Chapter 1 – The Praise of God / Katavul Vaazhththu
Couplets / kuratpaakal
- A, as its first of letters, every speech maintains;
The ‘Primal Deity’ is first through all the world’s domains
Explanation: As the letter A is the first of all letters, so the eternal God is first in the world
Akara Mudhala Ezhuththellaam AadhiPakavan Mudhatre Ulaku
Transliteration : Akara Mudhala Ezhuththellaam AadhiPakavan Mudhatre Ulaku
- No fruit have men of all their studied lore,
Save they the ‘Purely Wise One’s’ feet adore
Explanation: What Profit have those derived from learning, who worship not the good feet of Him who is possessed of pure knowledge?
Transliteration : Katradhanaal Aaya Payanenkol VaalarivanNatraal Thozhaaar Enin
- His feet, ‘Who o’er the full-blown flower hath past,’ who gain
In bliss long time shall dwell above this earthly plain
Explanation: They who are united to the glorious feet of Him who passes swiftly over the flower of the mind, shall flourish long above all worlds
Transileration: Malarmisai Ekinaan Maanati SerndhaarNilamisai Neetuvaazh Vaar
- His foot, ‘Whom want affects not, irks not grief,’ who gain
Shall not, through every time, of any woes complain
Explanation: To those who meditate the feet of Him who is void of desire or aversion, evil shall never come
Transliteration: Ventudhal Ventaamai Ilaanati SerndhaarkkuYaantum Itumpai Ila
- The men, who on the ‘King’s’ true praised delight to dwell,
Affects not them the fruit of deeds done ill or well
Explanation: The two-fold deeds that spring from darkness shall not adhere to those who delight in the true praise of God
Transliteration: rulser Iruvinaiyum Seraa IraivanPorulser Pukazhpurindhaar Maattu
- Long live they blest, who ‘ve stood in path from falsehood freed;
His, ‘Who quenched lusts that from the sense-gates five proceed’
Explanation: Those shall long proposer who abide in the faultless way of Him who has destroyed the five desires of the senses
Transliteration: Porivaayil Aindhaviththaan Poidheer OzhukkaNerinindraar Neetuvaazh Vaar
- Unless His foot, ‘to Whom none can compare,’ men gain,
‘Tis hard for mind to find relief from anxious pain
Explanation: Anxiety of mind cannot be removed, except from those who are united to the feet of Him who is incomparable
Transliteration: Thanakkuvamai Illaadhaan Thaalserndhaark KallaalManakkavalai Maatral Aridhu
- Unless His feet ‘the Sea of Good, the Fair and Bountiful,’ men gain,
‘Tis hard the further bank of being’s changeful sea to attain
Explanation: None can swim the sea of vice, but those who are united to the feet of that gracious Being who is a sea of virtue
Transliteration: Aravaazhi Andhanan Thaalserndhaark KallaalPiravaazhi Neendhal Aridhu
- Before His foot, ‘the Eight-fold Excellence,’ with unbent head,
Who stands, like palsied sense, is to all living functions dead
Explanation: The head that worships not the feet of Him who is possessed of eight attributes, is as useless as a sense without the power of sensation
Transliteration: Kolil Poriyin Kunamilave EnkunaththaanThaalai Vanangaath Thalai
- They swim the sea of births, the ‘Monarch’s’ foot who gain;
None others reach the shore of being’s mighty main
Explanation: None can swim the great sea of births but those who are united to the feet of God
Transliteration: Piravip Perungatal Neendhuvar NeendhaarIraivan Atiseraa Thaar
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