by Srirama Bharati and Sowbhagya Lakshmi.
Obeisance to the master.
In the town of Viravanallur
On the good day of Hastam in Tai,
To the good Muttamma and Vedantam,
came our lord and guru
Sri Satakopan the master.
With folded hands he teaches
The meaning of Vedic texts.
Singing, dancing like a child
Compassionate like a mother,
Learning the good names
Of the Lord who reclines in Yoga
Comes our lord and guru
Sri Satakopan the master.
In all the quarters,
Learned ones do praise
And wish him long life.
With music of the well tuned vina,
and texts of the revelations
Teaching us to dance and sing
As ambrosia for the heart
Comes our lord and guru
Sri satakopan the master.
1.1 Uyarvara
1. Arise O Heart, worship the feet of the God
Who is higher than the highest good
Who is the Lord of the ever wakeful celestials
Who dispels doubts and grants pure knowledge.
2. He cleanses the heart makes it blossom and grow
He is beyond the ken of thought feeling and senses
He is pure consciousness all goodness and eternal
He has no peer, or superior, he is in all our souls.
3. He cannot be thought of "this" and "not that"
He is the sentient and insentient, in high and in low.
He is in the senses, but not of them and endless
Let us seek the good one he is everywhere.
4. He stands as the he there, here and between,
The She there, here between and wherever
The things that are here there between and wherever.
He is there good bad indifferent, their past and their future.
5. Let each one offer worship as he deems fit
And each one shall attain his god's feet
For our lord, who stands about these gods,
Accepts the offerings made to them and bids them deliver the fruit.
6. Our lord is eternally one unchanging.
Standing, sitting, lying or walking.
Not standing, not sitting, not lying, not walking,
forever the same forever not the same.
7. The lord of the vedas who swallowed the universe
Is manifest as fire, earth water sky and air.
He is there in all the things made of these.
Hidden like life in the baby everywhere.
8. Though he is everywhere he cannot be seen, even by the gods,
He is the first cause the almighty who swallowed all,
He burnt the three cities, granted wisdom to the gods.
He is Brahma the creator, and Siva the destroyer too.
9. Would you say he is, then he is, and all this is him.
Say he is not, then too he is, as the formless spirit in all,
With the twin qualities of being and not being.
He pervades all things and places forever.
10. He who swallowed all reclines in the cool ocean,
Resides in every drop, the universe itself, complete
On earth and in the sky hidden everywhere,
in every atom and cell continuously forever.
11. This decad of the thousand songs by Kurugur Satakopan
On the lord who exists in fire, earth, water, sky and air,
Subtly as heat, mass, coolness strength and sound,
offers liberation to those who recite it.
1.2 Vidumin
1. Give up everything
Surrender your soul
To the maker
and accept his protection.
2. Fleetier than lightning
is the life of the body
Ponder a while
on this matter yourself.
3. Uproot all thoughts
Of you and yours
Merge with the lord
there is no greater fulfilment.
4. The lord is beyond
Being and not being
cutting all attachments
attain that infinite good.
5. Where all attachment ceases
The soul becomes free
So seek the eternal lord
and cut all attachments.
6. the lord has no attachment
He exists every where
become freed of attachments
and merge with him fully.
7. Look at the vast wealth
Of radiance all around
know that all these are his
and merge into him.
8. Go to the source
Of thought Word and deed
Direct them to him
and merge yourself too.
9. When thus directed
all obstacles will vanish
then wait for the moment
of shedding the body.
10. Unite with the feet
Of the glorious Narayana
Lord of countless virtues
Lord of incomparable good.
11. This decad of the thousand
are the considered words
by satakopan of kurugur
city of many lakes.
1.3 Pattudai.
1. The Lord is easy to reach by devotees through love.
His feet are hard to get for others, even lotus dame Lakshmi.
Oh how easily he was caught and bound to the mortar pleading.
for stealing butter from the milk man's churning pail.
2. Heedless of place and context, he appears in countless forms.
His radiant fullness is beginningless and endless.
Forever providing the abrosial experience of liberation,
with cool grace he exists within and without.
3. Who can comprehend the wonders of Narayana?
He bears the highest good of Vedic sacrifice.
Forever he creates destroys, and plays between the two
He contains the gods, and the living and the lifeless.
4. My Lord is hard to see as the changeless one.
My lord is easy to see as the changeless one.
My lord bears a thousand names and forms.
My lord is opposed to names and form, being and not being.
1.5 Valavel
5. O Madhava, lord bearing the fawn eyed dame Lakshmi!
O Govinda, who straightened the bow like bends of Trivakra's body!
O Madhusudana, gem hued lord of effulgent celestial light hear me,!
May this hapless self attain your nectar lotus feet!
6. O Madhava, O lord who entered the cowherd fold and became their chief!
O Keshava, O Lord of celestials, you are the medicine to cure my despair!
O Sridhara you shot an arrow piercing seven dense trees!
O Lord of many great acts and many names, I call and swoon calling you!
7. My lord Tirumal, wearing the fragrant Tulasi garland,
My Krishna, you release devotees from weed like mortal bondage,
Alas! When even great minds fail to understand him,
I of lowly intellect weep to see him, what greater folly than this?
10. The Vaikuntha Lord of effulgent knowledge, beyond size and shape and situation,
Pervades all things and beeings, as the individual spirit of all,
Driving out my twin Karmas, he cut asunder my Maya bonds,
then made me place my heart in him, faithfully.
11. This decad of the thousand songs of Kurugur Satakopan
Praised by musicians, devotees and poets, alike
Fondly addressed the lord of Wonders, full of grace,
Those who sing it will never suffer on earth.
II.7. Kesavan Tamar.
Through chanting, KESAVA my lord and master, lord of celestials,
My lotus eyes Krishna, my black gem lord, Narayana,
My kin through seven generations before and after me
Have become devotees, what wonder lo, what fulfilment!
Narayana is the master of all the worlds, extolled by the vedas.
He is the cause, effect, and the act of all, my master.
He stands worshipped by Lakshmi and all the celestials.
He is Madhava, my lord, who broke the tusk of the elephant.
For merely saying Madhava he came to me saying
Henceforth and forever, I shall stay and protect you.
My lotus eyes mountain hued ambrosia, my perfect sugar candy,
My master, My Govinda is the destroyer of endless karmas.
For dancing, singing Govinda, Gopala and many more names,
He made me pure and took me into his service.
My clever Lord Vishnu rid me of my past misdeeds,
They made me love him through now and seven lives.
My Lord Vishnu wears a radiant crown,
My Madhu foe has red lotus feet, and radiant handa and eyes.
His frame is dark and radiant like a beautiful mountain.
His conch and discus bear the radiance of the moon and sun.
I said Madhusudana is my sole refuge, then ceased acting.
And only worshipped him through song and dance.
Through many lives in every age he came before me and
showered his grace.
This has been my blessing, through trivikrama my master.
Chanting Trivikrama and other names, I thought of my lord
With red lotus eyes, and coral lips, and bright crystal hue.
O my great Lord who came as dwarf through countless ages.
You made my heart serve and worship your Lotus feet.
Singing Vamana, O my gem hued lord of lotus eyes
O father of Kama(Pradyumna) and such others I worshipped you
You made me pure of heart, and rid me of my birth pains.
O My Sridhara, what can i do for you.
For chanting Sridhara my lotus eyes lord and such others night and day.
Prating madly, depressed, with tears in my eyes and breathing hotly
You did rid my store of Karmas, and gave me joy.
Then planted yourself in my heart for all times, my Hrishikesa.
Have good sense, O Heart! listen well and worship Him.
Chanting Hrisikesha, my lord you burnt the demons Lanka,
O My lord and master, lord of celestials and such,
Not even through oversight must you stop chanting Padmanabha.
Padmanabha is the mighty one higher than the highest..
He is my kalpa tree, he made me his and himself mine,
He is my ambrosia, dark as the rain cloud in Vengadam
The Lord of high celestials too is my lord Damodara.
Can even those who worship Damodara know his greatness?
He is the first cause, and the swallower of the universe
Can even Brahma or Siva through steady contemplation
Fanthom his greatness, when they are but a part of him?
this group of songs bearing the names of the Lord
From the thousand songs of Kurugur Satakopan
Is for Krishna, gem hued lord of celestials
those who can sing it will attain the Lords feet.
VI.1. Vaikal
O flocking egrets picking worms in my flowery marshes
My berry lipped lord with discus in hand
Resides in beautiful prosperous Vandur, where paddy grows tall
Go tell him with folded hands my sad tale of love.
O dark egret searching for worms, with love bird campanion
Our lord who swallowed all the worlds
Resides in cool Tiruvanvandur resonant with the chant of Vedic hymns.
Go fall at his feet, and tell him of my lowly plight.
O flocking feathered friends, grazing in the fields!
The berry lipped lord with the spinning discus
Livesa in Tiruvanvandur with enormous wealth
Go worship him with reverence, and tell him my woes.
O twin swans, forever enjoying a dip and in company!
The ancient lord of celestials, my ocean hued Krishna
Resides in Tiruvanvandur amid vedic echoes.
Pray tell him that a maiden is pinning for him.
O twin swans, who know how to make peace after fighting
My lord wearing a Tulasi garland on his crown
Resides in tiruvanvandur where conches lie on high dunes
Go see him with folded hands and pray for me also.
O Punnai-dwelling koels, I pray you please!
The lord of gods with a discus in his radiant hand
Resides in tiruvanvandur where fish jump in watered fields
go ask him for a reply and rid me of my swoon.
O beautiful parrot go this once, then speak your good words!
Flower groves and red shores surround Tiruvanvandur,
The lord has a dark hue, red lips eyes and feet.
Discus and conch are his identification marks.
O beautiful Puvai bird, meet my lord and come back to me
He lives in vandur filled with Punnai, Serundi, Nalai, Kurukkatti and Magil flowers
He has large lotus eyes and a tall radiant crown
Four mighty shoulders, and a dark cloud hue.
O dainty swans dallying over flowers, worship his feet!
My lord resides in Vandur where conches herald the morn
My Krishna the ancient Lord is swift
Pray talk to him alone and tell him of my plight.
O fragrant bees, I pray you because you are different1
On the nothern banks of Pampa is Tiruvanvandur,
The lord who burnt to dust the high walled Lanka
resides there; pray tell him I too exist.
This decad of the thousand songs
By Kurugur Satakopan
On the lord who came and took the earth
Will win the heart of damsels.
VI.3. Nalkuravum
I see the lord everywhere, he appears in many ways
As poverty and plenty, as heaven and as hell
As bitter feud and friendship, as poison and medicine,
He is my master living with affluent people in Vinnakar.
As pleasure and pain, as confusion and clear thought,
As Punishment and forgiveness, as light and shade,
The Lord my master is hard to understand
He resides in Vinnakar, surrounded by clear waters.
As cities and villages, as knowledge and ignorance,
As the brilliant orbs and darkness, as earth and wide sky,
The lord resides in Tiruvinnakar, surrounded by mansions.
Other than his grace we have no refuge.
Good and bad Karmas, union and seperation,
Memory and amnesia, reality and illusion, these he is and he is not.
Krishna, the lord of Vinnakar, is surrounded by mansions
Other than him there is no doer, witness ye all.
The doer is the colours fair, red, blackand white.
Truth and falsehood, youth and age, newness and oldness.
The lord of Tiruvinnakar is fortified by walls,
See, he laid this garden world and all the good in it.
These three worlds and yet not them, pleasence and anger,
The Lotus dame, and wretched dame, praise and weightyblame,
The lord of Tiruvinnakar, worshipped by the gods
Is a radiant lotus form that lives in my heart.
A body of exceeding radiance, a body full of filth,
Hiding now and coming then, constant yet deceiving.
He resides in Vinnakar worshipped by the gods,
Other than hislotus feet we have no refuge.
The permanent refuge of gods, the ghastly death of Asuras
Protecting all the worlds below his feet and yet not thus,
refuge of the southern quarter, lord of vinnakar,
Is my refuge, O my father, lord and Krishna, master!
The lord and father is my mother and my foster mother,
Golden father, gem-hued father, pearly father, father!
He resides in Vinnakar with golden walls around
Peerless lord he gave me the shade of his golden feet.
Shade and sunlight, small and bigness, long and shortness
Walking, standing, other things and yet not any of them,
the lord resides in Vinnakar with sweetly humming bees,
His feet alone protects us all, O see the truth in this1
This decad of thousand songs by Kurugur Satakopan
Addresses the lord of Vinnakar who grew before our eyes
When he came begging as a lad and then said "Behold o Bali"
those who sing it straight will be as gurus to the gods.
X.2. Kedumidar.
All our obstacles will vanish on uttering the name Kesava.
The wicked Yama's messengers too shall not come near.
So let us go anon to Anantapuranagar, of happy fields,
Where the lord reclines on his venomous serpent couch.
If we go now despair will not bother us for seven lives.
Mansions rise like mountains in Anantapuranagara.
Kurundu, Cerundi and Punnai flowers spread their fragrance,
Celestials city for those who take his one name in the thousand.
The lord who swallowed and remade the universe reclines
In cool Anantapuranagar, his mount Garuda his banner.
If you firmly join him there, all your woes will vanish.
So just recite his one name, from among the thousand.
Speak without fear, he befriends all and reclines there
In Anantapuranagara, surrounded by fragrant bowers and fields.
By the side of the ocean, they worship him there,
with flowers and method, how fortunate they are!
Those who seek the lord's feet in fragrant Anantapura nagar.
And worship him with holy water and fresh flowers
And contemplate his name, we know and say with certainty,
Will end this life and become celestial.
The lord reclining in Anantapuranagar is lord of celestials,
Whom the first of them (Visvaksena) worships, and others serve.
O my people, listen to me, we too must go and join them.
It is Govinda who ended the woes of Subrahmanya's father.
Our great lord Govinda is also destroyer and creator,
Of the worlds, souls, gods and all else.
He reclines in Anantapuram by fertile fields and fish jumping waters.
Even sweeping the yard there will undo all our Karmas.
The beautiful radiant Anantapuram, they say, is adopted.
By the father of Kama himself, to undo our Karmas.
Get set to see the lord's feet reclining on hooded couch.
O devotees among us, this is my last call.
My period of notice too has ended, just see!
The fragrant groved Anantapuram is full of auspicious signs,
With freshly culled fragrant flowers and incense,
Worship Vamana's feet, your woes will end without a trace.
All woes will themselves vanish, when we utter Madhava.
The lord resides in golden walled Anantapuranagar.
Those who worship him with sandal paste and lamp,
And incense and fresh lotus petals, will attain eternal glory.
This decad of the thousand songs by Kurugur Satakopan
On the lord of eternal glory at Anantapuranagar
Will secure the embrace of soft slender shoulders
Of well ornamented women in the celestial world.
X 4. Sarve
Damodara's feet are the means to devotion,
The dark hued discus lord of lotus eyes
Stands as water, earth, sky, fire and air.
His glory is sung by the great celestials.
Lord glorious even to heavenly celestials,
Hard to see for those who do not love him,
Lord of lotus eyes with Sri dame on his chest.
He rules for ever beyond pairs of opposites.
The discus lord rules, now who can bring us harm?
We have overcome the pains of rebirth, never to return,
I have seen and placed on my head the feet
Of the spouse of fish eyed dame Nappinnai.
The lord who slept on a fig leaf,
Worshipped by celestials stands on a hill
And in my heart, his feet are on my head.
He is inseparable from me, I am convinced.
He cannot leave my heart I am convinced
The discus lord is full of mischief in him.
He makes falsehood appear real to those who do not see him,
for us who love him dearly, he appears reclining.
Mat haired Siva with his crescent moon
Occupies a part of the serpent couch lord
Who graces all who meditate on him.
I worship him in my heart.
Worship O heart the greatest good!
Disease will not come close, birth too will cease,
The lord of gem hue radiance bears a golden discus.
He is Madhusudana, lord who rules us.
The discus lord is beyond the ken of gods.
The timeless lord and creator, he grazed cows.
On his broad shoulders he lifted a mountain.
Praise his feet without fail, O good heart.
I trod the path of relentless service
And worshipped as taught by him in yore,
and saw his radiant lotus feet.
Instantly, my karmas have vanished.
Madhava is lord of gods praised in every quarter.
His feet are adored by his devotees everywhere.
Fix your heart on him and worship everyday
with incense, lamp, fresh flowers and water.
This decad of a thousand songs
By Valudi land's Kurugur Satakopan
On the lord of celestials, wrestling shoulders
Offers shelter at his feet to those who sing it.
X 5. kannan Kalalinai.
Those who seek
krishna's feet,
Meditate on the name,
Narayana is the Mantra
Narayana, our lord
Spouse of dame earth
Killer of rutted elephants
Is his own cause.
He made the universe
He lifted it.
He swallowed and remade,
He is the protector.
The ruler reclines
On serpant in the ocean
Strew flowers on his feet
and worship everyday.
Worship everyday
With fresh flowers
and sing his name,
Liberation is here.
The Kaya hued lord
Resides in Vengadam.
He is Madhava,
Who drank Putana's breasts.
If you can sing
Madhava's names,
No harm will come,
Nor sin attain you.
Free of faults
He who sings
The cloud lord's names
Will live like the gods.
he evades the Gods
and gives himself
To devotees
Ending their Karmas.
Karmas in hordes
Will flee un fear.
Strew lotus flowers
And contemplate on him.
this of the thousand
By Kurugur Satakopan
will secure for devotees
The grace of the Lord.
X 6. Arul Peruvar
The Lord of discus resides in Tiruvattaru,
Waiting to be commanded by his Devotees,
No more do I seek birth in this dark world.
Dispel all doubts O heart, and worship him.
Singing songs and worshipping Kesava at Tiruvattaru.
We have ended Karmic attachments and worldly connections.
And attained the feet of Narayana
Who cuts rebirth, do you hear, O frail heart?
We have attained Narayana reciting his many names,
He has come on earth today, In Vattaru of great wealth
And hastens to give us Vaikuntha at our command.
O my heart, these are not happening by our leave.
The Lord of Vattaru tore Hiranya's wide chest with nails,
He battled for the Pandavas in the terrible Bharatha war.
He resides in myheart, gracing me with great Tamil verse.
O good heart! Our graceful lord is indeed good tous.
The lord of Vattaru gave me the path of liberation,
At his behest I have his feet on my head.
The lord wears honey dripping Tulasi and rides the Garuda
O my heart now you may laugh at hell.
My lotus eyes lord will never leave my heart.
The lord of Vattaru hill reclines on a serpant
He destroyed the rutted elephant by the tusk
His tinkling lotus feet are on my head.
We have attained the feet of our lord Govinda
Who lives in Vattaru surrounded by jewelled mansions
Like a Tilaka for the ocean girdled south,
My person wafts the fragrance of the tulasi from his feet.
The lord of radiant crown and fragrant Tulsi garland
lord of discuss gaining victory wherever he wills
Is the lord of mountain hue radiance in Vattaru,
What did i do to deserve his grace, I cannot understand.
The jewel lord reclines in cool Vattaru,
On his radiant chest he bears the lotus dame.
Riding the worthy Garuda, he destroyed many Asuras,
He resides in my heart forever of his own accord.
The lord in Vattaru reclines on a hooded serpant.
He came then as lion and tore Hiranya's chest.
He broke my cords of rebirth and made me his own,
Granting favours such as I have never had before.
This decad of the thousand songs
By Kurugur Satakopan on Vattaru lord
Who shows us his feet and averts the disaster of hell
Are sweet words which will not satiate even gods.
X.7 Sencol
O Sweet tongued poets, be on your guard when you sing
The Tirumaliruncolai lord is a wicked trickster.
He entered my heart and soul as a wonder poet, then ate them,
Became them and filled me without my knowing.
Becoming myself he bacame the worlds and souls and filled them.
Then himself too became this me and praised himself.
Sweet as honey, milk and usgarcane sap, my lord of Maliruncolai,
He became all these after devouring my soul.
My lord resides in Maliruncolai,
Devouring me he entered my wonderous speech,
Then made me all himself, how great is his grace.
I fold my hands in worship, need I say more?
Becoming the worlds and all the souls in it,
He mingles into my body inseparably.
He survived the earth and chose Maliruncolai.
He shall not forsake us, our enemies shall die.
The warring Asuras are dead, the good Devas have flourished.
The seers who contemplate the unknown are also rejoicing
My lord who sang his own praise in Pann based songs through me
Stands in Maliruncolai, singing the auspicious Teneka,
The lord of Maliruncolai devours all the worlds
My loving master also then protects them through ages,
The lord of Sri, invisable even to Siva and Brahma
Lovingly gave me his graceful feet to worship.
The lord of Maliruncholai, mountain gem that opened me
Is worshiped even by the lords Siva and Brahma.
The king of Gods and gods themselves do also worship him
And sees of great enlightenment always seek his grace,
Maliruncolai hill, milk ocean, my head!
Exalted Vaikuntha, cool Vengadam hill my body!
Great mysterious, my life, thought, word and deed!
The timeless lord my creator he does not leave these ever.
The ocean hued Lord of Maliruncholaiis our master,
Cosmic lord supreme through age after age,
Who creates protects and destroys all in himself.
Live, O heart! Hold on to him, and let this bodly life die.
O my lord of Maliruncolai, my protector and self!
These five sensory fields, sensorty organs motor organs.
These five elements and the five envelopes of the soul
Are all part of your cosmic Lila, pray let them die.
This delightful decad of the thousand songs
By Satakopan of honey dripping Kurugur groves
Onthe destruction of Mahat, Ahankara, Manas, and the five senses.
Addresses Maliruncolai lord who himself became me.
X 8.Tirumaliruncolai.
Even as i uttered Tirumaliruncolai,
The lord entered and filled my heart.
On the southern banks of Kaveri washed by precious gems
The lord and spouse of Sri resides in Ten- Tirupper.
The Lord residing in Tirupper has come to me today,
Entered and filled my heart never to leave,
He devoured the seven worlds, clouds, hills and seas
Who is contained inside me, tightly held.
I held him, destroyed rebirth and overcame diseases
And diverted myself from the lure of household life.
Tirupper is gaily lit with festoons on mansions.
Attaining his feet is an easy task for me just see.
My eyes rejoice to see him so easily,
With lightness of heart, I too rejoice,
tirupper has groves around with sweet parrots,
The lord there will give us his clear Vaikuntha.
The lord of Tirupper with nectared groves
Who grants us the high is inside me today.
He has entered this cage of flesh
And is himself clearing the path of obstacles.
The lord of Tirupper, lord in Maliruncolai
Has come to stay and fill my heart forever
Tasting the cool ambrosia of liberation,
I rejoice to my satisfaction.
With surging love my heart has reached the last word.
My lord of Tirupper surrounded by bee humming groves
Remains in my eyes for me to rejoice forever.
Relishing this taste, now what do I lack hereafter?
The lord beyond the intelect is inside my eyes,
He is the subtle essence of the seven Svaras.
The lord of Tirrupper is sorrounded by jewel mansions,
He swells and fills my heart today.
The lord residing in tirupper with mountain like mansions,
Today has made a person of me, sitting in my heart.
Why has he left me to wander so long?
I begin to wonder, pray let him answer.
I have rendered joyful service and attained your feet,
My lord, this is all I ask for,
No more shall miseries besiege the devotees of the lord
In Tirupper where many vedic scholars live.
This decad of the thousand songs
By Satakopan of Kurugur where good men live.
On the lord of Ten-Tirupper surrounded by happy fields
Will secure for devotees the radiant Vaikuntha.
X 9. Sulvisumbu.
Clouds in the sky played horns like heralds,
Waves in the ocean clapped and danced.
The seven continents stood with gifts
To see thedevotee homeward bound.
The rain cloud filled gold pots in the sky,
The oceans stood and cheered in joy,
The mountains made festoons for him,
The good world curtsied low.
When they saw the devotee coming,
Flowers were rained and incence lit.
Singing bards on either side
Showed the way to Vaikuntha.
All the way the gods made resorts,
Moon and sun then lit the path,
Thundering drums like ocean rolled
To see the devotee coming.
Gods came out to see and welcome
The lord's devptee coming,
Kinnaras and Garudas sang
While Vedic seers made offerings.
Incense rose with offerings,
Bugles, conches rent the air,
"Rule the sky o Devotee"
The vel-eyed dames cheered.
Marut and Vasus joined in worship
Damsels cheered in joy
To see the serf of Gopala
On his journey home.
Gods in rows teamed to see
The Lords devotee coming,
They climbed on festooned temple walls
To see him enter Vaikuntha.
As the devotee entered
The bards were overjoyed.
The gods in the temple bowed
And offered him their seats.
Vedic sirs praising fortune
Washed the devotees feet
White moon faced dames greeted him
With lamps and saffron water.
The devotees then stood and faced,
The lord in his jewel Mandapa\
Reciting this decad by maran
Makes a person Bard.
