(kOtpuli nAyanAr purANam - Periyapuranam as English poetry)

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        "I am a servitor of Kotpuli too, the hero among 
        men who wielded a puissant spear." 
         
                        - The Tiru-th-Tonda-th-Tokai. 
 
1.     He who was called Kotpuliyaar came to be born 
    In the Velaala clan for its flourishing, 
    At Nattiyatthaangkudi in the Chola country 
    Of ever-increasing weal and well-being; 
    He was the general of the glorious Chola whose rule 
    Over the realms of earth, grew more and more expansive, 
    He would wage devastating wars against foes 
    And grow glorious by his prowess.                (4134) 
 
2.     He used all the riches he received from the king 
    For his service; to acquire hill-like heaps of paddy 
    To provide Neivedya for the crescent-crested Lord, 
    In all His shrines; he pursued this service for many a day 
    In the most proper way, and thus flourished.            (4135) 
 
3.     While so, commanded by the king, when he was to proceed 
    On an expedition, he had enough paddy garnered 
    For the Neivedhya of the Lord whose jewel is the snake, 
    That would last till his return; then he informed his kin thus:    (4136) 
 
4.     “These are paddy-heaps dedicated as offering 
    To our Lord-Father; whoever covers these, 
    Even mentally, will suffer perdition; I swear this TIRUVIRAYAAKKALI, 
    In the name of Siva.” He individually addressed 
    His kin and spake thus; then paying obeisance 
    To them, he proceeded to the battle front.            (4137) 

 

 

5.     A few days after his departure the were involved 
    In a famine; the kin then thought thus: 
    “Instead of perishing without food, we will manage 
    To survive by appropriating the corban-paddy 
    Of the Lord whose flag sports the Bull, and in due time, 
    Set the matter straight flawlessly.” 
    Thus resolved they despoiled the stored-up paddy.        (4138) 
 
6.     The chief of the dwellers of Naattiyatthaangkudi 
    Was crowned with success in the war; the king 
    Bestowed on him heaps of riches; when he came 
    To know of the sin of his kin, he resolved thus; 
    “I will slaughter them all.” Concealing his intent 
    He arrived at his town.                        (4139) 
 
7.     He spake sweet words to all his kin that came 
    To receive him, and then proceeded to his bright 
    Mansion bathed in the rays o the moon; 
    “Invite all my kin of this town that I may 
    Give them beauteous garments and riches too.” 
    Thus he bade (his servant).                    (4140) 
 
8.    When all his kin arrived thither, he the pious one, 
    Behaved as if he would give them great riches; 
    He caused his servant who also bore the name Kotpuli, 
    To stand guard at the entrance; then he mused thus: 
    “Will I spare them from killing-- the impious kin that had 
    Transgressed the great mandate of the Lord?” 
    Grown wroth, he started slaughtering them.            (4141) 
 
9.     His father, mother, brother, wives, binding kin,  
    Bonded slaves: these and others who willingly ate the corban 
    Of our Lord-Father, he cut, he quartered; ha, thus, even thus, 
    Did he put to the sword his cruel, karmic transmigration.    (4142) 
 
10.     The servant Kotpuli pointed to an only child 
    That escaped death, and said: “Please spare this child; 
    This had not tasted that (accursed) food; moreover, 
    It is the only scion of its family.” Saying, 
    “This child was fostered on the breast-milk of her 
    Who ate the paddy,” he threw up the child into the air 
    And sliced it into two, with his fulgurous tsurugi.        (4143) 
 
11.     Then and there Lord Siva appeared before the devotee 
    And spake thus: “With your sword you have cut away 
    The paasam of your kin; they will abide in the world 
    Superior to that of the Devas and will eventually 
    Reach Us; Oh glorious one! You come to Us even now!” 
    Thus the Lord commanded him, and vanished.            (4144) 
 
12.     Adoring the feet of Kotpuli, the wearer of a garland 
    Of blooming flowers, who, by reason, of his devotion 
    To the feet of the Lord--the Father, the Mother, the dear Life, 
    The very Nectar and the Ever-Free--, 
    Cut and quartered all his kin, root and all, we proceed to narrate 
    The glory of the holy company of “Pattharaai-p-panivaar.”    (4145) 
 
13.     What mote it be that I had wrought by way 
    Of great tapas in the past? The roseate and redemptive 
    Feet of the Prince of Naavaloor that walked through 
    The parted river, have also bloomed in my worthless 
    Mind as well as crown.                        (4146) 
 
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NOTES 
 
Verse No. 
 
        See pages xx - xxi, St. Sekkizhaar’s Periya Puranam - Part One,  
    translated by T.N.R., Tamil University, 1990 
 
        The Periya Puranam sings the glories of the soldiers of Siva -- the  
    tough-minded and tender-hearted warriors of faith.   No nation should encourage  
    or produce soft-minded milksops or heartless savages who, sooner or later,  
    would cause its spiritual death. 
 
  11.    This Naayanaar wielded his sword to cut away his paasam comprising the  
    malam-s of Aanava, Karma and Maaya.  It was a holy massacre that was  
    performed by our Naayanaar.  The so-called victims gained a world superior  
    to the one inhabited by the Devas. 
 
 
            Here ends the Puranam of Kotpuli 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. kOtpuli nAyanAr purANam in English prose 
2. கோட்புலி நாயனார் புராணம் (தமிழ் மூலம்) 
3. thiruththoNDar purANam main page
4. 12 shaivite thirumuRais