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Isaimozhi
Punniyavathi album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Adi Paninja

From Punniyavathi · 1997

Lyricist
Gangai Amaran
Singer
Ilayaraja
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Punniyavathi
Movie release year
1997
Lyrics added on
15 Jan 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Adi paninjaa
Alli nalla padi alappaa
Adi manasil
Thulli vandhu kudi iruppaa
Mani thamilil
Adi koduppaa
Mani magudam
Mudi koduppa
Mann dhoosiyum
Ponnaagumae
Mann kudisaiyum
Aran aagumae
Amaaa…..un arulaalae
If you bow at her feet,
She will provide for you in abundance,
In the depths of your heart,
She will joyfully come and dwell,
In precious Tamil,
She will grant you the poetic verse,
A crown of jewels,
She will place upon your head,
Even the dust of the earth
Will turn into gold,
Even a mud hut
Will turn into a fortress,
O Mother, through your grace alone!
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This devotional hymn praises the ultimate power and benevolence of the Divine Mother. It describes how surrendering to Her divine feet transforms a devotee's life completely, filling their heart with divine presence and granting them sacred wisdom in Tamil.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Polysemy / Wordplay

Adi paninjaa / Adi koduppaa

The word 'Adi' is used ingeniously with multiple meanings: 'feet' in 'Adi paninjaa' and 'poetic meter/line' in 'Adi koduppaa'.

Hyperbole & Metaphor

Mann dhoosiyum Ponnaagumae / Mann kudisaiyum Aran aagumae

Exaggerated metaphorical imagery demonstrating divine transformation, where mere dust turns to gold and a small mud hut becomes a grand fortress.

Edhugai (Second Letter Rhyme)

Mann dhoosiyum / Mann kudisaiyum

Tamil poetic rhyme scheme where the second letter matches across consecutive lines ('nn' in Mann and Mann).

Did you know?

Trivia

The lyricist Gangai Amaran uses classical Tamil poetic conventions (such as Tamil Monnai and Edhugai) within a film song structure to evoke a traditional devotional song atmosphere.

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