Aiyappan

nErAna ninaivillA nErizhaiyai  

நேரான நினைவில்லா நேரிழையை 

Pallavi

நேரான நினைவில்லா நேரிழையை நேயனாய்

nErAna ninaivillA nErizhaiyai nEyanAy

க்ஷமித்த சாஸ்தாவே சரணடைந்தேன் 

kshamittha sAsthAvE saraNadaindhEn

Anupallavi

திரும்பி வாரான் எனும் எண்ணமொடு புலிப்பால்

thirumbi vArAn enum eNNamodu pulippAl

விரும்பி கானிடை பாலனை விரட்டிய 

virumbi kAnidai bAlanai virattiya

Charanam

திறன் தெரியார் நின்னருள் செயல் தன்

thiRan theriyAr ninnaruL seyal than

அறன் அறியார் அவதாரப் பொருளறியார்

aRan aRiyAr avadhArap poruLaRiyAr

நாணிக் கோணிட நயந்திட வியந்திட

nANik kONida nayandhida viyandhida

வேங்கை மேல் பவனி வந்தாய் தர்மத்தை ஸ்தாபித்தாய் 

vEngai mEl bhavani vandhAy dharmatthai sthApitthAy

Translation

Pallavi

Lord Shasta, you had the grace to forgive your stepmother who entertained wicked thoughts about you. I surrendered at your feet. 

Anupallavi

That damsel had the crooked thought that you certainly would not return, and so she drove you to the forest to fetch tiger’s milk to cure her fake illness. You were only a child then.

Charanam

You established moral behavior for earthlings to follow, such as forgiveness, courage, and intolerance toward cruelty. Some wicked elements in society did not realize your talents, the virtue hidden in your merciful act, or the meaning of your incarnation on earth. They thought that you would not make it back from the forest. You rode back on a tiger in a procession to the kingdom, with its milk in hand. Those people were embarrassed, astonished, and full of praise for you.

Author’s Note

This song is based on the origin of the God Shasta or Ayyappa and his life. Per Bhutnathopakhyanam, the story starts with Devi Chamundi killing Mahishasura. The demon’s sister, Mahishi, took her revenge on the devas for her brother’s demise, and after penance got a boon from Brahma which made her invincible. Based on the boon, she could only be annihilated by a human born of the union of two men. Bhagavatam also corroborates the story that Shasta was born by a union of Siva and Vishnu when the latter took Mohini avataram. 

How Siva got memorized by Mohini and embraced her romantically not realizing the illusory power of Vishnu are detailed in:

ஶ்ரீமத் பாகவத ஸாரம், முதல பாகம், உரை ஆசிரியர் அண்ணா, ஶ்ரீராமகிருஷ்ண மடம், மயிலாப்பூர், சென்னை 600004, பக்கம் 408-411, Slokas 12.12-12.47.

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