Pillayar Perumai

Pillayar Perumai
[Greatness of Lord Ganesha]
Translated by P. R. Ramachander

[Pillai in Tamil can also mean a son or our lad. Lord Ganesha to all those who speak tamil is Pillayar. Wherever you go in Tamil Nadu, you will see him in every nook and corner. This is an awesome Bhajan extolling him.]

1. Pillayar, pillayar, perumai vaintha pillayar,
Pillayar, pillayar, perumai vaintha pillayar

Ganesha, Ganesha, Ganesha who is endowed with greatness,
Ganesha, Ganesha, Ganesha who is endowed with greatness.

2. Aathangarai orathile, arasa marathu nizhalile
Veethirukkum pillayar, vinaikal theerkkum pillayar.

Ganesha who sits in the shade of Banyan tree
By the side of the banks of the river, the Ganesha who solves problems.

3. Aanai mukham kondavar, iynthu karam udayavar,
Panai vayiru padaithavar, bhakthar thuyar thudaippavr.

He has elephant like face, he has five hands,
He has a pot like paunch, he solves problems of his devotees.

4. Aaru mukha velavanin annan aana pillayar,
Nerum thunpam yavayume theerthu vaikkum pillayar

The Ganesha who is the elder brother of six faced Subramanya,
The Ganesha who destroys all the sorrows that occur.

5. Manjalile cheyyinum, manninaale cheyyinum,
Iynthezhuthu mandirathai nenjil kattum pillaya.

Whether you make him in turmeric powder or mud,
He is Ganesha who shows the five lettered chant (Nama Shivaya) in his heart.

6. Sankaranin pudalvanam, chathirathin mudalvanam,
Sakalathirkkum moolanaam, sakthi vaintha pillayar

The very powerful Ganesha is the son of Lord Shiva,
The first in Sastras and the cause for everything.

7. Vanni marathin nizhalile varangal tharum pillayar,
Vilva marathu nizhalile vinaikal theerkkum pillayar.

The Ganesha who gives boons in the shade of Vahni (prosopsis) tree,
The Ganesha who solves our problems in the shade of Bilwa tree

8. Neli marathu nizhalile nindru irukkum pillayar,
Bhakthi tharum pillayar, mukthi tharum pillayar

The Ganesha who stands in the shade of Gooseberry tree,
The Ganesha who gives devotion, The Ganesha who grants salvation.

9. Aadarikkum pillayar, Aanaimukha pillayar,
Arulai alli tharum aandavanaam pillayar.

The Ganesha who supports, The Ganesha with an elephant face,
The God Ganesha who gives loads of grace.

10. Aval pori kadalayum, arisiyum kozhukattayum,
Kavalayindri thinnuvaar, kannai moodi thoonguvaar.

Without any worry, he would eat beaten rice, puffed rice,
Bengal gram and rice Kozhukattai (Modhaka) and sleep closing his eyes.

11. Kali yugathin vindhayai kana vendi anu dinamum,
Yeliyin meethu yeriye ishtam pola chuthuvaar.

Daily for seeing the peculiar happenings of Kali age,
He would climb on a mouse and roam as he pleases.