Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

En Kungumam Kaathidum

From Vaai Sollil Veeranadi · 1984

Lyricist
Idhaya Chandran
Singers
Malaysia Vasudevan, P. Susheela
Music director
Vijay Anand
Details
Vaai Sollil Veeranadi1984

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
En kungumam kaaththidum devathaiyaeOh goddess who protects my sacred vermilion (marital bond),
Unnai naan ingu thedugiraenI am searching for you here.
En kungumam kaaththidum devathaiyaeOh goddess who protects my sacred vermilion,
Unnai naan ingu thedugiraenI am searching for you here.
Unnai paadugiraen arul vendugiraenI sing for you, I seek your divine grace,
Unnai paadugiraen arul vendugiraenI sing for you, I seek your divine grace,
Enakkor neethi tharuvaaiGrant me justice!
Female
En kungumam kaaththidum devathaiyaeOh goddess who protects my sacred vermilion,
Unnai naan ingu thedugiraenI am searching for you here.
Female
Ullam thavikkirathaeMy heart is suffering in anguish,
En unarchchigal thudikkirathaeMy inner emotions are pounding,
Kanavan pizhai poruththuForgive my husband's mistake,
Un karunaiyai nilai niruththuAnd establish your compassion permanently.
Female
Unaiyae ninaiththaenI thought only of you,
En vaazhvinai oppadaiththaenI surrendered my life to you,
Dhinamum magizhnthaenI rejoiced every day,
Un poojaikku paal padaiththaenAnd offered milk for your worship.
Female
Kaaval dheivam neeyae engae nee vaazhgiraayoYou are the guardian deity, where do you reside?
Kaaval dheivam neeyae engae nee vaazhgiraayoYou are the guardian deity, where do you reside?
Vidiyaa villakkaa ezhuthaa kaaviyaaIs my life like an unextinguished lamp or an unwritten epic?
Kathaiyaai kanavaai en vaazhvae poevidumoWill my life fade away like a mere story or a dream?
Kadal mel alaiyaai en aasai thaeinthidumoWill my desires erode away like waves upon the sea?
En poojaikku nee sollum theerppugalthaan edhuvoWhat is the verdict you will give for my worship?
Female
En kungumam kaaththidum devathaiyaeOh goddess who protects my sacred vermilion,
Unnai naan ingu thedugiraenI am searching for you here.
Male
Moondru kannanathu tholil kudiyirunthumEven while resting on the shoulder of the three-eyed Lord Shiva,
Irakkam pirakkavillaiyoHas mercy not been born in you?
Naavukkarasanathu paattu kettavudanUpon hearing the devotional song of Appar (Naavukkarasar),
Vishaththai edukkavillaiyoDidn't you draw out the venom?
Male
Vizhigalilae mazhaiyaruviLook at this songbird, a rain-waterfall,
Pozhiyuthu paar poonguruviIs pouring down from its eyes!
Sarasarasarasaravena thaadai pala udaiththidaWith a rustling sound, breaking through many jawbones,
Palapalapalapalavena palam adhu migunthidaWith a shining brilliance, as strength intensifies,
Tharai mela nelinthae varuvaai virainthaeSlither quickly upon the ground and come,
Male
Nadanam purinthaen ezhuvaai nimirnthaeI danced for you, arise and stand tall!
Manamae kaninthaal poo mugam malaraathoIf your heart softens, won't your flower-like face blossom?
Theerppai uraiththaalIf you pronounce your verdict,
Intha poongodi valaraatho varuvaaiWon't this tender flowering creeper flourish? Please come!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song is a soul-stirring prayer and plea to the divine deity to save the protagonist's husband and preserve her marital bliss (represented by kungumam). She recounts her devotion, prayers, and faith, questioning whether her life will end up as an incomplete dream or if divine justice will prevail. In the second half, she invokes mythological references to Lord Shiva and Saint Appar, pleading for immediate intervention, slithering forth like a snake deity to cure or undo a tragedy, hoping for a merciful verdict to restore her life.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagaimai)

Vizhigalilae mazhaiyaruvi

Comparing the eyes raining tears to a rain waterfall ('Vizhigalilae mazhaiyaruvi') and the woman/life to a tender flowering creeper ('poongodi').

Onomatopoeia (Irattai Kilavi / Anukaranai)

Sarasarasarasaravena thaadai pala udaiththida

Use of rhythmic sound words like 'Sarasarasarasaravena' (rustling slither) and 'Palapalapalapalavena' (glowing/shining) to describe swift motion and radiance.

Alliteration & Rhyme (Monai / Ethirai)

Unaiyae ninaiththaen / En vaazhvinai oppadaiththaen

Matching opening sounds and rhyming endings across lines such as 'Vidiyaa' / 'Kathaiyaai' / 'Kadal' and 'Unaiyae ninaiththaen' / 'En vaazhvinai oppadaiththaen'.

Mythological Allusion

Moondru kannanathu tholil kudiyirunthum

References to 'Moondru kannan' (three-eyed Shiva) and 'Naavukkarasan' (Saint Appar), recalling divine miracles of curing poison through devotion.

Did you know?

Trivia

The film 'Vaai Sollil Veeranadi' (1984) featured music composed by Vijay Anand, known for incorporating rich traditional devotional motifs into dramatic situations. Lyricist Idhaya Chandran weaves Hindu mythological references into the dramatic plea of a wife fighting for her husband's life, echoing classical Tamil literature such as Thiruvilaiyadal and the story of Karaikkal Ammaiyar.

Keep listening

More from Vaai Sollil Veeranadi