(nEsa nAyanAr purANam - Periyapuranam as English poetry)

 
 
        "I am a servitor of Nesan too" 
         
                    - The Tiru-th-Tonda-th-Tokai. 
 
1.     Men of loving chinta and granters of well-being, 
    Established in the way of ever-glorious greatness 
    For ever abide in this very hoary city 
    Of world-pervading glory; it is Kambili rich 
    In mansions whose cloud-capped towers and turrets 
    Are bathed by the moon’s rays.                    (4192) 
 
2.     In that city he came to be born in the clan of weavers; 
    In his traditional and ever-during vocation 
    He acquired pre-eminence; he would render, with all his 
    Heart, service to the devotees of the Lord 
    Who wears snakes for his jewels; he wore as it were 
    The feet of the Lord’s devotees and hailed them thus; 
    He that glowed with such splendour was called Nesanaar.        (4193) 
 
3.     He dedicated his thinking to the flower-feet of Hara, 
    His soaring vaak to the lofty Panchaakshara 
    And his manual service to the servitors of the Lord; 
    He wove fitting clothing, keell and flawless kovanam.        (4194) 
 

                                                       
 
 
4.     Weaving goodly garments, great keells and peerless kovanams 
    He would ceaselessly give away these to the servitors 
    Of the Lord whose mount is the Bull, whenever 
    The approached him for these; he would ever adore 
    And hail their feet and thus came by the beatitude 
    Of servitorship; thus, even thus, he reached 
    The shade of Hara’s feet.                    (4195) 
 
5.     Adoring the feet of Nesar who, to reach the feet 
    Of the Lord whose crown is wrought of braids 
    Of matted hair, did away with the karma 
    That fettered him, we proceed to narrate 
    The glory of Ko-ch-Chengkat Chola who by reason 
    Of his (tapaswic) greatness came to be born 
    With the awareness of his previous birth and who, 
    For the Lord whose ensign in His flag is the Bull, 
    Built many a temple and reigned over the earth.            (4196) 
 
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NOTES 
 
Verse No. 
 
   1.    Kambili: It is a town of Kambili taluq, Bellari, District, Andhra Pradesh.  
    It is also said that Nesa Naayanaar who was born here spent his later  
    part of life in Koorainaadu, Mayilaaduthurai.  In the shrine of Koorainaadu,  
    it is said, the icons of Muruka and Vinaayaka brought thither by Nesa  
    Naayanaar, are installed.  Koorai means garment.  The weavers of Koorainaadu  
    conduct a festival in honor of our Naayanaar during the Rhohini Day of  
    Pangkuni, every year. 
 
   3.    Our Naayanaar was a weaver by birth.  His mind ever dwelt upon the glory of  
    Siva.  His lips ever chanted the hallowed name of Siva.  Small wonder the  
    garments he wove were wrought of devotion’s threads. 
 
   4.    Cf. “Kaivinai ceythu em Piraan kazhal potruthum” (Render manual service and  
    adore the ankleted feet of our Lord-God). 
 
   5.    Our Naayanaar wove his way to Sivapuram. 
 
 
                Here ends the Puranam of Nesa Naayanaar 

Sincere thanks to Sri. T N Ramachandran of thanjavur, for permitting his English rendering of the holy text periyapurANam be published here.

See Also: 
1. nEcha nAyanAr purANam in English prose 
2. நேச நாயனார் புராணம் (தமிழ் மூலம்) 
3. thiruththoNDar purANam main page
4. 12 shaivite thirumuRais