The Praise of God
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kōḷil poṟiyiṉ kuṇamilavē eṇkuṇattāṉ / thāḷai vaṇaṅgāth thalai
A head that does not bow to the feet of the One of eight qualities is as useless as a sense organ unable to grasp its proper object.
▸Other translations · Pope (1886) & Aiyar (1916)
“Before His foot, 'the Eight-fold Excellence,' with unbent head, who stands, like palsied sense, is to all living functions dead.”
“Worthless indeed like the organs of sense which do not perceive is the head that boweth not at the feet of Him who is endowed with the eight attributes.”
Parimelazhagar’s commentary
13th century · public domainParimelazhagar’s own words come first, unaltered. The plain reading follows below.
கோள் இல் பொறியின் குணம் இல = தத்தமக்கு ஏற்ற புலன்களைக் கொள்கையில்லாத பொறிகள் போலப் பயன்படுதலை உடையவல்ல; எண்குணத்தான் தாளை வணங்காத் தலை = எண்வகைப்பட்ட குணங்களை உடையானது தாள்களை வணங்காத தலைகள் (பயனில).
Source: Tamil Wikisource
Just as sense organs unable to grasp their proper objects have no useful function, heads that do not bow to the feet of the Divine who possesses the eight qualities are useless. The traditional Saiva list is self-sovereignty, purity of being, innate awareness, complete knowledge, freedom from bonds, great grace, limitless power, and boundless bliss.