The third in the series of Paripatal is a beautiful hymn (comprising of close to a 100 lines) that can be chanted every day in our daily prayer. Here the poet’s description of the Lord is similar to those found in ancient Sanskrit texts.
The third poem is characteristic of Sangam Poetry in respect of its brevity – Every Phrase/line has great meaning attached to it and requires detailed explanation. In this Paripatal, the poet Kattuvaan Ilaveyi Naanaan invokes Tirumaal as the dark complexioned lord whose feet destroy the cycle of birth. Lord is praised as the one who provides moksham and that all being including the celestial Gods are Tirumaal’s creation.
Poet describes his 8manifestations who were all created by him and sustained by him -, 5 Planets
(Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn), 12 Aadityas ( the offspring of Vithi), 2 Acuras (the issue of Diti), 8 Vacus ( who he refers to as blameless), 11 Rudras, the Ashwin twins (born to Tama, the leaping horse), God of Death and his messenger and all living beings in this triple 7 worlds are all his creation and manifestation of Tirumaal.
Garuda Mount – Ups and Downs
The poet describes the Lord’s mount and his lofty banner as the great bird Garuda, the son of Vinata and credits the bird for bringing Nectar from heaven to relieve the distress of his mother. When his mother Vinata was tricked to slavery by another wife of Kasyapar (Kathru), the mother of the Serpent race, it was Garuda who fought with Indra and brought Nectar from heaven to redeem his mother.
பயந்தோள்இடுக்கண்களைத்தபுள்ளினை
பயந்தோள்இடுக்கண்களைத்தபுள்ளின்
நிவந்துஓங்குஉயர்கொடிச்சேவலோய்
நின்சேவடிதொழாகும்உற்றஅடியினை
However when Garuda who held the 1000 hooded serpent in his beak once became arrogant of his powers, the Lord made the bird repent for ages. Garuda in his arrogance had suggested that he was the reason for the Lord to move everywhere easily. To quell his ego, Lord Tirumaal asked him to carry one finger of the Lord. Howsoever, Garuda tried, he could not and fell down because of the enormous weight of the one finger. His wings fell down and he trembled down to earth and made him seek the Lord for ages.
Vamana and Varaha Avataras
He refers to Vamana avatara where he measured with one step the entire nether world. He also refers to Varaha avatara and his lifting of the entire earth from under the ocean.
Line 25 -Rare Incarnation
In Line 25, he refers to a rare incarnation of Lord as Great Cob-Swan who dried up with the beat of his mighty wings the torrential downpour.
மாவிசும்புஒழுகுபுனல்வரலஅன்னச்சேவலாய்ச்சிறகர்ப்புலர்தியோய்எனவும்
Description of the Lord's innumerable hands
In several lines, the poet describes eloquently the greatness of the Lord with each succeeding line beating the previous one. His hands are seen as being countless, one of which gave nectar to the Devas. He is described as the lord with innumerable hands – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 100, 1000, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of hands.
நடுவுநிலைதிரும்பியநயம்இல்ஒருகை
இருகைமாஅல்முக்கைமுனிவாநாற்கைஅண்ணல்
ஐங்கைமைந்தஆறுகைநெடுவேள்
ஏழுகையாளஎன்கைஏந்தல்
ஒன்பதிற்றிதுத்தடக்கைமண்பேரால
பதிற்றுக்கைமதவலிநூற்றுக்கைஆற்றல்
ஆயிரம்விரித்தகைம் மாயமள்ள
பதினாயிரம்கைமுதுமொழிமுதல்வ
நாறாயிரம்கைஆறுஅறிகடவுள்
He is the Lord of the Vedas and the Chief of Devas. The poet praises him as the Lord of Eternity who quelled the arrogance of all things in existence. He is referred to as one who is pre existent to time itself and who controls the principle of time. He is of infinite form and is beyond count and numbers. He is both - everything as well as the essential quality of everything.
His indescribable greatness is known to none but himself. There is no birth he has not taken but we do not know who caused his birth.
With grace as the canopy and righteousness/dharma as the stem he fosters the universe. Vedas sing his greatness in wonder while we chant likewise marvelling at his might.
He is the nature of all things in creation: He is heat in fire, Fragrance in flowers, Radiance of gems, Essence of Vedas, Light of the Sun and Coolth of the Moon
Line 63-68:
The immanent form (Antaryami) of the Lord is brought out. The poet also says that the lord has taken every form of birth to create sustain and destroy, even though there is none to cause his birth.
The Lord in Numbers
Line 79-80: And it is all about numbers. With sheer numbers (Tamil Numbers like Onru and Tontu), the poet describes the greatness of Lord:
The Lord is the five elements, 5 sensory organs, 1 the Sound, 2 the Torch, 3 the Form, 4 the Taste, 5 the Smell, 6 the Sensory tools, 7 the Ahankara / Cosmic ego, 8 the Maan and 9 the Primal source.
Thus in mystic numbers the Lord’s greatness is spoken about by the poet.
Special Tamil Worlds of the Sangam Period
Words like Paal, Kaal, Paaku indicate Tattuvams (Paal= Void= Purusha, Kaal= 5 elements, Paaku= 5 Karmatreyas)
பாழ்எனகால்எனபாகுஎன
ஒன்றுஎனஇரண்டுஎனமூன்றுஎனநான்குஎன
ஐந்துஎனஆறுஎனஏழுஎனஎட்டுஎனதொண்டு
எனநால்வகைஊழிஎண் நவிற்றும்சிறப்பினை
In lines 81-82, he refers to the four Vyuka forms of Lord (Senkat Kari, Karunkan Vellai, Ponkat Pachai and Painkan Maal) and traces them to the red eyed Vasa Deva, dark eyed Shankarshana, ruddy complexioned Pradyumna and green hued Aniruddha.
செங்கட்காரீகருங்கண்வெள்ளை
பொன்கட்பச்சைபைங்கண்மாஅல்
Conclusion
In the last ten lines, he exhibits a passionate fervour. There is brevity of expression and rich allusiveness. There is reference to various personalities of the Lord and his appearances and exploits.
He concludes with a description of the Lord’s complexion and then the Krishna avatara and his activities there in.
Itavala, Kutovala, Koovala and Kaavala – the Lord who dances right and left with the Gopis, Krishna dancing with a pot, makes a mention of his dreaded weapon the plough. He is praised as the Lord of the herds of cattle and the Lord who protects all lives. Krishna who danced left and right with cowherds dance with a pot with dreaded weapon the plough. he is the lord of herd of cattle one who protects all lives. Finally he invokes the blessings for the Lord’s discus to keep the world safe.