Tiruppavai

Verse 10

Today, December 25, is the 10th day of maargazhi (December-January). On each day of maargazhi, one verse from Andal's divine poem, the Tiruppavai. is savored. Today's verse is "nORRu cuvarkkam".

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

nORRu cuvarkkam

nORRuc cuvarkkam puguginRa ammanaay! *
maaRRamum thaaraarO vaasal thiRavaadhaar *
naaRRath thuzhaay mudi naaraayaNan * nammaal
pORRap paRai tharum puNNiyanaal * pandu oru naaL
kooRRaththin vaay veezhndha kumbakarNanum *
thORRum unakkE perunthuyil thaan thandhaanO *
aaRRa anandhal udaiyaay! arungalamE *
thERRamaay vandhu thiRavElOr embaavaay.

Translation

Word for Word meaning

nORRu               performing (the paavai) vow
cuvarkkam           heaven (Sanskrit: svarga)
puguginra           entering
ammanaay!           O dear girl!

maaRRamum           Even a reply
thaaraarO?          shouldn't give?
vaasal              doors
thiRavaadhaar       those who don't open

naaRRa              fragrant
thuzhaay            Tulasi
mudi                (bearing on his) head
naaraayaNan         Narayana

nammaal             by us
pORRa               praised
paRai tharum        gives the drum
puNNiyanaal         by He who is virtue itself

paNdu oru naaL      One day, long ago
kooRRaththin        into Death's 
vaay                mouth
veezhndha           fell
kumbakarNanum       Kumbhakarna

thORRum             having been defeated
unakkE              just to you
perun^ thuyil       deep sleep
thaan               indeed
thandhaanO?         has he given it?

aaRRa               utterly
anandhal udaiyaay!  one who is overcome with sleep
arum kalamE!        you who are the jewel among us!

thERRamaay          having understood 
vandhu              come 
thiRa               open

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