Periya Thirumozhi 6.1.8

8. kAdhal seydhu iLaiyavar kalavi tharum * vEdhanai vinaiyadhu veruvudhalAm * 

Adhalin unadhadi aNuguvan nAn * pOdhalAr nedu mudip puNNiyanE! **

ANdAy! unaik kANbadhOr * aruL enakku aruLudhiyEl *

vENdEn manai vAzhkkaiyai * viNNagar mEyavanE!

kAdhal seydhu iLaiyavar kalavi tharum vEdhanai vinaiyadhu veruvudhalAm – Making company with young damsels and enjoying their pleasure without realizing the monumental suffering to follow – oh! even as I think of such actions, I tremble with fear.

Adhalin unadhadi aNuguvan nAn – To escape from such dangers, I seek Thy lotus feet.  The pleasure of mixing with young damsels brings untold pain along with it.  One’s desire is never satisfied by such experiences.  The ever raging desire destroys the person.  It is shameful.  After death, it throws the person into the fires of hell.  The very thought of this action creates fear in Azhvar.  On the other hand, it the Yama himself who respects and fears those who surrender to the Lord’s lotus feet.

pOdhalAr nedu mudip puNNiyanE! – Thou are the holy one.  Thy holiness lies in cleansing me of dangerous desires by showing Thyself with Thy great crown which is decorated with fresh lotuses.  Though the Lord in His image form is seen by all people, the Lord’s supremely blissful nature and the danger arising from material desires occurs only to Azhvar.  This is because of the special grace showered by the Lord on Azhvar.

ANdAy! … viNNagar mEyavanE! – Thou removed every tinge of material desire by Thy grace.  Please grace me now, so I can see Thee with my eyes.

O Lord of Thiruvinnagar! I am frightened by the actions that arise from material desires.  One seeks the company of young damsels, realizing not the intense suffering that it brings along.  Hence, I seek Thy lotus feet.  Thou are the holy one! Thou saved me from such dangers by showing Thy divine form adorned by an exquisite crown and decorated with fresh lotuses.  Further Thy grace and grant me Thy vision.

 Notes:

Svami Periyavacchan Pillai’s association of meaning comes out beautifully in this verse.  In  the meaning above, the connection between the first phrase and the second is quite clear.  Azhvar seeks the Lord’s lotus feet which rescue him from the dangers of material existence.  However, the connection between the first two phrases and the third cannot be easily recognized by a commoner.  Azhvar calls the Lord “the Holy One” and describes His divine form.  Why? The commentator explains that it is the Lord’s divine form which has destroyed Azhvar’s desires towards material pleasures.  The supremely pure and blissful form has eliminated any inkling of interest towards this material existence.  The commentator adds, “that is why He is the Holy One!”. His holiness lies not in personal purity alone.  He is holy because He purified Azhvar with His grace and saved him from dangerous material interests.  For the Lord’s grace, the first stage has been elimination of material desires.  The next stage is granting the vision of Himself, the Supreme Brahman.  The commentator wonderfully joins the dots to the last phrase to convey this meaning.