(tirunIlanakka nAyanAr purANam - Periyapuranam as English poetry)

 
 
        "I am a servitor of Neelanakkar of Satthamangkai 
        girt with resounding waters." 
 
                        - The Tiru-th-Tonda-th-Tokai. 
 
1.     In the ponds of Satthamangkai carps leap over blown lotuses; 
    The town is girt with fields rich in ripe paddy crops; 
    It is in the land fed by the Cauvery and is world-famous; 
    It is the queen of towns where reside auspicious Brahmins.    (1828) 
 
2.     In that goodly town of foison, women of fragrant foreheads 
    Bathe in the tanks of soft-petalled flowers; 
    With the damsels dance the swans in the fords; 
    A good many starlings chant the Sama Veda 
    With the throngs of boys who chant the Vedas 
    And even instruct them.                        (1829) 
 
3.     They concluded after due spiritual investigation 
    That the true import of Truth is the holy ash; 
    They fostered it and thrived under its protection; 
    These were the twice-born who tended the triple fire 
    In that town; 
    To the triple fire like unto dharma that helped one 
    Cross the sea of transmigration 
    Their women added a fourth -- their chastity, 
    And tended the fourfold fire.                    (1830) 
 
4.     In that ancient town where Brahmins thrived 
    Unswerving from the great and righteous way of life, 
    Flourished Neelanakkar whose life was 
    A living commentary of the four Vedas 
    Which indeed excel the greatness of earth itself. 
    He was a loving servitor of the Lord 
    Whose throat holds the poison.                    (1831) 
 
5.     He was blessed with the certain knowledge 
    That the true import of the Vedas 
    Was the adoration of the Lord in whose matted hair 
    Courses the flood, and the performance in love, 
    Of pada-pooja and worship to His servitors. 
    He was poised in this thought which bade him 
    Perform these two acts only, in devotion.             (1832) 
 

 
 
6.     Duly would he daily perform the pooja unto the Lord-Author 
    Of the Vedas, as prescribed by the truthful Agamas; 
    Then would he undertake to do all service 
    For the servitors of the Lord, right from feeding them.        (1833) 
 
7.     As he thus lived, on an Adirai-Day 
    When he had duly completed his pooja to the Lord 
    The holy servitor desired to perform archana 
    For the Lord enshrined in hoary Ayavanti.            (1834) 
 
8.     Taking with him, from his house, in integrating love 
    And without lack, all that is needed for the pooja 
    The servitor of limitless tapas fared forth 
    With his wife and reached the Lord’s temple.            (1835) 
 
9.     He entered the temple, adored the twin feet 
    Of the nectarean Lord of Ayavanti and commenced the pooja; 
    His wife helped him with needed service; 
    The spiritually great one thus performed the pooja.        (1836) 
 
10.    The pooja came to an end, but not his love; 
    He went round the prakara encircling the Lord, 
    Fell prostrate, rose up, and standing 
    In His presence hailed Him, casting looks profound 
    On the Ens still searched by the Vedas; 
    Then he chanted before Him the mystic pentad 
    As ordained, conscientiously.                    (1837) 
 
11.     When the servitor of boundless askesis 
    Chanted as ordained the Panchakshara 
    The gloried truth of which is explicated 
    By the Vedas and all other scriptures, 
    A spider slipped from its web and fell down 
    On the divine frame of the Lord 
    Who bent the huge and auric Meru into a bow.            (1838) 
 
12.     When thus the spider fell down, 
    The wife that stood nearby, 
    Like a fear-borne mother 
    Who with her lips would blow away 
    A spider that had fallen on her tender child, 
    In overflowing love blew away that spider.            (1839) 
 
13.     The wife did so as her heart was sorely agitated. 
    When the Brahmin whose tapas would quell bondage, 
    Witnessed this, he closed his eyes and said: 
    “What is it, oh senseless one, you have done?” 
    (Thus questioned) she said: “As the white spider 
    Fell on Him, I blew it away.”                    (1840) 
 
14.     He would not consider the love 
    That impelled his wife to act thus; 
    The wearer of the sacred thread but thought 
    That such an act had polluted his pooja; 
    He resolved to forsake her.                    (1841) 
 
15.     “Instead of getting rid of the spider that fell 
    On the divine person of the Pure One whose matted hair 
    Dazzles like the lightning, by some other means, 
    You blew over Him polluting Him with saliva; 
    I hereby forsake you.” Thus he spake.                (1842) 
 
16.     It was evening and the sun sank 
    Behind the western mountain; 
    The wife stepped aside as commanded; 
    He performed the expiatory rites 
    And completed the pooja. 
    Then the servitor of the Lord of the matted hair 
    Fared forth and entered his protected house.            (1843) 
 
17.     Her heart was with fear fraught; 
    She dared not go near her husband; 
    She abode within the Temple of the Lord who ate the poison; 
    Tiruneelanakkar versed in the well-worded Vedas 
    Slept that night on the soft cotton mattress.            (1844) 
 
18.     As he thus slumbered, the Lord of Ayavanti 
    With His crest where the Ganga rests, appearing 
    In his dream, revealed to him His divine frame, 
    And said in grace: “Barring this side over which 
    She blew in love, behold here the other side 
    Full of boils and blisters by the spider caused.”        (1845) 
 
19.     He thought it not to be a dream but as that 
    Which took place in the wakeful state; 
    With hands folded above his head he woke up 
    Having had the mystical tremendum. 
    The servitor danced in adoration, 
    Sang hymns and worshipped Him. 
    He hailed the mercy of the Lord 
    Of the universe and wept.                    (1846) 
 
20.     As the night melted and day broke 
    He went into the temple, fell prostrate 
    At the feet of the Primal Lord, the God of Ayavanti, 
    Rose up and hailed Him, 
    Then with the venerable woman he repaired to his house.        (1847) 
 
21.     His present joy far exceeded his former joy; 
    In abiding delight, he rendered limitless pooja for the Lord; 
    In love he willingly fulfilled as before the with 
    Of all the loving servitors that came to him.            (1848) 
 
22.     When thus he joyously thrived, poised in love, 
    He heard of the manifold glory of the Brahmin-child 
    Of Poontharai, the eternal city. 
    A great desire to bow at his feet grew apace in him.        (1849) 
 
23.     When he flourished in such great excellence, 
    To grace the world with the fruit of its tapas 
    The prince or Sanbai who was visiting the holy shrines 
    Of the Lord whose matted hair sports the celestial Ganga, 
    Arrived at Satthamangkai.                    (1850) 
 
24.     With Tiruneelakanda Yazhppanar 
    Of ever-growing renown, his wife 
    Whose koonthal was decked with blooms 
    And the great congregation of servitors 
    The lord of Pukali was camping close by. 
    Neelanakkar heard this news in delight great.            (1851) 
 
25.     Even as he heard this, he was happily thrilled; 
    He had the town decorated with flower-garlands, 
    Flags and festoons; he also set up 
    An extensive pandal to walk beneath its umbrage; 
    Then he rose up with his goodly kin to receive him.        (1852) 
 
26.     He joined the holy company of the divine child 
    And bade them all a warm welcome. 
    In manifold ways he danced and sang 
    And made adorations as his joy knew no bounds. 
    Then with the divine child and the holy company 
    He came to his huge and auric mansion.                (1853) 
 
27.     In unison with the glory of the advent of the divine child 
    Groups of holy men thronged to his house; 
    In everglowing love and devotion, he feasted 
    The patron of lofty-Seerkazhi in his house.            (1854) 
 
28.     After the feasting (as time passed on) 
    The sun began to sink into the western main; 
    Night came and the rays of the moon fell 
    On the ponds where teemed kumuda-flowers; 
    Neelanakkar made all arrangements in his house 
    For the stay of the godly child that had in the past 
    Drunk the breast-milk of Her, the daughter of Himavant.        (1855) 
 
29.     After supping with the servitors, the divine child 
    That in the past cried, to cause the manifestation 
    Of the Lord and Hid Consort, for the world’s redemption, 
    Called Tiruneelanakkar and he forthwith rushed to him, 
    Fell at his feet, rose up and stood before him.            (1856) 
 
30.     Addressing the standing devotee he said: 
    “Be pleased to provide accommodation this day 
    For Neelakandar the great Panar.” 
    He heard this in joy and set apart the space 
    Near vetikai, in the very center of his house.            (1857) 
 
31.    In the ‘ vetikai’  where fire was for ever burning, 
    The red flame began to spiral up and twirl right, 
    Glowing more resplendent than ever in various ways. 
    Witnessing this, the wearer of the sacred thread 
    Felt immensely happy. 
    The Lord of Sakota-Yazh with his wife beside him 
    Slumbered in peace by the grace of the Lord.            (1858) 
 
32.     The Lord of Kauniyas after his stay there at night 
    Fared forth to hymn the praise of the Lord of Ayavanti 
    Upon whose crest rests the crescent; 
    He praised Neelanakkar in his divine decad 
    Surcharged with nectarean words of dulcet Tamil.         (1859) 
 
33.     Decking the Lord with his fresh garlands of divine decads 
    He made his adoration; 
    He endowed Neelanakkar with his great friendship; 
    The divine child that sang the hoary Vedas 
    In ever-fresh Tamil, the fared forth to other shrines.        (1860) 
 
34.     When the Child ruled by God departed, 
    Though the servitor was impelled by love and friendship 
    To follow him, he would not transgress 
    The mandate of the divine patron. 
    He returned, plying his heart after him, 
    And somehow managed to abide in his place.            (1861) 
 
35.     The Brahmin lived performing flawless pooja 
    As before and as by the Vedas ordained, in great splendour; 
    He cultivated an ardent love for the feet 
    Of the Brahmin-child, the master of the sacred Vedas 
    And the son of Him whose mount is the Bull.            (1862) 
 
36.     To spend many days in growing friendship 
    He went to every shrine visited 
    By the lion of Sanbai; Tiruneelanakkar, 
    The mighty servitor, would sojourn 
    With the munificent and glorious child 
    And then repair to his town.                    (1863) 
 
37.     Thus flourished the Brahmin of great tapas 
    In ever-increasing love, for many days; 
    As he was present at the holy wedding 
    Of the peerless one of ever-prosperous Sirkazhi 
    And as he hailed it, he reached Siva’s feet.            (1864) 
 
38.     Hailing the feet of Neelanakkar, the first 
    Among the Brahmins of Satthamangkai -- 
    Celebrated for their performance of Vedic duties --, 
    We will now narrate the servitorship 
    Of Naminandi – a twice-born --, 
    Who gained conscious at-one-ment 
    With Him whose flag sports the Bull.                (1865) 
 
---------------- 
 
Stanza    Line 
 
  16        Protected house    :    The house protected by God. 
 
  30        Vetikai        :     The platform whereon is tended the sacrificial fire. 
 
  34     4    The divine patron is Tirugnanasambandhar. 
 
 

Sincere thanks to Sri. T N Ramachandran of thanjavur, for permitting his English rendering of the holy text periyapurANam be published here.

See Also: