(sirutthonda nAyanAr purANam - Periyapuranam as English poetry)

 
 
        "I am a serviteur of Sirutthondar of Tirucchengkaattangkudi" 
     
                        - The Tiru-th-Tonda-th-Tokai 
 
1.     That is a town beloved of the Lord who with the eye 
    On His beauteous forehead gutted with ruddy fire 
    The form of the god of love; it is bounteous 
    Tirucchengkaattangkudi situate in the beauteous 
    Realm of the Cauvery; its fields are the locale 
    Of the delightful sports of black-eyed farm-wives.        (3660) 
 
2.     In that sempiternal and sacred town, flourished 
    The Maamaatthiyar-clan of full-blown glory; 
    They were dedicated to the holy ash of the Lord 
    Of ruddy matted hair and were entrusted with the lofty duty 
    Of guarding the lives that thrive in the world. 
    Paranjyotiyaar extolled by many, came to be 
    Born in the clan, for its greater thriving.            (3661) 
 
3.     In the medical science of Aayur-Veda, the manifold arts 
    Treasured in Sanskrit, and in chivalrous warfare too, 
    He trained himself well and became a past-master; 
    He excelled in leading the ichorous tusker and also 
    The steed, and was renowned in the warfare 
    Of elephantry and cavalry.                    (3662) 
 
4.     He cultivated all soulful scriptures at all times 
    And in depth, and became convinced conscientiously 
    That the clarified conclusion of such scriptures 
    Points to the loving devotion of Siva’s ankleted feet; 
    So he was poised in such love and devotion which was 
    Like unto the flood that flowed amain downward, 
    For the feet of the Lord who kicked Death to death.        (3663) 
 
5.     He would render always such service befitting his nature 
    To the Lord’s devotees; he was the close aid to his 
    Flawless king and for his sake he waged and won 
    Many a war by leading the elephantry; by annexing 
    The several countries of the hostile kings, 
    He flourished well in the company 
    Of his king who was great in the strength of his chariots.    (3664) 
 
6.     For his king he led an army to the north and razed 
    To the ground the hoary city Vaataapi in a battle; 
    He led his hill-like tuskers of great trunks 
    And won the war; he captured and returned with heaps 
    Of gems and riches, herds of tuskers and also 
    Horses and such-like innumerable trophies of war; 
    These he brought before his royal liege.            (3665) 
 
7.     When the king of the bright-rayed crown witnessed 
    In wonder his peerless capacity to lead the elephantry 
    And praised him, the knowledgeable ministers said: 
    “He is blessed with the puissance of servitorship 
    To the crescent-crested Lord; there is none his peer 
    In this whole world.”                        (3666) 
 
8.     When the garlanded king heard that he was a sacred 
    Serviteur of his Lord, he said: “Woe is me that did 
    Not know him to be a devotee of the Lord of Devas!” 
    I plied him, alas, to give battle in the fierce war-front; 
    Quaking with fear, the king entreated Paranjyoti 
    Thus: “O my lord, forgive my sin.”                (3667) 
 
9.     Even before the king adored him thus, he paid 
    Obeisance to him and said: “I display 
    Such skill as befits my privileged  stewardship 
    In war; can aught of evil from this ensue?” 
    Thereupon, the king that wields a righteous sceptre, 
    Conferring on him heaps of riches and also 
    Tax-free endowments, adored him and said:            (3668) 
 
10.     “You discharged your duty without ever revealing 
    Your true  state of servitorship; now be pleased 
    To consent  to what my mind declares:  
    Be firmly poised in your true state so that it may 
    Grow resplendent, and perform your sacred, 
    Redemptive and grace-abounding servitorship.” 
    He also gave him leave to depart (at once).            (3669) 
 
11.     He took leave of his king and came to his town; 
    Paranjyotiyaar of celebrated renown adored 
    The Lord that wears the cool crescent in His crest 
    At Ganapatheeccharam and performed his sacred 
    Service as before, duly and without deviation.            (3670) 
 
12.     He rendered true service to the devotees of the Lord-Author 
    Of the Vedas; with his helpmeet Tiruvenkaattunangkai 
    Who hailed from a flawless family, he was established 
    In the harmonious life of a glorious, 
    Righteous and pious householder.                (3671) 
 
13.     He would duly and daily feast the devotees 
    Of the Lord that wears melliferous konrai flowers 
    In His crown, and then only have his food; 
    In great love he was poised unswervingly in this 
    Holy office, and flourished in great splendour.            (3672) 
 
14.     Pure and nectarean rice, varieties of fruits, 
    Sweets, curries of sextuple flavours, curdled curds 
    Milk, toothsome pastries and ambrosial water: 
    His feast was compact of these and willing devotees 
    Called on him, partook of his feast and felt 
    Delighted thanks to him whom the wide world extolled.        (3673) 
 
15.     In his loving service to the devotees of the Lord 
    Who wears on His crown of ruddy matted hair 
    The moist moon and the serpent, he conducted himself 
    As a very humble person; so he was known as Sirutthondar, 
    The lowly devotee, in this world.                (3674) 
 
16.     With his thought set on the Lord who sports an eye 
    In His forehead and who in joy abides at Ganapatheeccharam 
    He rendered services in soulfelt love; 
    He would flawlessly feed the devotees 
    Of endless glory and thus thrived in great delight.        (3675) 
 
17.     To him endowed full with tapas and his wife 
    Tiruvenkaattunangkai verily the root of growing 
    Domestic piety, by the grace of the river-crested Lord, 
    A divine son called Seerala Deva was born.            (3676) 
 
18.     When the unique son was born, his relations 
    Made decorations and revelled in glorious delight. 
    As the father came by a rare ruby, his growing joy 
    Could not be by his mind contained; the townsmen 
    Gathered and conducted the ‘Neiyaatal’ celebration.        (3677) 
 
19.     Auspicious instruments and Vedas resounded 
    And pervaded the heavens; limitless wealth was 
    Bestowed on the glorious devotees of the Merciful One; 
    In growing delight, they performed the ceremonies 
    For all the ten days in keeping with the family tradition 
    And decked the child with ‘Kaappu’.                (3678) 
 
20.     Giving joyously and bounteously to his loving 
    Kith and kin, he performed for the child 
    In growing joy all the rituals during its various parvas 
    In all splendour; the divine child then reached 
    The parva of ‘toddling gait’ when he plied softly 
    His feet ankleted with garland-like Kinkini.            (3679) 
 
21.     He was decked with a ‘cutti’ on his forehead where 
    His curls dangled densely; both his ears wore 
    Kutampai--ear-pendants; kandasaram bedecked 
    His neck; on his chest was aimpadai-taali; 
    His hands wore bangles of diamonds; a golden cord 
    Went round his waist; resounding salangkais 
    Bedecked his ankles; thus in jeweled splendour 
    The child played in joy in the street.                (3680) 
 
22.     When the child was three summers old, he underwent 
    The auspicious ceremony of tonsure; the parents 
    Of the peerless child with a view of cause his mind 
    Blossom, had him that came to be born for the snapping 
    Of their bondage, put to school to learn 
    The splendourous arts explicated by clear vocables.        (3681) 
 
23.     During that time the Lord of Sanbai came there; 
    Sirutthondar resplendent with his threefold 
    Sacred thread, fared forth to receive him; 
    He greeted the godly child, conducted him first  
    To the town, then to his house and thus did he 
    Come by the beatitude of adoring the glorious 
    And sacred feet of the Prince of Sanbai.            (3682) 
 
24.     The Lord of Sanbai abode with Sirutthondar 
    In great love that was ineffably glorious; 
    He glorified him in his decad extolled by the world, 
    Conferred on him intimate friendship 
    And in great joy continued to sojourn there.            (3683) 
 
25.     His servitorship which flourished thus, touched 
    The sacred feet of the Lord who abides in the great 
    Mount Kailaas; the Lord whose mount is the Bull, 
    With a view to savour of his true and abiding love, 
    And bless him, assuming the joyous and divine form 
    Of a Bhairava, came down from the sacred mountain.        (3684) 
 
26.     He wore His long matted hair bedecked with petalled 
    Kondrai blossoms, in curls and these were 
    Dark like nimbi that soared up having drunk 
    The water of the black main in abundance; 
    His long and curly hair, dense like a dark jungle 
    Waved in ringlets; the spreading bunches of dark hair 
    Were beautifully gathered and held in a top-knot.        (3685) 
 
27.     Like the constellation of stars beheld between 
    The clouds, radiant and fragrant tumpai flowers 
    Flashed in His hair; as if adding darkness to murkiness 
    Dense throngs of black beetles, golden bees 
    And honey-bees hummed over his dark cluster of hair.        (3686) 
 
28.     Like unto making the crepuscular crescent 
    Worn on one side of the crown into a full moon-- 
    Radiant and small--, His unique tilaka of the holy ash 
    On His bright-rayed and coral-hued forehead blazed.        (3687) 
 
29.     Like the confluence of the effulgence of the fierce 
    Surya-mandala, glowing Chandra-mandala and Agni-mandala, 
    In His exquisitely beauteous ears, He wore rubied ear-pendants 
    Wrought of lovely shell; on both sides dangled 
    In splendour todus set with sevvarattha flowers.        (3688) 
 
30.     As if to conceal the stain of venom in His throat 
    He wore on His neck a white chain of crystal beads 
    Wrought of the nectar that was churned out of the sea 
    Of milk; his chain of crystal beads would melt the life 
    And limb of those that contemplate Him.                (3689) 
 
31.     Like dusk maturing into darkness and overpowering 
    The incarnadine lustre that pervades the heaven when 
    The sun sinks into the western main, on His divine body 
    Like unto the coral in hue, he wore a vestment, made 
    Of the tusker’s hide which He peeled off, of yore.        (3690) 
 
32.     It looked as though that the soaring love of devotees 
    Formed the jewels on His divine person; He wore 
    A victorious garland wrought of the beads of bones, 
    Chains, chaplets and bangles for His hands, a loin-cord 
    For His waist and jewels for His feet; 
    His person glowed in great splendour.                (3691) 
 
33.     The very Vedas formed the divine anklets on His sacred 
    Feet and they seemed to proclaim thus: “Behold 
    The great mercy of the Lord who comes upon the earth 
    To grace peerless Sirutthondar; hail, for ever, 
    His grace willingly; be poised in increasing love.”        (3692) 
 
34.     In His left hand which usually holds the skull 
    Of Brahma, He held a radiant trident and it blazed 
    On His beauteous shoulder; His right hand 
    Of exceeding effulgence held the little drum which 
    Resounded in great resonance; the earth, by reason 
    Of its hoary tapas was blessed to bear His lotus-feet.        (3693) 
 
35.     His face divine which rains grace, was lit up by a smile 
    Of moon’s rays; His sharp trident that smites 
    The triple malas which breed bewilderment, blazed 
    Like sun’s rays; great love that reveals the True Ens 
    Flourished, hailed by the world; thus, even thus, came 
    The Lord to Sengkaattangkudi in the bounteous 
    Tamil country of abounding wisdom and clarity.            (3694) 
 
36.     Like one who was exceedingly esurient, he enquired 
    After the house of Sirutthondar, arrived thither 
    In great speed and addressed (its inmates) thus: 
    “Is Sirutthondar that wears a garland buzzed 
    By bees, the great serviteur that for ever provides food 
    For the sacred servitors, at home?”                (3695) 
 
37.     “He that is come, is surely a great saint.” 
    Thus convinced, the great serving maid called Santana 
    Came before him, fell at his feet and said: “He has 
    Gone out in quest of serviteurs of endless fame; 
    O our Lord-ruler, be pleased to step in.”            (3696) 
 
38.     Thereupon he spake to her thus: “We enter not, 
    All alone, any place where women alone abide.” 
    Hearing this and grown afraid that he might 
    Leave the house, the lady of the house called 
    Tiruvenkaattunangkai who was in charge 
    Of the house, came forth to the front-yard.            (3697) 
 
39.     And said: “He who feeds dutifully the devotees 
    Of the Lord of Ambalam, could not this day 
    Happen on any one; so my Lord, he has gone 
    In quest of them; if he but beholds you who have 
    Newly arrived in this, your divine habit, 
    He will deem it his great beatitude and will 
    Rejoice very much; he might not delay at all;            (3698) 
 
40.     “He will be here presently; be pleased to step in.” 
    Hearing this, he said: “O you who foster peerlessly 
    The householders’ dharma! We are from the North: 
    We came there to behold the ineffably glorious 
    Sirutthondar; for all your persuasion we will not 
    Consent to abide here during his absence.”            (3699) 
 
41.     He that came there concealing His eye in His forehead, 
    Subjoined and said: “We will be under the Aatthi 
    Full of beauteous flowers, in Ganapatheeccharam; 
    If he comes he may be apprised of the place 
    Where We are.” This said, the Great One came 
    To the divine Aatthi and willingly sat beneath it.        (3700) 
 
42.     Having searched for the devotees of the Lord who sports 
    A river in His crest, in all places, in vain, 
    Sirutthondar of glorious tapas came back to his house 
    Of bounty, narrated the unavailability to his sweet wife 
    Of endless love, and languished; then she told him 
    Of the advent of one whose divine habit commanded  
    The love and devotion of the entire world.            (3701) 
 
43.     Hearing this he said: “Lo, I stand redeemed! 
    Where indeed is he?” To this she replied thus: 
    “He that holds a sharp trident and a skull 
    For alms-bowl, said that he is from the North; 
    He is a Bhairava-Jangama who sports a little drum; 
    Though we requested him to stay in our house, 
    He would not do so; he went away to sit under 
    The fragrant Aatthi at Ganapatheeccharam.”            (3702) 
 
44.     When His wife so spake, borne by soaring love 
    He hastened thither, beheld him, fell at his sacred feet, 
    Rose up and stood aside; addressing the one standing, 
    He questioned thus: “Are you indeed the great lowly devotee?” 
    When he spake so in grace, after paying obeisance 
    To him, Sirutthondar replied as follows:            (3703) 
 
45.    “Though I am not worthy to stand before the devotees 
    Of the Holy ash and offer my prayers with them, 
    Yet the devotees of the Lord in sheer mercy and in grace 
    Call me so; though I was in quest of devotees who could 
    Do away with all flaws, yet I could not find them; 
    It is by my tapas I behold you here.                (3704) 
 
46.     “Be pleased to come to your servant’s house 
    To have your food”. When thus told, the serviteur 
    Unknown to Vishnu, said: “O you of resplendent tapas, 
    We came here to behold you; We reside in the Northern country; 
    It is impossible for you to feed Us 
    In all love; it is a rarity of rarities.”            (3705) 
 
47.     When He spake, Sirutthondar said: “I speak not 
    Without due deliberation; O you of great tapas 
    Whose beauty fills the eyes! Pray tell me, 
    How we should prepare your sacred food 
    So that we would hasten to do it; if one is blessed 
    With the presence of the devotees of the Lord who wears 
    A garland of cool konrai blooms, things which are  
    Not to be got even after strenuous search, 
    Will become easily available; nothing is rare for me.”        (3706) 
 
48.     When He heard him say: “Nothing is rare for me”, 
    The Lord that came in the form of a great bhairava 
    Spake thus in grace: “O devotee of great love! 
    After the passage of three ritus we feed when a pasu is  
    Felled and cooked; this day indeed is the day for Our  
    Eating; yet it is impossible for you to feed Us.”        (3707) 
 
49.     Hearing this he said: “Well, very well! I own 
    All the threefold cattle; I lack not anything; 
    If the devotee of the Lord that ate Aalam 
    As though it were nectar, be pleased to specify 
    The type of pasu, I will proceed forthwith 
    To arrange the cooking, and return in time.” 
    Thus he spake folding his hands in adoration.            (3708) 
 
50.     Beholding the love and sympathy of the exceedingly 
    Cultured Sirutthondar, Bhairavar said: O great friend 
    Of devotees! The pasu to be felled for My eating should be  
    A human pasu; it must be five years old and from flaws 
    Be free in all its limbs. Then, like driving 
    A spike in a wound, he said: “I have one more thing to add.”    (3709) 
 
51.     Hearing this, Sirutthondar said: “Nothing is 
    Impossible of achievement for me; be pleased  
    To disclose your need to me.” Then the Lord said: 
    “The boy must be the only son of a noble family; 
    His father must cut him while his mother should 
    Hold him; both must in all joy and without blemish 
    Cook the curry; only that We eat.”                (3710) 
 
52.     Thus graced by the Primordial One, the devotee said: 
    “If I, your servant, am blessed with the boon 
    Of feeding you, my Lord, even that is nothing rare.” 
    This said he took swift leave of him, adored 
    His melliferous, soft and lotus-like feet and in great 
    Delight, hied to his house, borne by love.            (3711) 
 
53.     The godly woman of great love and chastity-- 
    TiruVenkaattu Nangkai--, stood at the threshold 
    Of the house awaiting the coming of Sirutthondar; 
    When she beheld his bright and joyous face 
    She fell at his feet; then she addressed 
    Her husband to learn of the great tapaswi.            (3712) 
 
54.     Thereupon the munificent lord told his wife thus: 
    “The great tapaswi will be pleased to get fed here 
    Provided, a five year old and only son whose limbs 
    Are flawless, is held by the mother and willingly cut 
    By the father and then is cooked and served as his meal.”    (3713) 
 
55.     He continued to address his wife, a rare 
    Woman of lofty tapas, thus: “We should duly 
    Arrange for the meal, to come by the boon 
    Of feeding the great Bhairava--Jangkama!”  
    Hearing this, his wife said: “How can we ever 
    Get the only son from a family for this?” 
    This said, she bowed to her husband.                (3714) 
 
56.     He thereupon addressed her thus: “Perchance, 
    Sons that can satisfy the stringent stipulations 
    May be acquired from parents by giving them 
    Wealth to their hearts’ content; but then 
    No parents will straight butcher their son; 
    So delay not; let us call the son that you bore 
    For my redemption.”                        (3715) 
 
57.     She consented to what her husband said; 
    She deemed it their loving duty to behold 
    The joy-filled visage of the Lord’s serviteur 
    After he was duly and without any delay, fed; 
    So the Lakshmi-like woman told her husband thus: 
    “Please fetch from the school our son, verily, 
    A ruby, born for our redemption.”                (3716) 
 
58.     Thus told by the loving wife, the husband 
    Felt that he was then and there, blessed 
    With all flawless boons; he hastened away 
    To the school to fetch from there the son 
    Of soft, lisping words, for cooking him 
    As nectarean food for the Lord.                    (3717) 
 
59.     When he reached the school, the child came running 
    To him and his calangkais tinkled musically; 
    He embraced his father who lifted him onto his 
    Shoulder and hied homeward; as he entered the housed, 
    His wife--the lady par excellence of her clan--, 
    Came before her husband, the munificent lord, 
    And received the child from him.                (3718) 
 
60.     She adjusted the hair on his head, wiped his face 
    And removed the dust from his ear-rings and loin-cord; 
    She felt sad as the fragrant paste on his person 
    Had worn off; she adjusted the collyrium with which 
    His eyes were painted; she whose soles of feet shy 
    At even the touch of the silk-cotton dyed red, bathed 
    The child ceremoniously and decked and dressed him 
    Flawlessly and then placed him into her husband’s hands.    (3719) 
 
61.     As he was to be cooked as food and curry 
    For the serviteur, he was by fear prevented 
    From smelling in love and affection, the crown 
    Of his rare child; he hugged him close; 
    Yet he would not kiss him; for preparing the curry 
    For the flawless and sacred serviteur, with a willing 
    Mind, he would not move into the kitchen; 
    He went into a different apartment.                (3720) 
 
62.     Those two of integrated minds knowing well 
    That the men of the world would not construe aright 
    Their act, moved into a secret place; the mother carried 
    With her well-washed vessels; the father that had 
    Conquered and beyonded the nature 
    Of the phenomenal world, held the head of the child.        (3721) 
 
63.     In all swiftness the mother tucked inher lap 
    The child’s feet decked with chiming kinkinis; 
    She also held the hands of her child whose lips were 
    Like unto fruit, with her hands; the beloved child 
    Finding his parents happy, rejoiced; then the father 
    Sawed away with an instrument the head 
    Of the peerlessly great son.                    (3722) 
 

                                

 

 
 
64.     The father felt that his peerlessly glorious son 
    Conferred on him the true beatitude and was 
    Radiant with joy; his wife was heartily happy 
    As her child had truly granted to her, the life 
    Of her husband; the two that were thus established 
    In great delight, performed the rare deed.            (3723) 
 
65.     As the severed head would not serve as food 
    It was handed over to the serving maid Santana 
    For secret disposal; the flesh in the other limbs 
    Was cut, sliced and removed; bones were broken 
    And marrow was collected; for preparing curry 
    Spices were added and the housewife in all celerity 
    Plied herself to prepare the food.                (3724) 
 
66.     She of perfumed locks, placed her cooking vessel 
    Over the oven and did the cooking joyously; 
    She brought it down when it was well-cooked; 
    She did taalitam with all the necessary ingredients 
    In a goodly and different vessel; then in all swiftness 
    She prepared other dishes of curry; she had rice also 
    Duly cooked; then she informed her husband.            (3725) 
 
67.     “For the feasting of the lord, sacred food had been 
    Prepared as specified by him.” So he felt more delighted 
    Then even before; he, the serviteur of the Lord-Rider  
    Of the Bull, hied in all speed, and came before 
    The holy one who was under the Aatthi over whose 
    Soft flowers chaffers hummed.                    (3726) 
 
68.     Coming before the Lord’s presence, he paid obeisance 
    To Him and submitted thus: “In love did I 
    Beseech you to visit your servant’s house 
    To have your food there, though you were forced 
    To wait all along in hunger; yet I have duly 
    Carried out your command; be pleased to come 
    With me to fulfil my desire.”                    (3727) 
 
69.     When he said: “Please tarry not even for a moment 
    But come at once to have your sacred food,” and paid 
    Obeisance to Him, the Lord that had concealed His stain 
    On His neck and His eye on the forehead, said: 
    “O lowly devotee whose glory is full, let Us go.” 
    Then, he like the indigent one suddenly blessed 
    With the twyfold wealth, conducted Him to his house.        (3728) 
 
70.     Thus they came into the beauteous house; the wife 
    Of Sirutthondar came before Him and fell at His feet; 
    In that house fully decorated with fragrant wreaths 
    And chains of pearl, she showed Him 
    A seat damasked with fragrant flowers; 
    As she poured out fragrant water from a pot,            (3729) 
 
71.     Sirutthondar washed with that holy water 
    The ankleted feet of the Radiant One, sprinkled 
    The water that had washed the feet, profusely 
    On their heads and also over every part of the house; 
    With sandal paste, lamp and lighted camphor, 
    He performed unto Him pooja, and waved incense 
    Before Him; these and other rituals he duly performed.        (3730) 
 
72.     Then when the wife and husband beseeched 
    The Lord Bhairava--the wearer of the moist moon 
    In His matted hair--, now resplendent 
    With flower-bedecked crown of hair, as to how 
    He should be served with rice and curry, He said: 
    “With goodly rice serve together all the curried dishes.”    (3731) 
 
73.     The leaf in which the food was to be served 
    Was washed, a white cloth was spread on a tripod; 
    On the leaf, the toothsome rice and other dishes 
    Of curry were duly and distinctly served 
    In all splendour; then the leaf was placed on the tripod 
    Over which a white and soft cloth had been spread; 
    Witnessing this the pure and purifying One said:        (3732) 
 
74.    “Have you cooked as I directed you, all the parts 
    Of the pasu toothsomely and in splendour?” 
    Thus questioned, the lady of the house, verily a swan, spake 
    Thus: “We have not cooked the pate as its mutton would 
    Not serve as food.” Hearing this, He that does away with all troubles, 
    Said: “That too, we eat.”                    (3733) 
 
75.     Bewildered, Sirutthondar and his wife stood 
    Sorrowing; then the servant maid Santana said: 
    “I had also cooked the pate’s mutton thinking 
    That the serviteur might think of it when he sat 
    Down for his meal.” When she took it out and gave it 
    The visages of the couple burgeoned bright.            (3734) 
 
76.     When Sirutthondar served that dish 
    And stood bowing, the Lord commanded him thus: 
    “I cannot eat alone; get also the servitors 
    That may be available in these parts.” Hearing this,  
    He mused thus: “Ha, I am lost! Is this to be 
    The contretemps for his taking the meal?”            (3735) 
 
77.     Even when he moved out of the house 
    And searched for them, he could, by the grace 
    Of God, find them nowhere; so with a sorrowing visage 
    He spake to the Primordial One thus: “I find not 
    The sweet ones either on earth or heaven; 
    I too wear the holy ash seeing that the dwellers 
    Of earth do it.” This said, he paid obeisance to Him.        (3735) 
 
78.     Hearing this, the Bhairavar said: “Is there any to equal 
    You in your servitorship to the Holy Ash? 
    You may eat with Me.” Addressing the divinely chaste 
    Tiruvenkaattunangkai He said: “Duly serve him rice, 
    Meat and all.” She did so; however when Sirutthondar with a view 
    To make Him eat, was about to eat, He prevented him and said:    (3736) 
 
79.     “Without waiting for Us who eat once in six months, 
    Why do you that eat daily, hasten to eat? 
    If you have truly a flawless son to eat 
    With Us, call him.” Thus told Sirutthondar 
    Addressed Him who is without beginning or end 
    And said: “He will not be of use now.”                (3738) 
 
80.     Hearing this, the Lord said: “It will be possible 
    For Us to eat here only if he comes here; so call him 
    In love.” Thus bidden, he could endure it no longer; 
    He anxiously mused thus: “For our godly leader 
    To eat here, what is it that we can possibly do?” 
    With his wife of soft and flower-decked koontal 
    He moved out swiftly to call his son.                (3739) 
 
81.     Sirutthondar whose glory fills the world, 
    Called out thus: “O son, come!” The woman too, 
    Established in her duty for her lord, called out 
    Thus: “O my splendorous ruby! Seeraala come 
    For us to gain deliverance by his eating here! 
    The serviteur of Siva calls you to eat with him; 
    Come!” Thus, even thus, she cried aloud.            (3740) 
 
82.     Then by the grace of the supreme Lord, came he running 
    From the school as if in answer to the call; 
    The mother hugged the peerless child of non-pareil 
    Beauty with her hands, and delivered 
    Him into the hands of her husband; he grew 
    Exceeding glad, convinced that, by the grace 
    Of the Lord that burnt the triple hostile cities, 
    He was blessed to feed the divine serviteur.            (3741) 
 
83.     He rushed with his son to feed the serviteur; 
    Before he could go there, the Primordial Lord 
    Who came there as a Bhairavar had vanished; 
    Unable to find Him, he stood bewildered; he fell 
    Down; he felt confounded; neither could he  
    Find there the cooked meat, curry and rice 
    On the served leaf; he was astonished.                (3742) 
 
84.     He mused thus: “Where is he hiding himself, 
    The roseate-hued, black-haired Bhairavar 
    Of splendorous vestment, without eating?” 
    He searched for Him and came out in quest of Him; 
    Then the vanished Bhairava with the liana-like 
    Daughter of Himavant and their son 
    That grew up in Saravana, appeared before him.            (3743) 
 
85.     The Lord hailed by the Bhoota-hosts, Munis, Devas 
    And Vidyadharas, was so enthroned on His 
    Peerless mount, the white Bull, as could be beheld by them 
    That cooked for Him toothsome curry and nectarean food; 
    With his crown of moist and white moon gently nodding, 
    The Lord cast his look of great mercy on them.            (3744) 
 
86.     The devotee who won by his love, his fitting wife 
    And child, beheld before them the Great Life; total they 
    Beheld, and were steeped in rapture; their minds 
    And bones melting, they fell down; up they rose; 
    They hailed Him; then the Lord would grace the great ones 
    Befitting their respective greatness.                (3745) 
 
87.     The Lord who wears Konrai blooms on His matted hair, 
    Uma, His Consort who is concorporate with Him 
    And Their Son of long and triumphal spear 
    Translated to Siva-loka, the standing devotee, his wife 
    And child and also the servant-maid, there to abide 
    For ever without parting, under Their fragrant 
    And roseate and lotus-like feet.                (3746) 
 
88.     We wear on our crown the redemptive feet of him 
    Who was blessed with the boon of cutting 
    And cooking his flawless son, as nectarean food 
    And curry for the serviteur of the Lord who sports 
    The river in His crest, and with their aid 
    We proceed to adore and narrate the glory of Kazharitru 
    Arivaar who conned whatever (other) beings uttered.        (3747) 
 
---------------- 
 
NOTES 
 
Verse No. 
 
   1.    Tirucchengkaattangkudi: Ever since the ascension of our Naayanaar,  
    a festival known as Amutu Padai is celebrated in this town.  Obviously  
    this has a nexus with the Bhairavar episode which is central to the  
    Puranam.  Only two days are set apart (they being Chittirai-Barani and  
    Aippasi-Barani) as the Vrata – fulfillment days, by the Sivaagamas.  
    The Bhairava visiting Sirutthondar, says: “We eat but once in six  
    months.”  It is on a Chittirai-Barani, our Naayanaar gained ascension. 
 
   2.    Maa-Maatthirar clan: A clan of physicians and surgeons.  It is different  
    from Aamaatthiya clan which is Brahminical.  The place of the Maa Maatthira  
    is between the Brahmin and the Kshatriya. 
 
   6.    Vaataapi: The battle at Vaataapi (Badami) took place in the year 642 A.D.  
    Our Naayanaar was then the General of Narasimhavarma Pallavaa who  
    vanquished Pulikesi II. 
 
  13.    Our Naayanaar held fast to the rule of feeding every day Siva’s servitors.  
    St. Sekkizhaar says that, in great love, he was unswervingly poised in this  
    holy office. 
 
  14.    Sirutthondar: Dr. G.U. Pope’s translation of this name is ‘lowly devotee’.  
    Lowly means humble. 
 
  17.    Seeraalan: The one of great glory.  He was born at or about 644 A.D. 
 
  22.    When Seeraalan was three years old, he was sent to the village school.  In  
    modem times, we find that this hoary custom stands revived. 
 
  23.    This verse tells us that Seeraalan was three years old when St. Sambandhar  
    made a visit to his house.  This gives us a clue to fix the time during which  
    St. Sambandhar flourished.  Sambandhar was eight years old when he came  
    to the house of Sirutthondar.  The entire family gained ascension when  
    Seeraalan was five years old.  No wonder we miss this family at the wedding  
    of Sambandhar. 
 
  24.    The decad sung by St. Sambandhar refers to Sirutthondar as Seeraalan,  
    that is, the one that is glorious. 
 
  25.    This verse speaks of the truth that love and devotion can compel God’s  
    advent on earth.  In this instance the Lord chooses to come as a  
    Bhairava -- a Saivite of Northern India.  These Saivites are meat-eaters. 
 
  38.    The Bhairava is not a misogynist.  He is a martinet.  Vide verse 40. 
 
  43.    Aatthi: Common mountain-ebony: Bauhini racemosa.  This tree is sacred to  
    Siva.  He wears its flowers on His matted hair. 
 
  46.    O You . . . to behold You: Lord Siva knows His servitors.  He comes  
    down to make known their glory to the world at large. 
 
  48.    Nothing is rare for me: this affirmation is not one that is ego-begotten.  
    Our Naayanaar solely relies on the grace of Siva and His servitors. 
 
48-52.    The conditions stipulated by the Bhairava are well-nigh impossible to  
    comply with.  However our Naayanaar has in his wife a helpmeet who  
    can rise to any occasion.  Devotion and chastity are queenly virtues.  
    To a woman who is blessed with these sterling qualities, nothing is  
    impossible of achievement.  Such a woman can retrieve from Death a  
    lost life; she can stop the course of the sun itself. 
 
        Though the vow of our Naayanaar is not a proclaimed one, it  
    is for the quotidian implementation of that vow, he lives.  He must at least  
    feed a servitor of Siva every day.  His wife is sharply alive to this.  No  
    sacrifice on her part is too great to perform, if only it is for the  
    implementation of this vow.  Read verse 64. 
 
  65.    As the head. . . disposal: Where the Naayanaar and his wife erred in  
    their judgement, their servant-maid did not.  The role she played is  
    central to the sacrifice.  Se verse 75.  If one is blessed with such a  
    servant, one is blessed with eternal youth, according to the Sankam  
    poet Pisir Aantaiyaar. 
 
76-80.    The Bhairava stipulates unexpected and apparently unfulfillable conditions. 
 
  83.    The disappearance of the Bhairava proves his earlier pronouncement.  
    “It is impossible for you to feed Us . . . .” verse 46.  The Lord’s food  
    is love and devotion.  According to the reckoning of the phenomenal  
    world, these are not edible substances. 
 
  84.    Saravana: Murukan.  Murukan manifests to behold his amsa in the  
    form of Seeraalan. 
 
 
        Here ends the Puranam of Sirutthonda 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. chiRuththoNda nAyanAr purANam in English prose 
2. சிறுத்தொண்ட நாயனார் புராணம் (தமிழ் மூலம்) 
3. thiruththoNDar purANam main page
4. 12 shaivite thirumuRais