The Praise of God
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aṟavāzhi andhaṇaṉ thāḷsērndhārk kallāl / piṟavāzhi nīndhal aridhu
Unless one reaches the raft of the feet of the Divine who is an Ocean of Virtue, crossing the sea of worldly turmoil is difficult.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Unless His feet 'the Sea of Good, the Fair and Bountiful,' men gain, 'tis hard the further bank of being's changeful sea to attain.”
“The stormy seas of wealth and sense delights cannot be traversed except by those who cling to the feet of the Sage who is the Ocean of Righteousness.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
அறம் ஆழி அந்தணன் தாள் சேர்ந்தார்க்கு அல்லால் = அறக் கடலாகிய அந்தணனது தாளாகிய புணையைச் சேர்ந்தார்க்கல்லது; பிற ஆழி நீந்தல் அரிது = பிற ஆகிய கடல்களை நீந்தல் அரிது.
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Parimelazhagar explains that unless one reaches the sheltering raft of the feet of the Divine who is an infinite ocean of righteousness, swimming across the turbulent seas of wealth, pleasure, and worldly desire is impossible. Virtue is the only vessel strong enough to navigate life’s stormy waters.