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tiruvAcagam or The Sacred Utterances of the Tamil Poet, Saint and ...

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Hymn II: CIVAN'S FAME<br />

<strong>The</strong> <strong>Sacred</strong> Song <strong>of</strong> Civan's Renowned Acts<br />

<strong>The</strong> sacred foot that danced in Tillai's city old<br />

Is His, Who in all varied lives has energized;<br />

Revealed in beauty <strong>of</strong> innumerous, varied qualities;<br />

In earth, in sky, <strong>and</strong> in celestial w<strong>or</strong>lds.<br />

All <strong>or</strong>dered l<strong>or</strong>e hath He revealed, <strong>and</strong> He made void. (5)<br />

My darkness hath He driven f<strong>or</strong> aye far <strong>of</strong>f.<br />

Within His servants' inmost soul that love o'erflows<br />

He dwells, - His gl<strong>or</strong>y <strong>and</strong> His choice.<br />

On great MahEndra's biding hill<br />

In grace He caused <strong>the</strong> uttered Agamas appear. (10)<br />

He came with <strong>the</strong> good goddess,<br />

Pleasant <strong>and</strong> gracious, mingling with men at KallAdam.<br />

With her whose w<strong>or</strong>ds are milk in <strong>the</strong> 'fivefold couch,'<br />

He caused sweet grace, that unfailing accumulates, to grow.<br />

In guise <strong>of</strong> a woodman, <strong>of</strong> her whose lips are crimson, (15)<br />

He sank in <strong>the</strong> lovely expanse <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> swelling breast.<br />

Becoming a fisherman He caught <strong>the</strong> shark.<br />

And he received <strong>the</strong> Agamas, a rich spoil.<br />

M<strong>or</strong>eover, on MahEndra seated, <strong>the</strong> self-same Agamas<br />

From His five mouths He graciously spake f<strong>or</strong>th. (20)<br />

In our abode a BrAhman He became,<br />

And as a deathless Guru dwelt in grace.<br />

Assuming diverse f<strong>or</strong>ms, <strong>and</strong> diverse habitudes,<br />

As hundreds <strong>of</strong> hundreds <strong>of</strong> thous<strong>and</strong>s <strong>of</strong> natures,<br />

ICan, L<strong>or</strong>d <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> bull, that <strong>the</strong> w<strong>or</strong>ld might be saved, - (25)<br />

He <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> Lady, His partner, - came in grace.<br />

Bringing h<strong>or</strong>ses, in <strong>the</strong> Western l<strong>and</strong>,<br />

Right royally He rode in state.<br />

In fair PuttUr, town <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> dart, upon <strong>the</strong> bull He rode,<br />

Made manifest His state <strong>and</strong> gl<strong>or</strong>ious pomp. (30)<br />

In a mirr<strong>or</strong>, at PuttUr <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> santhal-wood,<br />

Gave increase to <strong>the</strong> woodman armed with bow.<br />

His f<strong>or</strong>m all flame, that held <strong>the</strong> 'gram-bag',<br />

In magic beauty exquisite, <strong>of</strong> old he showed.<br />

He whose extent to Hari <strong>and</strong> to BrahmA was not known, (35)<br />

In goodness jackals into h<strong>or</strong>se made,<br />

To make him His, He <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> sacred foot,<br />

<strong>The</strong> chargers to <strong>the</strong> PAndiyan sold,<br />

N<strong>or</strong> deigned to take <strong>the</strong> heaped-up gold.<br />

Our King made me His slave, <strong>and</strong> in <strong>the</strong> path <strong>of</strong> grace to keep, (40)<br />

Made manifest <strong>the</strong> ancient brightening ray.

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