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Lyrics & meaning

Amma Un Karunaikku

From Deviyin Thiruvilayadal · 1982

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
Seerkazhi Govindarajan, Vani Jairam
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Details
Deviyin Thiruvilayadal1982

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Oyaatha arul mazhaiyae oppariya sezhungarunaiO ceaseless shower of grace, incomparable rich mercy!
Kaayaatha thava punalae kaasiniyil uyirkollaO un-drying holy water of penance, taking life in this world,
Thaayaagi anaikkindra thalirkaramae nin maenmaiO tender hands that embrace like a mother, your greatness—
Vaayaara isaippatharkku mozhiyulatho yaedulathoAre there words or books to sing it to heart's content?
Female
Amma….amma un karunaikku alavillaiyaeMother... Mother, your grace knows no bound!
Amma un karunaikku alavillaiyaeMother, your grace knows no bound!
Adhai alanthingu naan solla arivillaiyaeI lack the wisdom to measure and describe it here.
Alanthingu naan solla arivillaiyae….I lack the wisdom to measure and describe it here...
Male
Bommaanin idangkonda perinpamae maraiO supreme bliss occupying the left side of Lord Shiva,
Porul koorum peruvaazhvin aarambamaeThe beginning of a great life that preaches the meaning of Scriptures!
Bommaanin idangkonda perinpamae maraiO supreme bliss occupying the left side of Lord Shiva,
Porul koorum peruvaazhvin aarambamaeThe beginning of a great life that preaches the meaning of Scriptures!
Male
Siru pillai sambanthan pasi theerththavalShe who quenched the hunger of young child Sambandar,
Avan sevvaayil kongai than paal vaarththavalShe who poured divine milk into his red mouth!
Siru pillai sambanthan pasi theerththavalShe who quenched the hunger of young child Sambandar,
Avan sevvaayil kongai than paal vaarththavalShe who poured divine milk into his red mouth!
Female
Yaar azhuthaalum thaangaatha manam kondavalShe whose heart cannot bear seeing anyone cry,
Pettra thaaikellaam thaayaaga dhinam nindravalShe who stands daily as a mother to all birth mothers!
Pettra thaaikellaam thaayaaga dhinam nindravalShe who stands daily as a mother to all birth mothers!
Aa….aa….aa…..aa….aah….aa….Aa... aa... aa... aa... aah... aa...
Female
Kavi paada nool yaedhum kallaathavanOne who didn't study any books to compose poetry,
Kalvi karpikkum idam thedi sellaathavanOne who never went searching for places of education,
Kavi paada nool yaedhum kallaathavanOne who didn't study any books to compose poetry,
Kalvi karpikkum idam thedi sellaathavanOne who never went searching for places of education,
Male
Un thaampoolam thanai vaangi thamizh koorinaanAccepted your betel leaf and spoke Tamil poetry,
Kaala megaththai pol nindru kavi paadinaanAnd stood like Kalamega Pulavar, singing poetry like rain clouds!
Both :Kaala megaththai pol nindru kavi paadinaanBoth: Stood like Kalamega Pulavar, singing poetry like rain clouds!
Female
Thangaththai perithaaga ninaiththaenillaiI did not think highly of gold,
Un angathirkinaiyaana thangam illaiThere is no gold equal to your sacred body!
Thangaththai perithaaga ninaiththaenillaiI did not think highly of gold,
Un angathirkinaiyaana thangam illaiThere is no gold equal to your sacred body!
Male
En thaaraththin maangazhyam nee thanthathuIt is you who bestowed the sacred mangalsutra of my wife,
Un thaayanpai ennendru yaar solvathuWho can describe your motherly love?
En thaaraththin maangazhyam nee thanthathuIt is you who bestowed the sacred mangalsutra of my wife,
Un thaayanpai ennendru yaar solvathuWho can describe your motherly love?
Un thaayanpai ennendru yaar solvathu…Who can describe your motherly love...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This devotional song from Deviyin Thiruvilayadal (1982) is a deeply moving hymn of praise dedicated to the Goddess Divine Mother. Lyricist Vaali beautifully expresses the infinite and boundless nature of her mercy, describing her as an unceasing shower of grace and the mother to all mothers. The song highlights her miraculous deeds from Shaivite history, such as feeding child saint Thirugnana Sambandar with divine milk of gnana (wisdom) and transforming an uneducated devotee into the great poet Kalamega Pulavar through her sacred offering (thaamboolam). The devotee reflects on their own smallness in comparison to her grand benevolence, acknowledging that human intelligence and literature fall short of fully capturing her divinity. The song concludes with heartfelt gratitude for her protection over family, marriage, and life, affirming that divine maternal love remains unmatched across the universe.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Rupa Alankaram / Metaphor

Oyaatha arul mazhaiyae oppariya sezhungarunai

Comparing divine grace directly to an uninterrupted rain shower ('arul mazhai') and sacred water ('thava punal').

Upama Alankaram / Simile

Kaala megaththai pol nindru kavi paadinaan

Comparing the poet's sudden abundance of poetic output to a heavy raincloud ('Kaala megaththai pol').

Edhugai (Second letter rhyming)

Bommaanin idangkonda perinpamae marai / Porul koorum peruvaazhvin aarambamae

Rhyming of the second consonant sound 'm' across adjacent lines ('Bommaanin' / 'Porul').

Anaphora / Repetition

Amma un karunaikku alavillaiyae

Repetition of line endings and phrases for emotional emphasis and musical cadence.

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Trivia

'Deviyin Thiruvilayadal' (1982) features devotional music dedicated to Goddess Parasakthi. Lyricist Vaali weaves classic Tamil literary legends into the lyrics, referencing Thirugnana Sambandar (a 7th-century Nayanmar saint who received divine milk at Sirkazhi) and Kalamega Pulavar (a famous 15th-century poet who gained instantaneous poetic brilliance through Goddess Akhilandeshwari's blessing).

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