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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Gangaiyile

From Raja 1972 Film · 2015

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
P. Susheela, Chorus
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Movie name
Raja 1972 Film
Movie release year
2015
Lyrics added on
9 Dec 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Gangaiyilae odam illaiyo
En kannanin kaigalil naan vara
Enni vandha saedhi solla
Harae harae krishna harae
Harae harae krishna harae
Harae harae krishna harae
Harae harae krishna harae
Harae harae krishna harae
Harae harae krishna harae
Harae harae krishna harae
Harae harae krishna harae
Krishnaa… aa…
Krishnaa… aa…
Krishnaa deebangal kovililae
Minnuvadhenna
Avai paavangal koodaadhendru
Solluvadhenna
Krishna harae harae
Harae krishna harae
Krishnaa deebangal kovililae
Minnuvadhenna
Avai paavangal koodaadhendru
Solluvadhenna
Vairangal nenjinilae aaduvadhenna
Avai vanjangal vendaamendru paaduvadhenna
Harae krishna harae
Harae harae krishna harae
Harae harae krishna harae
Gangaiyilae odam illaiyo
En kannanin kaigalil naan vara
Enni vandha saedhi solla
Harae harae krishna harae
Harae harae krishna harae
Harae harae krishna harae
Harae harae krishna harae
En polae kandadhundo
Unadhu sannadhi
Un munnaalae paadum varai
Konjam nimmadhi
Harae krishna harae
Harae harae krishna harae
En polae kandadhundo
Unadhu sannadhi
Un munnaalae paadum varai
Konjam nimmadhi
Indrodu theertthu vaippaai
Kuttrangalai ellaam
Ini eppodhu solvadhaiyaa mattravai ellaam
Harae krishna harae
Harae harae krishna harae
Harae harae krishna harae
Gangaiyilae odam illaiyo
En kannanin kaigalil naan vara
Enni vandha saedhi solla
Harae harae krishna harae
Harae harae krishna harae
Harae harae krishna harae
Harae harae krishna harae
Gokula naayagan govindha saevagan
Krishna krishna hari harae harae
Krishna krishna hari harae harae
Govardhanagiri dhaari janaarthana
Krishna krishna hari harae harae
Krishna krishna hari harae harae
Bhaaratha thalapathi paaratha saarathi
Krishna krishna hari harae harae
Krishna krishna hari harae harae
Paadhaiyil thunai varum baala muraarae
Krishna krishna hari harae harae
Krishna krishna hari harae harae
Krishna krishna hari harae harae
Krishna krishna hari harae harae
Krishna krishna hari harae harae
Is there no boat on the river Ganges,
For me to reach my Krishna's hands,
And tell the message I came to share?
Hare Hare Krishna Hare
Hare Hare Krishna Hare
Hare Hare Krishna Hare
Hare Hare Krishna Hare
Hare Hare Krishna Hare
Hare Hare Krishna Hare
Hare Hare Krishna Hare
Hare Hare Krishna Hare
Krishna... ah...
Krishna... ah...
Krishna, why do the lamps in the temple
Shine so brightly?
Are they telling us
That sins must not be done?
Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare
Krishna, why do the lamps in the temple
Shine so brightly?
Are they telling us
That sins must not be done?
Why do diamonds sway upon the chest?
Are they singing that deceit has no place?
Hare Krishna Hare
Hare Hare Krishna Hare
Hare Hare Krishna Hare
Is there no boat on the river Ganges,
For me to reach my Krishna's hands,
And tell the message I came to share?
Hare Hare Krishna Hare
Hare Hare Krishna Hare
Hare Hare Krishna Hare
Hare Hare Krishna Hare
Has your holy presence
Ever seen someone like me?
Only when I sing before you
Do I find a little peace.
Hare Krishna Hare
Hare Hare Krishna Hare
Has your holy presence
Ever seen someone like me?
Only when I sing before you
Do I find a little peace.
Settle and clear away today
All of my wrongs and sins.
When else can I tell you everything else, my Lord?
Hare Krishna Hare
Hare Hare Krishna Hare
Hare Hare Krishna Hare
Is there no boat on the river Ganges,
For me to reach my Krishna's hands,
And tell the message I came to share?
Hare Hare Krishna Hare
Hare Hare Krishna Hare
Hare Hare Krishna Hare
Hare Hare Krishna Hare
Lord of Gokulam, servant Govinda,
Krishna Krishna Hari Hare Hare
Krishna Krishna Hari Hare Hare
Bearer of Mount Govardhana, Janardhana,
Krishna Krishna Hari Hare Hare
Krishna Krishna Hari Hare Hare
Commander of Bharata, charioteer of Bharata,
Krishna Krishna Hari Hare Hare
Krishna Krishna Hari Hare Hare
Young Murari, who accompanies us on the path,
Krishna Krishna Hari Hare Hare
Krishna Krishna Hari Hare Hare
Krishna Krishna Hari Hare Hare
Krishna Krishna Hari Hare Hare
Krishna Krishna Hari Hare Hare
Chorus
Chorus
Female
Female
Chorus
Female
Chorus
Female
Chorus
Female
Chorus
Female
Chorus
Female
Chorus
Female
Chorus
Female
Chorus
Female
Chorus
Female
Chorus

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

The song 'Gangaiyilae Odam Illaiyo' is a deeply moving devotional composition expressing spiritual longing, moral awakening, and complete self-surrender to Lord Krishna. The narrator uses the metaphor of searching for a boat across the sacred river Ganges to symbolize the soul's journey across the material world to reach the divine feet of Krishna.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Iyaipu (End Rhyme)

Minnuvadhenna / Solluvadhenna

The lines end with the identical rhythmic suffix 'dhenna', creating a poetic musicality.

Metaphor

Gangaiyilae odam illaiyo

The 'boat on the Ganges' serves as a metaphor for spiritual guidance or a vehicle to cross the ocean of samsara (earthly existence).

Anaphora / Refrain

Harae harae krishna harae

The rhythmic repetition of the divine chant 'Hare Krishna' mirrors traditional Nama Sankeerthanam (devotional chanting) to invoke spiritual trance.

Personification

Krishnaa deebangal kovililae... Solluvadhenna

The temple lamps are personified as teachers speaking to humanity and warning against committing sins.

Did you know?

Trivia

This famous devotional track is from the 1972 Tamil film 'Raja' starring Sivaji Ganesan and Jayalalithaa. The song was composed by legendary music duo/director M. S. Viswanathan (MSV) with soul-stirring lyrics written by Kaviarasu Kannadasan and sung by P. Susheela.

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