Krishna combs his Hair

அக்காக்காய் - A call to comb his hair

Interspersed between two pairs of beautiful decads in the 2nd Canto ( Ear Boring Ceremony/ Bathing Consecration and Describing his flowers / Warding off the Evil Eyes) are probably two of the least interesting decads in the Periyazhvar Thirumozhi.

In these 20 verses, he repeated goes back to describing the killing of the asuras that have already been described many times earlier. Also, one does not see any special highlight in his call for bringing the grazing staff or combing his hair.

Through these verses, Periyazhvar sings praise of the various achievements of the lord and experiences a mother’s feelings of combing a child’s hair. She wants to comb his hair so she can make him look presentable to the onlookers lest they laugh at his uncombed hair.

He is referred to as the bridegroom of Nappinnai and as the Lord of Tiruper Nagar. As mentioned many times earlier in the 1^st canto, Periyazhvar once again refers to his killing of Putana and breaking through the Marutha trees to kill Sakata.

He opened the jar hanging from the ceiling finished the butter and acted as if he was asleep (தின்னக் கலத்தில் திரை உரிமேல் வைத்த வெண்ணை விழுங்கி விரய உறங்கிடும்)

The child ripped apart the beaks of Bakasura who acted as a stork in water. It was his discus that killed Narakasura who is described as having troubled repeatedly the Gods of Eastern Kingdom buoyed by the earlier boon that he had received (கிழக்கில் குடிமன்னர் கேடு இலா தாரை அழிப்பான் நினைதிட்டு அவ்வாழி…………………..)

Don’t go around for food!!!!

She asks him not to roam around looking for well cooked food. She asks him to come without wandering everywhere (பிண்டத் திரளையும் பேய்க்கு இட்ட நீர் சோறும் உண்டற்கு வேண்டி நீ ஓடித் திரியாதே).

Description of ingredients for his bath

The fragrant oil is ready and there is an ivory comb that looks sleek. If he gets combed with it, he will look even more beautiful.  His hair locks are described as being beautiful and she says that if she combs him, his dark rich hair will become look and feel even softer (உந்தி எழுந்த உருவ மலர் தன்னில் சந்தச் சதுமுகன் தன்னைப் படைத்தவன் கொந்தக் குழலைக் குருந்து புளி அட்டித் தந்தத்தின் சீப்பால் குழல் வாராய் அக்கக்காய்).

 ஓர் கோல் கொண்டு வா - Krishna given his grazing staff

Yashodha referes to his physical attributes wearing a talisman pendent made of tender palm leaf around his neck. He also adorns himself with a peacock feather fan. He made a toy bow with a stick cut from hedge. He goes after the cows. The child’s hair which were combed as seen in the previous decad is seen tossing and fluttering in the breeze as he runs behind the calves.  And most of the time, he runs faster than the grazing cows (வேலிக் கோல் வெட்டி விளையாடு வில் ஏற்றி  தாலிக் கொழந்தைத் தடங் கழுத்தில் பூண்டு…………………………………நெறித்த குழல்களை நீங்க முன்னோடி).

She says he is the one who resides in Thiru Kudanthai, Thiru Kottiyur, Thiruper and Konga region.

Once again, many of his acts are glorified including his sending arrows to defeat Lankan king Ravana.

She asks for the grazing staff to be given to him…