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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Gaja Nadha Gana Nadha

From Vetri Vinayagar · 1996

Lyricist
K. P. Arivanantham
Singer
Sivachidambaram
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Details
Vetri Vinayagar1996

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Gaja naadha gana naadha vigneeshwaraElephant-faced Lord, Lord of the Ganas, Vigneshwara!
Gaja naadha gana naadha vigneeshwaraElephant-faced Lord, Lord of the Ganas, Vigneshwara!
Karam aindhil varam thandhu kaappattruvaaiProtect us by bestowing blessings with your five hands.
Karam aindhil varam thandhu kaappattruvaaiProtect us by bestowing blessings with your five hands.
Male
Aadhaara boodhangal aindhaagumaeThe foundational elements of the universe are five in number.
Aadhaara boodhangal aindhaagumaeThe foundational elements of the universe are five in number.
Nee arasalum avai yaavum puviyaalaumaeAll those elements that rule the earth are ruled by you.
Paadhaara vindhangal vaedhangalaeYour lotus feet are the sacred Vedas themselves.
Kazhal naadhangal kelungal vaazhungalaenListen to the sound of His anklets and flourish in life!
Male
Thudhikaiyil vidhikaigal pala kodiyaeIn your trunk lie millions of divine laws and destinies.
Unai thudhithaalae thuyar pogum paranthodiyaeJust by praising you, all sorrows fly away and vanish.
Kadhirumaagi madhiyumaagi ganapathi kadhiyumaagiBecoming the Sun, the Moon, and the ultimate refuge, O Ganapathi!
Vidhiyumaagum thava nidhiYou are the treasure of penance that becomes our destiny!
Gajaanana ganathiba vinayaganaeO Gajanana, leader of the celestial hosts, Vinayaka!
Male
Gaja naadha gana naadha vigneeshwaraElephant-faced Lord, Lord of the Ganas, Vigneshwara!
Karam aindhil varam thandhu kaappattruvaaiProtect us by bestowing blessings with your five hands.
Karam aindhil varam thandhu kaappattruvaaiProtect us by bestowing blessings with your five hands.
Male
Thandha nayagan viyasarukku ezhuthaaniHe broke his tusk to serve as a writing quill for Sage Vyasa,
Thandha nayaganThe Lord who offered his own tusk!
Muruganukku udhavuvadharkku vandha naayaganThe hero who came to assist his brother Lord Murugan,
Thandha nayagan viyasarukku ezhuthaaniHe broke his tusk to serve as a writing quill for Sage Vyasa,
Thandha nayaganThe Lord who offered his own tusk!
Muruganukku udhavuvadharkku vandha naayaganThe hero who came to assist his brother Lord Murugan,
Male
Mukthi naayagan mootha nayaganThe Lord of ultimate liberation, the eldest divine Lord,
Saranangal pala kodi bhakthi naayaganThe Lord of devotion worshipped by millions seeking refuge,
Sithi naayagan sithikka arulumThe Lord of spiritual attainments who grants success,
Varasithi naayaganThe granter of divine boons, Lord Varasiddhi!
Male
Kattra naayagam kaniyamudhai valam vandhuBy circumambulating his divine parents, the wise Lord obtained
Pettra naayaganThe sweet nectar-like fruit of wisdom!
Kattra naayagam kaniyamudhai valam vandhuBy circumambulating his divine parents, the wise Lord obtained
Pettra naayaganThe sweet nectar-like fruit of wisdom!
Male
Thambhi naayagan nalam paadi thudhipoorkkuFor those who sing and praise the divine glory of his younger brother,
Nalgum naayaganHe is the compassionate Lord who bestows all goodness!
Vinayagan aa aa aa vetri vinayaganVinayaka, ah ah ah, victorious Vinayaka!
Vetri vinayagan vetri vinayaganVictorious Vinayaka, victorious Vinayaka!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This soul-stirring devotional song from the film 'Vetri Vinayagar' is a grand tribute to Lord Ganesha, invoking his various sacred names such as Vigneshwara, Gajanana, Ganapathi, and Vetri Vinayagan. The song begins by recognizing Him as the supreme ruler over the five elements of nature (Pancha Bhootas) and the ultimate source of cosmic order. Devotees offer prayers to His five hands, seeking protection, relief from sorrow, and divine blessings through the sacred sounds of His anklets and the wisdom of His lotus feet. Narratively, the lyrics recall iconic mythological stories associated with Lord Ganesha, including breaking His own tusk to act as a scribe for Sage Vyasa during the composition of the Mahabharata, assisting His younger brother Lord Murugan in winning Valli, and circumambulating His divine parents Shiva and Parvati to win the fruit of ultimate knowledge (Gnana Pazham). The song concludes on a triumphant note, celebrating Ganesha as the giver of success, wisdom, and liberation.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)

Gaja naadha gana naadha vigneeshwara

Repetition of the initial letter 'G' in 'Gaja' and 'gana' creates a rhythmic cadence in the line.

Ethugai (Second Letter Rhyme)

Kattra naayagam... / Pettra naayagan

The second consonant cluster 'ttra' (ற்ற) rhymes across lines 28 and 29 ('Kattra' and 'Pettra').

Iyaipu (End Rhyme / Epiphora)

Kadhirumaagi madhiyumaagi ganapathi kadhiyumaagi

Internal and line-end rhyming using the suffix '-umaagi' creates a melodious, chanting effect.

Anaphora (Repetition for Emphasis)

Mukthi naayagan mootha nayagan... Sithi naayagan... Varasithi naayagan

Repeated invocation of the word 'Naayagan' (Leader/Lord) at the end of multiple descriptive phrases emphasizes His supreme status in various cosmic domains.

Did you know?

Trivia

The film 'Vetri Vinayagar' (1996) is a classic Tamil devotional movie centered on the divine plays and miracles of Lord Ganesha. The soundtrack was composed by the legendary music maestro M. S. Vishwanathan (MSV), who composed extensive devotional repertoires alongside his mainstream cinematic works. The song is rendered by Sivachidambaram, a prominent Carnatic and devotional vocalist known for his deep, resonant vocal delivery in Tamil spiritual music.

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