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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Gaga Gaga Gaga Kandane Varuga

From Velum Mayilum Thunai · 1979

Lyricist
Bala Devarayar
Singer
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Details
Velum Mayilum Thunai1979

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Gaga gaga gaga kandhanae varugaWelcome, Lord Kandha, with joyful sounds!
Iga iga iga eesanae varugaWelcome, Supreme Lord, come forth!
Thaga thaga thaga sarguru varugaWelcome, radiant divine Guru!
Para para para parandhaama varugaWelcome, Supreme Abode, Lord Supreme!
Male
Gaga gaga gaga kandhanae varugaWelcome, Lord Kandha, with joyful sounds!
Iga iga iga eesanae varugaWelcome, Supreme Lord, come forth!
Thaga thaga thaga sarguru varugaWelcome, radiant divine Guru!
Para para para parandhaama varugaWelcome, Supreme Abode, Lord Supreme!
Male
Varuga varuga vallalae varugaWelcome, welcome, generous benefactor, welcome!
Varuga varuga nishkalanganae varugaWelcome, welcome, spotless and pure Lord, welcome!
Varuga varuga vallalae varugaWelcome, welcome, generous benefactor, welcome!
Varuga varuga nishkalanganae varugaWelcome, welcome, spotless and pure Lord, welcome!
Saranam saranam saravana bava omI seek refuge, seek refuge in Om Saravana Bava!
Saranam saranam shanmugha saranamRefuge, refuge, I surrender at the feet of the six-faced Shanmukha!
Male
Iru thodai azhagum inai muzhandhaalumWith the beauty of both thighs and matching knees,
Thiruvadi adhanil silamboli muzhangaAs the anklets resound upon His sacred feet,
Male
Iru thodai azhagum inai muzhandhaalumWith the beauty of both thighs and matching knees,
Thiruvadi adhanil silamboli muzhangaAs the anklets resound upon His sacred feet,
Silamboli muzhanga…aa…As the anklets echo sonorously... ah...
Male
Sega gana sega gana sega gana seganaSega gana sega gana sega gana segana [Sacred rhythmic syllables]
Moga moga moga moga moga moga moganaMoga moga moga moga moga moga mogana [Enchanting rhythmic syllables]
Naha naha naha naha naha naha nahenaNaha naha naha naha naha naha nahena [Rhythmic vocal chant]
Digu kuna digu digu digu kuna digunaDigu kuna digu digu digu kuna diguna [Percussive rhythmic beats]
Male
Ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra raRa ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra ra [Musical rhythmic notes]
Ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri riRi ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri ri [Musical rhythmic notes]
Du du du du du du du du du du du du du du duDu du du du du du du du du du du du du du du [Musical rhythmic notes]
Dagu dagu digu digu dangu dinguguDagu dagu digu digu dangu dingugu [Dynamic drum beats]
Male
Vinthu vinthu mayilon vinthuSwiftly, swiftly, Lord riding the peacock advances!
Munthu munthu muruhavel munthuRush forward, rush forward, Lord Muruga with the Vel!
Yenthanai aalum yehraha selvaOh Lord of Eragaram (Swamimalai) who rules over me!
Mainthan vendum varamahizhnth thuthavumBlessed son, joyfully grant the boon I pray for!
Male
Kaaka kaaka kanagavel kaakaProtect, protect, golden Vel, protect!
Noaka noaka nodiyil noakaGlance upon me, glance in an instant!
Thaakka thaakka thadaiyara thaakkaStrike down, strike down and crush all obstacles!
Paarka paarka paavam podipadaAs You look upon me, let all sins be shattered to dust!
Kaaka kaaka kanagavel kaakaProtect, protect, golden Vel, protect!
Noaka noaka nodiyil noakaGlance upon me, glance in an instant!
Kaaka kaaka kanagavel kaakaProtect, protect, golden Vel, protect!
Male
Kattu kattu katharida kattuBind, bind, bind all evil forces till they cry out!
Muttu muttu muzhigal pithungidaStrike, strike them till their eyeballs bulge out!
Sekku sekku sethil sethilaahaSlash, slash them into pieces and scales!
Sokku sokku soorpagai sokkuSubdue and spellbind the demon enemies!
Male
Kuthu kuthu koorvadi velaalPierce, pierce them with the sharp divine Spear!
Patru patru pagalavan thanaleriCatch fire, catch fire like the blazing heat of the sun,
Thanaleri thanaleri thanalathuvaagaRising as hot embers, turning entirely into intense fire,
Viduvidu velai verundathu odaRelease the Spear, making the evil fearfully run away!
Male
Sruthi meiyogam solliyadhu oru mugamOne face taught the true spiritual wisdom of the Vedas;
Arul perumayil meedhu amarndhu oru mugamOne face sits graciously atop the grand peacock;
Valli deivaanaiyai maruviyadhu oru mugamOne face embraces Valli and Deivanai with love;
Thellu naanmugan pol shristtipadhu oru mugamOne face performs creation like the clear four-faced Brahma;
Male
Sooranai velaal thulaithu oru mugamOne face pierced the demon Surapadman with the Vel;
Aaranam oodhum arumarai adiyaarOne face grants the desires of the devotees and devas
Thaanavar vendudhal tharuvadhu oru mugamWho chant the divine Vedas and sacred scriptures;
Gyaana mudhalvarkku narpillai pazhaniGood child to Lord Shiva (the Lord of Wisdom), living in Palani,
Thiruparam girivaazh deva namonamahaDivine One residing at Thiruparankundram, salutations unto You!
Male
Saranam saranam sarguna iraivaaRefuge, refuge, oh Lord of noble virtues!
Saranam saranam sathru samhaaraRefuge, refuge, oh destroyer of enemies!
Saranam saranam saravana bava omRefuge, refuge, Om Saravana Bava!
Saranam saranam sathyaswaroopaaRefuge, refuge, embodiment of Truth!
Saranam saranam sakthivadivelaRefuge, refuge, bearer of the powerful Spear!
Saranam saranam shanmugha saranamRefuge, refuge, I surrender at Shanmukha's feet!
Saranam saranam shanmugha saranamRefuge, refuge, I surrender at Shanmukha's feet!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This devotional song is a passionate invocation and prayer addressed to Lord Murugan (Shanmukha), heavily inspired by the traditional rhythms and verse structures of the Kanda Sashti Kavasam. It opens with joyful chants welcoming the Lord and praising His magnificent form, including the rhythmic sound of His divine anklets. Through intense rhythmic incantations (sollukattu), the hymn builds energy to petition Lord Murugan's holy spear (Vel) to shield the devotee, strike down evil spirits, destroy sins, and remove life's obstacles.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Adukku Thodar (Repetition for Emphasis)

Kaaka kaaka kanagavel kaaka / Thaakka thaakka thadaiyara thaakka

Repeated words like 'Kaaka' (Protect) and 'Thaakka' (Strike) emphasize urgent devotion and protective power, a hallmark of traditional Tamil Kavasam poetry.

Ethugai (Second Letter Rhyme)

Kaaka kaaka / Noaka noaka / Thaakka thaakka / Paarka paarka

The second consonant sound ('kka' / 'ka') creates a strong rhythmic cadence across consecutive lines.

Sollukattu (Rhythmic Onomatopoeia)

Sega gana... / Dagu dagu digu digu dangu dingugu

Phonetic rhythmic syllables mimicking the beat of temple instruments (like Thavil and Mridangam) and the divine dance of Lord Murugan.

Imagery & Hyperbole

Patru patru pagalavan thanaleri / Thanaleri thanaleri thanalathuvaaga

Vivid fire imagery depicting the heat of the sun and blazing embers to describe the fierce power of Murugan's Vel against dark forces.

Did you know?

Trivia

This high-energy devotional track is featured in the 1979 Tamil devotional film 'Velum Mayilum Thunai', composed by the musical duo Shankar-Ganesh and sung with intense devotional fervour by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam. The song's lyrics draw directly from and adapt the sacred 'Kanda Sashti Kavasam' written by 19th-century saint Devaraya Swamigal, retaining its rhythmic armor-chant (Kavasam) structure.

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