Poem 50

இடவம் சுறுக்கெனப் பாயுமுஞ் சென்னி நகுதலைகண்டிடவஞ் சுவர்மட வாரிரி கின்றனர் ஏகம்பத்தீர்படமஞ்சு வாயது நாகம் இரைக்கும் அதனுக்குமுற்படவஞ் சுவரெங்ங னேபலி வந்திடும் பாங்குகளே.

In plain words

The bull leaps out suddenly. Seeing the grinning skull on your head, the women are afraid to give, and they flee, O you of Ēkampam. The hooded snake with its five mouths hisses, and they are afraid of it too, and dare not come forward. With ways like these, how will alms come?

Line by line

The bull leaps suddenly; seeing the grinning skull on your head, the women fear to give and they flee; O you of Ēkampam; the five-mouthed hooded snake hisses; of it too they are afraid to come forward; how will alms come, in such ways?