Kanna Vaa Vaa Mani Vannaa
From Mamiyar Mechiya Marumagal · 1959
- Lyricist
- Kavi Rajagopal
- Singer
- M. L. Vasanthakumari
- Music director
- R. Sudharsanam
- Details
- Mamiyar Mechiya Marumagal1959
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Kanna vaa vaa mani vanna vaa vaa | Oh Krishna, come, come, gem-hued Krishna, come, come! |
| Kanna vaa vaa mani vanna vaa vaa | Oh Krishna, come, come, gem-hued Krishna, come, come! |
| Mani vanna amudhai nee unnavaa | Oh gem-complexioned Krishna, won't you come to consume this nectar? |
| Mani vanna amudhai nee unnavaa vaa | Oh gem-complexioned Krishna, come to consume this nectar, come! |
| Kanna vaa vaa mani vanna vaa vaa | Oh Krishna, come, come, gem-hued Krishna, come, come! |
| Female | |
| Oruthi maganaaga pirandhaaye | You were born as the son of one mother, |
| Mattroruthi maganaaga valarndhaaye | And grew up as the son of another mother! |
| Female | |
| Devaki maganaaga pirandhaaye | You were born as the son of Devaki, |
| Yeshodhai maganaaga valarndhaaye | And grew up as the son of Yashoda! |
| Vedikkai kattugiraai maaya kanna | You put on playful tricks, oh magical Krishna! |
| Pala vedikkai kattugiraai maaya kanna | You display many playful tricks, oh magical Krishna! |
| Idhu vadikkaiyo unakku vaana vanna | Is this trickery habitual for you, oh sky-hued one? |
| Female | |
| Kanna vaa vaa mani vanna vaa vaa | Oh Krishna, come, come, gem-hued Krishna, come, come! |
| Mani vanna amudhai nee unnavaa vaa | Oh gem-complexioned Krishna, come to consume this nectar, come! |
| Kanna vaa vaa mani vanna vaa vaa | Oh Krishna, come, come, gem-hued Krishna, come, come! |
| Female | |
| Thaalattum bhagiyathai thandha raaja | Oh king who bestowed upon me the blessing of singing lullabies, |
| En thangha raaja | My golden king! |
| Ennai thaaiyaakki vaalvitha thangha rojaa | Oh golden rose who enriched my life by making me a mother! |
| Haaa..aaa..aa.. | (Vocalizing melodic notes) Haaa..aaa..aa.. |
| Thaalattum bhagiyathai thandha raaja | Oh king who bestowed upon me the blessing of singing lullabies, |
| Ennai thaaiyaakki vaalvitha thangha rojaa | Oh golden rose who enriched my life by making me a mother! |
| Pon vaira maanikka nagai potti | Putting on jewelry made of gold, diamonds, and rubies, |
| Unakku pon vaira maanikka nagai potti | To adorn you with ornaments of gold, diamonds, and rubies, |
| Nenjam poorikka vandhaaga undhan paatti | Your grandmother has arrived, her heart brimming with joy! |
| Female | |
| Kanna vaa vaa mani vanna vaa vaa | Oh Krishna, come, come, gem-hued Krishna, come, come! |
| Mani vanna amudhai nee unnavaa | Oh gem-complexioned Krishna, won't you come to consume this nectar? |
| Mani vanna amudhai nee unnavaa vaa | Oh gem-complexioned Krishna, come to consume this nectar, come! |
| Kanna vaa vaa mani vanna vaa vaa | Oh Krishna, come, come, gem-hued Krishna, come, come! |
கண்ணா வா வா மணிவண்ணா வா வா
கண்ணா வா வா மணிவண்ணா வா வா
மணிவண்ணா அமுதை நீ உண்ணவா
மணிவண்ணா அமுதை நீ உண்ணவா
கண்ணா வா வா மணிவண்ணா வா வா
Oh Krishna, come, come, gem-hued Krishna, come, come!
Oh Krishna, come, come, gem-hued Krishna, come, come!
Oh gem-complexioned Krishna, won't you come to consume this nectar?
Oh gem-complexioned Krishna, come to consume this nectar, come!
Oh Krishna, come, come, gem-hued Krishna, come, come!
ஒருத்தி மகனாக பிறந்தாயே
மற்றொருத்தி மகனாக வளர்ந்தாயே
You were born as the son of one mother,
And grew up as the son of another mother!
தேவகி மகனாக பிறந்தாயே
யசோதை மகனாக வளர்ந்தாயே
வேடிக்கை காட்டுகிறாய் மாய கண்ணா
பல வேடிக்கை காட்டுகிறாய் மாய கண்ணா
இது வேடிக்கையோ உனக்கு வான்னா வண்ணா
You were born as the son of Devaki,
And grew up as the son of Yashoda!
You put on playful tricks, oh magical Krishna!
You display many playful tricks, oh magical Krishna!
Is this trickery habitual for you, oh sky-hued one?
கண்ணா வா வா மணிவண்ணா வா வா
மணிவண்ணா அமுதை நீ உண்ணவா வா
கண்ணா வா வா மணிவண்ணா வா வா
Oh Krishna, come, come, gem-hued Krishna, come, come!
Oh gem-complexioned Krishna, come to consume this nectar, come!
Oh Krishna, come, come, gem-hued Krishna, come, come!
தாலாட்டும் பாக்கியத்தை தந்த ராஜா
என் தங்க ராஜா
என்னை தாயாக்கி வாழ்வித்த தங்க ரோஜா
ஹா....ஆ......ஆஅ.....
தாலாட்டும் பாக்கியத்தை தந்த ராஜா
என் தங்க ராஜா
என்னை தாயாக்கி வாழ்வித்த தங்க ரோஜா
பொன் வைர மாணிக்க நகை பூட்டி
உனக்கு பொன் வைர மாணிக்க நகை பூட்டி
நெஞ்சம் பூரிக்க வந்தாக உந்தன் பாட்டி
Oh king who bestowed upon me the blessing of singing lullabies,
My golden king!
Oh golden rose who enriched my life by making me a mother!
(Vocalizing melodic notes) Haaa..aaa..aa..
Oh king who bestowed upon me the blessing of singing lullabies,
Oh golden rose who enriched my life by making me a mother!
Putting on jewelry made of gold, diamonds, and rubies,
To adorn you with ornaments of gold, diamonds, and rubies,
Your grandmother has arrived, her heart brimming with joy!
கண்ணா வா வா மணிவண்ணா வா வா
மணிவண்ணா அமுதை நீ உண்ணவா வா
மணிவண்ணா அமுதை நீ உண்ணவா வா
கண்ணா வா வா மணிவண்ணா வா வா
Oh Krishna, come, come, gem-hued Krishna, come, come!
Oh gem-complexioned Krishna, won't you come to consume this nectar?
Oh gem-complexioned Krishna, come to consume this nectar, come!
Oh Krishna, come, come, gem-hued Krishna, come, come!
Kanna vaa vaa mani vanna vaa vaa
Oh Krishna, come, come, gem-hued Krishna, come, come!
Kanna vaa vaa mani vanna vaa vaa
Oh Krishna, come, come, gem-hued Krishna, come, come!
Mani vanna amudhai nee unnavaa
Oh gem-complexioned Krishna, won't you come to consume this nectar?
Mani vanna amudhai nee unnavaa vaa
Oh gem-complexioned Krishna, come to consume this nectar, come!
Kanna vaa vaa mani vanna vaa vaa
Oh Krishna, come, come, gem-hued Krishna, come, come!
Oruthi maganaaga pirandhaaye
You were born as the son of one mother,
Mattroruthi maganaaga valarndhaaye
And grew up as the son of another mother!
Devaki maganaaga pirandhaaye
You were born as the son of Devaki,
Yeshodhai maganaaga valarndhaaye
And grew up as the son of Yashoda!
Vedikkai kattugiraai maaya kanna
You put on playful tricks, oh magical Krishna!
Pala vedikkai kattugiraai maaya kanna
You display many playful tricks, oh magical Krishna!
Idhu vadikkaiyo unakku vaana vanna
Is this trickery habitual for you, oh sky-hued one?
Kanna vaa vaa mani vanna vaa vaa
Oh Krishna, come, come, gem-hued Krishna, come, come!
Mani vanna amudhai nee unnavaa vaa
Oh gem-complexioned Krishna, come to consume this nectar, come!
Kanna vaa vaa mani vanna vaa vaa
Oh Krishna, come, come, gem-hued Krishna, come, come!
Thaalattum bhagiyathai thandha raaja
Oh king who bestowed upon me the blessing of singing lullabies,
En thangha raaja
My golden king!
Ennai thaaiyaakki vaalvitha thangha rojaa
Oh golden rose who enriched my life by making me a mother!
Haaa..aaa..aa..
(Vocalizing melodic notes) Haaa..aaa..aa..
Thaalattum bhagiyathai thandha raaja
Oh king who bestowed upon me the blessing of singing lullabies,
Ennai thaaiyaakki vaalvitha thangha rojaa
Oh golden rose who enriched my life by making me a mother!
Pon vaira maanikka nagai potti
Putting on jewelry made of gold, diamonds, and rubies,
Unakku pon vaira maanikka nagai potti
To adorn you with ornaments of gold, diamonds, and rubies,
Nenjam poorikka vandhaaga undhan paatti
Your grandmother has arrived, her heart brimming with joy!
Kanna vaa vaa mani vanna vaa vaa
Oh Krishna, come, come, gem-hued Krishna, come, come!
Mani vanna amudhai nee unnavaa
Oh gem-complexioned Krishna, won't you come to consume this nectar?
Mani vanna amudhai nee unnavaa vaa
Oh gem-complexioned Krishna, come to consume this nectar, come!
Kanna vaa vaa mani vanna vaa vaa
Oh Krishna, come, come, gem-hued Krishna, come, come!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This classic lullaby from 'Mamiyar Mechiya Marumagal' is a deeply affectionate maternal invocation to Lord Krishna. The mother affectionately coaxes child Krishna to drink milk (referred to lovingly as 'amudhu' or divine nectar). She recalls his divine mythology—being born to Devaki and raised by Yashoda—and playfully comments on his mischievous, magical nature that is habitual to his divine form.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Iyaibu (End Rhyme)
“Oruthi maganaaga pirandhaaye / Mattroruthi maganaaga valarndhaaye”
Matching end sounds in adjacent lines, creating a rhythmic cadence suitable for a lullaby.
Metaphor (Uruvagaim)
“Ennai thaaiyaakki vaalvitha thangha rojaa”
Comparing mother's milk to nectar (amudhu) and the child to a golden rose (thangha rojaa).
Etuukai (Second-letter rhyme)
“Thaalattum bhagiyathai thandha raaja / Ennai thaaiyaakki vaalvitha thangha rojaa”
The second consonant sound matches across consecutive lines ('tha' in thaalattum / ennai thaaiyaakki).
Anaphora / Repetition (Adukku Thodar)
“Kanna vaa vaa mani vanna vaa vaa”
Repetition of 'vaa vaa' (come, come) for rhythmic urgency and affection.
Did you know?
Trivia
Sung by the legendary Carnatic maestro M. L. Vasanthakumari, this composition by R. Sudarsanam remains one of the finest classical lullabies in Tamil film cinema. The song beautifully captures the 'Vatsalya Bhava' (maternal affection) characteristic of traditional Krishna devotion.
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