- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- Shankar Ganesh
- Movie name
- Athaivida Ragasiyam
- Movie release year
- 1978
- Lyrics added on
- 17 Dec 2021
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This song presents a poetic and philosophical discourse addressed to Lord Krishna, invoking his famous mythological deeds from the Mahabharata—such as stealing the Gopis' clothes and saving Draupadi's dignity in the Kaurava court. The lyrics blend sacred devotion with human intimacy, questioning the boundary between godliness and humanity, and comparing the truths spoken in moments of earthly ecstasy to the eternal spiritual wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita. Narratively, the singer offers herself to the beloved while seeking protection and understanding. Kannadasan masterfully concludes the song with a moral nuance: if an act considered a 'sin' (paavam) is committed to protect a woman's dignity or life, it transcends its earthly guilt and rises to the status of a holy penance (thavam).
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Iyaipu (End Rhyme)
“Gogula kannan allavaa... / Yaathava kannan allavaa... / Bhagavaan kannan allavaa”
The repetitive line endings with 'allavaa' create a rhythmic, rhetorical cadence across the stanza.
Ethugai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Bodhaiyil solvathum geedhaiyil sonnathum”
The second consonant 'dha' (த்) matches in 'Bodhaiyil' and 'Geedhaiyil', establishing musicality within the line.
Muran (Antithesis / Contrast)
“Kadavul manithanaa manithan kadavulaa”
Contrasts God becoming human versus human becoming God, challenging spiritual perception.
Wordplay / Paradox (Ani)
“Paavam oruththiyin vaazhvin kaakka / Paavam thavam aagalaam”
Kannadasan plays on 'Paavam' (sin/pity) transforming into 'Thavam' (penance) when done for a noble cause.
Did you know?
Trivia
Written by the legendary poet Kaviarasu Kannadasan for the 1978 movie 'Athaivida Ragasiyam', this song reflects his signature style of fusing classical Hindu mythology (Mahabharata and Bhagavad Gita) with deep human emotional dilemmas and sensual romanticism.
Keep listening
Songs with a similar feeling
From the same album
More songs from Athaivida Ragasiyam
View albumSpot an issue?
Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.