noblest ideals of divine life and the most pathetic appeals to god, are awe-inspiring, heart-melting and soul-stirring when they are set to music,they simply charge the air with the stateliness and fragrance of the Tamil tongue expressing the deepest feeling, and the saddest thoughts with grandest ideas that strike the inner most chords of human hearts and paving the way for the communion of “man-soul” with “God- Soul" and for eliciting His Grace arousing ecstatic delight and enrapturing exultation. There are the following English translations. of Thiruvaachakam (apart from its rendering into a number of languages of the world) by Rev.G.U.Pope (1900); K.M. Balasubramanian (1965); and G. Vanmikanathan (1971). Though the rendering is good, the interpretations could not satisfy my quest. Thus was born, the idea to translate the Thiruvaachakam more for the benefit of those who do not understand the siginificance of the Tamil text and who sincerely desire to enjoy the extra-ordinary force of devotion that it inculcates. I am fully aware and conscious in rendering this book of devotional poems from an oriental language into English language while conceding the fact that there is an obvious loss in it, of the strength, rhythm and beauty of the Tamil Language. Hundreds of memorable phrases could, not stand the strain of being translated. Though I ventured with great trepidation and caution to take up the holy task, of translating such a great prayer book of universal wisdom sung by this mystic theologist exposing his trials and transcendent expeiences in lyrical Tamil poetry into English prose, with my limited knowledge, it would have been almost impossible but for the fact that I have all along guided by His Grace. HII
