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Arivaali album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Arivukku Virunthagum

From Arivaali · 1963

Lyricist
A. Maruthakasi
Singer
T. M. Soundararajan
Music director
S. V. Venkatraman
Movie name
Arivaali
Movie release year
1963
Lyrics added on
30 Mar 2022

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Arivukku virunthaagum thirukkuralae
Arivukku virunthaagum thirukkuralae
Valluvar aakki namakkaliththa arumporulae
Valluvar aakki namakkaliththa arumporulae
Arivukku virunthaagum thirukkuralae….
Ulagukku olipolae….ae….
Ulagukku olipolae udalukku uyir polae
Ulagukku olipolae udalukku uyir polae
Payirukku mazhaipolae….ae…
Payirukku mazhaipolae painthamizh mozhiyaalae
Arivukku virunthaagum thirukkuralae….
Aram porl inbam enappadum muppaale
Anupavaththaalae thaan suvaiththatharkkappaalae
Aram porl inbam enappadum muppaale
Anupavaththaalae thaan suvaiththatharkkappaalae
Avaniyil ullorgal anaivarum thanaipolae
Avaniyil ullorgal anaivarum thanaipolae
Avasiyam kattrunarnthu payanperum ninaipaalae
Avasiyam kattrunarnthu payanperum ninaipaalae
Arivukku virunthaagum thirukkuralae….
Vaazhum vazhi muraikku ilakkanamaanathu
Manam mozhi mei inikka vaarththitta thaenathu
Vaanagam pol virintha perum porul kondathu
Vaanagam pol virintha perum porul kondathu
Em mathathirkkum podhuvennum paaraattai kandathu
Em mathathirkkum podhuvennum paaraattai kandathu
Arivukku virunthaagum thirukkuralae….
Valluvar aakki namakkaliththa arumporulae
Arivukku virunthaagum thirukkuralae….
O Thirukkural, a feast for the intellect!
O Thirukkural, a feast for the intellect!
A precious treasure created and gifted to us by Valluvar!
A precious treasure created and gifted to us by Valluvar!
O Thirukkural, a feast for the intellect!
Like light to the world...
Like light to the world, like life to the body,
Like light to the world, like life to the body,
Like rain to the crops...
Like rain to the crops, composed in pure, sweet Tamil,
O Thirukkural, a feast for the intellect!
Known as the threefold path of virtue, wealth, and love,
After tasting its wisdom through his own experience,
Known as the threefold path of virtue, wealth, and love,
After tasting its wisdom through his own experience,
With the wish that all people in the world, just like him,
With the wish that all people in the world, just like him,
Must surely learn, understand, and benefit from it,
Must surely learn, understand, and benefit from it,
O Thirukkural, a feast for the intellect!
It became the guiding code for the way to live,
It is honey poured to sweeten our mind, speech, and body!
Holding deep wisdom as vast as the open sky,
Holding deep wisdom as vast as the open sky,
It earned the praise of belonging equally to all faiths!
It earned the praise of belonging equally to all faiths!
O Thirukkural, a feast for the intellect!
A precious treasure created and gifted to us by Valluvar!
O Thirukkural, a feast for the intellect!
Male
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Male
Male
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Male
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song is a high tribute to Thirukkural, the classic ethical masterpiece authored by Thiruvalluvar. The lyricist portrays the text as an intellectual feast, comparing its value to light for the world, soul for the body, and rain for crops. It celebrates Thirukkural's sweet Tamil composition and its timeless wisdom across the three realms: Virtue, Wealth, and Love. The song highlights Thirukkural as a universal grammar of righteous living that transcends all religious boundaries, urging everyone in the world to study, internalize, and benefit from its sky-deep meaning.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Upamai)

“Ulagukku olipolae udalukku uyir polae”

Compares Thirukkural's indispensability to light for the world, soul for the body, and rain for crops using 'polae' (like).

Metaphor (Uruvagaimai)

“Arivukku virunthaagum thirukkuralae”

Directly identifies Thirukkural as a grand feast for human intellect.

Moni (Initial Alliteration)

“Avaniyil ullorgal anaivarum thanaipolae / Avasiyam kattrunarnthu payanperum ninaipaalae”

Repetition of the initial vowel sound 'A' across consecutive lines for poetic rhythm.

Metaphor

“Manam mozhi mei inikka vaarththitta thaenathu”

Refers to the text as honey poured to sweeten mind, word, and body.

Did you know?

Trivia

From the 1963 film Arivaali starring Sivaji Ganesan and P. Bhanumathi. Lyricist A. Maruthakasi specifically highlighted the secular and universal appeal ('Em mathathirkkum podhu') of Thirukkural in this song, set to music by S. V. Venkatraman and rendered powerfully by T. M. Soundararajan.

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