DASAKOM 26

STANZA 1

ONCE THE EMPEROR OF PAANDYA LAND, INDRADYUMNA,

A GREAT DEVOTEE OF YOURS,

WAS PERFORMING PENANCE IN THE VINDHYA FORESTS,

AND FAILED TO NOTICE AGASTHYA,

WHO CAME TO VISIT HIM THERE

STANZA 2

HE GOT ANGRY AT

WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS DISRESPECT,

AND CURSED HIM,

"LET YOU WHO SIT THERE SLUMPED LIKE AN ELEPHANT

BE ONE OF THEM"

STANZA 3

HE LIVED IN A FOREST ON THE SHORE OF THE OCEAN OF MILK, PAALAAZHI,

AND EXCEEDING ALL OTHERS IN STRENGTH,

BECAME LEADER OF THE HERD,

AND PLAYED AROUND MERRILY, IN THEIIR COMPANY, FOR A LONG TIME

HOW CAN THERE BE ANY LOSS OF EXCELLENCE FOR YOUR DEVOTEES ANYWHERE!

STANZA 4

HE WHO, BECAUSE OF HIS SIZE,

AND THE HEALING OF THE DIVINE LAND,

FELT NO FATIGUE, AT ANY TIME AND ANYWHERE,

ONE DAY, FEELING THIRSTY DUE TO SUMMER HEAT,

WENT TO A LAKE AT THE FOOT OF THE HILL, WITH FRIENDS

STANZA 5

AT THAT TIME, A YAKSHA, CALLED HOOHOO,

BY THE CURSE OF ANOTHER SAINT BECAME A CROCODILE,

AND WAS LIVING IN THE WATER,

GRIPPED HIM BY HIS LEG

YOU, GIVE PEACE TO YOUR DEVOTEES, BY FIRST PUTTING THEM TO PAIN!

STANZA 6

WHILE HE WAS FIGHTING IRRESISTIBLY,

AFTER A THOUSAND YEARS,

WHEN IT WAS TIME,

YOU LET THE CROCODILE DEFEAT HIM

STANZA 7

BECAUSE OF HIS SUFFERING BRINGING TO LIGHT THE MEMORY OF HIS PAST LIFE,

 HE WORSHIPPED YOU WITH TRUNKFULS OF LOTUS FLOWERS,

AND CHANTING YOUR HYMNS OF DEVOTION,

WHICH WERE ENGRAVED ON MIND, BY YEARS OF PRACTICE

STANZA 8

WHEN BRAHMA, SHIVA AND OTHERS DID NOT COME ON HEARING THESE HYMNS,

SAYING THESE WERE NOT ABOUT THEM,

YOU, WHO PERVADES THE WHOLE WORLD, APPEARED,

WITH WEAPONS IN YOUR HANDS, AND SEATED ON GARUDA, MY LORD

STANZA 9

LIFTING UP THE HUGE ELEPHANT WITH YOUR SOFT SMOOTH HANDS,

YOU TORE THE CROCODILE IN TWO WITH YOUR WHEEL,

WHEN THE YAKSHA WENT AWAY, FREED FROM CURSE,

THE ELEPHANT BEAMED HAPPILY, AND BECAME ONE WITH YOU

STANZA 10

YOU WENT TO YOUR ABODE, TELLING THEM,

"MAY WHOEVER SINGS MY HYMNS OF PRAISE,

AND TELLS THIS STORY IN MORNINGS ALWAYS,

PROSPER IN EVERY WAY”