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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Arumugan Nambiye

From Vilaiyattu Pillai · 1970

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
T. M. Soundararajan, S. C. Krishnan
Music director
K. V. Mahadevan
Details
Vilaiyattu Pillai1970

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Arumugan nambiyae aanai mugam thambiyaeTrusting Lord Muruga with six faces, brother of the elephant-faced Lord Ganesha,
Arumugan nambiyae aanai mugam thambiyaeTrusting Lord Muruga with six faces, brother of the elephant-faced Lord Ganesha,
Yeru mayil yerivaa ellaiyai kadanthu vaaCome riding your peacock, crossing all borders!
Male
Paling sadugudu sadugudu saduguduPaling sadugudu sadugudu sadugudu
sadugudu sadugudu sadugudusadugudu sadugudu sadugudu
sadugudu sadugudusadugudu sadugudu
Paling sadugudu sadugudu saduguduPaling sadugudu sadugudu sadugudu
sadugudu sadugudu sadugudusadugudu sadugudu sadugudu
sadugudu sadugudusadugudu sadugudu
Male
Sindhuru mamanaaru chinna ponnai thandhaaruFather-in-law Sindhuru gave away his young daughter,
Sindhuru mamanaaru chinna ponnai thandhaaruFather-in-law Sindhuru gave away his young daughter,
Ponnu kitta sollaama puthi kettu vandhaaruWithout telling the girl, he lost his mind and came here,
Vandhaaru vandhaaruHe came, he came!
Paling sadugudu sadugudu saduguduPaling sadugudu sadugudu sadugudu
sadugudu sadugudu sadugudusadugudu sadugudu sadugudu
sadugudu sadugudusadugudu sadugudu
Male
Singathukku vaaluda siruthaikku kaaludaIt's the tail for the lion, and the legs for the leopard!
Ahaa singathukku vaaluda siruthaikku kaaludaAha, tail for the lion, legs for the leopard!
Aarumugan veluda athanaiyum naan adaIt's the spear for Arumugan, and I am all of those!
Male
Sadugudu sadugudu saduguduSadugudu sadugudu sadugudu
sadugudu sadugudu sadugudusadugudu sadugudu sadugudu
sadugudu sadugudusadugudu sadugudu
Paling sadugudu sadugudu saduguduPaling sadugudu sadugudu sadugudu
sadugudu sadugudu sadugudusadugudu sadugudu sadugudu
sadugudu sadugudusadugudu sadugudu
Paling sadugudu sadugudu saduguduPaling sadugudu sadugudu sadugudu
sadugudu sadugudu sadugudusadugudu sadugudu sadugudu
sadugudu sadugudusadugudu sadugudu
Male
Veeranukku veeramundu veeraiyaaFor a brave man, valor is everything, Oh Veeraiyya!
Ennai vilaiyattil jeyichavanga yaaraiyaaWho has ever defeated me in sports, Oh sir?
Sakthiyulla manushanukku ramaiyaaFor a man filled with strength, Oh Ramaiyaa,
Endha sabaiyilum idam irukku somaiyaaThere is always a respect and place in any assembly, Oh Somaiyaa!
Male
Kai balathai namburaeyan muthaiyaaI rely on the strength of my own arms, Oh Muthaiyaa,
Naan kallulaeyum naar urippen paar aiyaaLook here, sir, I can peel fiber even out of solid stone!
Noolai katti malai ezhupinen muthaiyaaI tied a thread and pulled a mountain, Oh Muthaiyaa,
Summa nooru perai serthizhuppen paaraiyaaJust watch me effortlessly pull a hundred men together!
Paaraiyaa paaraiyaaLook at that, look at that!
Male
Ada evan kitta nee kayiru vittae ramaiyaaHey, whom are you trying to spin tall tales to, Ramaiyaa?
Idhu erkanavae thirichi vecha kayiraiyyaThis rope has already been twisted and tested long ago, sir!
Noolai katti malai ilukkum veeraiyaaOh warrior who claims to drag mountains with a thread,
Un kaalai katti naan iluppen paaraiyaaWatch me tie your legs and drag you around instead!
Paaraiyaa paaraiyaa…Look at that, look at that...
Chorus
Haiyaa haiyaa haiyaaaaaHaiyaa haiyaa haiyaaaaa!
Male
Sakthi silambudan ruthar thandavamWith powerful Silambam staff, like the fierce Rudra's cosmic dance,
Thagathimi thagavendruTo the rhythmic beats of Thagathimi,
En sakthi silambudanWith my powerful Silambam staff,
Aadudhu paadudhu sadasada sadavendruIt dances and sings with rapid crackling sounds!
Sakthi silambudan ruthar thandavamWith powerful Silambam staff, like the fierce Rudra's cosmic dance,
Thagathimi thagavendruTo the rhythmic beats of Thagathimi,
En sakthi silambudanWith my powerful Silambam staff,
Aadudhu paadudhu sadasada sadavendruIt dances and sings with rapid crackling sounds!
Male
Ethanai pergal potti ittalumNo matter how many opponents compete today,
Jeyithiduven indruI shall emerge victorious today!
Nee eduda silambhu illaiyael pulambhuPick up your martial staff now, or lament,
Thottruvitten endruCrying out that you have been defeated!
Male
Sakthi silambudan ruthar thandavamWith powerful Silambam staff, like the fierce Rudra's cosmic dance,
Thagathimi thagavendruTo the rhythmic beats of Thagathimi,
En sakthi silambudanWith my powerful Silambam staff,
Aadudhu paadudhu sadasada sadavendruIt dances and sings with rapid crackling sounds!
Male
Pagaivan kaiyil ulla silambhu thannaiyoruThe martial staff held in the enemy's hands,
Karumbhu endru ennum veeranaeOh warrior who foolishly treats it like soft sugarcane,
En balathai kaeli seidhu kuraithu enni konduMocking my strength and underestimating me,
Thanakku than sirikkum sooranaeOh hero who laughs to himself in arrogance!
Male
Adi pattu udhai pattu midhipattu pidipattuBeing beaten, kicked, trampled, caught,
Sirai pattuoga vandhaayaaAnd imprisoned, is that why you came?
Ada oru thattu naan thattaWith just one tap from my staff,
Udal kettu madhi kettuYour body will break and your mind will falter,
Odanum nee enninaayaaDid you think you could just turn and run?
Male
Naan idai vitta siilambukkuFor every gap I leave with my staff,
Idai vitta kottangalThe number of blows delivered in between,
Ethanai naan sollalaamaShall I tell you how many there were?
Naan adi vitta velaiyilWhen I struck with my powerful blows,
Adi patta veerargalThe number of warriors who fell injured,
Aayiram nee sollu maamaSay it is in thousands, uncle!
Male
Oongi thudikkuthu kambuThe staff pulses with power and energy,
Male :Ada unnai pol ennaiyum nambuHey, trust me just as I trust myself,
Male :Paaindhu purapadalaamaShall we pounce and attack now?
Male :Puli padhunguvadhen sollumamaTell me why the tiger crouches, uncle,
Male :Nadai podavaaShall I march forward?
Male :VilaiyadavaShall I play the match?
Male :Ada modhavaHey, shall I clash with you?
Male :Adi podavaaShall I strike blows now?
Male
Sakthi silambudan ruthar thandavamWith powerful Silambam staff, like the fierce Rudra's cosmic dance,
Thagathimi thagavendruTo the rhythmic beats of Thagathimi,
En sakthi silambudanWith my powerful Silambam staff,
Aadudhu paadudhu sadasada sadavendruIt dances and sings with rapid crackling sounds!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song from the film 'Vilaiyattu Pillai' (1970) is a high-energy folk and martial arts contest song accompanying traditional rural sports like Sadugudu (Kabaddi) and Silambattam (stick fighting). The characters engage in playful yet intense verbal and physical duels, invoking Lord Murugan and Lord Ganesha for strength while showcasing immense pride in their physical prowess, agility, and combat skills.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Emoni (Anaphora/Initial Rhyme)

Arumugan nambiyae aanai mugam thambiyae

Repetition of initial consonant and vowel sounds in consecutive lines for rhythmic flow (e.g., 'Arumugan' and 'Arumugan', 'Sindhuru' and 'Sindhuru').

Edhai (Second Letter Rhyme)

Singathukku vaaluda siruthaikku kaaluda

Tamil poetic device where the second letter of consecutive or rhyming lines match, such as 'Singathukku' and 'Siruthaikku'.

Onomatopoeia (Irrattai Kilavi / Anukaranasthan)

Aadudhu paadudhu sadasada sadavendru

Use of rhythmic phonetic words describing the sound of staff movement and Kabaddi rhythmic chants like 'sadugudu sadugudu' and 'sadasada sadavendru'.

Metaphor

Sakthi silambudan ruthar thandavam

Comparing the martial staff dance to the fierce cosmic dance of Lord Shiva (Rudra Thandavam).

Did you know?

Trivia

'Vilaiyattu Pillai' features Sivaji Ganesan in the lead role. The song showcases traditional Tamil folk sports including Kabaddi (Sadugudu) and Silambam, composed masterfully by K. V. Mahadevan with dynamic dialogue-style singing between T. M. Soundarajan and S. C. Krishnan.

Keep listening

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