Giridhara Gopala Balaa
From Meera (1945) Film · 1945
- Lyricist
- Parthi Bhaskar
- Singer
- M. S. Subbulakshmi
- Music director
- S. V. Venkatraman
- Details
- Meera (1945) Film1945
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Giridhara gopaalaa baalaa | Oh Giridhara, Gopala, young child Krishna! |
| Giridhara gopaalaa baalaa | Oh Giridhara, Gopala, young child Krishna! |
| Giridhara gopaalaa | Oh Giridhara, Gopala! |
| Female | |
| Shyaamala sareera kausthuba haara | Oh dark-complexioned Lord, wearing the sacred Kaustubha gem garland! |
| Shyaamala sareera kausthuba haara | Oh dark-complexioned Lord, wearing the sacred Kaustubha gem garland! |
| Peethaam baradharapprabho muraarae | Oh Lord clad in yellow silk robes, vanquisher of the demon Mura! |
| Peethaam baradharapprabho muraarae | Oh Lord clad in yellow silk robes, vanquisher of the demon Mura! |
| Female | |
| Giridhara gopaalaa | Oh Giridhara, Gopala! |
| Female | |
| Nandha kumaara | Oh son of Nanda! |
| Mana mohanaa kaara | Oh one with a mesmerizing, mind-captivating form! |
| Nandha kumaara mana mohanaa kaara | Oh son of Nanda, one with a mesmerizing form! |
| Brundhaavana kara thulasi haaraa | Oh one who wanders in Vrindavan wearing a garland of sacred Tulsi! |
| Brundhaavana kara thulasi haaraa | Oh one who wanders in Vrindavan wearing a garland of sacred Tulsi! |
| Female | |
| Giridhara gopaalaa baalaa | Oh Giridhara, Gopala, young child Krishna! |
| Giridhara gopaalaa | Oh Giridhara, Gopala! |
| Female | |
| Giridhara gopaalaa… | Oh Giridhara, Gopala... |
| Aa…aaa….aaa….aaa…..aaa | (Vocalizing music notes) |
| Giridhara gopaalaa kamsa vidhaara | Oh Giridhara, Gopala, the slayer of Kamsa! |
| Giridhara gopaalaa kamsa vidhaara | Oh Giridhara, Gopala, the slayer of Kamsa! |
| Meeraa maanasa saro vihaara | Oh Lord who dwells and sports in the lake of Meera's heart! |
| Meeraa maanasa saro vihaara | Oh Lord who dwells and sports in the lake of Meera's heart! |
| Female | |
| Giridhara gopaalaa baalaa | Oh Giridhara, Gopala, young child Krishna! |
| Giridhara gopaalaa baalaa… | Oh Giridhara, Gopala, young child Krishna... |
| Baalaaa….aaa…. | Young child Krishna... |
ஆண் குழு :
கிரிதர கோபாலனுக்கு.......ஜே...
Oh Giridhara, Gopala, young child Krishna!
Oh Giridhara, Gopala, young child Krishna!
Oh Giridhara, Gopala!
கிரிதர கோபாலா பாலா
கிரிதர கோபாலா பாலா
கிரிதர கோபாலா
Oh dark-complexioned Lord, wearing the sacred Kaustubha gem garland!
Oh dark-complexioned Lord, wearing the sacred Kaustubha gem garland!
Oh Lord clad in yellow silk robes, vanquisher of the demon Mura!
Oh Lord clad in yellow silk robes, vanquisher of the demon Mura!
சியாமள சரீர கௌஸ்துப ஹார
சியாமள சரீர கௌஸ்துப ஹார
பீதாம் பரதரப்பிரபோ முராரே
பீதாம் பரதரப்பிரபோ முராரே
Oh Giridhara, Gopala!
கிரிதர கோபாலா
Oh son of Nanda!
Oh one with a mesmerizing, mind-captivating form!
Oh son of Nanda, one with a mesmerizing form!
Oh one who wanders in Vrindavan wearing a garland of sacred Tulsi!
Oh one who wanders in Vrindavan wearing a garland of sacred Tulsi!
நந்த குமார
மன மோஹனா கார
நந்த குமார மன மோஹனா கார
பிருந்தாவன கர துளசி ஹாரா
பிருந்தாவன கர துளசி ஹாரா
Oh Giridhara, Gopala, young child Krishna!
Oh Giridhara, Gopala!
கிரிதர கோபாலா பாலா
கிரிதர கோபாலா
Oh Giridhara, Gopala...
(Vocalizing music notes)
Oh Giridhara, Gopala, the slayer of Kamsa!
Oh Giridhara, Gopala, the slayer of Kamsa!
Oh Lord who dwells and sports in the lake of Meera's heart!
Oh Lord who dwells and sports in the lake of Meera's heart!
கிரிதர கோபாலா.......
ஆ......அஆ...அ...ஆ...ஆ...
கிரிதர கோபாலா கம்ஸ விதார
கிரிதர கோபாலா கம்ஸ விதார
மீரா மானஸ ஸரோ விஹார
மீரா மானஸ ஸரோ விஹார
Oh Giridhara, Gopala, young child Krishna!
Oh Giridhara, Gopala, young child Krishna...
Young child Krishna...
கிரிதர கோபாலா பாலா
கிரிதர கோபாலா பாலா...
பாலா...ஆஅ.......
Giridhara gopaalaa baalaa
Oh Giridhara, Gopala, young child Krishna!
Giridhara gopaalaa baalaa
Oh Giridhara, Gopala, young child Krishna!
Giridhara gopaalaa
Oh Giridhara, Gopala!
Shyaamala sareera kausthuba haara
Oh dark-complexioned Lord, wearing the sacred Kaustubha gem garland!
Shyaamala sareera kausthuba haara
Oh dark-complexioned Lord, wearing the sacred Kaustubha gem garland!
Peethaam baradharapprabho muraarae
Oh Lord clad in yellow silk robes, vanquisher of the demon Mura!
Peethaam baradharapprabho muraarae
Oh Lord clad in yellow silk robes, vanquisher of the demon Mura!
Giridhara gopaalaa
Oh Giridhara, Gopala!
Nandha kumaara
Oh son of Nanda!
Mana mohanaa kaara
Oh one with a mesmerizing, mind-captivating form!
Nandha kumaara mana mohanaa kaara
Oh son of Nanda, one with a mesmerizing form!
Brundhaavana kara thulasi haaraa
Oh one who wanders in Vrindavan wearing a garland of sacred Tulsi!
Brundhaavana kara thulasi haaraa
Oh one who wanders in Vrindavan wearing a garland of sacred Tulsi!
Giridhara gopaalaa baalaa
Oh Giridhara, Gopala, young child Krishna!
Giridhara gopaalaa
Oh Giridhara, Gopala!
Giridhara gopaalaa…
Oh Giridhara, Gopala...
Aa…aaa….aaa….aaa…..aaa
(Vocalizing music notes)
Giridhara gopaalaa kamsa vidhaara
Oh Giridhara, Gopala, the slayer of Kamsa!
Giridhara gopaalaa kamsa vidhaara
Oh Giridhara, Gopala, the slayer of Kamsa!
Meeraa maanasa saro vihaara
Oh Lord who dwells and sports in the lake of Meera's heart!
Meeraa maanasa saro vihaara
Oh Lord who dwells and sports in the lake of Meera's heart!
Giridhara gopaalaa baalaa
Oh Giridhara, Gopala, young child Krishna!
Giridhara gopaalaa baalaa…
Oh Giridhara, Gopala, young child Krishna...
Baalaaa….aaa….
Young child Krishna...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This iconic devotional composition from the 1945 movie 'Meera' is a sublime bhajan praising Lord Krishna (Giridhara Gopala). Sung in deep reverence, the lyrics extol Krishna's divine qualities, beautiful dark-complexioned form ('Shyaamala sareera'), his yellow silk garments ('Peethambara'), and his sacred ornaments like the Kaustubha gem and Tulsi garland. It also celebrates his divine heroic acts, such as lifting the Govardhana hill and slaying demons like Kamsa and Mura. The emotional core of the song culminates in the line 'Meeraa maanasa saro vihaara', expressing Meera's ultimate spiritual union with the Lord, depicting Krishna as the divine entity who eternally sports and resides in the serene lake of her pure heart and mind.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)
“Shyaamala sareera kausthuba haara”
Repetition of the initial sound 'S' ('Shyaamala', 'sareera') creating rhythmic flow.
Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)
“Meeraa maanasa saro vihaara”
Repetition of the 'M' sound in 'Meeraa' and 'maanasa'.
Metaphor (Rupaka Alankara)
“Meeraa maanasa saro vihaara”
Meera's mind/heart is metaphorically depicted as a lake ('Saras') where Lord Krishna dwells like a swan.
Epithet (Anaphoric Divine Titles)
“Giridhara gopaalaa kamsa vidhaara”
Use of traditional divine titles praising Krishna's exploits (Giridhara = holder of the mountain, Gopala = protector of cows, Kamsa Vidhaara = slayer of Kamsa).
Did you know?
Trivia
This classic song features in the seminal 1945 Tamil movie 'Meera', directed by American filmmaker Ellis R. Dungan. The film starred the legendary Carnatic music icon Bharat Ratna M. S. Subbulakshmi as Saint Meera, and her rendition of 'Giridhara Gopala' remains one of the most famous devotional renditions in Indian music history. The music for the Tamil film was composed by S. V. Venkatraman. Following the grand success of the Tamil version, the film was remade in Hindi in 1947, introducing M. S. Subbulakshmi's divine voice to all-India audiences.
Keep listening
More from Meera (1945) Film
Meera (1945) Film
Meera (1945) Film
Meera (1945) Film
Meera (1945) Film
Meera (1945) Film
Meera (1945) Film