andaltiruppavaikrishnavishnu

Tiruppavai (Opening Pasurams)

Tiruppavai (Opening Pasurams) in English · English

🕉️ hindu·📿 1× repetitions·🕐 Pre-dawn during the month of Margazhi (mid-December to mid-January); one pasuram is traditionally sung each day of the 30 days·📜 Nalayira Divya Prabandham — Tiruppavai of Andal (Tamil, c. 8th century CE)

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀEnglishසිංහල 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

✦ Meaning

The Tiruppavai is the celebrated Tamil garland of 30 pasurams by the Alwar saint Andal (Godadevi), sung in the holy month of Margazhi. Picturing herself among the cowherd-girls of Krishna's Gokula, Andal calls her friends to the Paavai vow, awakens the Lord, and prays for His grace and for the welfare of the world. These opening pasurams (1-5) set the scene — the Margazhi dawn, the rules of the vow, prayers for rain and prosperity, and the promise that worship of Krishna burns away all sin.

Origin & Story

Nalayira Divya Prabandham — Tiruppavai of Andal (Tamil, c. 8th century CE) · Andal (Godadevi / Kodhai), Alwar saint · Bhakti era (c. 8th century CE)

Andal was the foster-daughter of the Alwar saint Periyalwar of Srivilliputhur, found as an infant beneath a tulasi plant. From childhood she loved Lord Vishnu so wholly that she would secretly wear the garlands meant for the temple before offering them, and so was called Andal, 'she who ruled (the Lord)'. Longing for union with Lord Ranganatha of Srirangam, she composed the Tiruppavai — placing herself among the gopis of Gokula, observing the Margazhi Paavai vow to win Krishna. Tradition holds that she was at last united with Ranganatha Himself.

✦ As told in scripture

Tradition holds that when Andal's Tiruppavai and Nachiar Tirumozhi were sung at Srirangam, Lord Ranganatha Himself summoned her; Andal entered the sanctum and merged into the Lord, and to this day the Tiruppavai is honoured as the very breath of the Margazhi worship in every Sri Vaishnava temple.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

mārgazhith thingaḷ mathiniṟaintha nannāḷāl nīrāḍap pōthuvīr pōthuminō nērizhaiyīr sīrmalgum āyppāḍich selvach siṟumīrgāḷ kūrvēl koḍunthozhilan nandagōpan kumaran ērārntha kaṇṇi yasōdai iḷañchingam kārmēnich sengaṇ kathirmathiyam pōlmugaththān nārāyaṇanē namakkē paṟaitharuvān pārōr pugazhap paḍindhēlōr embāvāy

Meaning:The Tiruppavai is Andal's garland of thirty pasurams (verses) sung in the sacred month of Margazhi, in which she and her companions, imagining themselves as the cowherd girls (gopis) of Ayarpadi, take up the Paavai Nonbu vow to win the grace of Lord Krishna (Narayana).

Verse 2

vaiyaththu vāzhvīrgāḷ nāmum nampāvaikkuch seyyum kirisaigaḷ kēḷīrō pāṟkaḍaluḷ paiyath thuyinṟa paramanaḍi pāḍi neyyuṇṇōm pāluṇṇōm nāṭkālē nīrāḍi maiyiṭ ṭezhuthōm malariṭṭu nām muḍiyōm seyyāthana seyyōm thīkkuṟaḷaich senṟōthōm aiyamum pichchaiyum ānthanaiyum kaikāṭṭi uyyumā ṟeṇṇi ugandhēlōr embāvāy

Meaning:Verse 1: In the month of Margazhi, on this good day of the full moon, come, O well-adorned maidens, come for our holy bath! O fortunate young girls of prosperous Ayarpadi — the son of Nandagopa of the cruel sharp spear, the young lion of doe-eyed Yashoda, dark-bodied, red-eyed, His face like the radiant moon — Narayana Himself will grant us the 'parai' (the boon). Come, that the whole world may praise us, and take up our vow!

Verse 3

ōngi ulagaḷantha uththaman pērpāḍi nāngaḷ nampāvaikkuch sāṟṟinī rāḍināl thīnginṟi nāḍellām thingaḷmum māripeythu ōngu peruñchenne lūḍu kayalugaḷap pūnguvaḷaip pōthil poṟivaṇḍu kaṇpaḍuppath thēngāthē pukkirundhu sīrththa mulaipaṟṟi vāngak kuḍamniṟaikkum vaḷḷal perumpasukkaḷ nīngātha selvam niṟaindhēlōr embāvāy

Meaning:Verse 2: O you who live in this world, hear the practices we follow for our vow: we sing the feet of the Supreme One who gently sleeps upon the ocean of milk; we eat no ghee, we drink no milk, we bathe at dawn; we do not darken our eyes with collyrium nor wear flowers in our hair; we do nothing forbidden, speak no slander; we give alms and charity as much as we can, and live thinking only of liberation — take up our vow!

Verse 4

āzhi mazhaikkaṇṇā onṟunī kaikaravēl āzhiyuḷ pukku mugandhuko ḍārththēṟi ūzhi muthalvan uruvampōl meykaṟuththup pāzhiyan thōḷuḍaip paṟpanā pankaiyil āzhipōl minni valampuripōl ninṟathirnthu thāzhāthē sārngam uthaiththa saramazhaipōl vāzha ulaginil peythiḍāy nāngaḷum mārgazhi nīrāḍa magizhndhēlōr embāvāy

Meaning:Verse 3: Singing the name of the Supreme One who grew tall and measured the worlds (Trivikrama), if we bathe and observe our Paavai vow, then without any harm the land will have rain thrice a month; tall red paddy will flourish, fish will leap among them, spotted bees will sleep in the blue lily blossoms, and generous great cows will fill the milk-pots to overflowing — unfailing prosperity will fill the land. Take up our vow!

Verse 5

māyanai mannu vaḍamathurai mainthanaith thūya perunīr yamunaith thuṟaivanai āyar kulaththinil thōnṟum aṇiviḷakkaith thāyaik kuḍalviḷakkam seytha thāmōdharanaith thūyō māyvandhu nāmthū malarthūvith thozhuthu vāyināl pāḍi manaththināl sindhikkap pōya pizhaiyum pugutharuvān ninṟanavum thīyinil thūsāgum seppēlōr embāvāy

Meaning:Verse 4: O rain-cloud, deep as the sea, withhold nothing! Plunge into the ocean, draw up its waters, roar and rise; dark like the form of the Primordial Lord, thunder like the discus in the hand of broad-shouldered Padmanabha, flash like His conch, and pour down like the arrow-rain loosed from His Sharnga bow — rain for the world's welfare, so that we too may rejoice to bathe in Margazhi. Take up our vow!

Word-by-Word Meaning

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mārgazhith thingaḷ🔊In the (auspicious) month of Margazhi (mid-December to mid-January), the holiest month for devotion.

mathiniṟaintha nannāḷāl🔊On this good day when the moon is full (mathi = moon, niraintha = full).

nīrāḍap pōthuvīr🔊O you who wish to come for the (ritual) bath — come, let us go!

nērizhaiyīr🔊O maidens adorned with fine, fitting jewels.

nandagōpan kumaran🔊The young son of Nandagopa (the cowherd chief) — i.e. Krishna.

yasōdai iḷañchingam🔊The young lion (lion-cub) of Yashoda — Krishna, dear to His mother.

nārāyaṇanē namakkē paṟaitharuvān🔊Narayana Himself will grant us the 'parai' (the drum / the boon, i.e. the fruit of our vow).

ēlōr embāvāy🔊The refrain ending each pasuram — 'O take up (this) our vow, my girl!' (a call to the Paavai Nonbu, the Margazhi observance).

pāṟkaḍaluḷ paiyath thuyinṟa paraman🔊The Supreme One who gently reclines in the ocean of milk (Vishnu on Adishesha).

aiyamum pichchaiyum🔊Alms and charity (to be given generously during the observance).

ōngi ulagaḷantha uththaman🔊The Supreme Person (Trivikrama) who grew vast and measured the worlds (the Vamana avatara).

thingaḷmum māripeythu🔊May it rain three times each month (a sign of perfect prosperity in the land).

vaḷḷal perumpasukkaḷ🔊Generous, great milch-cows that fill the pots with milk.

āzhi mazhaikkaṇṇā🔊O deep one, O rain-cloud-coloured Kanna (Krishna) — addressing the cloud / the Lord to pour rain.

ūzhi muthalvan uruvampōl🔊Dark like the form of the Primordial Lord, the source of the aeons.

paṟpanāpan🔊Padmanabha — He from whose navel the lotus (and creation) springs.

māyanai🔊The wondrous, mysterious one (Maya) — Krishna, the Lord of wonders.

vaḍamathurai mainthanai🔊The youthful prince of northern Mathura (where Krishna was born).

thāmōdharanai🔊Damodara — He who (as a child) had the rope tied around His waist by Yashoda.

thīyinil thūsāgum🔊(Our sins, past and future) will become as chaff cast into the fire — utterly burnt away.

Benefits of Chanting Tiruppavai (Opening Pasurams)

✦

Sung above all in Margazhi (Dhanurmasa), it is held to be one of the supreme paths of surrender (prapatti) and devotion to Lord Krishna-Narayana.

✦

Andal promises in the verses themselves that those who recite it gain the Lord's grace and that their past and future sins are burnt away like chaff in fire.

✦

Invokes the welfare of the whole world — timely rains, abundant harvests and unfailing prosperity for all beings.

✦

Recited daily in Sri Vaishnava temples and homes during the 30 days of Margazhi, culminating in the festival of Andal's union with the Lord.

✦

Cultivates the bhava of the gopis — pure, selfless longing for God — and is treasured as the essence of the Vedas in Tamil.

How to Chant Tiruppavai (Opening Pasurams)

Repetitions1times

Best TimePre-dawn during the month of Margazhi (mid-December to mid-January); one pasuram is traditionally sung each day of the 30 days

FaceFacing east or the deity of Vishnu/Krishna

Bathe in the early morning (Brahma muhurta) and sit before an image of Krishna or Ranganatha. During Margazhi, sing one pasuram a day in order (or these opening pasurams together), with melody and devotion, picturing Andal and the gopis going to bathe and to awaken the Lord. Begin with Andal's thaniyan (invocation 'Nila thunga sthanagiri') where known, and end each verse with the refrain 'Elor Embavay'. Many complete all thirty pasurams on each day of the month for full benefit.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete Tiruppavai (Opening Pasurams) written in the English script — the same Sanskrit/Hindi verses, transliterated character-by-character so you can read and chant comfortably. Tap any line (or the ▶ button) to hear it recited aloud.

Yes — only the script changes; the words and their meaning are the original. The verse-by-verse meaning, benefits and how-to-chant guidance on this page apply exactly the same.

It is a Tamil devotional poem of 30 verses (pasurams) composed by the 8th-century Alwar saint Andal (Godadevi), part of the Nalayira Divya Prabandham. Imagining herself as a cowherd girl, Andal sings of taking the Paavai vow in Margazhi to obtain Lord Krishna's grace.

Margazhi (Dhanurmasa, mid-December to mid-January) is considered the most sacred month for devotion. The poem is set in the cool Margazhi dawn, when the gopis observe the Paavai Nonbu, and so it is recited daily through the whole month, one pasuram each day, in temples and homes.

Andal (Godadevi) is the only woman among the twelve Alwar saints of the Sri Vaishnava tradition. Found as a child by the saint Periyalwar in a tulasi garden in Srivilliputhur, she grew up in intense love for Lord Ranganatha, and tradition holds that she finally merged with Him. She gave the world the Tiruppavai and the Nachiar Tirumozhi.

It is the refrain that closes every pasuram. It is a call within the Paavai (Margazhi) observance — roughly, 'O take up this our vow, my girl!' — addressed by Andal to her companions as they go to bathe and worship.