- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- T. R. Mahalingam
- Music director
- C. N. Pandurangan
- Movie name
- Thiru Neelakandar
- Movie release year
- 1972
- Lyrics added on
- 10 Jun 2024
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
The song 'Eththanai Per Unakku Nadaraja' from the 1972 movie 'Thiru Neelakandar' is a devotional composition rendered by T. R. Mahalingam and written by Kannadasan. The singer playfully addresses Lord Shiva, asking about his ageless nature and his innumerable names across various holy shrines such as Madurai, Kashi, and Nagapattinam. It extols the divine presence of Shiva and his consort Goddess Shakti in different forms, highlighting how total surrender to the Lord brings liberation from suffering.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Rhetorical Question (Nindhasthuthi / Playful Address)
“Enna vayathu solvaai yuvaraja…aa…”
The singer affectionately questions the timeless and infinite nature of Lord Shiva by asking his age and number of names.
Iyaibu (End Rhyme)
“Maduraiyilae un manaivi meenaatchi”
Rhyming ending words ('meenaatchi', 'visalatchi', 'arasatchi', 'kankatchi') creating a melodic rhythm.
Metaphor (Uruvagaim)
“Viththu kullae mulaiththa sivalingam”
Describing the divine existence of Lord Shiva as a plant/lingam sprouting from the primary cosmic seed.
Did you know?
Trivia
The movie 'Thiru Neelakandar' (1972) depicts the life of Thiruneelakanta Nayanar, one of the 63 Nayanmars of Tamil Shaivism. T. R. Mahalingam, who played the title role and sang the track, was renowned for his extraordinary vocal range and classical music expertise, making this devotional track iconic.
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