The Turning

Kulasekharan's life went on in this way, until one day he grew weary of it and was filled with remorse for the lives he had taken in battle. This turned his thoughts to Sriman Nārāyaṇa, and he resolved to live a life of use to others and to spread devotion to the Lord among the people.

He even wished that he had not been born into wealth but into poverty, so that he might not live in luxury. He wished that he had been born a fish in one of the sacred tīrthams, so that he might live close to Perumāl.

His longing did not stop there. He imagined himself as Devakī, the mother of Kaṇṇan, and sang of the childhood līlās of Sri Krishna that she had never been able to enjoy:

"Thaṇ am thāmaraik kaṇṇanē! kaṇṇā!

thavazhndhezhundhu thaḷarndhōr naḍaiyāl

maṇṇil sembōḍi āḍi vandhu endhan

mārvil mannida peṭrilēn! andhō!

vaṇṇach chensiru kaiviral anaiththum

vāri vāik koṇḍa aḍisilin michchil

uṇṇap peṭrilēn, ō! koḍuvinaiyēn!

ennai en seyyap peṭradhu em mōyē!"

"O Kaṇṇā, with eyes like cool, lovely lotuses! I never knew the joy of seeing You crawl, rise and toddle unsteadily, covered in the red dust of the earth, and come to rest upon my chest. Alas! I never ate the rice You scooped into Your mouth with all Your lovely little red fingers. Unfortunate that I am, why did my mother ever bear me?"

In this verse, Kulasekhara longs for Kaṇṇan as his own child and dwells on His childhood līlās, and his love for the Lord grew deeper still.

Out of his great devotion, he gave generously to the devotees of Sriman Nārāyaṇa, and he praised Perumāl by honouring and serving His devotees.