Thiruppavai (திருப்பாவை): all 30 verses with meaning

Read the verse in Tamil, follow a silent word-by-word guide at your own speed, and listen to the meaning in Tamil or English.

Thiruppavai (திருப்பாவை) is a set of thirty Tamil verses composed by Andal (ஆண்டாள்), one of the Alvar poet-saints, more than a thousand years ago. It is recited every day through the Tamil month of Margazhi (மார்கழி), which runs from mid-December to mid-January, and many families recite one verse a day.

In the poem, Andal imagines herself as a girl in a cowherd village who wakes her friends before dawn to take a vow and bathe together, then goes with them to ask Krishna for the gift of the vow. The first five verses set out the vow, the next ten wake ten friends one by one, the next five wake the household of Nandagopa, and the last ten are the girls' request and promise.

How each page works

• Read along. The verse is in large Tamil script. Press Follow along and each word lights up in turn, so you can read it aloud at a steady pace. The highlight makes no sound, and a slider sets the speed.
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The 30 verses

1. 1மார்கழித் திங்கள் மதிநிறைந்த நன்னாளால்Maargazhi ThingalThe call to begin the Margazhi vow.
2. 2வையத்து வாழ்வீர்காள் நாமும் நம் பாவைக்குச்Vaiyathu VaazhveergaalThe rules of the vow: no ghee or milk, no adornment, no unkind words, and giving freely.
3. 3ஓங்கி உலகளந்த உத்தமன் பேர்பாடிOngi UlagalandhaThe rewards of the vow: timely rain, rich fields and plenty for all.
4. 4ஆழி மழைக்கண்ணா ஒன்றும் நீ கைகரவேல்Aazhi MazhaikkannaaA prayer to the rain-cloud to pour down like the Lord's arrows.
5. 5மாயனை மன்னு வடமதுரை மைந்தனைத்Maayanai Mannu VadamaduraiWorshipping the wondrous Lord of Mathura with pure hearts so that sins burn away.
6. 6புள்ளும் சிலம்பினகாண் புள்ளரையன் கோயிலில்Pullum Silambina KaanWaking a sleeping friend as birds sing and the temple conch sounds.
7. 7கீசுகீசு என்றெங்கும் ஆனைச்சாத்தன் கலந்துKeesu Keesu EnruWaking a friend with the chatter of birds and the sound of churning curd.
8. 8கீழ்வானம் வெள்ளென்று எருமை சிறுவீடுKeezhvaanam VellenruCalling a friend at dawn, with the whole group waiting at her door.
9. 9தூமணி மாடத்துச் சுற்றும் விளக்கெரியத்Thoomani MaadaththuCalling the cousin who sleeps in a jewelled mansion, and asking her mother to wake her.
10. 10நோற்றுச் சுவர்க்கம் புகுகின்ற அம்மனாய்Notruch Churkkam PugukindraCalling a friend who is sure of heaven yet will not open her door.
11. 11கற்றுக் கறவைக் கணங்கள் பலகறந்துKattruk Karavaik KanangalCalling a cowherd's daughter who sleeps on while her friends sing at her courtyard.
12. 12கனைத்திளங் கற்றெருமை கன்றுக்கிரங்கிKanaiththilang KatrerumaiWaking the sister of a wealthy cowherd, as milk from the buffaloes wets the ground.
13. 13புள்ளின்வாய் கீண்டானைப் பொல்லா அரக்கனைக்Pullin Vaai KeendaanaiA friend is called out as the morning star rises, and told to leave her sleep and bathe.
14. 14உங்கள் புழக்கடைத் தோட்டத்து வாவியுள்Ungal PuzhakkadaiThe lilies in the garden pond have opened, and the friend who promised to wake the others is still asleep.
15. 15எல்லே இளங்கிளியே இன்னம் உறங்குதியோElle IlangiliyeA lively dialogue between the waiting girls and a friend who answers from inside.
16. 16நாயகனாய் நின்ற நந்தகோபனுடையNaayaganaay Ninra NandhagopanThe girls ask the doorkeepers of Nandagopa's house to let them in to wake Krishna.
17. 17அம்பரமே தண்ணீரே சோறே அறஞ்செய்யும்Ambaramae Thanneerae SoraeraeWaking Nandagopa, Yashoda, Krishna and Balarama in turn.
18. 18உந்து மதகளிற்றன் ஓடாத தோள்வலியன்Undhu MadhakalitranCalling Nappinnai, Krishna's beloved, to open the door and join them.
19. 19குத்து விளக்கெரியக் கோட்டுக்கால் கட்டில்மேல்Kuththu VilakkeriyaAsking Krishna to open his mouth and speak, and not to keep Nappinnai from them.
20. 20முப்பத்து மூவர் அமரர்க்கு முன்சென்றுMuppathu Moovar AmararkkuCalling Krishna, the protector of the gods, and asking Nappinnai to let them bathe with him.
21. 21ஏற்ற கலங்கள் எதிர்பொங்கி மீதளிப்பYettra Kalangal EdhirpongiWaking Krishna, the light of the world, as the cows overflow the pots and enemies bow at his gate.
22. 22அங்கண் மாஞாலத்து அரசர் அபிமானAngan MaagnaalaththuAsking the Lord to look on the girls, so that their burdens fall away.
23. 23மாரிமலை முழைஞ்சில் மன்னிக்கிடந்துறங்கும்Maarimalai MuzhainjilAsking Krishna to rise like a lion from its cave and listen to the girls' request.
24. 24அன்றிவ் வுலகம் அளந்தாய் அடிபோற்றிAndrivvulagam AlandhaaiPraising the Lord's feet, strength, glory, goodness and spear, and asking him to take pity on the girls.
25. 25ஒருத்தி மகனாய்ப் பிறந்து ஓரிரவில்Oruththi Maganaaip PirandhuThe story of Krishna's birth and escape from Kamsa, and the girls' hope to receive what they ask.
26. 26மாலே மணிவண்ணா மார்கழி நீராடுவான்Maalae ManivannaaListing the things needed for the Margazhi vow, from a great conch to drums, lamps, banner and canopy.
27. 27கூடாரை வெல்லும் சீர்க் கோவிந்தா உன்தன்னைப்Koodaarai Vellum SeerA joyful picture of the feast and ornaments the girls will enjoy once the vow is fulfilled.
28. 28கறவைகள் பின்சென்று கானம் சேர்ந்துண்போம்Karavaigal PinsendruThe girls' humble words: they are simple cowherds, and only ask for his love and a place at his feet.
29. 29சிற்றஞ் சிறுகாலே வந்துன்னைச் சேவித்து உன்Sitrranj SirukaalaeThe great promise: not only the gift of the vow, but to be his servants in every birth.
30. 30வங்கக் கடல்கடைந்த மாதவனைக் கேசவனைத்Vangak KadalkadaindhaThe closing verse: the poet names herself, and promises grace to everyone who recites the thirty verses.

About these pages

The Tamil text was checked line by line against the open e-text of Project Madurai (projectmadurai.org), a volunteer project that shares classical Tamil texts freely. Printed books sometimes spell or join words a little differently, so your own copy may not match every letter. The meanings and the page text were written for makekite, and they are short summaries to help you follow the verse, not a commentary or a substitute for a teacher.

If you spot a mistake, or a word you would write differently, please tell us and we will look at it.

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