Thirupallandu of Periyazhvar with english meaning

Thirupallandu of Periyazhvar

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

“Pallandu”   used to be sung by the mothers in Tamil Nadu     to protect   the babies from  dangers   and evil eyes . “Pallandu”   could be translated as  “Long live with protection”  . But when a Pallandy u is sung    for the God , this  translation does not seem to be alright   and that is why , I have chosen “For a long time”   and left the other part    to the imagination of the devotee   who reads it. This “Pallandu” is considered as    one of the very   sacred prayers  by the followers of Saint Ramanuja. Manavala  Mamunigal   , who was  one of   the great saints  of Vaishnavism wrote:-

“Undo  thirupallandukku   oppadhor  kalai than,

Undo Periyaazhvarukku   oppu  uruvar –than thamizh nool  ,

Seidhu  arulum   Azhvargal thammill avar sei kalayil,

Paidhal nenje   nee unanthu paar”

Meaning

Is there any work which is comparable   to “Thirupallandu”  .

Is there   a person who is comparable  to Periyaazhvaar  ,

A mong the Aazhvars   who wrote  Tamil works,

And among  the works  that they wrote  ,

Oh childish mind  , please try to investigate. 

Periyaazhvar  (So called because he was the eldest Aazhvar)  whose name was Vishnu Chithan    was engaged in raising flowers in his garden and  offering them to Lord Vishnu    at Srivilliputhur .Once a pandyan king called Vallabha deva challenged scholars   to   give  the best interpretation of Vedic Thathwas. To bring out which God he should worship to   guarantee  Moksha  He   tied the   price money in the   form of gold coins and tied it on the top of the pole and  wanted the scholars to make   that bag of gold  coinsavailable to themselves by giving  a proper interpretation. All great scholars   failed and Lord Vishnu  appeared  in the dream of Periyaazhwar  and requested   him to the court and explain the vEdic interpretation to the king  .He won the debate  and   got the golden prize bag  which please his Acharya Selva Nambi   as well as the king  .The king   took Vishnu Chithar   in a procession    through the streets of Madurai on the royal elephant. At that time Lord Vishnu  appeared before him riding on Garuda

.Vishnu chithar like  a concerned mother   sang this   great  poem so that  the child Krishna     would be protected   for ever  . Vishnu Chitha later  got his daughter AAndal married to the lord    and  became his father in law. This great work  is normally recited   in the beginning and end  of the recitation  of  the Dravida Vedam  .

     The work has very deep inner meanings and several commentaries has been written to explain this great work .Not being a scholar in any sense of the world  , what I have attempted is only   to give the peripheral meaning which I understood   after reading   a commentary  http://acharya.org/bk/eb/vyakhyanam/Thiruppallandu-VyakhyanaSaram-English.pdf. A much more detailed  interpretation is available in  http://www.sadagopan.org/SundaraSimham/SS080%20-%20Thirupallandu.pdf, You can hear it by clicking on https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LF3HlSep3Ho

I hope to be pardoned   for my immature attempt   by the great scholars  of Vaishnavism  , if they happen to browse   this work.

Thaniyangal

1.Nathamunigal

Guru mukhamanadheethya   praha   Vedaan aseshaan,

Nara padhi parukluptham   sulka madhathu Kama,

Svasuram amara  vandhyam   Raga nadhasya saakshaath ,

Dvija kula thilakam    tham vishnuchitham tham namami

I  salute   the great Brahmin    who is named as Vishnu Chitha  ,

Who is the real  father in law   of  lord   Ranganatha, who is saluted by the Devas,

Who desiring to get   the  Money bag  of gold coins  hung   by the king(Vallabha deva),

Without learning   at all the Vedas   directly from the  Gurus.

2.Pandya  bhattar   I

Minnar thada mathil   choozh villiputtur   endroru kaal,

Chonnar   kazhar   kamalam choodinom  -munnal,

Kizhiyaruthaan endru uraithom  , keezhmayil   cherum,

Vazhiyaruthom   nenjame  , vandhu

The lotus like feet of those   who once tell    the name 

Of Srivilliputtur  surrounded by  big  lustrous walls ,

Would be taken on our head   and  we told,

That he  earlier  cut off the  packet of gold   so that  ,

Oh mind  ,The king was saved from    the path to hell.

3.Pandya BHattar-Second thaniyan

Pandyan kondaada   bhattar piraan vanthaan   yendru  ,

EEndiya sankham eduthu ootha  -vendiya,

Vedangal othi   virainthu   kizhiyaruthan  ,

Padangal    yyamudaya   Pathru  .

By chanting the needed   Vedas  he quickly cut off ,

The bag  of gold   and this was   celebrated  by the Pandya,

Who blew the  conches   saying   the Lord of the Bhattars have come  ,

And his   feet of that Vishnu chithar  are   the refuge   for us  .

THirupallandu  Text

1.Pallandu  , pallandu   pallayirathaandu  ,

Pala kodi noorayiram  ,

Mallanda thin thol   manivaNNa  , un  ,

SEvadi     chevvi   thirukappu.

Oh Lord who is of the colour  of emerald gem  ,

Who with his powerful shoulders won over the wrestlers,

May  the prettiness  of your  divine red feet  be protected,

For many years, many years  , for many thousands of years ,

For several crores  of    thousand years .

2.Adiyomodum  ninnodum   pirivindri   aayiram pallandu  ,

Vadivaai   nin vala   mabinil   vaazhkindra  mangayum pallandu  ,

Vadivaar jothi   valathurayum    chuddar aazhiyum   pallandu,

Pada por pukku   muzhangum   aa panchajanyamum   pallande

Without  parting  let us who are   your slaves   stay  along with you   for several years ,

Let the lady   who   is pretty and     who stays   on  right side of your chest be there  for several years  ,

 Let the divine wheel  held in your right hands   which gives  out lustrous light  be there  for several  years,

And let the Conch Panchajanya  that booms when  entering the  battle field  , be there  for several years.

3.Vaazh aatpattu nindreer   ulleerel   vandhu   mannum manamum  kol min,

Koozhatpattu   nidrergalai   yengal kuzhuvinil   puguthal ottom,

Ezhat kalum  pazhippilom  naangal , rakkathar   vaazh lankai  ,

Paazh  all aga  padai  poruthanukku  pallandu  kooruthume.

If you   are standing  in the control of the lord   come  and accept the   mud and incense,

But if you are   standing  as a slave   for only food, we would not accept you  in  our group,

Because for twenty  one generations   we did not have  any stain and we sing   , “many  more divine years,”

For very many years more   to the Lord who destroyed  the Lanka  occupied by  Rakshasas.

4.Yedu nilathil iduvathan munnam  vandhu yengal kuzhaam pugundhu  ,

Koodu  manam udayeerkal   varambu  ozhi  vanthollai   koodumino  ,

Nadum  Nagaramum   nanu ariya   Namo Narayanaya    endru,

Padu manamudai   patharuller, Vandhu  pallandu koorumine  .

Those who are interested to join  our   group  , before you are put in the cremation ground ,

Please come   and enter   our group   and join us    quickly  before crossing the limit  ,

And let those   who have  devotion  among you  recite  “Om Namo Narayanaya”

 So  that the villages  and cities do understand  it properly  and sing  “Many more  divine u years”

5.Anda kulathirkku adhipathiyaagi   asurar rakkatharai ,

Indai kulathai yeduthi   kalaintha   irudee kesan thanakku,

Thondu    kulathil ulleer  , vandhu aadi thozhuthu   , aayiram namam solli,

Pandai kulathai  thavirnthu  pallandu pallayirathandu   yenmine.

5.The Lord Rishikesa  became the  lord of several worlds and completely,

Destroyed the  crowds   of  clan of Auras and Rakshasas  and you ,

Are in the  clan  who do service to him   and so please come   , salute , dance,

And chant his thousand names  avoiding  your  old habit of leaving  him after  seeking  ,

And then say to him  “Several years   and several thousands  of years.”

6.Yenthai  thanthai  thanthai  thanthai  tham moothappan   ezhu padikaal   thodangi,

Vanthu vazhi vazhi aat cheikindrom  , thiruona thiruvizhavil,

Anthiyam pothil ari uruvaagi    ariyai   azhithavanai  ,

Pandhanai  theera pallandu   pallayirathandu   endru paduthume  ,

The seven generations of me, my father, his father , his father  , his father,

And his father   and grand father  have come   from one path to the next,

 So that  we can do service  and sing  “Several years  and several thousand years  “,

To relieve him   for killing his enemy    after  taking  the form of a lion,

On the festival day  of  Thiruonam at the   time  of the dusk.

7.THeeyil polikindra chenchudar aazhi   thigazh   thiru chakarathin,

Koyil poriyaale oththundu nindru kudi kudi aat cheigindrom,

Maya  porupadai   vaaNanai  aayiram tholum pozhu kuruthi,

Paya chuzhathiya  aazhi vallanukku  pallandu kooruthume

7.BY the unified   luster  of   the place of the  divine wheel  which  gives out red light  ,

Which is greater  than fire, for several generations   we  have come for  doing service to,

The powerful  God   who held   the divine wheel   , which rotated and  caused  ,

Blood to pour out   from the  thousand  shoulders of Bana,

Who  came   for fighting   with aid of illusion,  and we sing “several years”  to him.

8.Neyyidai nallathor chorum   niyathamum  athani  sevagamum,

Kai  adaikayum  , Kazhuthukku poonodu  , kathukku kundalamum,

Meyyida nallathor  santhamum   thanthu yennai   velluyir  aakka valla  ,

Payyudai  naga pagai   kodiyaanukku  pallandu  kooruvane  . 

That God   gave me   high quality  food with  ghee  , several  constant  assistances,

Betel leaves and nuts from his divine hands apart   from  ornament for the neck,

Golden globes   for the ears  and  very good quality  sandal paste  to apply on my body,

So that   I would become a good being   and I wish  “several years”  to him,

Who has   on his flag Garuda who is    the enemy  of the hooded   serpent.

9.Uduthu  kalaintha nin peethaka  AAdai uduthu  ,Kalathathu undu  ,

Thodutha   thuzhaai malar   choodi   kalainthana  choodum   ithondarkalom  ,

Vidutha disai karumam  thiruthi Thiruona vizhavil  ,

Padutha  painnaganai palli kondanukku   pallandu   kooruthume

Wearing the yellow silk apparel that  you wore and  removed  , eating food  left by  you  .

Wearing   the  Thulasi garland   which was once  worn by you  is done by your slaves like us,

And   all these  actions  which are practiced   everywhere   are  well completed  by you  ,

Who  takes rest on bed of Adhi sesha who  lies sown with his  hoods ,

On the festival   day of Thiruonam   and we sing  “several years”.

10.Yen naal yem peruman   undhanukku    adiyom endru   yezhuthu patta  ,

Annale   adiyongal   adi kudil veedu pethru   uinthathu  kaan,

Sennal thoththi   thirumadurayul   silai kunithu iynythalaya  ,

Pai naga  thalai painthavane   unnai pallandu kooruthume.

When on  that day on which we wrote and  told you, “Oh Lord   we are your slaves”,

From that day   all the people of  our  home who are  serving you , got freed   and got uplifted,

 And from that good day  you   appeared in Mathura    and broke   the bow of Kamsa ,

And from the day you jumped   on the head of serpent with   five hoods and danced,

We     were    telling  you    “Several years.”

11. Avvazhakku  ondrum   illaa  ani kottiyar kon   abhimana  thungan,

Selvanai pola thiru male  , Naanun unakku   pazhavadien,

Nal vagayaal  namo narayana   endru naamam pala  paravi,

Pal vakayaalum pavithrane, Unnai pallandu   kooruvane.

Oh Lord Narayana  , like the selva Nambi who does not have   any bad character  ,

Who is the lord of Thirukoshtiyur    which is the gem of this world  ,

And who  is immersed in the thought   that he is the servant of the lord,

I am also    your old   servant , Oh Lord who is  divinely pure in many ways  ,

And I would chant “Om namo Naryanaya”   in the  very proper way  ,

And also  would chant several of your names  and I would say “several years” to you.

12.Pallandendru  pavithranai paramettiyai   sarngam yenum,

Villandaan thanai  , villi puthur   vittu chithan  virumbiya   sol,

Nallandendru   navindru uraippar   Namo Narayanaya   endru  ,

Pallandum  paramathmanai   choozhnthirunthu yethuvar pallande.

The Vishnu Chitha   of Thiruvilliputhur  who wrote these words  about,

The divinely pure one   , the lord who resides in the divine abode ,

And  the lord who wielded   the bow called   Saranga

Wanted auspiciousness   to happen   forever  to those    who chant

These  without any break   for a very long time   and  that  good time would surround 

Those who chant “Om Namo Narayanaya”   and keep on praising him for a  very long time.