|
 anging
from Tirumular to Kassiappa Sivacharya, fifteen different
devotees have composed this anthology of Tamil hymns in
praise of Ganapati, the Lord of Hosts, popularly known as
Pillaiyar. They are sung daily in Hindu homes and temples
where Tamil is spoken. An attempt has been made to give
their meanings in English, but they need to be sung in prescribed
Tamil tunes to attain maximum effect. In accordance with
Agamic tradition, all cultural concerts, literary endeavors
and religious rites and rituals must begin with an invocatory
verse seeking the grace of the Lord Ganapati to ensure success.
The hymns of invocation found here help strengthen the belief
that through love and devotion and ultimate surrender to
God, man can attain moksha.
Implant in your intelligence
the worshipful feet of UmaShankara's son, the first-born,
five-handed, elephant-faced, elegant One with twin white
tusks curved like the crescent-moon. He is wisdom's embodiment.
TIRUMANTIRAM
[TAMIL SCRIPT]
If you but utter Ganapati, our Lord's
name, the gaunt karmic ills that bind us fast will become
loose; the Lord of Death himself will in submission raise
his hands in worship. Therefore, dutifully utter daily Ganapati's
gracious name which will, without fail, your karmic bonds
sever.
TIRUJNANA SAMBANDAR'S
TIRUKKATAIKKAPPU
[TAMIL SCRIPT]
The bountiful Being who reigns over Vallivalam's
shrine, united with Uma-Maheshvari, the Mother of the Universe,
manifesting in manifold forms, bestowed upon His devotees
the elephant-visaged God in order to remove their obstacles
and impediments and to confer His grace upon all who follow
the eternal Saivite path.
ARATAMPATIYA PERUNTEVANAR
[TAMIL SCRIPT]
Those who worship the redeeming feet of
the single-tusked, elephant-visaged Lord of the heavenly
hosts, who recorded with His tusk the Mahabharata
battle upon the snow-capped hills of the Himalayan mountains,
will gain great glory, attain their hearts' desires and
become freed from the fetters of karma.
SAINT AUVAIYAR
[TAMIL SCRIPT]
Those who worship without fail the grace-granting
feet of Ganesha with flowers fresh and fragrant shall acquire
eloquence of speech and fruitful friendship -- besides gaining
the graceful glance of the lotus-seated Lakshmi's eyes,
which will ensure every human happiness on earth.
SAINT AUVAIYAR
[TAMIL SCRIPT]
I shall offer to you, O Lord, the delicacies
four: fresh milk, pure honey, cane sugar with cereals mixed,
O elephant-visaged, bright-jewelled Lord of the Universe,
if you will enrich me with the triple-treasured Tamil tongue
acclaimed by the ancient academies.
KABILADEVAR'S
IRATTAI MANI MALAI
[TAMIL SCRIPT]
Vinayaka cuts asunder the very roots of
all human suffering and sorrow. Vinayaka destroys all desires.
Vinayaka is Lord indeed of heaven and earth. Surrender,
therefore, unto Him with hearts that melt with devotion.
KABILADEVAR'S
IRATTAI MANI MALAI
[TAMIL SCRIPT]
Your words and deeds shall with success
meet. Eloquence and eminence shall be your rewards. Therefore,
worship Him even as the celestials raise their hands high
in adoration and love of the elephant-visaged Vinayaka,
the matchless Lord.
KABILADEVAR'S
IRATTAI MANI MALAI
[TAMIL SCRIPT]
Your burdensome bonds of karma will but
disintegrate
and dissolve if you but worship the grace-granting feet
of Ganapati, the Lord of Hosts bestowed upon us all by the
triple-eyed Lord Siva, whose ruddy locks are entwined by
a serpent strand and whose head is adorned by honey-rich,
golden-bright konrai blooms which fill the air around
with their fragrance.
NAKKIRADEVA NAYANAR'S
VINAYAKA AHAVAL
[TAMIL SCRIPT]
O first-born son of Siva who adorns His head
with sacred ashes, beloved of Umasundari, Kumaran's companion,
beloved of Hari! O dark-hued, elephant-visaged, elegant Lord
of heavenly hosts, my divine guru, unto you, O Lord, I surrender
myself. O matchless Lord! Embodiment of wisdom and all excellence
-- O portly Ganapati, unto your golden feet I surrender myself.
O precious jewel bright! O heavenly light! O Lord of the universe,
I surrender unto you.
FROM NAMBI ANDAR NAMBI
[TAMIL SCRIPT]
You are indeed my father and mother both,
my kith
and kin -- the infinite Lord, wisdom's embodiment, substance
of all sound and the Vedas four. You are indeed Hari
and the lotus-seated Brahma, Shakti and Sadashiva, the triune
beings. The dauntless destroyer of the roving cities three,
that dared to defy you! You are the Lord of heaven and earth,
devotion and its binding force, moksha and its meaning.
O matchless Lord! My life is yours, and you are my sole
support. But for your grace, friends I've none. O Indwelling
Lord, I'll speak only of your glory!
NAMBI ANDAR NAMBI
[TAMIL SCRIPT]
The triple-eyed Pillaiyar, enshrined under
the shade of the flower-filled punnai tree in splendid
Naraiyur Park, thinking of me, enslaved me, removed all
my ills and impediments and conferred upon me His infinite
grace. My thoughts are of Him and none else on earth.
SEKKILAR'S
PERIYAPURANAM
[TAMIL SCRIPT]
Before I venture to narrate in vivid Tamil
verse the moving great story of the ennobling lives of the
saintly sixty-three enslaved by the Lord Siva, I shall first
retain in my mind the guiding hand of the dark-hued, high-crowned,
five-handed Ganapati, in order that we may all gain by His
divine grace the enriching rewards of this endeavor.
UMAPATI SHIVAM
[TAMIL SCRIPT]
In order that, O man, the heavens and earth
may prosper
and thrive, the Vedic ways endure and the sacred Tamil tongue
be renowned the world over, worship without fail the sagacious,
five-handed, triple-eyed, elephant-visaged Vinayaka of victory.
KUMARA GURUPARAR
[TAMIL SCRIPT]
Those who sing with devotion this garland
of twice-five hymns in praise of the elephant enshrined
at famed Varanasi washed by the sacred Ganga -- known by
His devotees as Dhundhiraja Ganapati, the five-handed Lord
-- shall surely attain in time the heavenly abode above.
KASSIYAPPA SHIVACHARYa'S
KANDAPURANAM
[TAMIL SCRIPT]
In order that your birth becomes free of
its fetter and you attain with ease human perfection on
earth, worship, O man, with devotion true the flower-like
feet of the triple-eyed, elephant-visaged divine guru, Mahaganapati,
who grants without fail all your wishes.
ARUNAGIRINATHAR'S
TIRUPUGAL
[TAMIL SCRIPT]
O five-handed Lord! By your innate wisdom
you gained the coveted fruit from Umashankara's hand. O
matchless Lord who relishes the nectar churned by the celestials
out of the shimmering sea, did you not venture forth your
beloved brother to help wed the doe-eyed Valli upon the
Kurunchi hill? O refuge of your devotees! My labored life
on earth you must support and sustain. Enslave me by your
grace.
ARUNAGIRINATHAR'S
TIRUPUGAL
[TAMIL SCRIPT]
I'll seek in worship the feet of the one
who dwells within the minds of the learned -- one whose
firm hand is filled with the pomegranate fruit and delicacies
sweet.
I'll offer flowers fresh for the one who
destroys the inherited karmic ills of all His devotees --
the broad-shouldered being born of Umashankara whose head
is adorned by the crescent moon and the konrai's
bloom.
I'll offer fragrant flowers unto the redeeming
feet of portly Ganapati, born of Gaurishankara, the first-born,
who did inscribe with His own tusk the Mahabharata
epic.
Upon the Himalayan peaks I'll worship true
the redeeming feet of the valiant one who dared to break
the chariot wheel of the three-eyed Lord, whose mere laughter
destroyed the roving cities three of the adharmic asuras.
I'll worship the feet of the wise being who,
by His timely intervention on Balashubrahmanya's behalf, performed
the marriage rites of youthful Kumaran and the doe-eyed Valli
upon the Kurunchi Hill.
ABHIRAMI PATTAR'S
ABHIRAMI ANTATI
[TAMIL SCRIPT]
O dark-hued Ganapati, son of Umasundari
who mothered
the seven worlds and is ensconced in the Lord of Tillai,
He who is ever adorned by bright konrai blooms and
chempaka garlands. Dwell you must, O Lord, within
my mind and being as I sing of Abhirami, the paragon of
beauty, in this anthology of a hundred hymns by your benign
grace.
RAMALINGA ADIGAL'S
TIRU ARUTPA
[TAMIL SCRIPT]
O first-born, elephant-visaged harbinger
for good tidings who guides mankind unto the attainment
of mukti; the immanent Lord, five-handed son of Siva
of the sacred tresses, unto your feet I surrender myself.
TIRUPPALLANDU,
BY SENTHANAR
[TAMIL SCRIPT]
Your devotees, O Lord, are gathered in groups
to dance in joy and sing your praise. The music of the flute
and the vina's string resound in the heavens in praise of
you who rides the white bull and rules over Tiru-arur. We've
come to join your dear devotees who've enslaved themselves
for succeeding generations. We are gathered to sing your
eternal glory.
SEKKILAR'S
PERIYAPURANAM
[TAMIL SCRIPT]
The throbbing senses five become by the
eyes absorbed, the intrinsic organs four become in the mind
absorbed and the innate gunas three become transformed
into one sattvic state for those who behold the singular
dance of joy by Him who adorns His tresses long with the
crescent moon, delighting in everlasting bliss, immersed
in an ocean of love.
BENEDICTORY VERSE BY KASSIAPPA
SHIVACHARYA
[TAMIL SCRIPT]
May the rain-rich clouds descend without
fail and enrich
this earth. May the monarchs rule this resplendent earth
with unfailing justice. May all living beings of this enduring
earth live without want. May all righteous deeds, governed
by the Vedas four, prevail upon this earth. May the
sacrificial fires and deeds of penance grow in abundance.
May the glorious Saivite truths become renowned the world
over.
|
