Hare Gopala Srihari Madhava
From Athaivida Ragasiyam · 1978
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- Shankar Ganesh
- Details
- Athaivida Ragasiyam1978
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Harae gobala srihari maadhavaa | Hare Gopala, Sri Hari Madhava, |
| Harae gobala srihari maadhavaa | Hare Gopala, Sri Hari Madhava, |
| Andru paanjaali maanam kaaththavan neeyae | You are the one who protected Draupadi's honor back then, |
| Bharatham poi solluma kannaa | Will the epic Mahabharata ever speak a lie, Krishna? |
| Female | |
| Harae gobala srihari maadhavaa | Hare Gopala, Sri Hari Madhava, |
| Andru paanjaali maanam kaaththavan neeyae | You are the one who protected Draupadi's honor back then, |
| Bharatham poi solluma kannaa | Will the epic Mahabharata ever speak a lie, Krishna? |
| Female | |
| Harae gobala srihari maadhavaa | Hare Gopala, Sri Hari Madhava, |
| Female | |
| Gobiyar selaiyai thirudiya kalvan | The thief who stole the garments of the Gopis, |
| Gogula kannan allavaa…aa… | Is it not Gokula's Krishna? |
| Komaala meniyai paavanai seithavan | The one who admired and adorned tender form, |
| Yaathava kannan allavaa….aa…. | Is it not Yadhava Krishna? |
| Female | |
| Gowravar sabaiyilae aadaiyai thanthavan | The one who bestowed endless robes in the court of the Kauravas, |
| Bhagavaan kannan allavaa | Is it not Lord Krishna? |
| Kadavul manithanaa manithan kadavulaa | Is God a human, or is human a God? |
| Kannaa unakku sollavaa | Oh Krishna, shall I tell you? |
| Kannaa unakku sollavaa | Oh Krishna, shall I tell you? |
| Female | |
| Harae gobala srihari maadhavaa | Hare Gopala, Sri Hari Madhava, |
| Female | |
| Enna un aasaiyo enna un thevaiyo | Whatever your desire is, whatever your need is, |
| Ennidam nee ketkalaam | You can ask of me. |
| Ennaiyum rathaiyum ennum maadhavaa | Oh Madhava, who values me as life's own blood, |
| Ennaiyum rathaiyum ennum maadhavaa | Oh Madhava, who values me as life's own blood, |
| Edhanaiyum nee paarkkalaam | You may behold anything you wish. |
| Female | |
| Pon ezhil meniyai pugazhperum deviyai | A goddess famed for a body of golden beauty, |
| Bhoomiyil nee kaakkalaam | You can protect her on this earth. |
| Bodhaiyil solvathum geedhaiyil sonnathum | That which is spoken in ecstasy and that which was taught in the Bhagavad Gita, |
| Ondrena nee kaattalaam | You can prove that they are one and the same. |
| Ondrena nee kaattalaam | You can prove that they are one and the same. |
| Female | |
| Harae gobala srihari maadhavaa | Hare Gopala, Sri Hari Madhava, |
| Female | |
| Iravil veenai shuruthiyai meettu | Pluck the pitch of the veena at night, |
| Ilamaiyin isai ketkalaam | And let us listen to the music of youth. |
| Uravin sugaththil ulagaththai kaattu | Show the vast world in the bliss of our intimacy, |
| Urasava porul kaanalaam | Let us discover the true meaning as we embrace. |
| Female | |
| Paruva nilaavai un megaththil moodu | Veil the youthful moon behind your dark clouds, |
| Bharatha kadhai paadalaam | Let us sing the saga of the Mahabharata. |
| Bharatha kadhai paadalaam | Let us sing the saga of the Mahabharata. |
| Paavam oruththiyin vaazhvin kaakka | To save the life of a helpless woman, |
| Paavam thavam aagalaam…aa | Even a sin can turn into a holy penance... |
| Paavam thavam aagalaam….. | Even a sin can turn into a holy penance... |
ஹரே கோபாலா ஸ்ரீஹரி மாதவா
ஹரே கோபாலா ஸ்ரீஹரி மாதவா
அன்று பாஞ்சாலி மானம் காத்தவன் நீயே
பாரதம் பொய் சொல்லுமா கண்ணா
Hare Gopala, Sri Hari Madhava,
Hare Gopala, Sri Hari Madhava,
You are the one who protected Draupadi's honor back then,
Will the epic Mahabharata ever speak a lie, Krishna?
ஹரே கோபாலா ஸ்ரீஹரி மாதவா
அன்று பாஞ்சாலி மானம் காத்தவன் நீயே
பாரதம் பொய் சொல்லுமா கண்ணா
Hare Gopala, Sri Hari Madhava,
You are the one who protected Draupadi's honor back then,
Will the epic Mahabharata ever speak a lie, Krishna?
ஹரே கோபாலா ஸ்ரீஹரி மாதவா
Hare Gopala, Sri Hari Madhava,
கோபியர் சேலையைத் திருடிய கள்வன்
கோகுலக் கண்ணன் அல்லவா....ஆ....
கோமள மேனியைப் பாவனை செய்தவன்
யாதவக் கண்ணன் அல்லவா.....ஆ.....
The thief who stole the garments of the Gopis,
Is it not Gokula's Krishna?
The one who admired and adorned tender form,
Is it not Yadhava Krishna?
கௌரவர் சபையிலே ஆடையைத் தந்தவன்
பகவான் கண்ணன் அல்லவா
கடவுள் மனிதனா மனிதன் கடவுளா
கண்ணா உனக்குச் சொல்லவா
கண்ணா உனக்குச் சொல்லவா
The one who bestowed endless robes in the court of the Kauravas,
Is it not Lord Krishna?
Is God a human, or is human a God?
Oh Krishna, shall I tell you?
Oh Krishna, shall I tell you?
ஹரே கோபாலா ஸ்ரீஹரி மாதவா
Hare Gopala, Sri Hari Madhava,
என்ன உன் ஆசையோ என்ன உன் தேவையோ
என்னிடம் நீ கேட்கலாம்
என்னையும் ராதையை எண்ணும் மாதவா
என்னையும் ராதையை எண்ணும் மாதவா
எதனையும் நீ பார்க்கலாம்
Whatever your desire is, whatever your need is,
You can ask of me.
Oh Madhava, who values me as life's own blood,
Oh Madhava, who values me as life's own blood,
You may behold anything you wish.
பொன் எழில் மேனியைப் புகழ்பெறும் தேவியைப்
பூமியில் நீ காக்கலாம்
போதையில் சொல்வதும் கீதையில் சொன்னதும்
ஒன்றென நீ காட்டலாம்
ஒன்றென நீ காட்டலாம்
A goddess famed for a body of golden beauty,
You can protect her on this earth.
That which is spoken in ecstasy and that which was taught in the Bhagavad Gita,
You can prove that they are one and the same.
You can prove that they are one and the same.
ஹரே கோபாலா ஸ்ரீஹரி மாதவா
Hare Gopala, Sri Hari Madhava,
இரவில் வீணை சுருதியை மீட்டு
இளமையின் இசை கேட்கலாம்
உறவின் சுகத்தில் உலகத்தைக் காட்டு
உற்சவப் பொருள் காணலாம்
Pluck the pitch of the veena at night,
And let us listen to the music of youth.
Show the vast world in the bliss of our intimacy,
Let us discover the true meaning as we embrace.
பருவ நிலாவை உன் மேகத்தில் மூடு
பாரதக் கதை பாடலாம்
பாரதக் கதை பாடலாம்
பாவம் ஒருத்தியின் வாழ்வின் காக்க
பாவம் தவம் ஆகலாம்....ஆ.....
பாவம் தவம் ஆகலாம்.....
Veil the youthful moon behind your dark clouds,
Let us sing the saga of the Mahabharata.
Let us sing the saga of the Mahabharata.
To save the life of a helpless woman,
Even a sin can turn into a holy penance...
Even a sin can turn into a holy penance...
Harae gobala srihari maadhavaa
Hare Gopala, Sri Hari Madhava,
Harae gobala srihari maadhavaa
Hare Gopala, Sri Hari Madhava,
Andru paanjaali maanam kaaththavan neeyae
You are the one who protected Draupadi's honor back then,
Bharatham poi solluma kannaa
Will the epic Mahabharata ever speak a lie, Krishna?
Harae gobala srihari maadhavaa
Hare Gopala, Sri Hari Madhava,
Andru paanjaali maanam kaaththavan neeyae
You are the one who protected Draupadi's honor back then,
Bharatham poi solluma kannaa
Will the epic Mahabharata ever speak a lie, Krishna?
Harae gobala srihari maadhavaa
Hare Gopala, Sri Hari Madhava,
Gobiyar selaiyai thirudiya kalvan
The thief who stole the garments of the Gopis,
Gogula kannan allavaa…aa…
Is it not Gokula's Krishna?
Komaala meniyai paavanai seithavan
The one who admired and adorned tender form,
Yaathava kannan allavaa….aa….
Is it not Yadhava Krishna?
Gowravar sabaiyilae aadaiyai thanthavan
The one who bestowed endless robes in the court of the Kauravas,
Bhagavaan kannan allavaa
Is it not Lord Krishna?
Kadavul manithanaa manithan kadavulaa
Is God a human, or is human a God?
Kannaa unakku sollavaa
Oh Krishna, shall I tell you?
Kannaa unakku sollavaa
Oh Krishna, shall I tell you?
Harae gobala srihari maadhavaa
Hare Gopala, Sri Hari Madhava,
Enna un aasaiyo enna un thevaiyo
Whatever your desire is, whatever your need is,
Ennidam nee ketkalaam
You can ask of me.
Ennaiyum rathaiyum ennum maadhavaa
Oh Madhava, who values me as life's own blood,
Ennaiyum rathaiyum ennum maadhavaa
Oh Madhava, who values me as life's own blood,
Edhanaiyum nee paarkkalaam
You may behold anything you wish.
Pon ezhil meniyai pugazhperum deviyai
A goddess famed for a body of golden beauty,
Bhoomiyil nee kaakkalaam
You can protect her on this earth.
Bodhaiyil solvathum geedhaiyil sonnathum
That which is spoken in ecstasy and that which was taught in the Bhagavad Gita,
Ondrena nee kaattalaam
You can prove that they are one and the same.
Ondrena nee kaattalaam
You can prove that they are one and the same.
Harae gobala srihari maadhavaa
Hare Gopala, Sri Hari Madhava,
Iravil veenai shuruthiyai meettu
Pluck the pitch of the veena at night,
Ilamaiyin isai ketkalaam
And let us listen to the music of youth.
Uravin sugaththil ulagaththai kaattu
Show the vast world in the bliss of our intimacy,
Urasava porul kaanalaam
Let us discover the true meaning as we embrace.
Paruva nilaavai un megaththil moodu
Veil the youthful moon behind your dark clouds,
Bharatha kadhai paadalaam
Let us sing the saga of the Mahabharata.
Bharatha kadhai paadalaam
Let us sing the saga of the Mahabharata.
Paavam oruththiyin vaazhvin kaakka
To save the life of a helpless woman,
Paavam thavam aagalaam…aa
Even a sin can turn into a holy penance...
Paavam thavam aagalaam…..
Even a sin can turn into a holy penance...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
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.
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