A stand-alone poem of praise - Thaniyan

Nothing else do we want, my mind !
nothing else;
Just talk about that great person
called 'the dust of the feet of devotees'
talk of him again and again; 
He hath sung the poem 'Tirumaalai'
on the Divine Feet of the Rampart Ranga
who has tended cows and oxen.

*

How many polarities are inscribed here in this four-liner! The poem starts media res, as if breaking a revery or cogitation. As if the debate is going on which means to adopt? this or that or yet again another? which will suffice?

No nothing else, just this alone is enough. Just talk talk talk about that great person.

What is his name?

Dust.

What? Dust? What is this?

Yea Dust of the feet of devotees of God.

People may go and plan and buy foot-wear. But nobody will plan and affix dust to their feet. The dust gets stuck to the feet. The feet just walk. Dust was not in its plan. Like that people who are mad after God will go and stick themselves to the company of Godly persons. Even the Godly persons may be unaware of them. But no bother! Such are the real great persons. Talk about them and talk about him.

Again he has made a garland, a garland of poetry. On Tirumaal. Here is a pun on Tirumaal. Tirumaal is Sri Vishnu. But in Tamil tirumaalai is the sacred garland.

Sung on whom?

On the Rampart Ranga, majestic in His great walled-in spectacular Temple.

But what does He do?

Cattle-rearing. Tending cows and oxen, Shepherding.

Puuu... shepherding?..

Yea the souls across the pastures of Time. Is it not enough a theme? Of course we need not break our heads about That ...The Person in the Rampart. Just it is enough, yea it is enough to talk about this great person called Dust of Devotees' Feet.

Just that?

Yea.... and you can sense as time proceeds, the Divine will egg His way into us, amidst us, deep, around, surround and immerse us. He is the great eavesdropper !

***