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OCTOBER, 1926)
TWO TAMIL HYMNS FOR THE MARGAZHI FESTIVAL
187
6. O Fawn, albeit yesterday Thou didst say
"To-morrow will I myself awaken you," declare without shame To what quarter did that promise of thine go; for hath it not already davned? He who is beyond the knowledge of Heaven itself and Earth and all things besides, Himself will come and, in His grace cherishing us, will accept us in service. Thou wilt not open thy lips to us who have come to thee singing the glory of His
jewelled feet. Thou wilt not let thy flesh melt in devotion to Him. This alone is conduct befitting the Sing thou of Him who is Lord of us and of all others besides. El Or, Our Lady.
7. Mother, are these things too but trifles ? When thou hearest described
The auspicious signs of Him who is incomprehensible to the many Immortals, The One, the Greatly Splendid, thou openest Thy lips uttering the name " Sivan." Before one hath cried out “O Thou of the South", thou wilt melt like wax near fire ; "Mine Own, my King, Sweet Ambrosia " we, all of us, Have cried, each of us by herself apart, and dost thou still lie asleep? Like the hard-hearted fools thou in silence liest. What is the nature of thy sleep? El Or, Our Lady. The cock croweth and birds cry all round. The flute soundeth and concbes ring all round. Of the Incomparable Supreme Splendour, of the Incomparable Supreme Mercy We sang in terms of the highest meaning ; didst thou not hear ? May thou prosper! What sort of sleep is this? Prithee open thy lips. Is this ever the way that the love of Vishnu executeth itself ? Of the One which abideth as the First from all Eternity,
Of Him who is always on the side of the humble, 20 sing, El Or, Our Lady. 9. O ancient Being, essence of all that is the primal ancient essence,
0 Thou, who art also even that which is the newest, We who are slaves of Thy glorious feet, having obtained Thee as our Lord, will worship at the feet of Thy servants; to such we will give our allegiance. May such men become our husbands ; in such manner as They please to say, we will obediently serve them as their slaves; O our King, if thou but favour us with this kind of life,
We shall be lacking in naught. El Or, Our Lady. 10. Beneath the sevenfold Underworld is the ineffable foot-blossom.
The flower-crowned head is of all the universe the very Head. The sacred form, on one side woman, is not alone His form. Although the Heavenly Ones and earth praise Him as the Vedas' beginning, He is the one indescribable Friend, who abideth ever in the devout. Oye girls within the temple of Him faultless abide. What is His town! What is His name? Who are His kinafolk Who are strangers to
Him! In what manner shall He be sung! El Or, Our Lady.
11. Entering the broad and crowded tank, with splashing
We have bathed, scooping up (the water) with our hands, having hymned Thine
anklet, 30' Him who is in part woman is also another interpretation. but it has no appropriateness here where Siva's grace to devotees is the theme.
