(patharAi-p-panivAr nAyanAr purANam - Periyapuranam as English poetry)

 
 
            "I am a devotee of all bhaktas that adore the Lord." 
         
                            - The Tiru-th-Tonda-th-Tokai. 
 
1.     Whenever they behold (any of) the devotees of the Lord, 
    Feeling humble and shy, they hail them in great joy; 
    Love-borne they seek the devotees, even as the calf 
    Seeks its mother-cow, and speak to them in all humility 
    With words all compact of sweetness.                    (4147) 
 
2.     When they happen to witness anywhere the flawless pooja 
    Unto Sambu performed by devotees, whoever they be--, 
    They gain at once the sat-bhaavana and gracious look 
    Of such worshippers in the presence of many; 
    By reason of their rare love and devotion, they are 
    Loftier than the loftiest.                        (4148) 
 
3.     They will, in soaring joy and insatiable devotion, render 
    Willing pooja to the Merciful One and His devotees; 
    They possess such tapas which links them to the feet 
    Unattainable even by Brahma throned on Lotus 
    And Vishnu whose bed is the Snake.                    (4149) 
 

                                                
 
 
4.     “Whatever acts the body does, let them be invested 
    With the competency to reach the lotus-feet of the Lord whose 
    Flag sports the Bull.” With this, their cherished ideal, 
    They render their service to the Lord whose ear is decked 
    With a white Kuzhai; they will not slip 
    Into uterus--the pit of transmigration; 
    The whole world is no match for their glory.                (4150) 
 
5.     The will ever listen to the holy lilas of Sankara; 
    Their love for the Merciful One is limitless; by reason 
    Of their love--unbeknown to others--, for the Lord 
    Who willingly wears on His beauteous crown the river Ganga, 
    The crescent moon and konrai flowers, they are privileged 
    To reach the Lord’s feet, like unto the red lotus-flower.         (4151) 
 
6.     They hail the Lord alone, melt in devotion, and feeling 
    Exceedingly joyous, their very speech becomes incoherent; 
    The great flood of tears cascading down, washes 
    Away the flawless holy ash applied to their chests 
    The hair on their bodies stands erect in thrilled ecstasy; 
    For ever modest and shy, their bodies are ever atremble; 
    They are full of virtue true.                        (4152) 
 
7.     These are service-minded devotees endowed 
    With a perfect consciousness who never once at any time-- 
    Whether standing, sitting, lying, walking, 
    Eating, sleeping, waking or winking--, 
    Forget the flower-feet that dance in the Ambalam.            (4153) 
 
8.     Poised in the tapaswic servitorship to Sankara 
    They flawlessly enjoy themselves with the fruit thereof; 
    Their glory invests the world with resplendence; 
    They adore the feet of the Merciful One--the Lord 
    Of Tiruvaaroor--, and in devotion which for ever swells 
    In their chittha- -, they as true bhaktas hail the Lord.        (4154) 
 
---------------- 
 
NOTES 
 
Verse No. 
 
   1.    Even as the calf. . . . mother-cow: The love of the mother-cow for its  
    newly-delivered calf is unique.  Vatsa means calf.  The Lord is Bhaktavatsala  
    i.e., the Lord who is the Mother of devotees.  His love for his devotees is  
    likened to the mother-cow’s love for its newly-delivered calf. 
 
   2.    True devotees gain with ease at-one-ment with the Lord. 
 
   3.    Merciful One: The Sivagnaana Siddhiyaar affirms that all the acts of Siva are  
    fraught with mercy which is grace. 
 
   4.    These devotees have dedicated themselves totally to their Lord. 
 
   5.    These either sing the Lord’s glory or listen to it. 
 
   6.    They are full of virtue true: According to Mahamuni Milton, “If virtue feeble were,  
    Heaven itself would stoop to her.” 
 
   7.    Every act of the devotee is a demonstration of his love for the Lord. 
 
   8.    tapaswic servitorship: Tapas, according to Siva Siddhanta, is constitutive of  
    charya, kriya, yoga and gnaana.  The fruit of tapas is flawless life. 
 
 
            Here ends the Puranam of Pattharaai-p-Panivaar 
 
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. paththarAip paNivAr purANam in English prose 
2. பத்தராய்ப் பணிவார் புராணம் (தமிழ் மூலம்) 
3. thiruththoNDar purANam main page
4. 12 shaivite thirumuRais