I salute Sri vEdAntha dEsikan, who had the blessings of Sri RAmAnujAchArya and Sri ApuLLar, and who had knowledge and vairAgyam as ornaments, and who was the AvatAram of the GantA (maNi) of Sri vEnkatanAthan.

I salute Sri ManavaaLa MaamunigaL, who has the blessings of Thiruvaaimozhip Pillai (ManavaaLa Maamuni’s Aachaarya) and who is an ocean of gyaanam (knowledge) and Bhakthi (devotion) .

I salute the guruparamparaa that starts with Emperumaan, has Sri Naadhamuni and has my Aachaarya (Emperumaan, Raamaanuja) at the end.

3. yO nithya-machyutha-padaam-buja-yugma-rugma
vyaamOhadas dadhi-tha-raaNi thru-Naaya mEnE
asmath-gurOr bhagavathOsya dhayaika-sindhO:
raamaanujasya saraNau saraNam prapadhyE.

In the above thaniyan, Aalavandhaar salutes Azhwaars and Sriman Naaraayanaa. I salute the Lotus feet (of Sriman Naaraayanaa) that is made more beautiful by the maghiza flowers of the Azhwaars (Prabhandham); I salute the feet of the Azhwaars who are the mother, father, people, wealth and everything to me and those associated with me.

I worship Bhootha Azhwaar, Pey Azhwaar (mahadaahvaya), Poigai Azhwaar (saras), Periya Azhwaar (Pattanaadha), Thirumazhisai Azhwaar (Bhakthisaara), KulasEkara Azhwaar, ThirupaaN Azhwaar (YOgivaahaan), Thondar-aadip-podi Azhwaar (BhakthaangirirEnu), Thirumangai Azhwaar (parakaala), Emperumaanaar (Yathindra, Raamaanuja) and Nammazhwaar (paraankusa muni) every day.

I salute Periya Azhwaar (Vishnu Chiththam), the gem among brahmins, who won the debate on parathathva nirnayam (expounding the truth as to who is THE Paramatma) by quoting from the vEdaas without any formal education from an Aacharya (by the grace of Sriman Naraayanaa), who is worthy of worship by the dEvaas and who is the father-in-law of Sri Ranganaatha.

3. paaN-diyan-koN-daadap pattar-piraan van-dhaan-enRu eeNdiya sangam-etuth-thoodha vENdiya vEdhangaLOdhi viraindhu kizhiya-Ruth-thaan paa-dhangaL yaam-udaiya-paRRu

Periya Azhwaar went to Madurai and established that Sriman Naaraayanaa is the Parama Purushan. The paandiya king performed an uthsavam for the Azhwaar, with the Azhwaar on an elephant in a procession through the streets of Madurai. Sriman Naaraayanaa wanted to enjoy the celebration of His Bhakthaa (Azhwaar). He came to Madurai on Garuda and enjoyed the celebration of the Azhwaar. It was at this time that Azhwaar sang paLLaaNdu using the elephant bells as thaaLam. On seeing Sriman Naaraayanaa on the Garuda, our Azhwaar gets worried that some harm would occur to Him and says “Jaya vijayee bhava” to Sriman Naaraayanaa. On seeing this our Lord shows His Bhuja balam to the Azhwaar so that Azhwaar can stop worrying. But this had the opposite effect on Azhwaar--
he starts to worry like a mother worries abour her child (that it will get into trouble without thinking about others’ strengths because it is so confident of its strength) and sings the first song --paLLaaNdu paLLaaNdu.


1: paLLaaNdu paLLaaNdu pallaayi-rath-thaaNdu,
palakOdi n^ooR-aayiram
mallaaNda diN-thOL maNivaNNaa!, un
sevvadi sevvithiruk-kaappu. (2)

mal aaNdu thin thOl maNi vaNNa - Oh! manivaNNa with strong shoulders that killed the wrestlers (keechakaa, Kamsaa, etc in Krishna Avathaaram) paL aaNdu, paL aaNdu - many years, many years pal aayirath thaaNdu - many thousand of years pala kOdi noor aayiram - many crores, hundreds of thousand years un sEvadi - Your Lotus feet sEviththu iru kaappu - should shine

Oh MaNivaNNa with strong shoulders that killed the wrestlers! Your lotus feet should shine without any harm for thousands of years!

The relationship between You and I should continue for thousands of years - (literally You and we should live for thousands of years without parting); Thousands of years to the mangai (Sri, Lakshmi) who is on Your right chest (n^invala maarbinil). Long live Sudharshana azhwaan (disc) who resides on your right hand. Long live paanchajanyaa (conch) who sounds in the beginning of all Your battles.

4: Edun^ilaththil-iduvathan munnam-vandhu, engaL kuzhaam-pugundhu,
koodu-manam udaiyeer-gaL varampozhi, vandhu-ollaik-kooduminO,
naadum n^agaramum n^an-gaRiya, namO n^aaraayaNaaya-venRu,
paadu-manamudaip paththaruLLeer!, vandhu paLLaaNdu kooRuminE.

5: aNdak-kulaththukk adhi-pathiyaagi, asurariraak-kadarai,
iNdaik-kulaththai-eduththuk-kaLaindha, irudee kEsan-thanakku,
thoNdak-kulaththiluLLeer! vandhadi-thozhudu, aayira n^aamam solli,
paNdaik-kulaththaith-thavirndhu, paLLaaNdu pal-laayirath-thaaNdu-enminE.

In this paasuram, Azhwar invites those people, whose primary concern is wealth, to cast aside that habit and join him in singing paLLaaNdu to our Lord. Azhwar asks the people to cast aside their concern for wealth and join him in embracing the feet and sing paLLaaNdu to Hrishee-kEsa, the Lord of the world, who destroyed the asuras and rakshasas.

6: endhai thandhai thandhai thandhai-tham mooth-thappan, Ezhpadikaal-thodangi,
vandhu vazhi-vazhi-aat-saiginROm, thiruvONath-thiruvizhavil,
andhiyam pOdhil-ariyuruvaagi, ariyai-yazhiththavanai,
pandhanai-theerap pallaaNdu, pal-laayirath-thaaNdu-enRu paaduthamE.

This paasuram is said to be sung for the people who are addressed in the third paasuram (vaazhaatpattu). In this paasuram, those bhakthas tell the world their kainkaryam (service) to the Lord.
endhai thandhai thandhai thandhai-tham mooth-thappan - basically my father, his father... Ezhpadikaal-thodangi - for the past seven (ezhu) generations vandhu vazhi-vazhi-aat-saiginROm - we participate in the kainkaryam to the Lord thiruvONath-thiruvizhavil - on the sacred day of thiruvOnam (sravana) andhi ampOdhil - at the time of dusk ari uru aaki - the one who took the form of a lion (Lord Narasimha) ariyai-yazhiththavanai - the one who defeated the enemy (of Prahlaada) pandhanai-theerap paLLaaNdu - pal-laayirath-thaaNdu enRu paaduthamE - let us sing paLLaaNdu to Him.

7: theeyiR-polikinRa sensudaraazhi, thikazh thiruch-chakkaraththin,
kOyil-poRiyaalE-oRRuNdu n^inRu, kudikudi-aat-seyginROm,
maayap porupadai-vaaNanai, aayirandhOLum pozhi-kuruthi paaya
suzhaRRiya-aazhi vallaanukkup, paLLaaNdu kooRuthumE.

This paasuram sings paLLaaNdu to Lord Krishna who killed Baanaasuran with the chakram. theeyiR-polikinRa sensudaraazhi - the aazhi (chakram) that glows more than the sun, agni etc. made of fire kOyil - temple, in this case Azhwaar considers the chakram mark made on our arms during samaarshrayanam as a temple in which chakrathaazhwaan resides. maayap porupadai-vaaNanai - the one who performed a maya yudham (war), baaNaasuran aayiran thOLum pozhi kurudhi paaya - such that his blood flowed as a river from his 1000 shoulders suzhaRRiya aazhi vallaanukku - the one who made the chakram (literally, the one who used the chakram so as to...)

We (those who have the chakram mark on our arms, which is the temple where chakrathaazhwaan resides) have been performing kainkaryam to emperumaan. Let us do maNgalaasaasanam (basically, sing a pasuram on) on the one who used Chakrathaazhwaan to kill baaNaasuran.

8: neyyidai n^allathOr-sORum, niyathamum-aththaaNich sEvakamum,
kaiyadaik-kaayum kazhuth-thukkup-pooNodu, kaa-dukkuk-kuNdalamum
meyyida n^allathOr saandhamum-thandhu, ennai-veLLuyiraakka-valla,
paiyudai n^aagap-pagaik-kodiyaanukku, paLLaaNdu kooRuvanE.

This paasuram is said to be sung for those who are addressed in the fifth paasuram (aNdak kulathukku), those whose primary concern is wealth. Those people thank the Lord for having provided them with wealth and also the opportunity to do aththaaNi sEvakam to the Lord. neyyidai n^allathOr sORum, kaiyyidai kaayum, kazhuth-thukku pooNodu, kaa-dukkukuNdalamum - basically (gourmet) food, thamboolam, ornaments, meyyida n^allathOr saanthamum - santhanam (sandalwood paste) that is applied on the body veLL uyir aakka valla - one who made me into a saathveeka pai udai n^aakam pagai kodiyaan - the one who has the enemy of the naagas (Garuda) on His flag

I will sing paLLaaNdu to the One who changed me (who was a samsaari) into a saathveeka by giving the opportunity to perform aththaani sevakam, in addition to giving me all that I wanted (ornaments, thamboolam etc.)

9: uduththuk-kaLaindha nin-peedhaka-vaadai-yuduththuk, kalaththa-thuNdu,
thoduththa thuzhaay-malar soodik-kaLaindhana, soodum-ith-thoNdar-gaLOm,
viduththa thisaik-karumam-thiruth-thith, thiruvONath-thiruvizhavil,
paduththa pain-^n^aagaNaip-paLLi-koNdaanukkup, paLLaaNdu kooRuthumE.

This paasuram is said to be sung for those who are addressed in “Vaazhaatpattu” and “endhai thandhai”- i.e. those who were invited into the group in the third paasurams, the bhakthas.
Oh Lord! We wear the pitambaram that was worn by you; we eat the food that was presented to you (literally, we eat the remnants of the food that we present you with); we wear the thuzhaay (thulasi) garlands that were worn by you. We also carry out Your orders! We (who are your bhakthas-as described in the above three lines) do maNgalaassasanam to You (who is resting on the AdisEshaa) on the day of thiruvOnam.

10: en^n^aaL-emperumaan, un-danak-kadiyOm-enRezhuththup-patta van^n^aaLE,
adiyOngaL-adikkudil, veedupeRRu-uyndhathukaaN,
sen^n^aaL-thORRith, thiru-maduraiyuL silai-kunindu,
aindhalaiya pain-^n^aagath-thalai-paayn-dhavanE!, unnaip-paLLaaNdu kooRuthumE.

This paasuram celebrates the kindness of our Lord! This paasuram is said to be sung by the people (kaivalyaarthis) who are invited by our Azhwar in the 4th paasuram (Edu nilaththil), and who expressed their change in the 7th paasuram (Theeyir polikinra).

Oh Lord! from the day on which we surrendered to You, everything associated with us has been blessed with good times. We do maNgalaassasanam to You who was born on a good day and who bent the bow in vada Madura (dhanuryaagam in Krishnaavathaaram) and who danced on the heads of the five-headed serpent (kaliya).

11: alvazhak-konRumillaa, aNikOttiyar-kOn,
abimaana-thungan selvanaip-pOlath, thirumaalE! naanum-unakkup-pazhavadiyEn,
nalvagai-yaal n^amO-n^aaraayaNaa-venRu, naamam pala-paravi,
pal-vagai-yaalum pavith-thiranE!, unnaip-paLLaaNdu kooRuvanE. (2)

This paasuram is said to be sung by the aishvaryaadhees who are invited by our Azhwar in the 5th paasuram (aNdak kulaththukku), and who expressed their change in the 8th paasuram (neyyidai).

Sriya pathi! I have become your devotee judt like Selva Nambi, the leader of the thirukkOshtiyoor (who is abhimaanathungan, one who is held high because of his love for the daasaas of the Lord); Oh Pavitra! (pal-vagai-yaalum pavith-thiranE, one who is pure in all respects) I will do maNgalaassasanam by chanting your names and by singing namO NaaraayaNaa.

12: pallaaNdenRu pavith-thiranai, paramEttiyai, saarNGgam-ennum
villaaNdaan-thannai, villipuththoor vishnu-chiththan virumbiya-sol,
nallaaNdenRu-n^avinR-uraippaar, namO-n^aaraayaNaaya-venRu,
pallaaNdum-paramaath-manai ,soozhn-dhirundh-Eththuvar-pallaaNdE. (2)

This is the phala sruthi paasuram. It is the tradition for the last paasuram in a decade to elaborate on the benefits of reciting (not the right equivalent English word, in Tamil it is anusandhiththal) the paasurams of the decade.
Those who recite thirupaLLaaNdu ((that was sung by Periya Azhwaar with great joy starting with paLLaaNdu to the pure One who lives in Paramapadam (paramEshti- one who lives in Paramapadam)) with joy will attain the state of being close to Sriman NaaraayaNaa (in paramapadam) and doing maNgalaassasanam to Him eternally.