Thiruvasagam – 8.33.6
You know what everyone needs,
You bestow everything to those who seek;
Brahma and Vishnu who sought to behold thy form
Found it hard to do so, but
On your own you enthralled me,
And showered your grace on me,
Whatever you gave is what I sought too;
Beyond that if there’s a gift I seek,
It’s only the gift of thy love.
வேண்டத் தக்க தறிவோய்நீ வேண்ட முழுதும் தருவோய்நீ
வேண்டும் அயன்மாற் கரியோய்நீ வேண்டி என்னைப் பணிகொண்டாய்
வேண்டி நீயா தருள்செய்தாய் யானும் அதுவே வேண்டினல்லால்
வேண்டும் பரிசொன் றுண்டென்னில் அதுவும் உன்றன் விருப்பன்றே.
In this Thiruvasagam poem, Manikkavasagar praises Lord Shiva as an omniscient being. He says “You are aware of what every being in this world needs. To those who pray to you, you give them all that the seek. Brahma and Vishnu tried to find the head and toe of your form to prove which one of them is superior. But they couldn’t behold your full form. Such a God like you took pity on me and took over my being fully. On your own you showered your grace on me. Whatever you gave is what I asked for. If at all there’s any other gift that I seek on my own, it is only your love My lord”
The wordplay with வேண்ட – seek, wish, desire, pray – that repeats in the verse makes it beautiful. It is hard to bring that word play in translation. வேண்டத் தக்கது – what is suitable, what one needs. It is not what one wants. As the Supreme God, you know what I need even if it may be something I do not want. Brahma & Vishnu wanted to prove their superiority, so you made it difficult for them to get the measure of you. But I’m a simple devotee who has given myself up to you. So, on your own, you took over my being and showered your grace on me. I don’t seek anything other than what you give me as you know better what I need.
அறி – know
மால் – Vishnu
அயன் – Brahma
அரிது – Difficult
பணி கொண்டாய் – captivated, enthralled
அருள் – grace
அல்லால் – other than
விருப்பு – affection / love
Old Tamil Poetry 
A lovely one.
One thing though
அறிவோய் – you are the one who knows
தருவோய் – you are the one who bestows
Kind of the same as what you translated but what I find special is that the emphasis is on His person more than his actions.
The same word repeating in different shades of meanings is, as you would know, சொல் பின்வரு நிலை அணி.
வேண்டும் பரிசு ஒன்று உண்டென்னில் – what a poetic admission of mere humanness.
There is a passage in Aurobindo’s ‘Savitri’ that goes thus:
Life’s secret sense is written within, above.
The thought that gives it sense lives far beyond;
It is not seen in its half-finished design.
In vain we hope to read the baffling signs
மனுசப்பயலுக்கு என்ன தெரியும், புரியும்!
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Yes, ‘You are the one’ is better.
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