Deivam Iruppathu Engey
From Saraswathi Sabatham · 1966
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Details
- Saraswathi Sabatham1966
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Deivam irupathu engae | Where does God reside? |
| Deivam irupathu engae | Where does God reside? |
| Deivam irupathu en..gae | Where does God reside? |
| Deivam irupathu engae | Where does God reside? |
| Male | |
| Deivam irupathu engae | Where does God reside? |
| Adhu ingae ver engae | It is right here, where else? |
| Deivam irupathu engae | Where does God reside? |
| Adhu ingae ver engae | It is right here, where else? |
| Deivam irupathu engae | Where does God reside? |
| Male | |
| {Thelindha ninaivum | A clear thought, |
| Thirandha nenjum | And an open heart, |
| Niraindhadhundo angae} (2) | Are they truly present over there? |
| Male | |
| Deivam irupathu engae | Where does God reside? |
| Male | |
| {Ponnum porulum | Gold and wealth, |
| Nirainthavar nenjam | The heart of those full of them, |
| Poiyil valarndha kaadu } (2) | Is a forest grown on falsehood. |
| Male | |
| {Ennum ezhuthum | Education and wisdom, |
| Nirainthavar nenjam | The heart of those full of them, |
| Iraivan thigalum veedu} (2) | Is a home where God shines. |
| Male | |
| Deivam irupathu engae | Where does God reside? |
| Male | |
| Aadai anigalan aadambarangal | Fancy clothes, ornaments, and ostentation, |
| Aandavan virumbuvadhillai | God does not desire. |
| Aadai anigalan aadambarangal | Fancy clothes, ornaments, and ostentation, |
| Aandavan virumbuvadhillai | God does not desire. |
| Male | |
| {Anggoru kannum | Having one eye looking over there, |
| Inggoru kannum | And another eye looking over here, |
| Aalaya vazhipaadillai} (2) | Is not true temple worship. |
| Male | |
| {Isaiyil kalayil | In music, in art, |
| Kaviyil mazhalai | In poetry, and in a child's |
| Mozhiyil iraivan undu} (2) | Prattling words, God exists. |
| Male | |
| {Ivai thaan dheivam | That these are divinity, |
| Enbathai arindhaal | If you come to realize this, |
| Yerkum unadhu thondu} (2) | God will accept your service. |
| Deivam yerkum unadhu thondu | God will accept your service. |
| Male | |
| Deivam irupathu engae | Where does God reside? |
| Adhu ingae ver engae | It is right here, where else? |
| Deivam irupathu engae | Where does God reside? |
| Male | |
| Nandri nirainthavar engae | Where people filled with gratitude exist, |
| Deivam angae | God is there. |
| Nanmai purinthavar engae | Where doers of good deeds exist, |
| Deivam angae | God is there. |
| Male | |
| Pazhamai ninainthavar engae | Where those who respect past ties exist, |
| Deivam angae | God is there. |
| Paasam malarnthavar engae | Where love blossoms, |
| Deivam angae….ae….. | God is there... |
| Male | |
| Deivam irupathu ingae | God resides right here. |
தெய்வம்
இருப்பது எங்கே
தெய்வம் இருப்பது
எங்கே தெய்வம்
இருப்பது எங்கே
தெய்வம் இருப்பது
எங்கே
Where does God reside?
Where does God reside?
Where does God reside?
Where does God reside?
தெய்வம் இருப்பது
எங்கே அது இங்கே வேர்
எங்கே தெய்வம் இருப்பது
எங்கே அது இங்கே வேர்
எங்கே தெய்வம் இருப்பது
எங்கே
Where does God reside?
It is right here, where else?
Where does God reside?
It is right here, where else?
Where does God reside?
{ தெளிந்த
நினைவும் திறந்த
நெஞ்சும் நிறைந்ததுண்டோ
அங்கே } (2)
A clear thought,
And an open heart,
Are they truly present over there?
தெய்வம் இருப்பது
எங்கே
Where does God reside?
{ பொன்னும்
பொருளும் நிறைந்தவர்
நெஞ்சம் பொய்யில்
வளர்ந்த காடு } (2)
Gold and wealth,
The heart of those full of them,
Is a forest grown on falsehood.
{ எண்ணும்
எழுத்தும் நிறைந்தவர்
நெஞ்சம் இறைவன்
திகழும் வீடு } (2)
Education and wisdom,
The heart of those full of them,
Is a home where God shines.
தெய்வம் இருப்பது
எங்கே
Where does God reside?
ஆடை அணிகலன்
ஆடம்பரங்கள் ஆண்டவன்
விரும்புவதில்லை ஆடை
அணிகலன் ஆடம்பரங்கள்
ஆண்டவன் விரும்புவதில்லை
Fancy clothes, ornaments, and ostentation,
God does not desire.
Fancy clothes, ornaments, and ostentation,
God does not desire.
{ அங்கொரு
கண்ணும் இங்கொரு
கண்ணும் ஆலய
வழிபாடில்லை } (2)
Having one eye looking over there,
And another eye looking over here,
Is not true temple worship.
{ இசையில்
கலையில் கவியில்
மழலை மொழியில்
இறைவன் உண்டு } (2)
In music, in art,
In poetry, and in a child's
Prattling words, God exists.
{ இவை தான்
தெய்வம் என்பதை
அறிந்தால் ஏற்கும்
உனது தொண்டு } (2)
தெய்வம் ஏற்கும்
உனது தொண்டு
That these are divinity,
If you come to realize this,
God will accept your service.
God will accept your service.
தெய்வம் இருப்பது
எங்கே அது இங்கே வேர்
எங்கே தெய்வம் இருப்பது
எங்கே
Where does God reside?
It is right here, where else?
Where does God reside?
நன்றி நிறைந்தவர்
எங்கே தெய்வம் அங்கே
நன்மை புரிந்தவர் எங்கே
தெய்வம் அங்கே
Where people filled with gratitude exist,
God is there.
Where doers of good deeds exist,
God is there.
பழமை
நினைந்தவர் எங்கே
தெய்வம் அங்கே பாசம்
மலர்ந்தவர் எங்கே
தெய்வம் அங்கே
Where those who respect past ties exist,
God is there.
Where love blossoms,
God is there...
தெய்வம் இருப்பது
இங்கே
God resides right here.
Deivam irupathu engae
Where does God reside?
Deivam irupathu engae
Where does God reside?
Deivam irupathu en..gae
Where does God reside?
Deivam irupathu engae
Where does God reside?
Deivam irupathu engae
Where does God reside?
Adhu ingae ver engae
It is right here, where else?
Deivam irupathu engae
Where does God reside?
Adhu ingae ver engae
It is right here, where else?
Deivam irupathu engae
Where does God reside?
{Thelindha ninaivum
A clear thought,
Thirandha nenjum
And an open heart,
Niraindhadhundo angae} (2)
Are they truly present over there?
Deivam irupathu engae
Where does God reside?
{Ponnum porulum
Gold and wealth,
Nirainthavar nenjam
The heart of those full of them,
Poiyil valarndha kaadu } (2)
Is a forest grown on falsehood.
{Ennum ezhuthum
Education and wisdom,
Nirainthavar nenjam
The heart of those full of them,
Iraivan thigalum veedu} (2)
Is a home where God shines.
Deivam irupathu engae
Where does God reside?
Aadai anigalan aadambarangal
Fancy clothes, ornaments, and ostentation,
Aandavan virumbuvadhillai
God does not desire.
Aadai anigalan aadambarangal
Fancy clothes, ornaments, and ostentation,
Aandavan virumbuvadhillai
God does not desire.
{Anggoru kannum
Having one eye looking over there,
Inggoru kannum
And another eye looking over here,
Aalaya vazhipaadillai} (2)
Is not true temple worship.
{Isaiyil kalayil
In music, in art,
Kaviyil mazhalai
In poetry, and in a child's
Mozhiyil iraivan undu} (2)
Prattling words, God exists.
{Ivai thaan dheivam
That these are divinity,
Enbathai arindhaal
If you come to realize this,
Yerkum unadhu thondu} (2)
God will accept your service.
Deivam yerkum unadhu thondu
God will accept your service.
Deivam irupathu engae
Where does God reside?
Adhu ingae ver engae
It is right here, where else?
Deivam irupathu engae
Where does God reside?
Nandri nirainthavar engae
Where people filled with gratitude exist,
Deivam angae
God is there.
Nanmai purinthavar engae
Where doers of good deeds exist,
Deivam angae
God is there.
Pazhamai ninainthavar engae
Where those who respect past ties exist,
Deivam angae
God is there.
Paasam malarnthavar engae
Where love blossoms,
Deivam angae….ae…..
God is there...
Deivam irupathu ingae
God resides right here.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This classic philosophical song from the movie Saraswathi Sabatham (1966), written by Kannadasan and sung by T. M. Soundararajan, explores the fundamental question of where divinity truly resides. It challenges the conventional idea that God lives in grand temples or in the presence of ostentatious rituals, rich clothes, and material wealth. The song asserts that a mind obsessed purely with gold and money becomes a dark forest built on lies, whereas a heart enriched with knowledge, arts, and pure thought becomes a house where God shines.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Rhetorical Question (Vinodhal)
“Deivam irupathu engae”
The repeated question 'Deivam irupathu engae?' serves as the central theme, prompting self-reflection rather than seeking a physical location.
Metaphor (Uruvagandhal)
“Ponnum porulum nirainthavar nenjam poiyil valarndha kaadu”
Comparing the heart filled only with riches to a 'forest grown on lies' (poiyil valarndha kaadu) and the educated mind to 'a house where God shines' (iraivan thigalum veedu).
Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)
“Ponnum porulum”
Matching initial consonants across words like 'Ponnum' and 'Porulum' or 'Ennum' and 'Ezhuthum'.
Anaphora / Repetition
“Nandri nirainthavar engae / Deivam angae”
Structured repetition of 'Deivam angae' emphasizes the qualities that attract divinity.
Did you know?
Trivia
Saraswathi Sabatham (1966) is a landmark mythological drama directed by A. P. Nagarajan, starring Sivaji Ganesan. Though the context marks the artists as unknown, the music was composed by K. V. Mahadevan, lyrics were penned by Kannadasan, and the vocals were delivered by T. M. Soundararajan. The song serves as a core philosophical message central to the plot's debate between the power of knowledge, wealth, and devotion.
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