- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- K. P. Sundarambal
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Movie name
- Kandhan Karunai
- Movie release year
- 1967
- Lyrics added on
- 22 Aug 2019
Lyrics & meaning
♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Avvaiyae ulagil ariyadhu enna….
(Dialogue)
Ariyadhu ketkin varivadiveloi
Aridhu aridhu maanidaraadhal aridhu
Maanidaraayinum koon kurudu
Sevidu paedu neengi pirathal aridhu
Koon kurudu sevidu paedu
Neengi gnaanamum kalviyum nayathalaridhu
Gnaanamum kalviyum nayandha kaalaiyum
Dhaanamum thavamum thaan seidhal aridhu
Dhaanamum thavamum thaan seivaraayin
Vaanavar naadu vazhi pirandhidumae….
Ariyadhu kettamaikku
Azhagaana thamizhil
Vilakkam thandha moodhaattiyae
Kodiyadhu enna….(Dialogue)
Kodiyadhu ketkkin varivadiveloi
Kodidhu kodidhu varumai kodidhu
Adhaninum kodidhu ilamaiyil varumai
Adhaninum kodidhu aattronaa kodu noi
Adhaninum kodidhu anbilaa pendir
Adhaninum kodidhu avar kaiyaal
Inbura unbadhu thaanae….
Mikka magizhchchi
Sollaal thamizhaal
Vellaadha ulagaiyellaam vellum
Thiramai padaitha avvaiyae
Periyadhu enna….(Dialogue)
Periyadhu ketkin neri thamizh veloi
Peridhu peridhu bhuvanam peridhu
Bhuvanamum naan mugan padaippu
Naan mugan kariya maal undhiyil vandhon
Kariya maalo alaikadal thuyindron
Alai kadalo gurumuni yangaiyil adakkam
Gurumuniyo kalasathir pirandhon
Kalasamo puviyir chiruman
Puviyo aravini oru thalai paaram
Aramo umaivayal siru viral modhiram
Umaiyo iraivar baaga thodukkam
Iraivano thondar ullatthodukkam
Thondar tham perumaiyai sollavum
Peridhae….
Avvaiyae….
Vaanavarum unadhu
Vaakkirku adimaiyaagi viduvar yendraal
Adhil viyappillai
Iniyadhu enna…. (Dialogue)
Iniyadhu ketkin thani nedu veloi
Inidhu inidhu yaegaantham inidhu
Adhaninum inidhu aadhiyai thozhudhal
Adhaninum inidhu arivinar saerdhal
Adhaninum inidhu arivullorai
Kanavilum nanavilum kaanbadhu thaanae….
Ariyadhu kodiyadhu periyadhu iniyadhu
Anaithirkkum muraiyodu
Vidai pagandra avvaiyae
Pudhiyadhu enna….(Dialogue)
Endrum pudhiyadhu…
Padal endrum pudhiyadhu
Porul niraindha paadal endrum pudhiyadhu
Murugaa unnai paadum porul niraindha
Paadal endrum pudhiyadhu
Murugaa unnai paadum porul niraindha
Paadal endrum pudhiyadhu
Arul niraindha pulavar nenjil
Amudham ennum thamizh kodutha
Porul niraindha paadal endrum pudhiyadhu
Arul niraindha pulavar nenjil
Amudham ennum thamizh koduttha
Porul niraindha paadal endrum pudhiyadhu
Murugan endra peyaril vandha
Azhagae endrum pudhiyadhu
Murugan endra peyaril vandha
Azhagae endrum pudhiyadhu
Muruval kaattum kumaran konda
Ilamai endrum pudhiyadhu
Unnai petra annaiyarkku
Unadhu leelai pudhiyadhu
Unnai petra annaiyarkku
Unadhu leelai pudhiyadhu
Unadhu thandhai iraivanukkum
Velum…. mayilum….
Unadhu thandhai iraivanukkum
Velum mayilum pudhiyadhu…
Murugaa unnai paadum porul niraindha
Paadal endrum pudhiyadhu
Thingalukkum gnjaayirukkum
Kandhan maeni pudhiyadhu
Thingalukkum gnjaayirukkum
Kandhan maeni pudhiyadhu
Saerndhavarkku vazhangum…
Kandhan karunai pudhiyadhu
Saerndhavarkku vazhanghum
Kandhan karunai pudhiyadhu
Arivil ariyadhu arulil periyadhu
Arivil ariyadhu arulil periyadhu
Alli alli unna unna
Unadhu thamizh iniyadhu
Alli alli unna unna
Unadhu thamizh iniyadhu
Mudhalil mudivadhu mudivil mudhaladhu
Mudhalil mudivadhu mudivil mudhaladhu
Moondru kaalam unarndha perkku
Aarumugam pudhiyadhu….
Avvaiyar, what is rare in this world?
(Dialogue)
If you ask what is rare, O Lord with the sharp spear,
Rare, rare indeed is it to be born as a human!
Even if born human, to be free of hunchback, blindness,
deafness, and physical defects is rare!
Free of hunchback, blindness, deafness, and defects,
to gain wisdom and true learning is rare!
Even after gaining wisdom and true learning,
to practice charity and penance is rare!
And if one truly does practice charity and penance,
the path to the realm of the gods will open!
For my question on what is rare,
in beautiful Tamil,
O wise old mother who gave an explanation,
What is cruel? (Dialogue)
If you ask what is cruel, O Lord with the sharp spear,
Cruel, cruel indeed is poverty!
Crueler than that is poverty in one's youth!
Crueler than that is an unbearable, painful disease!
Crueler than that is a woman without love!
And crueler still than that
is having to eat food served by her hands!
Great joy!
Through the power of your words and Tamil,
capable of winning over worlds that cannot otherwise be won,
O gifted Avvaiyar,
What is great? (Dialogue)
If you ask what is great, O Lord of pure Tamil holding the spear,
Great, great indeed is this universe!
Yet this universe is the creation of four-faced Brahma!
The four-faced Brahma arose from the navel of dark Vishnu!
Dark Vishnu rests upon the wavy ocean!
That wavy ocean was held in the palm of Sage Agastya!
That little sage was born from a clay pot!
That clay pot is made of a bit of soil from the earth!
This earth rests on one head of the serpent Adisesha!
That serpent is a tiny ring on Goddess Uma's finger!
Goddess Uma resides in one half of Lord Shiva's form!
And the Lord Himself resides within the hearts of His devotees!
Therefore, to speak of the greatness of His devotees
is the greatest of all!
Avvaiyar...
If even the gods of heaven
bow before the power of your words,
there is no surprise in that!
What is sweet? (Dialogue)
If you ask what is sweet, O Lord with the matchless long spear,
Sweet, sweet indeed is solitude!
Sweeter than that is worshiping the Primal Lord!
Sweeter than that is the company of the wise!
And sweeter than that is seeing such wise souls
both in dreams and in waking life!
What is rare, what is cruel, what is great, and what is sweet—
to each and every question, with perfect grace,
O Avvaiyar who gave the answers,
What is new? (Dialogue)
What is forever new...
A song is forever new!
A song filled with deep meaning is forever new!
O Muruga, a meaningful song sung in your praise
is forever new!
O Muruga, a meaningful song sung in your praise
is forever new!
In the grace-filled hearts of poets,
giving forth Tamil as sweet as nectar,
a song filled with deep meaning is forever new!
In the grace-filled hearts of poets,
giving forth Tamil as sweet as nectar,
a song filled with deep meaning is forever new!
Appearing in the name of Murugan,
beauty itself is forever new!
Appearing in the name of Murugan,
beauty itself is forever new!
Embodied by the smiling Kumaran (Murugan),
youthfulness is forever new!
To the divine mothers who raised you,
your playful miracles are forever new!
To the divine mothers who raised you,
your playful miracles are forever new!
Even to your father, the Supreme Lord Shiva,
your spear... and peacock...
Even to your father, the Supreme Lord Shiva,
your spear and peacock are forever new!
O Muruga, a meaningful song sung in your praise
is forever new!
To both the moon and the sun,
the radiant form of Kandhan is forever new!
To both the moon and the sun,
the radiant form of Kandhan is forever new!
Bestowed upon those who seek him,
the grace of Kandhan is forever new!
Bestowed upon those who seek him,
the grace of Kandhan is forever new!
The rarest in wisdom, the greatest in grace,
The rarest in wisdom, the greatest in grace,
the more one savours and drinks it in,
how sweet is your Tamil!
The more one savours and drinks it in,
how sweet is your Tamil!
Ending at the beginning, beginning at the end,
Ending at the beginning, beginning at the end,
to those who understand the past, present, and future,
six-faced Lord Muruga is forever new!
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Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This classic song sequence from the film 'Kandhan Karunai' (1967) depicts the legendary philosophical discourse between the ancient Tamil poetess Avvaiyar and Lord Murugan (disguised as a young shepherd boy). Murugan tests Avvaiyar by asking four fundamental questions: What is rare (Ariyadhu)? What is cruel (Kodiyadhu)? What is great (Periyadhu)? and What is sweet (Iniyadhu)? Avvaiyar responds with traditional wisdom: human birth and virtue are rare; poverty and unloving relationships are cruel; devotion and the hearts of true devotees are greater than the universe; and solitude, worship, and wise company are sweet. In turn, Avvaiyar asks Murugan what is 'ever-new' (Pudhiyadhu), leading to a sublime devotional climax celebrating the timelessness of divine Tamil poetry, Murugan's radiant youth, his grace, and his cosmic nature.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Anaphora / Repetition (Emoni & Mpdhu)
“Aridhu aridhu maanidaraadhal aridhu”
Repeating opening phrases like 'Aridhu aridhu', 'Kodidhu kodidhu', 'Peridhu peridhu', and 'Inidhu inidhu' for dramatic and rhythmic emphasis.
Chain Metaphor / Gradation (Sorpanthal)
“Bhuvanamum naan mugan padaippu ... Iraivano thondar ullatthodukkam”
Linking cosmic elements step-by-step (Universe -> Brahma -> Vishnu -> Ocean -> Agastya -> Pot -> Earth -> Serpent -> Parvati -> Shiva -> Devotee's heart) to prove that devotions surpass physical creation.
Antithesis / Paradox
“Mudhalil mudivadhu mudivil mudhaladhu”
'Mudhalil mudivadhu mudivil mudhaladhu' highlights the cyclical nature of time and eternity represented by Lord Murugan.
Did you know?
Trivia
This famous scene features legendary singer-actress K. B. Sundarambal playing Avvaiyar and Master Sridhar/Sivaji Ganesan in the film 'Kandhan Karunai' (1967). The dialogue and lyrics adapt ancient classical Tamil verses attributed to Avvaiyar, composed with music score by K. V. Mahadevan.
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