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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Gangaiyile

From Raja 1972 Film · 2015

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
P. Susheela, Chorus
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Details
Raja 1972 Film2015

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Chorus
Gangaiyilae odam illaiyoIs there no boat in the Ganges river,
En kannanin kaigalil naan varaFor me to reach into the arms of my Krishna,
Enni vandha saedhi sollaTo tell him the message I came with?
Chorus
Harae harae krishna haraeHare Hare Krishna Hare
Harae harae krishna haraeHare Hare Krishna Hare
Harae harae krishna haraeHare Hare Krishna Hare
Harae harae krishna haraeHare Hare Krishna Hare
Harae harae krishna haraeHare Hare Krishna Hare
Harae harae krishna haraeHare Hare Krishna Hare
Harae harae krishna haraeHare Hare Krishna Hare
Harae harae krishna haraeHare Hare Krishna Hare
Female
Krishnaa… aa…Krishna... ah...
Krishnaa… aa…Krishna... ah...
Female
Krishnaa deebangal kovililaeWhy do the lamps in Krishna's temple
MinnuvadhennaGlisten and shine so bright?
Avai paavangal koodaadhendruSaying that sins must not be committed,
SolluvadhennaWhat message do they convey?
Chorus
Krishna harae haraeKrishna Hare Hare
Harae krishna haraeHare Krishna Hare
Female
Krishnaa deebangal kovililaeWhy do the lamps in Krishna's temple
MinnuvadhennaGlisten and shine so bright?
Avai paavangal koodaadhendruSaying that sins must not be committed,
SolluvadhennaWhat message do they convey?
Vairangal nenjinilae aaduvadhennaWhy do diamonds sway within the heart?
Avai vanjangal vendaamendru paaduvadhennaWhat do they sing, saying deceit is not needed?
Chorus
Harae krishna haraeHare Krishna Hare
Harae harae krishna haraeHare Hare Krishna Hare
Harae harae krishna haraeHare Hare Krishna Hare
Female
Gangaiyilae odam illaiyoIs there no boat in the Ganges river,
En kannanin kaigalil naan varaFor me to reach into the arms of my Krishna,
Enni vandha saedhi sollaTo tell him the message I came with?
Chorus
Harae harae krishna haraeHare Hare Krishna Hare
Harae harae krishna haraeHare Hare Krishna Hare
Harae harae krishna haraeHare Hare Krishna Hare
Harae harae krishna haraeHare Hare Krishna Hare
Female
En polae kandadhundoHas your presence ever seen anyone like me?
Unadhu sannadhiIn your holy sanctuary,
Un munnaalae paadum varaiUntil I sing before you,
Konjam nimmadhiThere is a little peace of mind.
Chorus
Harae krishna haraeHare Krishna Hare
Harae harae krishna haraeHare Hare Krishna Hare
Female
En polae kandadhundoHas your presence ever seen anyone like me?
Unadhu sannadhiIn your holy sanctuary,
Un munnaalae paadum varaiUntil I sing before you,
Konjam nimmadhiThere is a little peace of mind.
Indrodu theertthu vaippaaiPut an end to all my shortcomings today,
Kuttrangalai ellaamAll my sins and misdeeds,
Ini eppodhu solvadhaiyaa mattravai ellaamWhen else will I express all the rest, my Lord?
Chorus
Harae krishna haraeHare Krishna Hare
Harae harae krishna haraeHare Hare Krishna Hare
Harae harae krishna haraeHare Hare Krishna Hare
Female
Gangaiyilae odam illaiyoIs there no boat in the Ganges river,
En kannanin kaigalil naan varaFor me to reach into the arms of my Krishna,
Enni vandha saedhi sollaTo tell him the message I came with?
Chorus
Harae harae krishna haraeHare Hare Krishna Hare
Harae harae krishna haraeHare Hare Krishna Hare
Harae harae krishna haraeHare Hare Krishna Hare
Harae harae krishna haraeHare Hare Krishna Hare
Female
Gokula naayagan govindha saevaganLord of Gokulam, servant-protector Govinda,
Krishna krishna hari harae haraeKrishna Krishna Hari Hare Hare
Chorus
Krishna krishna hari harae haraeKrishna Krishna Hari Hare Hare
Female
Govardhanagiri dhaari janaarthanaLifter of Govardhana hill, Janardhana,
Krishna krishna hari harae haraeKrishna Krishna Hari Hare Hare
Chorus
Krishna krishna hari harae haraeKrishna Krishna Hari Hare Hare
Female
Bhaaratha thalapathi paaratha saarathiCommander of Bharat, charioteer of Partha (Arjuna),
Krishna krishna hari harae haraeKrishna Krishna Hari Hare Hare
Chorus
Krishna krishna hari harae haraeKrishna Krishna Hari Hare Hare
Female
Paadhaiyil thunai varum baala muraaraeYoung Murari who accompanies us along life's path,
Krishna krishna hari harae haraeKrishna Krishna Hari Hare Hare
Chorus
Krishna krishna hari harae haraeKrishna Krishna Hari Hare Hare
Krishna krishna hari harae haraeKrishna Krishna Hari Hare Hare
Krishna krishna hari harae haraeKrishna Krishna Hari Hare Hare
Krishna krishna hari harae haraeKrishna Krishna Hari Hare Hare

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

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.

Keep listening

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