Pasuram 2.8.10

Tamil text and transliteration:

சீர்மை கொள் வீடு சுவர்க்கம் நரகு ஈறா,
ஈர்மை கொள் தேவர் நடுவா மற்று எப் பொருட்கும்,
வேர் முதல் ஆய் வித்து ஆய் பரந்து தனி நின்ற,
கார் முகில் போல் வண்ணன் என் கண்ணனை நான் கண்டேனே.

cīrmai koḷ vīṭu cuvarkkam naraku īṟā,
īrmai koḷ tēvar naṭuvā maṟṟu ep poruṭkum,
vēr mutal āy vittu āy parantu taṉi niṉṟa,
kār mukil pōl vaṇṇaṉ eṉ kaṇṇaṉai nāṉ kaṇṭēṉē.

English translation of verse 2.8.10:

Seen have I kaṇṇaṉ, my cloud-hued Lord, of unique excellence,
All pervading, He is the triple cause of all existence,
Ushering in the exalted Heaven, Svarg and hell, the respective denizens,
The kind-hearted Devas and all else.

Notes

(i) As already mentioned in the preamble to this decad, the Āḻvār finds, at this stage, the people around, most unresponsive, all his advice having fallen on deaf ears. Frustrated though, he is still happy that he didn’t get contaminated by them and become one of them, very much like clearing a dacoit-infested area without getting robbed or molested.

(ii) The Lord combines in Himself all the three causes of existence, the material (upādāna) Instrumental (Sahakāri) and the operative (nimitta) causes. For making pots, mud is the material cause, the potter’s wheel and staff, the Instrumental cause, and the Potter is the operative cause. So far as the creation of this world is concerned, all the three causes vest in the Lord, yet another unique feature of the Lord. Apart from this universal aspect, the Lord regales the denizens of the high heaven with the exquisite charm of His transcendent Form, and He has now chosen to present Himself unto the Āḻvār as the charming Kṛṣṇa. Great indeed is the Āḻvār’s joy.