“This is my grand reward for raising you.”

Tirumaṅkai Āḻvār (c. 9^th century) is one of the twelve āḻvār poets of the Tamil Vaiṣṇava bhakti tradition. According to legend, he was initiated into the Vaiṣṇava sampradāya by Viṣṇu himself. The tradition attributes six works to him, including the monumental 1084-verse Periya Tirumoḻi (The Great Song). All his poems are included in the Nālāyira Divya Prabandham, the canonical Tamil scriptural sources for Tamil Vaiṣṇavas. The Tiruneṭuntāṇtakam is believed to be his last work. The poem, written in the long tāṇṭakam­-meter, consists of thirty verses and features several female voices—including the heroine (the parakāla nāyikā), her mother, her friend and the fortuneteller—who each comment on the nature of unrequited, all-consuming love for Viṣṇu.

 
12.

Her heart dissolves spills through her eyes as tears

she stands swoons sighs

forgets to eat, to sleep

“Prince asleep on a venomous serpent”

“Lord of Vayalali, city of fragrant groves”

Swaying like his banner imprinted with his lovely bird,

she says

“friend, shall we go to beautiful Arangam

shall we dance there?”

I’ve borne a girl I can’t control,

an error without compare in this vast world

such is my misfortune.

13.

“He lifted a mountain to guard against a rain of stones”

“He abides in Kacci where only flowers one desires bloom”

“He bent the bow, embraced the tender woman

“King who slumbers in Vehka”

“Slayer of wrestlers, vanquisher of enemies”

“destroyer of the demon-horse, beloved”

She teaches her parrot to repeat these words

then weeps:

tears that wash over her breasts.

14.

The parrot sang:

“A ripe full sun, a cool cloud in Kurunkuti,

beyond the three indestructible worlds,

He is first, he is primordial.

Sweet nectar,

purity in the hearts of the pure,

radiant lamp of Tiruttanka,

brilliant emerald in Vehka,

Māl.”

She, delighted, bowed to that silly parrot, said

“This is my grand reward for raising you.”

15.

“Great elephant of Kacci

surrounded by strong tall walls of stone”

“He is sweet as fruit, him asleep on the ocean,

Blissful Lord of lovely Alandur

circled by lakes filled with lilies”

She smiles, and resting the long vina against her breasts,

plucks its strings with her slender fingers,

sings like a sweet parrot,

this mad girl of mine.