(pukazhtthunai nAyanAr purANam - Periyapuranam as English poetry)

 
 
        "I am a servitor of Pukazhtthunai who dedicated his mind 
        To the auric feet of the Lord that dances, even as 
        The snake dances on his circling vestment of tiger-skin" 
         
                        - The Tiru-th-Tonda-th-Tokai 
 
1.     He came to be born in the ever-during and divine clan 
    Of Siva Brahmins of Ceruviliputthoor; he was unique 
    In his sacred and personal servitorship to the Lord 
    Whose bow is Mount Meru; his matchless fame 
    Pervaded the whole world; he was called 
    Pukazhtthunaiyaar-- the ever-glorious.                (4127) 
 
2.     When he spent his days adoring his Lord King, in tapas 
    Poised in truth a famine swept the earth girt 
    With the swelling main, and hunger became rampant; 
    Yet, affirming “I will not give up my Lord-King,” 
    He performed night and day his pooja to the Lord 
    With many a fragrant flower and cool water.            (4128) 
 
3.     One day when he ritualistically bathed Him who is 
    Inaccessible to Brahma and Vishnu, as he languished 
    From dire hunger, he grew unsteady and could not hold 
    The beauteous pot of holy water; he dropped it on the crown 
    Of the blue-throated Lord, alas, and stood wilting.        (4129) 

 

 

4.     Then slumber closed his eyes by the grace of Sankara; 
    The Merciful One blessed him in his dream thus: 
    “Till the end of famine which has caused 
    The scarcity of food, We will place here for you 
    A coin (of gold).” Freed of his misery, he woke up.        (4130) 
 
5.     The Lord who rides the Bull in joy, gave him 
    A coin of gold which was placed at the foot 
    Of the Pita to free him from his misery; the devotee 
    Whose body had wasted with hunger, took it and felt happy; 
    Blessed with absolutely divine consciousness, 
    His face burgeoned, and he felt ecstatic.             (4131) 
 
6.     Like that day, on all succeeding day, with the coin 
    Thus received (he flourished); when the famine 
    That caused the dire distress of cruel hunger, 
    Passed away, he continued as ever to do his true 
    And personal service to the Lord of fulgurant 
    And ruddy matted hair, and reached the umbrage 
    Cast by the feet of the Holy Lord, where he was 
    To be ever hailed by the immortals of Siva-loka.        (4132) 
 
7.     Adoring the feet of Pukazhtthunaiyaar in whose mind 
    The feet of the Lord who is concorporate with Uma-- 
    Whose soft fingers sport with a ball wrought of petalled flowers--, 
    For ever abide, we proceed to narrate the servitorship 
    Of Kotpuliyaar, the wearer of a fragrant garland, 
    The peerless chief whose beauteous arms 
    Were smeared with aromatic sandal-paste.            (4133) 
 
---------------- 
 
NOTES 
 
Verse No. 
 
   1.    Ceriviliputthoor: This is now known as Azhakaarputthoor. 
     
    Pukazhtthunaiyaar: This name means: (1) “He who is the companion of  
    Glory and (2) he who is held by Glory as its companion. 
 
   2.    He performed. . .  cool water: The inference is that our Naayanaar who  
    was in the grip of famine, could not offer any neivedya (food-offering)  
    to Siva.  Yet he performed night and day his pooja to the Lord with many  
    a fragrant flower and cool water. 
 
   4.    Then slumber closed his eyes: Cf. (1) The slumber of St. Sundarar at  
    Tiruppukaloor and (2) the slumber of St. Appar at Maraikkaadu. 
 
        Beside the godly child and St. Appar, this Naayanaar was the  
    one to receive padikkaasu from Siva. 
 
 
            Here ends the Puranam of Pukazhtthunai 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. pukazththuNai nAyanAr purANam in English prose 
2. புகழ்த்துணை நாயனார் புராணம் (தமிழ் மூலம்) 
3. thiruththoNDar purANam main page
4. 12 shaivite thirumuRais