him. 
    When he hailed his father’s ankleted feet 
    He embraced him with his strong shoulders 
    And bade him be seated on a tiger-skin.                (701) 
 
53.     Addressing his son who was before him 
    He said: “I think not to pursue hunting 
    As before, since I am now grown old; 
    Be invested with the right to rule and protect 
    The foresters and flourish greater than I; 
    May you annex the realms of foes and be 
    Victorious in all your hunting expeditions; 
    May you nobly bear the office of your forebears.” 
    This said, he gave him his Belt and Sword.            (702) 
 
54.     He reckoned the true plight of his father 
    And felt sad; he also knew that the ancient right 
    Of chieftainship had to be perpetuated; 
    So, he wouldn’t say ‘no’ to his father’s wish. 
    He fell at his ankleted feet and hailed him; 
    Then he received the Belt and the Sword, the insignia 
    Of his office; unto Thinnan whose mind 
    Unfailingly accepted the responsibility of rulership 
    The great father in joy addressed these words:            (703) 
 
55.     “May you ever do good to the hunters 
    Of our clan and to our kith and kin; 
    May you foster them even better than I; 
    May you live in great foison as the conqueror 
    Of hostile realms; you will meet with 
    Many an opportunity to go a-hunting; 
    May you even now rise for the hunt 
    With these fierce bowmen.” Thus spake he, 
    The one poised in his true nature, and gave leave to Thinnan.    (704) 
 
56.     Thinnan the strong who was like a victorious lion 
    Of ruddy eyes, prostrated at his father’s feet, 
    The courageous one of fierce eyes and great askesis. 
    He took leave of him, and with the hunters moved away; 
    He bathed in the auspicious water of the spa 
    And rested in his abode; when day broke 
    He went to the armoury in joy with hunters 
    Who were experts in adorning him with arms.            (705) 
 
57.     They straightened his dense curly hair and wound it; 
    They decked it with chaplets of shoots. 
    They stuck therein bright feathers of peacock; 
    They also decked him with garlands of kurinji 
    And jasmine, buzzed over by bees.                (706) 
 
58.     Round his forehead they fastened a band of wool 
    Set with peacock quills and beans of kunri; 
    They adorned his ear with ear-rings wrought 
    Of white lustrous shells bright like the full-moon.        (707) 
 
59.     His neck was adorned with a white necklace 
    Wrought of lustrous beads of chanks and gems; 
    Into these were stuck crescent-shaped teeth of hogs; 
    He wore sannaveeram, the triumphal garland 
    Which was wrought of tiger-skin studded with gems.        (708) 
 
60.     On his chest dangled a garland of ivory beads; 
    On his shoulders bahu-valayas were set; 
    His forearms bore bracelets and his hands 
    That would ply darts with the loud noise 
    Matching the rumbling of clouds, were with 
    Small wreaths decked.                        (709) 
 
61.     On his waist he wore a tiger-skin set with 
    Peacock-feathers; white beads of shells were sewn 
    On its border, he wore a long garment of hide; 
    A belt girdled him; the sword with the leathern scabbard 
    Was fastened to his waist with a leathern strap 
    Dyed ruddy with deodorant stuff.                (710) 
 
62.     On his foot he wore the heroic anklet; 
    On the soles of his feet he fastened fitting footwear; 
    He bowed before the bow – mighty and weighty --, 
    And duly circumambulated it; he held the bow 
    Pressing it with his foot and strung it; 
    He invoked the deity as he bore the bow thus.            (711) 
 
63.     With his roseate fingers he strummed 
    The bow, the twang of which was like that of  
    The rumbling of the huge and dark nimbus; 
    He twanged the bow that the world might be 
    Rid of its misery, and red-eyed animals 
    -- Huge and angry --, might flee away.                (712) 
 
64.     Thinnan who was like unto a valiant lion 
    Filled his quiver with a good many choice arrows; 
    He commanded reconnoitrers to accompany him; 
    Thus he came to the place where resounded 
    The small tudis of hunting throngs; 
    The blessings of these filled all the directions; 
    Thither he stood and his darts examined.            (713) 
 
65.     When the bowmen ready for the chase 
    Neared him, unto Thinnan of blue hue, 
    From whom blazed lustre as from relumbo, 
    Came the priestess who had sacrified to the gods, 
    With the remains of the offerings of honey, 
    Goodly flesh, toddy, Charu, puffed rice and the like.        (714) 
 
66.     The swarming hunters drew aside, as she came there; 
    She went near Thinnan and sprinkled Akshata 
    On his forehead, and said: “Even your father’s father 
    Wasn’t blessed like you; great is your might; 
    It is not to be measured even by us.”                (715) 
 
67.     He duly honoured the priestess who thus blessed him 
    And gave her leave to depart; he who was like a huge cloud 
    Of the rainy season held the mighty bow; 
    Bent on hunt in all its splendour, he plied his steps.        (716) 
 
68.     Before glorious Thinnan who rose for the chase, lion-like, 
    Innumerable valiant bowmen wearing footwear 
    And long garments of hide and holding 
    Bows and arrows, marched in strong groups.            (717) 
 
69.     The hunters held the long leashes of hounds 
    By their fierce hands; with their red tongues hanging 
    Setters ran before them, not in any proper order; 
    It was like the treading of the roseate feet 
    Of Dame Victory who abode in the bows of heroes.        (718) 
 
70.     The cynegetic hordes advanced with huge nets and bows; 
    Thinnan, the great one, who was to snap all bonds, 
    Followed them; many were they who walked, carrying 
    Leather-straps and nets into the forests 
    And hills on whose crests clouds did rest.            (719) 
 
71.     The great Vedas for ever pursue, but behold not, the Lord, 
    Who on His matted hair sports the cool crescent, 
    Adampu and konrai flowers; it was Thinnan 
    Who was endowed with the Eye to behold Him. 
    Before him from all sides marched the hunters 
    With the pack of their trained animals.                (720) 
 
72.     Trumpets taratantaraed in the front ranks; 
    From the sides resounded kettle-drums; 
    Pampais were played; hands clapped keeping time; 
    Thus hied the hunters in great hullabaloo.            (721) 
 
73.     The march of the long-armed and fierce hunters 
    Into the vast and green boscage was like unto 
    The tumultuous flowing of black-waved Kalindi 
    Into the billowy main immense.                    (722) 
 
74.     When reconnoitrers tracking the foot-prints, 
    Returned and announced that in the southard jungle 
    Of the hill-range, herds of deer, boars strong, marais 
    And other animals had gathered, 
    With straps and nets rushed the hunters in all sides.        (723) 
 
75.     They cleared the branches and fastened with straps 
    The whole jungle, a yojna square; huge strong nets 
    Were hung everywhere; it was dreadful to behold; 
    When they completed their work, the hunters 
    Of dumose hair came before Thinnan.                (724) 
 
76.     Thinnan the fierce bowman joined the hunters; 
    The animals were roused from their lairs 
    In the slopes of the cloud-capped mountain; 
    Hounds were unleashed to seize them; 
    With arrows, long and sharp, he went into the jungle 
    Where nets were spread to trap the animals.            (725) 
 
77.     Hunting dogs were set on the beasts; 
    Hunters advanced with well-chosen darts; 
    Tudis and pampais resounded everywhere; 
    With hands and mouths they clapped and shouted; 
    The hiding animals were ferreted out thus 
    From their hides-out in the woodland.                (726) 
 
78.     Jungle hogs, deer of many types, bears, 
    Herds of strong stags, bisons, tusker, fierce tigers, 
    Marais and wild animals were roused. 
    When they leaped in spiraling wrath, the hunters 
    Smote them all with their arrows.                (727) 
 
79.     Severed were the legs, the haunches and the heads of stags; 
    With their intestines ripped open, died a few marais; 
    With their bodies rent by darts, down fell 
    The wild cattle of the jungle; split by darts 
    Many antelopes jumped and fell and died.            (728)     
 
80.    When the napes of necks of boars were slit 
    By darts, fiery blood gushed forth from the wounds; 
    More and more darts were rained on them 
    And they sped piercing and dragging their heads 
    And stood stuck between the teeth of tigers 
    Which came running with their mouths agape. 
    It looked as though the tigers came thither 
    To prey upon the fierce hogs.                    (729) 
 
81.     The arrows of heroes that plied their darts 
    From behind the stags, pierced through them 
    From behind and passed out through their heads 
    And again whizzed piercing through the heads 
    Of stags that came running from the opposite direction. 
    It looked like a fight between opposing stags.            (730) 
 
82.     The arrows of Thinnan who looked like 
    A black hill rushing with a bow, 
    Smote and killed the animals that came 
    Fronting him; the darts further whizzed 
    And smote warring elephants and angry lions. 
    It looked as though day merged with night 
    When bright lions and black elephants 
    Fell side by side by his ceaseless arrows.            (731) 
 
83.     The stags that jumped and touched the great clouds 
    Were pursued by the arrows of ankleted heroes; 
    This was like unto the pursuit of Rakhu of the deer 
    That slipped from the lustrous Chandra-mandala; 
    Thus did jump may a deer.                    (732) 
 
84.     As the darts got stuck in their bodies, they could not 
    Stand firm in the slopes of the mountains; 
    They twirled and fell on the thick leafy shrubs. 
    This was like unto the resting of clouds on sea 
    To suck the water thereof; thus fell on the jingle sward 
    Black marais, boars and bisons galore.                (733) 
 
85.     When in dread the animals rushed tearing the nets 
    The hounds blocked in wrath their escape 
    And seized them; this was like unto the act 
    Of the five senses which blocked the escape 
    Of mind which in its effort to gain the righteous path 
    Tried to tear and slip away from the toils 
    Of the resultants of the two-fold deeds.            (734) 
 
86.     The murderous hunters who faced the wild beasts 
    And slaughtered them in abundance 
    Would not hunt elephant-cubs whose legs 
    Were like tudis and whose ears were bent. 
    Neither would they hunt the young ones that romped 
    And ran making noise; nor would they harm 
    Toddling animals gravid.                    (735) 
 
87.     While thus the murderous chase was pursued, 
    A boar rushed forth in great tumult; to fright 
    It put, even the tuskers; the jungle itself trembled; 
    It thundered like the huge and dark nimbus; 
    Its jutting eyes spat fire.                    (736) 
 
88.     Thinnan who was a lion among the hunters 
    That pursued the boar to down it, 
    Chased with great speed the fleeing boar; 
    Other hunters lost track of the beast; 
    He alone pursued it in its solitary flight; 
    There were indeed two who would not from him part.        (737) 
 
89.     Nanan and Kadan were they, mighty heroes; 
    They anon joined Thinnan, the ruler of the hills; 
    The boar escaped from their darts and dogs, 
    And took to its heels in the long umbrageous slope of the hill.    (738) 
 
90.     The eyes of the boar which were jutting out 
    Fiercely blazed with fire, and were like the beans of kunri; 
    Its roar was truly like the rumbling of clouds; 
    The huge boar after covering a great distance 
    By constant running eventually stood 
    At the foot of the hill amidst the boscage.            (739) 
 
91.     Thinnan, the chieftain of murderous hunters 
    Gauging the plight of the beast that stood amidst 
    The trees, didn’t think of slaying it with choise darts; 
    He opted for a straight encounter with it; 
    He drew out his flashing blade and felled it.            (740) 
 
92.     Beholding the boar cut into two by Thinnan, 
    The red-eyed master-archer of the hunting tribe, 
    Nanan said: “Kada! We chased the beast 
    For many a league and became fatigued; 
    Ha, the he-man slew it.” Then both fell at his feet.        (741) 
 
93.     They addressed Thinnan thus: “By reason of the chase 
    We are esurient; we will now fry this; 
    You may eat a little of it; we too will eat it 
    And drink some water and then we’ll gently walk back 
    To the forest of the triumphant hunt.”                (742) 
 
94.     When they so spake, Thinnan addressed them thus: 
    “Is potable water available even in this jungle?” 
    Nanan answered him thus: “Beyond this grove 
    Of teak, near the hill rang courses the cool Ponmukali.        (743) 
 
95.     When Nanan the wielder of the angry bow spake thus 
    Thinnan said: “Let us go there; carry this boar 
    With you. “He moved on and after crossing half a league 
    He beheld the garden of the divine mountain 
    Where abides Siva, the Rider of the red-eyed Bull.        (744) 
 
96.     Thinnan said: “Nana! We’ll go to the hill 
    That appears before us.” Nanan in reply said: 
    “If you go there, you’ll behold a splendid sight; 
    On the top of this sky-high Tirukkalatthi Hill 
    Abides in splendour the Lord of the Tufted Crest, the Remover 
    Of all kinks; Him we can adore.”                (745) 
 
97.     “What else is there to do? As I near this, the burden 
    Of my life gets decreased, love wells up in me: 
    My heart filled with a different longing, flies to it; 
    Where indeed is the Lord? Proceed.” Thus Thinnan.        (746) 
 
98.     Thinnan then moved fast and him followed the two; 
    They reached the beauteous river Mukali on whose 
    Either bank were shored up pearls from lofty bamboos, 
    Logs of agalloch and sandal, gems from hills, 
    Gold and diamond, heaped into the sand-dunes.            (747) 
 
99.     He had the boar unloaded in the cool shade 
    Of a tree near the bank of that river; 
    He bade Kadan -- the wielder of the bent bow --, thus: 
    “Make two sticks to churn out fire; we’ll 
    Go up the hill, behold (Him) and return.” 
    Thus spake Thinnan, and went with Nanan.            (748) 
 
100.     In the pellucid water of the cool Mukali which bore 
    The flowers of the gardens studding its bank 
    And buzzed over by bees, Thinnan whose chinta  
    Was getting clarified, entered; he went through 
    The river in joy and was filled with delight great. 
    Thus, even thus, he arrived at the foot of the hill.        (749) 
 
101.     The sun was in the mid-most heavens; 
    On the top of the divine hill were resounded 
    The five celestial tuntupis; they roared like sea. 
    When Thinnan asked Nanan, what it was, he said: 
    “Perhaps, it is the loud buzzing of bees which circle 
    Round the great honey(-combs) in the hill, sip the nectar 
    Of flowers in swarms and fly 
    With the hiss of rustling wings.”                (750) 
 
102.     Limitless love welled up in him by reason 
    Of the fruition of his askesis in his past incarnations; 
    Boundless longing transformed into devotion deep; 
    As he moved toward the hill, his bones melted 
    And a great yearning possessed him.                (751) 
 
103.     His love and Nanan preceded him and Thinnan ascended 
    The cool hill; he climbed the immense flight of steps 
    -- All the graded tattwas (six and thirty) --, as though 
    He would attain Siva whose form is Sakti. 
    Thus he plied his steps on the straight path of the lofty hill.    (752) 
 
104.     Even before he beheld the Lord whose matted hair 
    Sports the crescent, His looks of grace were cast on him; 
    All the fetters of his lie slipped away; 
    Under the shade of His lustrous light he was wrought 
    Into the form of very love.                    (753) 
 
105.     He beheld the unique deity that blazed like a shoot 
    On the crest of the sky-high Tirukkalatthi Mountain; 
    Great love spiraled in him and bore him up; 
    Swiftly and with speed he ran passionately; 
    He hugged Him; ha, he kissed Him.                (754) 
 
106.     Sighs he heaved for a long time the hair 
    On his body stood erect as he felt thrilled 
    In every pore of his; his eyes rained tears. 
    “Ha! I, the servitor, have here found my Lord!” 
    It was as though peerless love assumed his form.        (755) 
 
107.     “Like tribesmen of fierce and relentless hunters 
    You abide here alone and with help none, 
    In the jungle infested with elephants, bears, 
    Tigers, lions and other wild beasts. 
    Woe’s me!” Thus he cried and grieved sore.            (756) 
 
108.     He knew not that his bow had slipped from his hand; 
    Thinnan who was like unto a bull of prowess, said: 
    “Who has done this good deed of strewing these leaves 
    And flowers too, and poured water?” When thus questioned 
    Nanan who stood near him said: “I have known of this.”        (757) 
 
109.     “Your father of skilled puissance and I, after a great hunt 
    Came to this hill once; the deity was bathed in cool water; 
    Strewn with fitting leaves and flowers and also fed 
    By a Brahmin then, who also muttered a few words. 
    It is he who should have done this.” Thus he.            (758) 
 
110.     When great love welled up inly and uninterruptedly 
    And wouldn’t be contained within, 
    Thinnan thought: “These are perhaps good deeds 
    Esteemed by the Lord of Tirukkalatthi.” 
    He resolved to hold fast to this service; his love so swelled 
    That he was unable to part from the Supreme One.        (759) 
 
111.     “I have found Him; but He abides alone; 
    There are none to feed Him with meat; neither can I  
    From him part; what am I to do? Him must I get 
    The needed meat.” Thus he resolved.                (760) 
 
112.     He would move away but would come back at once; 
    He would hug Him and move away again; 
    He would eye Him in love; he became like unto 
    The cow parted from its young one, newly delivered; 
    He would say: “O Lord, for your feeding, I’ll myself 
    Secure delicious and soft and flawless meat 
    And be here eftsoon.”                        (761) 
 
113.     “Who would remain here as help for you? 
    This thought prevents my parting for you; 
    Neither can I suffer you to be hungry” 
    Thus he spake and his eyes showered tears. 
    He somewhat grew resolute and with his long bow 
    Moved away after hailing Him with his flowery hand.        (762) 
 
114.     Parting from the divine presence in reluctance 
    Down he descended from the hill that stretched afar; 
    Him followed Nanan; all other longings of Thinnan 
    Were gone; he was borne on by sheer love; 
    Through the beauteous bank of Ponmukali he crossed 
    The river and reached the other bank and thence 
    Moved into the garden laden with fresh flowers.            (763) 
 
115.     Kadan came before him and addressed him thus: 
    “I churned out fire; you can verify for yourself 
    That the parts of the tusked-boar are there intact; 
    We have to return; why were you so much delayed?” 
    When he spake thus, Nanan who stood nearby said:        (764) 
 
116.     “There in the hill beholding the Lord he hugged Him close; 
    Like the iguana holding fast to the curved cavern hollow 
    He would not lose his grip; he but came here 
    To secure meat and flesh for the Lord to eat; 
    He had forsaken the chieftainship of our race; 
    He is possessed by the Lord.”                    (765) 
 
117.     “What have you done Thinna? What bewilderment is this? 
    Aren’t you the hereditary chief of us, the hunters?” 
    When he spake thus he wouldn’t even cast a glance on him; 
    He fried the huge boar in the fire and gathered 
    The delicious flesh with various darts.                (766) 
 
118.     The flesh stuck to the darts, was fried in fire; 
    The flesh was thus cooked rich; he chewed the flesh 
    To find out how it tasted, and gathered 
    The delicious morsels in a cup of teak-leaves.            (767) 
 

119.     The two that stood beside him, exclaimed thus: 
    “Ha, his bewilderment has grown apace; he fries 
    The rare boar-flesh and spits it back; 
    Sure is he esurient; but he eats not; he keeps mum; 
    Neither does he bother to feed us with this; 
    He throws away the rejected pieces.”                (768) 
 
120.     “This Thinnan is sure possessed; him to disenchant 
    We know not; we must hie to our town and come back 
    With the priestess and Nakan, to cure him; 
    Let us fare forth to that forest and with our servants 
    Proceed to our town.”                        (769) 
 
121.     Thinnan knew not of the departure of the hunters; 
    He swiftly made ready the cup of flesh for carrying; 
    For the ablutions of the deity he filled his hallowed mouth 
    With the pure water of the river; he also stuck to his hair 
    Many flowers and leaves, all fresh.                (770) 
 
122.     He took the bow and fierce darts in one hand; 
    In the other he bore the cup of soft and savoury flesh. 
    "My sweet Lord will sure be hungry” he thought feelingly, 
    And reached the Lord’s hill in great swiftness.            (771) 
 
123.     He felt that the Lord was languishing in hunger; 
    He rushed and beheld the Swayampu Lord; 
    He removed the strewn flowers on His crown 
    With his beauteous slippered foot; he besprinkled 
    The deity with the water stored in his mouth. 
    Lo, it was his love that he let flow on the crown 
    Of the Lord – the Purifier.                    (772) 
 
124.     The fresh flowers and leaves that he bore on his hair 
    He lovingly placed on the crown of the Lord 
    Of Kalatthi Hill; Thinnan who roseate palm 
    Held the bow, then placed before the Lord, the cup 
    Of woven leaves which held the nectarean offering.        (773) 
 
125.     “I have chosen the daintiest portions of flesh and fat 
    And fried them on the points of arrows; 
    They are well-cooked and roasted; I have crushed them 
    With my teeth, tasted them and gathered 
    The toothsome morsels; these are delicious indeed; 
    Be pleased to partake of them.” Thus he.            (774) 
 
126.     Having fed the Lord inducing Him with endearing words 
    The prince of hunters desired to feed the God 
    Of Thiru-k-Kalatthi Hill with still more savoury flesh; 
    Sensing his swelling love, the sun hailed him 
    Folding his myriad rays and into the mountain descended.    (775) 
 
127.     Now came still evening on; into night melted twilight; 
    Dreading the traffic of wild beasts, and poised in true love, 
    He who was like a dark hill, held fast his bow 
    And stood firm beside the Lord.                    (776) 
 
128.     Even by achieving the well-nigh impossible askesis, 
    Even by abiding in forests of cloud-capped hills 
    Munis and celestials could seldom behold the Lord. 
    With growing longing and love unabated, he eyed 
    The Lord and stood straight before Him; 
    Thus he stood till the dense darkness dissolved.        (777) 
 
129.     As on one side shone with the moon’s lustre 
    The heap of bright-rayed pearls of bamboos, 
    And on the other issued the brilliance 
    Of gems in caves, spat out by serpents, 
    It looked as though that the moon and the sun 
    Blending their rays came thither on the new-moon day 
    To adore the Hill of the ear-ringed Lord.            (778) 
 
130.     Thither swelled the rays of good many gems; 
    Emeralds and sapphires also blazed black-rayed. 
    It looked as though night and darkness besieged by 
    The sun and the moon, fled away in fright. 
    (Such was the war of rays -- black and white.)            (779) 
 
131.     By reason of the blaze of the Jyoti Vrikshas, 
    The lustre of pearls kept in caves by monkeys 
    To serve as lamps thither at night, 
    And the rare effulgence immense that issues 
    From holy men who have quelled the senses five, 
    There is nought as night in the hallowed Hill 
    Of our Father, the Lord of Tiru-k-Kalatthi.            (780) 
 
132.      With the passing of the watches of night, murk faded away; 
    He, the sleepless hero who was like a black sea, 
    Heard the pipe of the half-awakened birds 
    And was impelled by a desire to secure food for the Lord.    (781) 
 
133.     He was an adept in hunting the big-bellied 
    And short-legged boars, huge stage, grazing deer 
    And other varieties of wild beasts; he contemplated 
    The hour to hunt them, and fared forth in that 
    Dim hour when forms appeared indistinct. 
    With his bow he marched on, after adoring 
    The munificent Lord.                        (782) 
 
134.     Chasing away the dense darkness, the sun 
    Rode his chariot revealing his visage; 
    As Thinnan whose form was that of true love 
    Was bent on his hunt unique, in the jungle, 
    As if to reveal the woodland beasts, he drew away 
    The black curtain and rose on high with his rays; 
    It looked as though he waved his hand to Thinnan.        (783) 
 
135.     In unison with the laws expounded in the Agamas, 
    To perform his regular ritual worship, 
    With, duly gathered flowers, holy water and other 
    Articles of Pooja, thither came Sivagochariar, 
    The Muni of sacerdocy, blessed with the askesis 
    To adore the dark-throated Lord of the Hill 
    -- The Panacea great of all ills.                (784) 
 
136.     Having arrived at the Hill, as he neared 
    Poised in spiritual discipline, the Lord of gods, 
    He saw scattered pieces of bones and cooked flesh. 
    He jumped and leaped, and bounced 
    Away from them, and cried: “Woe is me! 
    What rank pollution! Who did this?” He wilted.            (785) 
 
137.     “The dare-devil hunters have wrought this; 
    O Lord of gods, could You suffer their trespass? 
    How could You permit this contamination?” 
    He cried and quaked and fell down grief-struck.            (786) 
 
138.     “What is it that I do here delaying the pooja 
    Of the Lord, the shoot of lustre on the crest of this hill?” 
    Thus spake he, and swept away with the holy broom 
    The pieces of flesh, bones, leaves, prints of slippers, 
    And the foot-prints of a dog; then in love he hied 
    To the divine Mukali, performed his ablutions 
    And hastened back to the adytum.                (787) 
 
139.     He performed the expiatory rites of cleansing, 
    And bowed before the Lord; then with the articles of pooja 
    He commenced his holy ritual-worship as is his wont; 
    He completed in order the flawless ablutions of the Lord, 
    The recitation of mantras and the other rites of pooja. 
    At the end he hailed the feet of the First One.            (788) 
 
140.     He hailed the Lord with the mantras of the Vedas 
    That affirm thus: “Lord Siva is the Ens Entium!” 
    He then took leave of the Lord whose matted hair 
    Sports the splendorous moon, and with a mind pacified 
    He repaired to the woods where he performed askesis.        (789) 
 
141.     Thus departed the great muni; I will now narrate 
    The peerless hunting of the prince of hunters, 
    The one of beauteous tuft, dazzling inky dark; 
    I will narrate how he bent his bow and displayed 
    His skill in the forest; thus will I rid me of evil.        (790) 
 
142.     The huge hogs that grazed in the fields 
    On the slopes of craggy hills, were downed by Thinnan 
    Who thither came as he left the Holy Hill. 
    He ambushed at a vantage-point by which 
    Should pass the antelopes in a single file 
    On a narrow path, and he killed them whereby 
    He but conferred on them grace divine.                (791) 
 
143.     He would imitate the call o a stag; 
    When deer came responding to the call, 
    He smote them all, with his sharp darts; 
    He would track the foot-prints of antelopes 
    Reach their slumbering habitat and kill them. 
    He also hunted many a katama; 
    Thus would he complete his hunt as the rays  
    Of the sun grew fierce.                        (792) 
 
144.     He gathered all the hunted animals in one place; 
    He drew out his sword and chopped off arani sticks; 
    He broke several twigs laden with the hives of honey-bees; 
    He wove broad-based cups of teak leaves.            (793) 
 
145.     He chopped off fuel-wood and piled them up; 
    He churned out fire and kept it ablaze; 
    With sharp darts he severed the fat and the flesh; 
    He then fried what ought to be fried.                (794) 
 
146.     With sharp darts he tore and carved the flesh; 
    He gathered into a different cup the fleshy parts 
    Of animals; on points of arrows he fried them fittingly; 
    To make a holy offering, he desired to taste it.        (795) 
 
147.     Like placing in the ruddy mouth of Agni 
    The offerings that are to be conveyed to the celestials, 
    Into his holy mouth he put the fried flesh to taste it 
    For making an offering to the Lord of Kalatthi.            (796) 
 
148.     He gathered into a cup the tasted food cooked fittingly; 
    He poured honey into it and mashed it; 
    He fared forth swift, gathering flowers, leaves 
    And water for holy ablutions as before; 
    Thus toward his deity he hastened.                (797) 
 
149.     The Lord of the hunters ascended Tiru-k-Kalatthi Hill 
    And reached the presence of the Lord of gods; 
    As before he removed the Brahmin’s offerings 
    And performed the pooja after his fashion.            (798) 
 
150.     He placed before Him the cup of nectarean food 
    And implored Him thus: “This is even more delicious 
    Than what I offered earlier; with the flesh of hog 
    I have cooked the daintiest portions of stag, 
    Antelope and katama; I too have tasted it; 
    It is mixed with honey; it’ll taste sweet; (eat).”        (799) 
 
151.     Thus he feasted the Lord and performed His pooja 
    Poised in the Godly way peerless; love swelled 
    More and more in him; he would not slumber 
    At night; during day he would go a hunting.            (800) 
 
152.     The great Muni came every day; great was 
    His grief when he witnessed the remains 
    Of the pooja performed by the prince of the jungle; 
    He would clear them, perform purificatory rites 
    And do pooja as ordained in the Agamas 
    Poised in his righteous way.                    (801) 
 
153.     Nanan and Kadan broke the intelligence 
    To Nakan who grieved forsaking food and sleep; 
    He came with the priestess, and in manifold ways 
    Essayed to cure his son, but in vain. 
    Abandoning hope, they hied back to their place.            (802) 
 
154.     As the Lord of Kalatthi had cast on him 
    His looks of Grace, like iron getting transmuted 
    By the sweet alchemic touch, his two-fold karma 
    And triple mala were totally done away with; 
    His body had come to be wrought of ethereal fire; 
    He moved about as love embodied. 
    Is he within the ken of any one’s comprehension?        (803) 
 
155.     He performed pooja for the Lord in the way 
    Known to him; the great muni who did pooja 
    As ordained in the ever-abiding Agamas 
    Implored Him thus: “O my Lord, I could not find him 
    Who had wrought this; I pray that You be pleased 
    To put an end to this by Your divine grace.”            (804) 
 
156.     That night, the Lord-Brahmin whose matted hair 
    Flashes fulgurously, appeared in the somnium 
    Of the great muni, and spake thus in grace: 
    “Rate him not as a mere hunter fierce; 
    Hearken to his deed which We unfold to you.            (805) 
 
157.     “His for entire is all love for Us solely; 
    All his knowledge is Gnosis that truly cons Us; 
    Every one of his acts is endearing to Us; 
    Know him to be thus, even thus,” Thus He.            (806) 
 
158.     “I will demonstrate his acts to you; if to-morrow 
    You watch concealed, you will sure witness 
    His love and loving-kindness, all for Me; 
    Be rid of your mental torment.” Thus He spake 
    In grace to the great muni and anon 
    The Lord of matted hair where courses the flood 
    Took to His form invisible.                    (807) 
 
159.     He woke up from his dream, the great muni of tapas; 
    He wouldn’t sleep during the rest of the night; 
    It was his night of mystical tremendum. 
    At dawn Aruna rose up in his car unique 
    Yoked to a single swift steed.                    (808) 
 
160.     He had his bath in the divine Mukali 
    As on the day before, and he contemplated the grace 
    Of the lord in multifoliate ways. 
    He ascended the Hill of Tiru-k-Kalatthi 
    And did his pooja to Pinggnakan as is his wont 
    And then stood in hiding, behind the Lord.            (809) 
 
161.     At the end of night, when day broke 
    On the sixth day of his servitorship, 
    Before the arrival of the great muni versed in the Gospels, 
    He, the sleepless bowman like unto a dark nimbus, 
    Had set out for his hunt unique, as before.            (810) 
 
162.     Peerless food of flesh, water for holy ablutions 
    And fresh flowers stuck into his hair 
    He took with him in ways differing from the known; 
    He proceeded to the presence of the Lord of Tiru-k-Kalatthi 
    Who sports on His matted hair the river, 
    And who is the Lord of nectarean wealth to those 
    Who are with clarified intellect endowed.            (811) 
 
163.    Before him who deemed himself a cunctator 
    And moved on swiftly, ill omens auguring illth occurred; 
    “Ominous portents throng thick to reveal blood-mark; 
    What hath betid my Father? Woe’s me!” 
    Thus he cried and as he neared Him…                (812) 
 
164.     The glorious Lord of Tiru-k-Kalatthi desiring to 
    Demonstrate unto the muni, the great love 
    Of Thinnan, made one of his beauteous eyne 
    Bleed with sudden spurts of blood; he, the bowman 
    That beheld it even at a distance 
    Came dashing in terrific speed.                    (813) 
 
165.     He beheld the streaming blood; he was bewildered; 
    The goodly water from his mouth spilled; from his hands 
    The cup of flesh and the bow, alike slipped down; 
    The fresh flowers that would burgeon in bunches, 
    From his tuft trembled and tossed and fell down. 
    He quaked in agony, and down he fell crashing.            (814) 
 
166.     He that fell down, rose up and wiped out the blood; 
    The gush would not cease; he was dazed; 
    Deep sighs he heaved and again fell down; 
    Somewhat revived he pondered thus: “Who had done this?” 
    Up he rose, cast his look in all directions 
    And seized his bow.                        (815) 
 
167.     Picking out choice darts, he thought aloud: 
    “Are there hunters, fierce and cruel, and hostile to me, 
    Who could have done this? Or was it wrought by 
    Wild beasts like the lion? I know not!” 
    To the slope of the huge hill, he fared forth 
    Sleuthing a great stretch.                    (816) 
 
168.     There were no hunters; neither were anywhere 
    Wild beasts, though he searched for them. 
    He came back to his deity; gripped by grief 
    He held fast to the flowery feet of the Lord; 
    He hugged them close and cried bitterly; 
    His eyes rained tears.                        (817) 
 
169.     “This sinner beholds a ghastly sight! 
    What hath happened to the Supreme One? 
    What hath betid our Father, dearer than life? 
    What hath befallen the Pure One, from whom 
    Loving ones will never, never part? 
    I’m bewildered; what can I do at all?” 
    Thus he cried and again he spake thus:                (818) 
 
170.     “What can end this? (I know not.) 
    I cannot find those who had wrought this evil 
    To my Lord; I’ll go, search and fetch the herbs 
    From the golden foot-hills, which heal the wounds 
    Of ankleted hunters, caused by long and shiny darts.”        (819) 
 
171.     His mental eye surveyed the various herbaries 
    Situate in the dense jungles variform; 
    Like a red-eyed bull parted from its herd 
    He darted out in dread, and gathered herbs 
    And returned with a speed excelling that of his mind 
    Dedicated to the Lord of the Bhootas; 
    He squeezed the herbs and poured the demulcent juice 
    Into the bleeding eye.                        (820) 
 
172.     The herbal juice distilled into the eye 
    Of the Lord of Tiru-k-Kalatthi, was of no avail, 
    Blood continued to stream, as before. 
    “What shall I, alas, do for this plight?” he thought. 
    Then he remembered the saying: “Flesh is 
    By flesh cured.”                        (821) 
 
173.     “For this, the remedy is to scoop out my eye 
    With an arrow and transplant it; 
    The blood will peradventure cease to flow.” 
    Thus he resolved and rejoicing in his heart 
    He stood before Him and in joy, gouged 
    His eye and holding it with care, in his hand 
    He fixed it in the eye of the First One.            (822) 
 
174.     The blood ceased to gush forth; up he jumped 
    In delight great; he stroked his hill-like shoulders, 
    He danced for joy. “This, my intelligent act 
    Is great indeed!” So he spake and smiled. 
    Excessive joy threw him into a fine frenzy.            (823) 
 
175.     The Lord of Kalatthi, the more to demonstrate 
    The greatness of the munificent devotee 
    Who grafted his right eye on His right eye, 
    Made red blood flow ceaselessly from his other eye; 
    Thinnan who is far superior to all the celestials 
    And who came to be born by reason 
    Of the immense askesis of the hunting clan, 
    Witnessed this.                            (824) 
 
176.     “Woe’s me!” he shrieked, and spake thus: 
    “The blood that streamed from one of the eyes 
    Of our Lord of Kalatthi had ceased to flow; 
    But blood gushes forth from the other; 
    I’ll not be daunted; I’ve known of the cure; 
    I am still left with an eye; I’ll scoop it out 
    And graft it on His and thus cure Him.”                (825) 
 
177.     If he should scoop out his eye to graft it 
    On the eye of the Lord -- the forehead-eyed --, 
    He should precisely know where to fix it. 
    So, he planted his left foot on the divine eye 
    Of the Lord and when with love inly welling up 
    Thinnani took out an arrow non-pareil 
    And applied it to his eye, the Lord of gods 
    Could endure it no longer.                    (826) 
 
178.     The Rider of the red-eyed, white-hued Bull 
    -- The merciful Lord, the Ruler of Thinnan, 
    The Marvellous One of Thiru-k-Kalatthi --, 
    Stuck out His hand and stayed his hand 
    That was about to gouge his eye. 
    The ambrosial words of the Lord who wears 
    As jewels the serpents, announced thus thrice: 
    “Stop! Oh Kannappa!”                        (827) 
 
179.     The great muni of wisdom beheld the act 
    Of the prince of the hunters who gouged his eye 
    And applied it to that of the Lord’s and the act 
    Of the Lord -- the Relisher of the ambrosial food 
    Offered to him --, who with His own hand prevented 
    His hand from scooping out his eye; all the celestial 
    From Brahma onwards showered fresh flowers 
    Whilst the Vedas great resounded.                (828) 
 
180.     Can there he a greater beatitude? The Lord 
    Of the Bull held with His hand the hand of him 
    Who was to scoop out his eye and graft it 
    On the Lord’s eye when he beheld His injured eye, 
    And said: “O peerless one! Be at My Right for ever!” 
    Thus, even thus, He graced him.                    (829) 
 
181.     I wear on my head the feet of the lord 
    Who grafted his eye on that of the Lord’s, 
    Of cloud-capped Tiru-k-Kalatthi and thus 
    Stopped the streaming of blood from His eye, 
    And proceed to chronicle the divine service 
    Of Kalayanar of excelling fame, who hailed 
    From Kadavur where the Lord on whose matted hair 
    Courses the Ganga, is ehshrined.                (830) 
 
---------------- 
 
Stanza    Line 
 
   5        Tudi        :    A little drum, shaped like  
                    an hour-glass. 
 
   9        Tali        :     “Tali n.  gold ornament on  
                    thread tied round the neck  
                    of Hindu bride in Southern  
                    India at time of marriage”. 
                        - Common Indian Words In English 
                                O.U.P.,    1984. 
 
  13     5    It is the salt-sea which gave birth to the  
        moon, the amrita etc., according to the  
        anonymous commentator of  
        Takkayaka-p-Parani also. 
 
  23     3    Chutti        :     An ornament like Feronie’re  
                    which is a jewel worn on the  
                    forehead, suspended by a  
                    gold chain or band. 
 
  23        The sun and the moon are Siva’s eyes.  Ere long  
        they are to bleed.  The bleeding would be cured by  
        Kannappar by the transplantation of his eye. 
 
  25        Uzhuvai is a cross-beam. 
 
  27     2    This was done to avert jettatura. 
 
     7    The parva    :    A hunter boy is taught to  
                    wield the bow when he is  
                    twelve years old. 
 
  32        Mantara and Meru are both mountains.  Mantara was  
        used to churn the ocean from which the dreaded  
        venom first emerged.  But with Mt. Meru, bent into  
        a bow, Siva smote the three evil, flying-cities of  
        the Asuras.  Extirpation of evil is indeed a nectarean  
        deed.  So, St. Sekkizhar says, Mt. Meru excelled  
        Mt. Mantara. 
 
        The bow made for the occasion was like Mt. Meru.  Again it  
        was with this bow, Kannappar was to hunt and procure  
        delicious and toothsome venison and the like to please the  
        palate of Siva. 
 
        Raksha        :    The  auspicious protective cord  
                    tied round the bow with the  
                    Chanting of mantras.  The ensuing  
                    stanza informs us that guts of  
                    tigers served as raksha for the  
                    hunter. 
 
  37     4    Vetchi        :     Ixora coccinea. 
 
  38        Tondaka-drum    :     The drum of the Kurinji region. 
 
  39        Vari-dance     :     A dance similar to morrice. 
 
        Tunankai Dance    :    A dance akin to the dance of devils. 
 
  48        Aritharam gathered from the maw of a special type of  
        deer is musk.  Aritharam is also obtained from stones.  
        This is called Manosilai and is inferior to musk.  
        Aritharam also means yellow orpiment. 
 
  49        Kamban’s Rama is equally soliciatous. 
 
  57        Kurinji        :     Strobilanthus. 
 
  58        Kunri        :     Abrus precatorious. 
 
  65        Charu        :     An oblation of rice, pulse, etc.,  
                    boiled with ghee and milk. 
 
  66        Akshata        :    Rice mixed with turmeric powder  
                    and made holy with the chanting  
                    of mantras. 
 
  71        Adampu        :     A running flower-plant. 
 
  73        Kalindi        :     The river Jamuna. 
 
  75        One Yojna    :    3,80,000 inches of 6 miles. 
 
  83        Inidan mythology has it that the lunar eclipse takes place  
        when the dragon Rakhu (the ascending node) devours the  
        moon.  The black shape in the     moon, called “The Old man  
        of the Moon” by Westerners, is regarded as an antelope  
        (or hare) by Indians. 
 
        The antelope, according to the description of St. Sekkizhar,  
        sensing the approach of the dragon to devour Chandra, slips  
        from it to effect an escape.  The dragon will not suffer its  
        escape and pursues it. 
 
  92        Katham        :     “An Indian league, a distance  
                    of about ten miles.” 
                            - Winslow. 
 
  96        Nanan calls the Lord ‘Kudumi-th-Thevar’.  Kudumi  
        means ‘tuft of hair’.  It also means ‘top’.  On the top  
        of the hill is enshrined the Lord. 
 
        The last of the Vedas is Atharva.  Its end is called  
        Atharva Sikai.  Sikai like ‘kudumi’ means,  ‘tuft of  
        hair’ or ‘top’, Atharva Sikai says: “Giving up all,  
        Lord Siva alone -- the Doer of good --, is to be  
        contemplated.”  Attainment of the feet of the Lord  
        is truly the consummation devoutly to be wished.  
 
 100        Chinta         :     The heart as the seat of affection. 
 
 101        Only Thinnan was blessed to hear the celestial instruments  
        which were inaudible to Nannan.  His answer is therefore  
        a mere guess.     
 
 116        Iguana        :     Lacerta iguana. 
 
 123        Swayampu    :     Self-born. 
 
 131        Jyoti Vriksha    :    This is supposed to flourish in the  
                    interior woodland and is considered  
                    divine.  During day time it is like any  
                    other tree.  It begins to coruscate after  
                    dusk.  Mention is also made of Jyoti  
                    grass and Jyoti liana in literature.  Tiru  
                    Philo Hrudayanath has seen a tree of  
                    this genre. 
 
 138     5    The foot-prints 
        of a dog    :    They were those of Kannappar’s hunting dog’s.   
                    The inseparable companion of the bowman,  
                    had obviously followed Kannappar.  Poet  
                    Nakkirar has recorded this event in his  
                    divine poem, “Tiru Kannappa-th-Tevar Tiru  
                    Maram”. 
                                - Eleventh Tirumurai. 
 
141        The hunting of Nayanar is no wanton destruction  
        of wild-life.  It was out and out holy and divine.   
        Its sole purpose was to secure an offering to the  
        supreme Lord.  Even to chronicle the hunting is  
        a beatitude. 
 
142        The hunting done by Kannappar was truly the  
        performance of a holy sacrifice.  The animals which  
        served as offerings truly gained the eternal beatitude. 
 
144        Arani sticks    :     Sticks for churning out fire. 
 
147        Oblations are thrown into the fire-pit of a sacrifice.   
        The fire-pit is symbolic of Lord Agni, the god of Fire.  
        He carries them to the gods. 
 
        Five stanzas after stanza 157 which are included in several  
        editions of the Periyapuranam, are omitted here, as they are  
        interpolations, according to Sivakkavimani C.K. Subramania  
        Mudaliar whose text is followed in this edition. 
 
159        Aruna is the charioteer of the Sun-god.  The car is  
        single-wheeled and is on His hair.  Some say that the  
        hair woven into a crown, is pinggnakam. 
 
     6    Sivakkavi says that according to Mazhavai Mahalinga  
        Iyer, Sivagochariar concealed himself behind the cluster  
        of trees that grew behind the Lord’s idol. 
 
162     3    This has reference to the atypical ways of the great  
        devotee. 
 
 

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.  kaNNappa nAyanAr purANam in English prose 

2.  கண்ணப்ப நாயனார் புராணம் (தமிழ் மூலம்) 

3.  thiruththoNDar purANam main page

4.  12 shaivite thirumuRais