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Thiruvilaiyadal album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Gyaana Pazhathai

From Thiruvilaiyadal · 1965

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
K. B. Sundarambal
Music director
K. V. Mahadevan
Movie name
Thiruvilaiyadal
Movie release year
1965
Lyrics added on
4 Oct 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Gyaana pazhaththai pizhindhu
Rasam andrinodu
Naan unnavum koduththa….
Muruga nee pranava
Gnyaanap pazhaththai pizhindhu
Rasam andrinodu naan unnavum
Koduththa nalla gurunaathan
Unakkenna vidham ….ikkaniyaiii
Naam eevadhu …endru naaniththaan….
Muruga nee pranava
Gnyaanap pazhaththai pizhindhu
Rasam andrinodu naan unnavum koduththa
Nalla gurunaathan
Unakkenna vidham ikkaniyai
Naa….aa..aam eevadhu
Endru naaniththaan appanniththanaiya
Tharavillaiii…eeee
Muruga nee pranava
Gnyaanap pazhaththai pizhindhu
Rasam andrinodu naan unnavum koduththa
Nalla gurunaathan nee
Unakkenna vidham ikkaniyai
Naa….aa..aam eevadhu
Endru naaniththaan appanniththanaiya
Tharavillaiii…eeee…eee…eee…….
Appanniththanaiya tharavillaiii..
Aathalaal muruga unakku
Chaaru oru pizhai illaiyae…
Pranava gnyaanap pazhaththai pizhindhu
Rasam andrinodu naan unnavum koduththa
Nalla gurunaathan nee
Unakkenna vidham ikkaniyai
Naam eevadhu
Naaniththaan appanniththanaiya tharavillaiii..
Aathalaal muruga unakku
Chaaru oru pizhai illaiyae…eee…ee
Muruga unakku
Chaaru oru pizhai illaiyae…eee…ee
Sakthi vadiveludan
Thaththu mayil yeridum murugaa
Unakku kurai uladho…oo
Vadiveludan thaththu mayil yeridum
Shanmuga unakku kurai uladho…oo..
Sakthi vadiveludan
Thaththu mayil yeridum murugaa
Unakku kurai uladho…oo…hooo…
Muruga unakku kuraiyum uladho…
Vadiveludan thaththu mayil yeridum
Shanmuga unakku kurai uladho…oo..
Sakthi vadiveludan
Thaththu mayil yeridum shanmuga
Unakku kurai uladho…oo…hooo…
Muruga unakku kuraiyum uladho…
Yenippadi kovanaththudan
Thandu kondu
Ingutror aandi aanaai….
Murugaa nee yen ippadi
Kovanaththudan thandu kondu
Ingutror aandi aanaai….
Emadhu vinaiyai podipadavum allavum
Vandhu nee eppadi ingu irukkalaam
En aasaan appan annaiyaam ennavum
Enninen tharumaiyaru pazhani malaiyil
Sankaran kudi konda sankaran kumbidum
En dhandapaani dhandapaani…
Dhanda…paa..ni dhandapaanith theivamae…. ae…ae….
Squeezing the fruit of divine wisdom,
along with its sweet essence,
you gave it to me to taste...
O Muruga, of the sacred Pranava (Om),
squeezing the fruit of divine wisdom,
along with its sweet essence for me to taste,
you gave it, O noble Guru!
"How can we offer this fruit
to you?" feeling embarrassed to think so,
O Muruga, of the sacred Pranava,
squeezing the fruit of divine wisdom,
you gave its sweet essence for me to taste,
O noble Guru!
"How can we offer this fruit
to you?"
Thinking so with embarrassment, your father
did not give you this fruit!
O Muruga, of the sacred Pranava,
squeezing the fruit of divine wisdom,
you gave its sweet essence for me to taste,
you are the noble Guru!
"How can we offer this fruit
to you?"
Thinking so with embarrassment, your father
did not give you this fruit!
Your father did not give it to you,
therefore, O Muruga,
there is truly no flaw or fault in you!
Squeezing the sacred fruit of wisdom,
you gave its sweet essence for me to taste,
you are the noble Guru!
"How can we offer this fruit
to you?"
Embarrassed by that thought, your father did not give it to you!
Therefore, O Muruga,
there is truly no flaw in you!
O Muruga,
there is truly no flaw in you!
With your powerful, sharp spear,
riding the leaping peacock, O Muruga,
do you have any lack or sorrow?
With the sharp spear, riding the leaping peacock,
O Shanmukha (six-faced Lord), do you lack anything?
With your powerful, sharp spear,
riding the leaping peacock, O Muruga,
do you lack anything?
O Muruga, could you ever lack anything?
With the sharp spear, riding the leaping peacock,
O Shanmukha, do you lack anything?
With your powerful, sharp spear,
riding the leaping peacock, O Shanmukha,
do you lack anything?
O Muruga, could you ever lack anything?
Why, with just a loincloth
and holding a staff,
did you turn into an ascetic here?
O Muruga, why did you,
with a loincloth and a staff,
turn into an ascetic here?
When you have come to crush our sins to dust,
how can you just stay here like this?
As my teacher, father, and mother,
I looked upon you on this blessed Palani hill!
The one who dwells in Shiva, the one Shiva himself worships,
my Dhandapani (Lord holding the staff), Dhandapani...
Dhandapani, my divine Lord Dhandapani!
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This iconic devotional song is sung by the saint-poetess Avvaiyar to appease a youthful Lord Murugan who has fled to Palani in righteous anger after losing a contest for the sacred Gnyaanapazham (Fruit of Knowledge) to his brother Lord Ganesha. Avvaiyar philosophical clarifies the deeper truth behind the incident: Murugan himself is the embodiment of ultimate cosmic wisdom ('Pazham Nee') and the supreme guru who explained the meaning of the Pranava mantra 'Om' to Lord Shiva. Therefore, his divine parents hesitated to give him a simple physical fruit, as he is the source of all divine knowledge. She gently questions why the mighty six-faced Lord, who rides the majestic peacock and wields the divine spear (Vel), would renounce all riches to stand as a simple mendicant ('Aandi') wearing a loincloth and holding a staff atop Palani hill. She realizes that his renunciation is a divine play intended to destroy the worldly karmic sins of humanity and lead devotees toward true spiritual liberation.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

“Gyaana pazhaththai pizhindhu”

Divine supreme knowledge and spiritual enlightenment are metaphorically described as a sweet fruit whose essence is squeezed and offered.

Rhetorical Question

“Unakku kurai uladho…oo”

Avvaiyar asks whether the supreme Lord who wields the Vel and rides the peacock could possibly lack anything, highlighting his complete nature.

Iyaipu (End Rhyme / Sound Prolongation)

“Tharavillaiii…eeee…eee…eee…….”

Elongated vowel endings characteristic of Carnatic musical renditions to emphasize emotion and devotion at the end of poetic lines.

Contrast (Muran)

“Vadiveludan thaththu mayil yeridum Shanmuga vs Ingutror aandi aanaai”

Contrasts Murugan's royal cosmic form (riding a peacock with a divine spear) with his ascetic mendicant form (wearing a loincloth with a wooden staff).

Did you know?

Trivia

Although the lyricist is Kannadasan, this classic song from *Thiruvilaiyadal* (1965) was composed by music director K. V. Mahadevan and rendered in the commanding, resonant voice of legendary Carnatic singer and actress K. B. Sundarambal (who played Avvaiyar). The scene establishes the mythological origin of the name of the holy town 'Pazhani', derived from 'Pazham Nee' ('You are the fruit of wisdom').

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