Tiruppavai

Verse 5

According to the Indian calendar December-January is the month of maargazhi. On each day of maargazhi, one verse from Andal's divine poem, the Tiruppavai. is savored. Today's verse, "maayanai", is the fifth one of the work.

What I have presented is the surface meaning. Each verse can actually be understood in many poetic and profoundly philosophical ways.

maayanai

maayanai mannu vada madhurai maindhanaith *
thooya peru neer yamunaith thuRaivanai *
aayar kulaththinil thOnRum aNi viLakkaith *
thaayaik kudal viLakkam seydha dhaamOdharanaith *
thooyOmaay vandhu naam thoomalar thoovith thozhudhu *
vaayinaal paadi manaththinaal sindhikkap *
pOya pizhaiyum pugudharuvaan ninRanavum *
theeyinil thoosaagum ceppElOr embaavaay.

Translation

Word for Word meaning

maayanai          One of wondrous deeds; magician
mannu             associated with
vada madhurai     northern Mathura
maindhanai        prince (lit. son)

thooya            pure
peru              great, deep
neer              water(s)
yamunai           the river Yamuna
thuraivanai       one who has his abode on the banks 

aayar kulaththinil 
                  in the cowherd community
thOnRum           appeared 
aNi               auspicious, sacred
viLakkai          light

thaayai           mother
kudal             womb
viLakkam seydha   polish, brighten
dhaamOdharanai    Damodara, the one who's belly was tied with a string
                  (an epithet of Krishna)

thooyOm           pure
aay               becoming
vandhu            coming
naam              we
thoo              pure
malar             flowers
thoovi            offering (lit. sprinkling)
thozhudhu         worshipping

vaayinaal         with the mouth (verbally)
paadi             singing
manaththinaal     with the mind (mentally)
sindhikka         thinking

pOya              past
pizhaiyum         sins
pugutharuvaan     yet to come
ninRanavum        are

theeyinil         in fire
thoosu            cotton
aagum             will become
ceppu             (therefore let us) say (his names)

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