(tirunIlakanta nAyanAr purANam - Periyapuranam as English poetry)

 
 
        "I am a servitor unto the potter, Tirunilakantar" 
         
                        - The Tiru-th-Tonda-th-Tokai 
 
1.     He was born in the potters’ clan, at hoary Tillai 
    Sanctified by the Brahmins; the Lord, here 
    Dances His unique dance wondrous which is  
    Beginningless and endless, in Chitrambalam, 
    Witnessed by His Consort; well did he flourish 
    Hailing the ankleted feet of the Lord-God.            (360) 
 
2.     He shunned falsity and stood poised in piety; 
    His desire was to serve the true devotees of the Lord 
    Who sports on His matted hair the Ganga; 
    He lived as a householder 
    By the world extolled; he throve established 
    In the real wealth of true Saivism 
    Deeming that alone to be the redemptive grace.            (361) 
 
3.     He hailed from a clan immeasurably hoary 
    And made his living by making earthen vessels; 
    To the devotees of the Lord who wears the crescent, 
    He freely gifted bowls to their great delight; 
    Thus he throve, the young and handsome devotee. 
    But lo, by reason of his youth, he was incontinent.        (362) 
 
4.    His wife excelled even aruntati, the paragon of chastity; 
    She for ever contemplated the Blue Throat of the Lord 
    Which, as though it would thus reward the tapas of devotees, 
    Held the venom of the ocean devoured by the Lord; 
    She for ever chanted: “Tiru Nilakantam.”            (363) 
 
5.     When one day her husband returned home 
    Having had pleasure with a hetaira, 
    She could not endure it, and though she 
    Who was more beautiful than Lakshmi on melliferous lotus, 
    Discharged faithfully all the other duties, she would not 
    Consent to be touched by him at all.                (364) 
 
6.     With a view to persuade her to give up bouderie, 
    Her loving husband did all he could and beseeched her 
    In manifold ways, and when he was about to embrace her, 
    She said: “I bid you refrain from touching us 
    In the name of Tiru Nilakantam.”                (365) 
 
7.     He heard the ban which he would never transgress; 
    For, his deep devotion to the Primal Lord’s Blue Throat 
    Was such; the great one moved away leaving her, 
    And as though he were a stranger, he addressed her 
    Thus: “You said: ‘Us’; I’ll not therefore even mentally 
    Touch any one of womankind.”                    (366) 
 
8.     The chaste wife beautifully performed all her duties 
    To her husband without ever touching his person; 
    They abode indoors always, but in distinct apartments; 
    None was aware of the couple’s celibacy.            (367) 
 
9.     The young couple who alone were aware 
    Of the immeasurably glorious interdiction, 
    Held themselves irrevocably bound by it; 
    Years rolled on, and gone was their youth. 
    They grew beautifully old; though they were enfeebled, 
    Their love for their Lord was not a whit enfeebled.        (368) 
 
10.     While thus they lived, the Lord of dazzling matted hair 
    Which looked like the extending shoots of fire itself, 
    Assumed the form of a Siva-Yogi to demonstrate 
    To the world that His devotee’s way of life 
    Was indeed the true and redemptive way.                (369) 
 
11.    He was decked in keel and kovanam; stripes of the Holy Ash 
    Which confer immortality dazzled from His person; 
    The sacred thread lay on His shoulder and chest; 
    From His divine forehead issued the lustre (of the Holy Ash).    (370) 
 

 
 
12.     He concealed His long matted hair; He wore 
    Curly and bushy hair; bright was His smile 
    Like the rays of the moon; He held nobly 
    A begging-bowl in His Hand; 
    Thus He came to the Potter’s house.                (371) 
 
13.     He longingly beheld the Siva-Yogi-Tapaswi; 
    He reckoned Him as a pious devotee and hailed Him; 
    He received Him warmly and adored Him greatly; 
    His outward action manifested his inner though.            (372) 
 
14.     Deeming the Lord on whose matted hair glows the crescent 
    To be His devotee, he invited Him into his house 
    And in delight great, hailed Him duly 
    And stood beside Him in love abounding.                (373) 
 
15.     The devotee of the Lord who wears fragrant flowers 
    On his matted hair entreated Him thus: 
    “My Lord, in what way can I serve you?” 
    The God of gods replied him thus: “Keep this bowl 
    With you Sir, and return it when I ask for it.”            (374) 
 
16.     “It is non-pareil; it can purify all that is 
    Received into it; being more valuable than gold or gem 
    It must be treasured with greater care; 
    Such is its worth; receive it.” Thus He.            (375) 
 
17.    The glorious devotee -- the scion of the hoary clan 
    Of potters --, bowed and received it; 
    He hastened away and kept it in a very safe place 
    And then came back to the Lord.                    (376) 
 
18.     When the bowl was thus kept guarded 
    The Lord who came in a Brahmin’s guise took leave 
    Of the devotee; Him he followed to a distance 
    (As prescribed in the sastras), and with His leave returned. 
    The Lord hied back to His Ambalam.                (377) 
 
19.     Many days passed; the Lord caused the disappearance 
    Of the beauteous bowl from where it was kept; 
    To reveal unto the world the true nature of the potter, 
    The devotee firm-established in the principles 
    Of Saivism, He came to his house as before.            (378) 
 
20.     Him he received duly and adored, and said: 
    “That you have in grace thought of us 
    Marks the fruition of our tapas.” 
    “Give me back the luminous bowl, I entrusted 
    To your keeping, in the past.” Thus spake He 
    Who can all things grant and recall.                (379) 
 
21.     When thus He spake peremptorily, he moved in 
    To get the bowl of the tapaswi rare; 
    Lo, it wasn’t there; he was nonplussed; 
    He in vain questioned them that stood nearby; 
    He continued this search, all in vain; he stood mute 
    Unable to account for the gramarye of its disappearance.    (380) 
 
22.     The Lord of Parvati that stood disguised 
    As a Brahmin, thundered: “What means this delay? 
    You went in to return quick here!” 
    He then came out and adored the Lord 
    Of blue throat and began to speak thus:                (381) 
 
23.     “O my Father that wears the three-fold sacred thread! 
    I searched for it where I kept it and elsewhere too, 
    -- The wished for bowl that you entrusted to me --; 
    Lo, it is lost; I’ll give you a brand-new one 
    Far superior to the old one, lost by me; 
    Be pleased to receive it and forgive my lapse.” 
    Him he bowed and thus implored.                    (382) 
 
24.     He stared in wrath at the devotee who prostrated 
    And then stood before him; He said: “What’s it 
    That you speak? Except that goodly earthen bowl 
    I gave you, I’ll not accept even one made of gold; 
    Go, get me the bowl I gave you for safe-keeping.” 
    Thus He spake, the Ancient One.                    (383) 
 
25.     “O great one flawless, as what you gave me was lost 
    I searched for it everywhere, but could not find it; 
    When I beg to offer you a different goodly bowl 
    Far more durable, you’ll not deign to accept it 
    But wrangle with me; I stand jostled out of my sense.” 
    Thus he made his meek submission.                (384) 
 
26.     “What more could you do? Having coveted and committed 
    Theft of the article entrusted to you keeping 
    You play-act, and aren’t ashamed of your sins; 
    I’ll hold you tight, publish your deed, 
    And’ll not from you part without my bowl.” 
    Thus He spake, the ideal of piety.                (385) 
 
27.     “I did not commit theft of your bowl of foison; 
    I did not covert it even mentally; what should I do 
    To prove this?” When thus he spake, 
    He that had concealed the venom in His throat said: 
    “Hold your dear son by the hand, take a dip 
    In a tank and swear on your innocence.” 
    Thus spake He who is never unkind.                (386) 
 
28.     “O great one, to do your bidding, I am not 
    Endowed with a son who can falsify your accusation; 
    What am I to do? Pray tell me.” When he so spake, 
    He said: “Hold your wife, flawless and glorious, 
    And take a plunge in the tank thick with flowers.”        (387) 
 
29.     When the Lord who hath concealed His matted hair 
    Which conceals the Ganga, -- the Rider of the lovely-eyed Bull --, 
    So spake in grace, the potter answered thus: 
    “By reason of a vow alas, I canst not consent to what you say; 
    I’ll myself take a dip into the water; go with me.”        (388) 
 
30.     “You return not what you received; to disprove theft 
    You’ll not hold your wife’s hand, soft as shoot, 
    And take a plunge in water; you are sure adamantine; 
    I’ll now have recourse to the Court 
    Of Tillai-Brahmins.” Thus He, and hied away.            (389) 
 
31.    To the great assembly of Tillai-Brahmins 
    Of impeccable character, -- the adepts in the four Vedas --, 
    The infinite One fared forth; drawn by exceeding love 
    The great devotee went after him, involved in the lis.        (390) 
 
32.     Our Lord, the Brahmin (in disguise) preferred 
    His complaint before the great Brahmins thus: 
    “This potter would not return to me the bowl 
    I entrusted to him; had he truly lost if  
    He could hold his wife by hand, take a dip 
    In water and be done with it; he would not do it; 
    Obdurate is he.” Thus He.                    (391) 
 
33.     Concealing His matted hair of natural fragrance, 
    His shoulders four, triple eyes and the blue hue 
    Of His throat, when He, the Brahmin, spake thus, 
    The great Brahmins said: “O potter of sterling qualities! 
    Narrate truly the happenings.”                    (392) 
 
34.     “O ye Brahmins whose chests are decked with 
    Sacred threads! He who is here gave to my keeping 
    A bowl, and said that its worth was immense; 
    I kept it guarded; I know not how it vanished. 
    It had happened thus.” So spake the divine devotee 
    Who is not to be touché by evil, even distantly.        (393) 
 
35.     The Brahmins announced their verdict thus: 
    “If you had truly lost the bowl of this person 
    Who glows with the stripes of the holy ash, 
    And if this giver thereof bids you take an immersion 
    You are bound to do it with your loving wife.”            (394) 
 
36.     When the great devotee of tapas heard the Brahmins 
    Pass thus the verdict, he would not disclose 
    His incapacity to touch his wife; he but said: 
    “I’ll perform the immersion in a fitting manner.” 
    He beseeched the great muni of tapas to go with him, 
    And then homeward plied his steps.                (395) 
 
37.     He took his wife with him; to take the oath 
    Before the Brahmin -- the Siva-yogi --, he came 
    To the tank girt with flowery and honey-laden garden 
    Fronting the temple – Tiru-p-Pulicchuram; 
    He and his wife, each holding the one end 
    Of a beauteous bamboo-staff descended into the tank.        (396) 
 
38.     When, holding the staff, they stepped into the tank, 
    The Brahmin – the wearer of the white triple stripes 
    Of the holy ash, addressed him thus: 
    “Hold your wife by hand and do the immersion.” 
    Then to the hearing of all, expressing his inability, 
    He, the one flawless, narrated all the past happenings 
    And then into the water immersed.                (397) 
 
39.     As the couple emerged after their immersion 
    And moved to the bank, lo, they stood transformed; 
    Gone was their old age; they looked lovely and young; 
    Celestials and munis rained on them the flowers 
    Of Karpaka and it looked as though they were having 
    A second immersion, this time, into flowers.            (398) 
 
40.     As in that wondrous state they eyed the couple, 
    They beheld not Him -- the Author of the Vedas --, 
    That stood erewhile before them. “What may this be?” 
    They marveled and were struck with mystery. 
    Then they beheld Him and His Consort 
    In the skyey expanse, on their Mount, the Bull.            (399) 
 
41.     They beheld Him and with folded hands adored Him; 
    The celestials too that witnessed the glory of the couple, 
    Hailed them in love; with his wife the devotee 
    Praised and adored Him who was enthroned on the Bull 
    In the splendorous expanse of ether.                (400) 
 
42.     The Lord-Dancer of the Ambalam, the God of gods, that visits 
    The houses of every one of His devotees to make known 
    Their true way of life, spake thus to the couple: 
    “O ye glorious beyond reckoning, who conquered 
    The (mutinous) flesh! Be for ever with Us 
    Endowed with this perpetual youth!” 
    The Lord then merged into His state of formlessness.        (401) 
 
43.     The mighty devotee and his wife of lustrous smile, 
    Rosy lips, soft shoulder, and hair dark as river-bed sand, 
    Poised in grace, lived a rare and virtuous life 
    And attained Siva-Loka; graced with aeviternal youth 
    -- Rare to com by --, they flourish in bliss unending.        (402) 
 
44.     Having humbly hailed to the extent known to me 
    The glorious devotee who was free from delusion 
    And who maintained the vow taken in the Lord’s name 
    Without any one else knowing it in any way, 
    I now proceed to narrate the divine service 
    Of Yeyar Pakai, the merchant unflawed by falsity, 
    Of Poompukar dight with cloud-capped mansions.            (403) 
 
---------------- 
 
Stanza    Line 
 
  11        Keell        :     A string of cloth worn on waist from which is  
                    suspended kovanam. 
 
        Kovanam        :     A small loin-cloth. 
 
        G.U. Pope says    :    “An ascetic mendicant wears a very scanty cloth,  
                    suspended by a string round the waist.”  And that  
                    is kovanam. 
 
  15     5    Sir        :     The word in the original is ‘Nambi’ which as a noun  
                    means, an honourable gentleman.  The Tamil word  
                    lends itself to a pun in the context. Nambi also  
                    means: ‘trusting’ ‘believing’. 
 
  16        The suggestion is that the begging-bowl of Siva is an all-purifier.  
        The soul must empty Its all into that bowl. 
 
  17        The words in the original viz., ‘Manai’ ‘ore marunku’ and ‘Kappuru  
        ellai’, it is said, are respectively symbolic of ‘the body’, ‘mind’ and  
        ‘duty-consciousness’. 
 
  20        cf. “Vicchatthinriye vilaivu seykuvaai” 
 
                    - The Tiruvachakam. 
 
     6    The Lord is the Creator and also the Absorbefacient. 
 
  26     1    “What more could you do? You yourself admit that you are jostled out your  
        sense.  Not being sane according to you own confession, your further  
        acts will be of no avail to you.”  The suggestion is that the devotee is now  
        denuded of his Pasu-botham, and is to be endowed with Pati-botham  
        (God’s own knowledge). 
 
     3    You play-act    :    The word in the original is ‘bhavakam’. It means  
        the devotee is a constant practitioner of meditation.  Like his wife he ever  
        ever contemplated the Blue Throat of the Lord. 
 
        You aren’t ashamed of your sins: 
 
        cf.  “Natavar pazhitthurai poonathuvaka” 
 
                    - The Tiruvachakam. 
 
  37     3    The tank     :     It is called Vyagrapada Tirtam.  It is since  
                    known as “The tank of the Nayanar-youth”  
                    (ilamai Nayanar kulam). 
 
  42    1&2    cf. “Illangkall thorum yezhuntharuli” 
 
                    - The Tiruvachakam. 
 
 
 
 

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. thirunIlanakka nAyanAr purANam in English prose 
2. திருநீலநக்க நாயனார் புராணம் (தமிழ் மூலம்) 
3. thiruththoNDar purANam main page
4. 12 shaivite thirumuRais