(pEyar (kAraikkAl ammaiyAr) nAyanAr purANam - Periyapuranam as English poetry)

 
 
        "I am a servitor of Peyar" 
 
                    - The Tiru-th-Tonda-th-Tokai. 
 
1.     Whorled chanks are wafted by waves and deposited 
    Into adjacent backwaters; they roam there as growing wealth; 
    Such is Karaikkal the city of great merchants galore 
    Who are poised in honour and dharma, and are 
    Flawless, glorious and truthful.            (1717) 
 
2.     By virtue of the tapas of Dhanadatthar who was 
    The chief of the mercantile clan of Karaikkal 
    Near whose sea-shore ply thick the merchant vessels, 
    Punithavathiyar of swelling pulchritude came to be 
    Born as his daughter even as an avatar of Lakshmi.    (1718) 
 
3.     She was born that the mercantile clan might flourish 
    Resplendent; even as a child in the parva of toddling gait 
    When her soft feet were decked with lustrous jewels, 
    To attain valiancy in the servitorship of the Lord 
    Whose jewels are snakes, she cultivated words 
    That would cause her inly love boundless soar up.    (1718) 
 
4.     Her opulent father duly performed all the sacred rites 
    Pertaining to the parvas of the growing child 
    To the great delight of his kith and kin, vast and great; 
    The child grew admired by all, like a shoot, comely 
    And lovely; she was linked in devotion deep 
    With the Lord whose mount is the Bull.            (1720) 
 
5.     Even as she gamboled she would but articulate divinely 
    Words pleasing to the God of the celestials – the Wearer 
    Of the crescent on His matted hair --; she would adore 
    His servitors when they passed by; thus she grew 
    Extolled by her nurse; now came the parva when 
    Her willowy waist began to languish, unable 
    To bear the weight of her twin-breasts.            (1721) 

 

 

6.     She was perfect in every limb as defined by the authors 
    In their works on Anatomy; her queenly grace grew 
    Day by beauteous day; she was now in the parva 
    When she was not suffered to cross 
    The threshold of her house; now came men belonging 
    To the hoary tralatitious mercantile clan 
    Broaching connubium.                    (1722) 
 
7.     To the well-endowed city of Karaikkal rich in mansions 
    Were sent wise men by Nitipati -- a merchant 
    Famous throughout the world and a native of Nakai -- 
    A maritime city of renown --, seeking the hand 
    Of the jeweled beauty of a matching clan 
    For his son and scion.                    (1723) 
 
8.     The men of great wisdom entered the house to which 
    They came to broach the subject of wedding, 
    Called on Dhanadatthar, and said: “Be pleased to wed your  
                                                   daughter 
    The one of lustrous jewels to Paramadhatthan, the son 
    Of Nitipati, in keeping with the hoary tradition.”    (1724) 
 
9.     He agreed to the marriage having due regard 
    To all propriety and gave them leave to depart; 
    Of his consent they apprised Nitipati who felt 
    Happy as one blessed with an especial greatness; 
    He engaged himself with his wealthy kin in the preparation 
    For the grand wedding of his great and peerless son.    (1725) 
 
10.     They duly dispatched the invitations for the wedding; 
    As the wedding-day neared they made ready everything 
    For the performance of wedding-rites; they decked 
    The bridegroom -- the wearer of garlands wrought 
    Of flowers that grew in bunches --, for the marriage; 
    To the beat of wedding-drums they fared forth 
    And entered the city of Karaikkal.            (1726) 
 
11.     They moved into the beauteous mansion of Dhanadatthar 
    Glowing with a garland buzzed over by bees; the rites 
    Of wedding, as ordained in the lucid sastras, were performed; 
    Thus they married her of flower-soft feet, 
    Sweet-smile and peafowl-mien to him who was 
    Verily a bull, to the approbation of the joyous kin.    (1727) 
 
12.     The wedding rites were all over; as man and wife 
    They lived there for sometime; she was the only child 
    Of Dhanadatthar’s family; he would not suffer her 
    To leave for Nakai, the littoral city of the roaring sea; 
    To dwell happily with her husband he had 
    A beautiful mansion built for her, nearby.        (1728) 
 
13.     After the wedding he gave limitless wealth 
    To paramadatthan who rejoiced exceedingly; 
    The son of Nitipati who was of peerless greatness 
    Took to business and ere-long grew lofty, and could 
    Secure all prosperity for his family-life 
    In keeping with the tradition of his clan.        (1729) 
 
14.     She of perfumed locks who was his helpmeet rare, 
    Soared in swelling devotion ceaseless for the feet 
    Divine of the Rider of the martial Bull, and stood 
    Unswerving, poised in the virtue of domestic life.    (1730) 
 
15.     When servitors of the Lord came, she fed them 
    With nectarean food, gave them in loving devotion 
    Ruddy gold, gems ninefold, garments exquisite 
    And the like divining their circumstance and need; 
    Thus throve her soul in ever-growing devotion ardent 
    For the feet of the Lord.                (1731) 
 
16.     Some men who called on Paramadatthan who was thriving 
    In his righteous business, gave him a pair of mangoes; 
    He received them and fulfilled their desire; he then 
    Bade (his servant) thus: “Take these to my house.”    (1732) 
 
17.     She of fragrant koontal decked with flowers, received 
    The pair of mangoes sent by her husband; she kept them 
    Where they should be kept; now came a serviteur of the Lord 
    Whose jewels are snakes, into the house prompted 
    By a great desire to get fed.                (1733) 
 
18.     Beholding the state of the servitor of the Lord-Author 
    Of the Gospels, she thought: “I’ll appease the hunger 
    Of the Lord’s devotee.” She offered him water to cleanse 
    His feet, and spread the tender plantain-leaf 
    For serving food; she knew him to be the guest that would  
    Cure one, of sins.                    (1734) 
 
19.     She who was like Lakshmi throned on lotus fragrant, 
    Had cooked rice, but not dishes of curry; she mused thus: 
    “The servitor of the Lord-Rider of the Bull is come as a guest 
    Who is not to be met with even by a longing quest; 
    Can there be a boon greater than this?” 
    Straight she proceeded with her duty to feed him.    (1735) 
 
20.     Taking with her one of the goodly and fragrant mangoes 
    Sent to her keeping by her husband, she hastened 
    To serve the servitor; thus in delight great 
    The queller of misery had the devotee well fed.        (1736) 
 
21.     The divine servitor who came there befuddled, bent with age, 
    And fatigued by fiery hunger that clamoured 
    For immediate appeasement, ate the timely meal, 
    Soft and toothsome, relishing it with the mango sweet; 
    He admired the service of the wondrous woman of soft 
    And perfumed locks, and went his way.            (1737) 
 
22.     After he left, the merchant and lord of the house 
    Entered the spacious mansion when the sun was 
    In the meridian, and had his bath; he desired 
    To have his meal; his chaste wife attended to that duty.(1738) 
 
23.     She provided him with tasty food and curried dishes; 
    Then she of fragrant koontal secured and served 
    On his leaf the sweet-smelling mango, one of the two 
    That remained (uneaten) and sent to her 
    That day by her ever-glorious husband.            (1739) 
 
24.     The garlanded merchant that felt insatiate having 
    Tasted the sweetness of the exceedingly delicious fruit 
    Served by his wife, said: “There is one more of this kind; 
    Get me that too.” She moved out as if to secure it.    (1740) 
 
25.     She moved away dismayed; what could she do? 
    How could she get at the unavailable fruit? Oblivious 
    Of herself, with all her mind she meditated the feet 
    Of the Lord who comes to the rescue when devoutly invoked. 
    Behold the marvel! A delicious fruit par excellence came 
    Into the palm of her of dangling plaited hair 
    By the grace of grace.                     (1741) 
 
26.     She served it to him in joy; he ate it, found it to be 
    More delicious than nectar, and said: “This is not  
    The mango that I gave you; this rarity is not to be found 
    In all the three worlds; whence did you get this?” 
    Thus he queried the bangled beauty.            (1742) 
 
27.     When thus confronted, she would not disclose it to him 
    Thinking thus: “This grace of Grace should not be divulged.” 
    Neither would she, poised in chastity, deem concealment 
    From her husband the true way; she quaked in fear.    (1743) 
 
28.     “My duty is to relate what I have done.” Thus she resolved 
    Prompted by virtue; she adored the feet of the Lord 
    Enshrining Him in her mind; to the husband’s question: 
    “Who was it that gave you the fruit?” she of perfumed locks 
    Decked with flowers, narrated how the fruit came to be.    (1744) 
 
29.     The lord of the house who was told that it was by the grace 
    Of the Lord, was not convinced; addressing her who was 
    Like the goddess on lotus, he said: “If it be by the divine 
    Grace of the effulgent Lord of matted hair, call forth, 
    By His grace once again a flawless fruit and give it to me.” 
                                                      (1745) 
 
30.     The great wife moved away, adored the Lord whose jewels 
    Are snakes and prayed thus: “If you deign not to grace me 
    With it now, my words will be deemed false.” 
    Lo, by His grace a mango reached her and she placed it 
    Into his palm which he received, wonder-struck.        (1746) 
 
31.     The merchant could no more behold the fruit that was 
    Passed to his hand, after he received it; he was seized 
    By an unappeasable fear and he stood confounded; 
    He deemed her of beauteous locks to be a supernatural woman; 
    He resolved to part from her but would not confide 
    His intent to any one; he passed his days without consortium. 
                                                      (1747) 
 
32.     Determined to part from her for good, he applied himself 
    To the set task; he declared his purpose thus: “I’ll sail 
    The billowy sea in a bark and return with wealth immense.” 
    His close kin and merchants -- glorious and flawless --, 
    Had a merchantman built for him.            (1748) 
 
33.     He fitted the vessel with crew; he filled her with merchandise 
    Coveted by men living in the far shores; hailing the god 
    Of sea, on an auspicious day, the leader of mercantile clan 
    Embarked and sailed the cool billowy main.        (1749) 
 
34.     He sailed the sea and disembarked in such ports as he had 
    Already planned and came by endless wealth and goods; 
    Thus he spent a few days, then boarded his barge 
    And arrived at near a town in the Pandya realm girt with water. 
                                                     (1750) 
 
35.     He moved into the town, traded his various goods, came by 
    Immense wealth eventually, and made safe investments. 
    To the great joy of the dwellers of the truly glorious town 
    He married the ineffably beautiful daughter 
    Of a merchant of that town.                (1751) 
 
36.     Having duly wedded that rare Lakshmi-like woman 
    In all pomp and pageantry, with a mind concealing clean 
    The deception he had played on his former wife, the one 
    Of soft fragrant koontal which was dark as black sand, he lived 
    An otherwise virtuous life with a face beaming in joy.    (1752) 
 
37.     He abode in that hoary town dight with fragrant groves 
    Companied with eminent merchants; he prospered in 
    Maritime commerce and his argosy skimmed the billowy main; 
    He grew famous and was like Kubera; unto him was born 
    A daughter, verily a lamp of growing lustre.        (1753) 
 
38.     After the birth of the child he desired to perform 
    The christening ceremony and made arrangements therefor; 
    His beloved child he named after his peerless wife great 
    From whom he parted affrighted deeming her 
    An adorable deity, never entertaining any thought 
    Of consortium thereafter.                (1754) 
 
39.     As he abode there, at Karaikkal dight with 
    Mansions girt with an impregnable fort, the daughter 
    Of Dhanadatthan, the peerless merchant opulent --, 
    Armoured in ever-during chastity and poised in 
    Dharmic piety, abode at her house.            (1755) 
 
40.     The kinsmen of the radiant beauty bejewelled, verily 
    A twig of splendour, came by the report that Paramadattan 
    Who sailed the sea to amass wealth immense, abode 
    At a great city in the Pandya country of crowning glory; 
    They heard that he had settled there for good 
    Having made immeasurable wealth.            (1756) 
 
41.     The moment they heard the news, the kinsfolk 
    Of the heavenly woman sent there a few of their close kin 
    And had the news confirmed; they were troubled in mind; 
    They said: “It is our duty to take her of swelling breasts 
    To him and leave her there.”                (1757) 
 
42.     They carried the bashful beauty whose gait was 
    Peafowl-like, in a magnificent litter beauteous 
    Seating her therein like Lakshmi non-pareil on her seat 
    Of lotus; they screened the litter; loving kinsmen 
    And friendly women sweet of speech, encircling her 
    Hied on their way for many a day.            (1758) 
 
43.     Days passed and they reached the Pandya country; 
    They came to the limits of the town where Paramadatthan 
    Of burgeoning fame abode; they sent word to him, 
    The husband of unforfeitable glory, that they had 
    Thither arrived with his adorable wife, the scion 
    That sanctified her clan.                 (1759) 
 
44.     When the merchant heard of their arrival, he was  
    Fear-struck; with his bangled wife whom he took to 
    Ash his second spouse and his daughter, he hied 
    Towards the lady of fragrant locks, saying: 
    “I would go to her even ere she would come to me.”    (1760) 
 
45.     With his wife and tender child of toddling gait 
    He bowed at the feet of the great wife who stood there 
    Like a young roe, and said: “I thrive by your grace; 
    The tender child, by your grace, bears your name.” 
    This said, he prostrated flat before her in worship.    (1761) 
 
46.     Beholding the adoring husband, she who was truly 
    A beauteous liana, and the gathered kin moved away 
    And stood stricken by fear; touched to the quick 
    And bitten by shame, the relations said: “O Wearer 
    Of a fragrant garland! What makes you worship 
    Your beauteous wife?”                    (1762) 
 
47.     He addressed the perplexed kinnery thus: “She is not 
    A mere human; she is indeed a deity great; aware of this 
    I left her and have named this, my daughter after her; 
    May ye too adore her golden feet and hail her.”        (1763) 
 
48.     When thus he spake, the confounded kinsfolk exclaimed: 
    “What may this be?” Hearkening to the merchant’s words, 
    She of fragrant locks, hailed the feet of the Lord 
    Of matted hair, decked with resounding anklets; 
    Then, she spake from her inmost consciousness 
    Welling up from her inner vision into which merged 
    Her mind and all.                    (1764) 
 
49.     “So, this is his persuasion; oh Lord, rid me of this 
    Burden of flesh poised in beauty and hitherto borne 
    For his sake; fittingly bestow on me Your slave, 
    The form of a ghost to hail You in Your world.” Thus she prayed 
    And thus she hailed the feet of the Supreme One.    (1765) 
 
50.     As she thus prayed, by the grace of the Lord-Dancer 
    Upborne by a supernal consciousness, she who was to get 
    What she prayed for, shook away all her flesh where 
    Abode beauty, and stood a skeletal being --, 
    The form of the hallowed ghost --, hailed by 
    Heaven, earth and all.                    (1766) 
 
51.     It showered flowers everywhere; the music 
    Of celestial tuntupis filled all the worlds and reverberated; 
    Munis were delighted; Siva’s hosts danced Kunalai. 
    The flawless kinsfolk that stood before her adored her; 
    Struck with awe, they moved away.            (1767) 
 
52.     By the integer of wisdom which welled up from within 
    She hailed the Lord of Uma with Arputa-th-Tiruvantati 
    Then and there; in love she sang thus: “Behold! I’ve 
    Become now part of the goodly hosts of Siva that hail 
    The beauteous and roseate feet of the Lord.”        (1768) 
 
53.     She sang the glorious Erattai Mani Malai 
    In choice anaphoretic verse; prompted by 
    Spiralling transconsciousness she was on her 
    Holy way to the argent Mount Kailas great, where abides 
    The Lord who, of yore, burnt the triple cities.        (1769) 
 
54.     Those that eyed her, fled away struck by her 
    Awesome form; when she heard them utter words 
    Scared by her form, she thought thus: If the Lord 
    Of celestials be pleased to know who I am, of what avail 
    Are these remarks by the men of earth, strangers to truth?”(1770) 
 
55.     With a speed exceeding that of the mind 
    She traveled fast the realms in the north; 
    She came near the Mount Kailas of pervasive radiance 
    Where abides the Wielder of the Trident, decked with 
    A garland of Konrai blooms burgeoning in serried order; 
    She durst not tread with her feet the holy ascent 
    But measured it with her head.                (1771) 
 
56.     When with her head she ascended the argent mountain 
    Of Sankara, devotion in her swelled up more and more; 
    The daughter of Himavant of bow-like brow, 
    Who is concorporate with Her brow-eyed Lord who sports 
    As a chaplet the ever-young crescent on His head, 
    Cast Her look of grace on her.                (1772) 
 
57.     The divine heart of the Goddess wondering, 
    She addressed Her Lord, in love thus: “O Lord! 
    Behold the love of the skeletal being that measures 
    The ascent with its head!” Unto our Goddess 
    The Lord spake graciously thus:                (1773) 
 
58.     “She that cometh, O Uma, is truly a Mater that fosters Us! 
    She prayed for that glorious form and was blessed with it.” 
    Then as she neared Him, He addressed Her with that 
    One unique word “Mater” that all the worlds 
    Might stand redeemed.                    (1774) 
 
59.     When He graciously addressed her as ‘Mother’ 
    She hailed Him as ‘Father’, fell at His roseate feet 
    Of lotus and rose up; the Lord who is decked 
    With the ear-ring of white chank, graciously eyed her 
    And asked her: “What may your prayer be?” 
    The adoring servitor bowed and then spake.        (1775) 
 
60.     She prayed for deathless devotion blissful and she 
    Prayed again: “I seek birthlessness; should I be 
    Born again, then let me never, never forget You; 
    Also let me pray for the boon to hymn in delight, 
    O Holy One, near beneath Your feet when You dance.”    (1776) 
 
61.     Even thus He graced her and said: “In Alankadu 
    Girt with fields and blazing in the south 
    With sempiternal splendour you are blessed to witness 
    The Great Dance; linked with joy, for ever may you 
    Hymn us in songs and psalms.” Thus spake He, 
    The prop of them that hail Him.                (1777) 
 
62.     Thus blessed, the Mother took leave of the Lord 
    Who is the import true of the Vedas, adored Him 
    And moved away; borne by an ineffable love great 
    She measured the away to Tiruvalankadu, 
    Glorious and goodly, with her head.            (1778) 
 
63.     In Alankadu she beheld the Dance of the Lord 
    Whose uplifted foot divine straight swept 
    The heavens; witnessing this marvel, she sang 
    The goodly hoary decad which oped thus: 
    “Breasts dried fleshless!” Thus she hailed Him 
    Whose source is unknown; there she throve 
    Hailing the dance lovingly hailed by the world.        (1779) 
 
64.     Her loving devotion great swelled the more, when she 
    Eyed before her the divine dance of the Lord who is 
    Decked with Konrai blooms whose petals breaths fragrance; 
    Struck by marvel she sang the hymn which oped thus: 
    Etti, Elavam, Eekai.... and concluded thus: 
    “Dances the beauteous One to the beat of drum.”        (1780) 
 
65.     Who can ever essay to measure the glory of her 
    Who was endearingly addressed as ‘Mother’ 
    By the Lord who received and (still) retains on His crest 
    The flood? She is the one who for ever abides 
    Beneath the uplifted foot, roseate and redemptive, 
    Of the Lord of the Cosmic Dance.            (1781) 
 
66.     Having hailed the radiant and flower-soft feet 
    Of the Mother who sings before the Lord who doth 
    Dance in grace and who is beginningless and endless, 
    I proceed to narrate the divine service of Appoothi, 
    The divinely enlightened muni great of Tingaloor 
    The town girt with fields of cool water.        (1782) 
 
---------------- 
 
Stanza    Line 
 
   6        St. Sekkizhar says that Punitavatiyar was perfect in every limb hailed  
        as auspicious in works on Auspicious Anatomy (Samudrika Lakshana)  
        by knowledgeable authors. 
 
   6    3-5    When a girl becomes nubile, she stays indoors. 
 
  11        Bull        :     In Tamil literature a lad is described as a bull  
                    and a lass a peacock. 
 
  20        St. Sekkizhar coins a word (Illalan) thereby supplying a long-felt want in  
        the Tamil tongue.  The lady of the house is called illall.  The word illan  
        how-ever does not refer to one who is the lord of the house.  It refers to  
        one who owns nothing, a mere pauper.  Both in Sanskrit and Tamil, the  
        word ‘Home’ stands for the wife.  “Home is but a synonym for wife” goes  
        the Sanskrit adage which says “Grihini grhiham uchyate.” (Bharati.)  The  
        world of Tamil letters is ever indebted to St. Sekkizhar for his having  
        coined three rich words (Illalan, Manaippati, ll Iraivan) whereby the  
        masculine gender for the word illal can be indicated. 
 
  26        The husband was a merchant in the true sense of the word.  He could assess  
        the value of any material. 
 
  31        cf. The Lord’s admonition to Joseph, St. Matthew.  1-24-25. 
 
  43        cf. Janakanam kule kirtim - Valmiki. 
 
  49        The form of  ghost, Animated skeletal self wrought of Suddha-Maya.   Its form  
        is of bones.  It is endowed with awe-inspiring effulgence.  It can travel  
        anywhere at will, at a speed defying human calculation.  It is endowed with  
        organs, outer as well as inner, all divine.  For further details see stanza 50. 
 
  64        Etti    :     Strychnos nuxvomica 
 
        Elavam    :    Bombax pretandrum or Eriodendron anfractuosum. 
 
        Eekai    :    Zizyphus Napeca (Soorai) 
 

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. kAraikkAl ammaiyAr purANam in English prose 
2. காரைக்கால் அம்மையார் புராணம் (தமிழ் மூலம்) 
3. thiruththoNDar purANam main page
4. 12 shaivite thirumuRais