In Praise of Pillaiyar: A Collection of Tamil Devotional Poetry

Ranging 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.

TIRUMANTIRAM, INVOCATION

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

NAMBI ANDAR NAMBI

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

**Credits to and published by Himalayan Academy