(narasingka munaiyaraiya nAyanAr purANam - Periyapuranam as English poetry)

 
 
        "I am a servitor of Narasingka Munaiyaraiyar." 
         
                        - The Tiru-th-Tonda-th-Tokai. 
 
1.     He hailed from the dynasty of princes who reigned, 
    Poised undeviatingly in impartial justice; he ruled 
    Holding the Holy Ash of the blue-throated Lord 
    As the great wealth; he was the prince of Tirumunaippaadi 
    Abounding naturally with, and so, not sought after, 
    Foison great; he was Narasingkamunaiyaraiyar.            (3983) 
 
2.     This great prince of munaiyar dynasty ruled 
    From his city; he vanquished his foes in many a war; 
    He quelled the wickedness of the evil way; convinced 
    That great beatitude rests in the service 
    To the feet of the servitors eminent in serving 
    The Lord who wields the long trident, he served them.        (3984) 
 
3.     He caused the divine wealth to increase in every temple 
    Of Siva, the Rider of wrathful Bull, and fostered it 
    Even if his life came to be imperiled; he would not 
    Even in his dream, swerve from his duty of servitorship 
    To the Lord whose beauteous chest is bedecked 
    With garlands of rudraaksha beads and a carapace.        (3985) 
 
4.     Unto the river-crested Lord, during every Aatirai day 
    He would, apart from his daily ritual worship, 
    Perform a splendorous pooja full of devotion; 
    He would, that day, give a hundred sovereigns 
    Fresh from the mint, to each of the assembled 
    Servitors and treat them to nectarean feast.            (3986) 
 

                                        
 
 
5.     As he thus flourished, during a Tiruvaatirai day 
    When he was giving glittering gold to the lofty 
    And sublime servitors, thither came a person 
    Of blemish-ridden body full of dishonourable 
    Signs of lust; but lo, he wore the holy ash.            (3987) 
 
6.     Beholding his form those others that were near him 
    Moved away in sheer contempt; witnessing this, the prince 
    Walked toward him, folded his hands in adoration, 
    Took him with him and hailed him with pleasing words.        (3988) 
 
7.     Desiring to prevent the fall of the men of the world 
    Into hell should they disrespect person wearing 
    The holy ash though they should lack character, the prince 
    Gave him twice the quantity of gold that he gave 
    To each of those servitors assembled there, made obeisance 
    To him, spoke sweet words and then gave him leave to depart.    (3989) 
 
8.     Thus he flourished, ever poised in the way of such 
    Servitorship; he fostered it with splendorous love; 
    His chinta became immaculate; thus, even thus, 
    He reached the umbrage of the flower-feet 
    Of the Lord whose jewels are snakes with sacs 
    Of poison, and came by the beatitude of bliss 
    Married to unending devotion and love.                (3990) 
 
9.     Adoring the ankleted feet of Narasingka Munaiyar 
    The prince firmly rooted in the true servitorship 
    Unto the Lord who wears as adornments poisonous snakes, 
    We proceed to indite the dutiful and beautiful 
    Servitorship of Athi Patthar of Naakai endowed 
    With a harbour that receives into it ships laden 
    With great riches, and is besides renowned 
    For its huge and musty elephants.                (3991) 
 
---------------- 
 
NOTES 
 
Verse No. 
 
    This Naayanaar is the patron of St. Sundarar. 
 
   4.    The asterism (the Betelgeuse) is dear to Siva. 
 
   5.    Cf. Verse 5 of the Puranam of Iyarpakai Naayanaar. 
 
   7.    A devotee is blind to the flaws of a devotee, if only the latter wears on his person  
    any mark of Saivism. 
 
 
            Here ends the Puranam of Narasingka Munaiaraiya 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. narachiNga munaiyaraiya nAyanAr purANam in English prose 
2. நரசிங்க முனையரைய நாயனார் புராணம் (தமிழ் மூலம்) 
3. thiruththoNDar purANam main page
4. 12 shaivite thirumuRais