Pasuram 10.8.8

Tamil text and transliteration:

கண்ணுள் நின்று அகலான் கருத்தின்கண் பெரியன்
எண்ணில்நுண் பொருள் ஏழ்இசையின் சுவைதானே
வண்ணநல் மணிமாடங்கள்சூழ் திருப்பேரான்
திண்ணம் என்மனத்துப் புகுந்தான் செறிந்துஇன்றே.

kaṇṇuḷ niṉṟu akalāṉ karuttiṉkaṇ periyaṉ
eṇṇilnuṇ poruḷ ēḻicaiyiṉ cuvaitāṉē
vaṇṇanal maṇimāṭaṅkaḷcūḻ tiruppērāṉ
tiṇṇam eṉmaṉattup pukuntāṉ ceṟintuiṉṟē.

English translation of verse 10.8.8:

Subtle beyond the comprehension of those who seek to comprehend
Is the Lord Supreme: the melodic essence of all music.
The Lord now in Tiruppēr, by glittering castles bound,
Is extra-keen on taking me to Heaven; He shan’t brook
Being from my eyes apart and now it is certain indeed
That He has firmly entered my mind.

Notes:

The Lord, too subtle to be comprehended by those who seek to comprehend Him through strenuous efforts, is now fiercely concentrating on the elaborate arrangements to be made in connection with the ensuing journey of the Āḻvār to Heaven. The Lord’s vision stands continually in front of the Āḻvār, feasting his eyes, and he is enjoying right here the blessed rapport of ‘Sadā paśyanti Sūrayaḥ’, the incessant comnunion with the Lord, on the yonder side of Heaven, the marvellous experience gone through by the denizens over there, ever fresh and exhilarating.

The Lord is subtle beyond comprehension and, in any case, none, not even the Āḻvār, can gauge and comprehend the depth of the Lord’s love unto him. The Lord’s aesthetic sense, His love for the art of music, can, at best, be summed up by saying that He is the melodic quintessence of the metrical sounds in their octaves. But then, the extent of His aesthetic delight, egging Him on to His profuse love for the Āḻvār and the manner in which He wants to exhibit it baffle all understanding.