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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Gyaana Pazhathai

From Thiruvilaiyadal · 1965

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
K. B. Sundarambal
Music director
K. V. Mahadevan
Details
Thiruvilaiyadal1965

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Gyaana pazhaththai pizhindhuSqueezing the fruit of divine wisdom
Rasam andrinoduAlong with its pure nectar
Naan unnavum koduththa….Which I fed you to partake...
Female
Muruga nee pranavaOh Muruga, you are the cosmic sound of Pranava
Gnyaanap pazhaththai pizhindhuSqueezing the fruit of divine wisdom
Rasam andrinodu naan unnavumAlong with its nectar, which I fed you to partake
Koduththa nalla gurunaathanYou are the noble spiritual master
Unakkenna vidham ….ikkaniyaiiiHow can we offer such a mere fruit to you?
Naam eevadhu …endru naaniththaan….Feeling hesitant and shy to do so...
Female
Muruga nee pranavaOh Muruga, you are the cosmic sound of Pranava
Gnyaanap pazhaththai pizhindhuSqueezing the fruit of divine wisdom
Rasam andrinodu naan unnavum koduththaAlong with its nectar, which I fed you to partake
Nalla gurunaathanYou are the noble spiritual master
Unakkenna vidham ikkaniyaiHow can we offer such a fruit to you?
Naa….aa..aam eevadhuThinking 'How can we offer this to you...'
Endru naaniththaan appanniththanaiyaOut of reverence and hesitation, your father and mother
Tharavillaiii…eeeeDid not give it to you...
Female
Muruga nee pranavaOh Muruga, you are the cosmic sound of Pranava
Gnyaanap pazhaththai pizhindhuSqueezing the fruit of divine wisdom
Rasam andrinodu naan unnavum koduththaAlong with its nectar, which I fed you to partake
Nalla gurunaathan neeYou are the noble master yourself
Unakkenna vidham ikkaniyaiHow can we offer such a fruit to you?
Naa….aa..aam eevadhuThinking 'How can we offer this to you...'
Endru naaniththaan appanniththanaiyaOut of reverence, your father and mother
Tharavillaiii…eeee…eee…eee…….Did not give it to you...
Female
Appanniththanaiya tharavillaiii..Your father and mother did not give it to you...
Aathalaal muruga unakkuTherefore, oh Muruga, for you
Chaaru oru pizhai illaiyae…There is no flaw in the fruit's sweet nectar...
Female
Pranava gnyaanap pazhaththai pizhindhuSqueezing the fruit of divine wisdom
Rasam andrinodu naan unnavum koduththaAlong with its nectar, which I fed you to partake
Nalla gurunaathan neeYou are the noble master yourself
Unakkenna vidham ikkaniyaiHow can we offer such a fruit to you?
Naam eevadhuThinking 'How can we offer this...'
Naaniththaan appanniththanaiya tharavillaiii..Out of reverence, your father and mother did not give it to you...
Aathalaal muruga unakkuTherefore, oh Muruga, for you
Chaaru oru pizhai illaiyae…eee…eeThere is no flaw in the sweet nectar...
Muruga unakkuOh Muruga, for you
Chaaru oru pizhai illaiyae…eee…eeThere is no flaw in the sweet nectar...
Female
Sakthi vadiveludanWith the divine powerful Vel in hand
Thaththu mayil yeridum murugaaOh Muruga who rides the prancing peacock
Unakku kurai uladho…ooDo you have any flaw or deficiency?
Vadiveludan thaththu mayil yeridumRiding the prancing peacock with the divine Vel
Shanmuga unakku kurai uladho…oo..Oh Shanmuga, do you have any deficiency?
Sakthi vadiveludanWith the divine powerful Vel
Thaththu mayil yeridum murugaaOh Muruga who rides the prancing peacock
Unakku kurai uladho…oo…hooo…Do you have any deficiency?
Muruga unakku kuraiyum uladho…Oh Muruga, do you lack anything at all?
Female
Vadiveludan thaththu mayil yeridumRiding the prancing peacock with the divine Vel
Shanmuga unakku kurai uladho…oo..Oh Shanmuga, do you have any deficiency?
Sakthi vadiveludanWith the divine powerful Vel
Thaththu mayil yeridum shanmugaOh Shanmuga who rides the prancing peacock
Unakku kurai uladho…oo…hooo…Do you have any deficiency?
Muruga unakku kuraiyum uladho…Oh Muruga, do you lack anything at all?
Female
Yenippadi kovanaththudanWhy have you, wearing just a loincloth
Thandu konduAnd holding a ascetics' staff
Ingutror aandi aanaai….Become a mendicant here?
Murugaa nee yen ippadiOh Muruga, why have you like this
Kovanaththudan thandu konduWearing a loincloth, holding a staff
Ingutror aandi aanaai….Become a mendicant here?
Female
Emadhu vinaiyai podipadavum allavumIs it to crush and dissolve our karmic sins completely
Vandhu nee eppadi ingu irukkalaamThat you have come and stood here in this state?
En aasaan appan annaiyaam ennavumYou are my master, my father, and my mother
Enninen tharumaiyaru pazhani malaiyilThus I meditated on the sacred Palani hill
Sankaran kudi konda sankaran kumbidumWhere Lord Shiva resides and worships
En dhandapaani dhandapaani…My Lord Dandapani, Dandapani...
Dhanda…paa..ni dhandapaanith theivamae…. ae…ae….Dandapani, the divine God holding the sacred staff!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

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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