சந்து புனைய வெதும்பி மலரணை தங்க வெருவி இலங்கு கலையொடுசங்கு கழல நிறைந்த அயலவர் தஞ்சொல் நலிய மெலிந்து கிளியொடுபந்து கழல்கள் மறந்து தளிர்புரை பண்டை நிறமும் இழந்து நிறையொடுபண்பு தவிர அனங்கன் அவனொடு நண்பு பெருக விளைந்த இனையனநந்தி முழவு தழங்க மலைபெறு நங்கை மகிழ அணிந்த அரவுகள்நஞ்சு பிழிய முரன்று முயலகன் நைந்து நரல அலைந்த பகிரதிஅந்தி மதியொ டணிந்து திலைநகர் அம்பொன் அணியும் அரங்கின் நடநவில்அங்கண் அரசை அடைந்து தொழுதிவள் அன்று முதல் எதிர்இன்று வரையுமே.
In plain words
When they dress her in sandal paste she burns. She shrinks in fear from resting on a bed of flowers. Her shining girdle and her conch bangles slip away. The words of the neighbours crowding round torment her, and she grows thin. She has forgotten her parrot, her ball and her anklets, and lost her old colour, like tender leaves. Her reserve and her nature have left her, and her bond with the bodiless Kāma grows. Such things have come about from the day she reached and worshipped the King of gracious eyes until this very day before us. He dances on the stage adorned with lovely gold in the city of Tillai. Nandi's drum thunders. The lady born of the mountain rejoices. The serpents he wears hiss and squeeze out their venom. Muyalakaṉ is crushed and groans. And he wears the tossing Gaṅgā with the evening moon.
Line by line
As sandal paste is applied, burning; to rest on a bed of flowers, afraid; with the shining girdle the conch bangles slipping off; the words of the crowding neighbours tormenting, growing thin; with the parrot ball and anklets forgetting; the former colour like tender shoots too losing; with reserve her nature leaving; her friendship with that bodiless one growing: such things that came about Nandi's drum thundering, the lady born of the mountain rejoicing, the serpents he wore squeezing out venom, hissing, Muyalakaṉ crushed and groaning; the tossing Gaṅgā with the evening moon wearing, in Tillai city on the stage adorned with lovely gold practising the dance, the gracious-eyed King, she reached and worshipped; from that day up to this day before us, indeed.