- Lyricist
- Sundara Murthy Nayanar
- Singer
- Seerkazhi Govindarajan
- Music director
- S. M. Subbaiah Naidu
- Movie name
- Sundara Murthy Nayanar
- Movie release year
- 1967
- Lyrics added on
- 3 Jul 2021
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This divine song is an excerpt from the sacred Tamil Shaivite hymn (Thevaram) composed by Saint Sundaramurthy Nayanar at the Avinashi (Pookkoliyur) temple, featured in the 1967 devotional movie 'Sundara Murthy Nayanar'. The saint expresses his unshakable surrender to Lord Shiva, declaring that he can never forget the Almighty who guides his soul through cycle after cycle of birth. He meditates upon Shiva as Pasupathi, the supreme master who wears serpents and encompasses both the Alpha and the Omega. The emotional climax of the song stems from one of the grandest miracles in Tamil devotional history. Saint Sundarar arrives at Avinashi and learns of a grieving mother whose young boy had been swallowed years earlier by a river crocodile. Moved by her grief, the saint sings this impassioned plea, commanding Death (Kaalan) and the crocodile to restore the boy alive. Driven by the divine power of his unyielding faith and devotion, the miracle unfolds as the crocodile brings back the child safe and fully grown.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Ethugai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Puttru aadu aravaa pookkoliyur avi naasiyae / Pattraaga vaazhven pasupathiyae paramaetiyae”
The second consonant sound 'tt' (ற்/ட்) rhymes in 'Puttru' and 'Pattraaga', establishing a strong rhythmic structure typical of Tamil prosody.
Monai (Initial Consonant/Vowel Alliteration)
“Uttraai endru unnaiyae / Ulgugindren unarndhu ullathaal”
The initial vowel 'U' (உ) is repeated across words ('Uttraai', 'unnaiyae', 'Ulgugindren', 'unarndhu', 'ullathaal'), creating melodic assonance.
Muran (Antithesis / Oxymoron)
“Araikkaadu aravaa aadhiyum andhamum aayinaai”
'Aadhi' (Beginning) and 'Andham' (End) are contrasting terms placed together to emphasize Shiva's nature as eternal and timeless.
Repetition / Chorus Refrain
“Pasupathiyae paramaetiyae”
The rhythmic invocation of Shiva's titles 'Pasupathi' and 'Paramaeti' is repeated to build emotional intensity and spiritual fervour during the miracle.
Did you know?
Trivia
This hymn is part of the 7th Thirumurai (Tamil Shaivite canon) known as the Avinashi Pathigam. The miraculous event depicted—where Saint Sundarar brings back a boy swallowed by a crocodile—is celebrated to this day as the 'Mudalai Unnda Pillai Azhaithal' festival at the Avinashilingeswarar Temple in Tamil Nadu. Dr. Seerkazhi Govindarajan's iconic, powerful vocal rendition in the 1967 film made this classical hymn immortal in popular Tamil culture.
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