Kannan Leelaigal Seivaanae
From Meera (1945) Film · 1945
- Lyricist
- Papanasam Sivan
- Singer
- M. S. Subbulakshmi
- Music director
- S. V. Venkatraman
- Details
- Meera (1945) Film1945
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Kannan leelaigal seivaanae | Kannan will perform divine playful acts |
| Kannan maayaigal purivaanae | Kannan will perform divine illusions |
| Leelaigal seivaan baalagopaalan | Child Gopala performs divine playful acts |
| Neela mugil manivannan kannan | Krishna who possesses the hue of dark rain clouds and precious gems |
| Leelaigal seivaanae | He will perform divine playful acts |
| Female | |
| Kaanaga maduvil kaaliyan thalaiyil | In the forest pond, upon the head of Kaliya |
| Kali nadam puriyum paadhan aa…aa | The feet that perform the joyful dance, ah... ah |
| Kaanaga maduvil kaaliyan thalaiyil | In the forest pond, upon the head of Kaliya |
| Kali nadam puriyum paadhan | The feet that perform the joyful dance |
| Vaanavar vaazha maanila meedhu | So that the celestial beings may flourish, on this earth |
| Aanirai maeitha en naadhan | My Lord who grazed the herds of cattle |
| Kannan leelaigal seivaanae | Kannan will perform divine playful acts |
| Chorus | |
| Aayar manaiyil | In the homes of the cowherds |
| Vennai thiruduvaan | He steals butter |
| Agamum kavarndhiduvaanae | He captivates the inner soul as well |
| Maaya punnagai seidhu mayakkum | Enchanting with a magical smile |
| Meeraavin prabu thaanae | He is indeed Meera's Lord |
| Kannan leelaigal seivaanae | Kannan will perform divine playful acts |
| Female | |
| Praema nadhiyin theera madhanil | On the banks of the river of divine love |
| Meeraa prabuvum varuvaan aaa…aa | Meera's Lord will come, ah... ah |
| Praema nadhiyin theera madhanil | On the banks of the river of divine love |
| Meeraa prabuvum varuvaan | Meera's Lord will come |
| Thiru mugamadhanil kurunagai malara | As a gentle smile blossoms on His divine face |
| Agamum puramum niraivaan | He fills both the inner consciousness and the outer world |
| Kannan leelaigal seivaanae | Kannan will perform divine playful acts |
| Male | |
| Vaanam alandhaan | He who measured the skies |
| Kaalai ninaindhaal | If one contemplates His feet |
| Maayavinai agalaadho | Will not karmic illusions vanish? |
| Chorus | |
| Kani idhazh oodhum | Playing from sweet fruit-like lips |
| Kuzhalisai kettaal | If one hears the music of the flute |
| Kal manamum karaiyaadho | Will not even a heart of stone melt? |
| Kannan leelaigal seivaanae | Kannan will perform divine playful acts |
| Male | |
| Maalinai kaana maamunivorgal | Great sages seeking to behold Lord Vishnu |
| Paarkadal thaediyae vandhaar | Came searching across the Ocean of Milk |
| Aalilai melae thuyilkollum amudhai | The divine nectar reposing upon a banyan leaf |
| Kaangilam endru viyandhaar | They marveled, saying 'We are blessed to see Him' |
| Amudhai kaangilam endru viyandhaar | They marveled, saying 'We are blessed to see the divine nectar' |
| Female | |
| Meeraa hrudhayam kovil kondaan | He enshrined Himself in Meera's heart as a temple |
| Meelaa adimai kondaan paedhai | He took this simple maiden into eternal servitude |
| Meeraa hrudhayam thannil | Within the heart of Meera |
| Adiyaal meeraa…aaa….aaa….aaa…aaa…aaa…aa… | Servant Meera... ah... ah... ah... |
கண்ணன் லீலைகள் செய்வானே
கண்ணன் லீலைகள் செய்வானே
லீலைகள் செய்வான் பாலகோபாலன்
நீல முகில் மணிவண்ணன் கண்ணன்
லீலைகள் செய்வானே
Kannan will perform divine playful acts
Kannan will perform divine illusions
Child Gopala performs divine playful acts
Krishna who possesses the hue of dark rain clouds and precious gems
He will perform divine playful acts
கானக மடுவில் காளியன் தலையில்
களி நடம் புரியும் பாதன் ஆ...ஆ
கானக மடுவில் காளியன் தலையில்
களி நடம் புரியும் பாதன்
வானவர் வாழ மாநில மீது
ஆநிரை மேய்த்த என் நாதன்
கண்ணன் லீலைகள் செய்வானே
In the forest pond, upon the head of Kaliya
The feet that perform the joyful dance, ah... ah
In the forest pond, upon the head of Kaliya
The feet that perform the joyful dance
So that the celestial beings may flourish, on this earth
My Lord who grazed the herds of cattle
Kannan will perform divine playful acts
ஆயர் மனையில்
வெண்ணெய் திருடுவான்
அகமும் கவர்ந்திடுவானே
மாயப் புன்னகை செய்து மயக்கும்
மீராவின் பிரபு தானே
கண்ணன் லீலைகள் செய்வானே
In the homes of the cowherds
He steals butter
He captivates the inner soul as well
Enchanting with a magical smile
He is indeed Meera's Lord
Kannan will perform divine playful acts
பிரேம நதியின் தீர மதனில்
மீராப் பிரபுவும் வருவான் ஆ...
பிரேம நதியின் தீர மதனில்
மீராப் பிரபுவும் வருவான்
திரு முக மதனில் குருநகை மலர
அகமும் புறமும் நிறைவான்
கண்ணன் லீலைகள் செய்வானே
On the banks of the river of divine love
Meera's Lord will come, ah... ah
On the banks of the river of divine love
Meera's Lord will come
As a gentle smile blossoms on His divine face
He fills both the inner consciousness and the outer world
Kannan will perform divine playful acts
வானம் அளந்தான்
காளை நினைந்தால்
மாயவினை அகலாதோ
He who measured the skies
If one contemplates His feet
Will not karmic illusions vanish?
கனி இதழ் ஊதும்
குழலிசை கேட்டால்
கல் மனமும் கரையாதோ
கண்ணன் லீலைகள் செய்வானே
Playing from sweet fruit-like lips
If one hears the music of the flute
Will not even a heart of stone melt?
Kannan will perform divine playful acts
மாலினைக் காண மாமுனி வோர்கள்
பாற்கடல் தேடியே வந்தார்
ஆலிலை மேலே துயில்கொள்ளும் அமுதைக்
காண்கிலம் என்று வியந்தார்
அமுதைக் காண்கிலம் என்று வியந்தார்
Great sages seeking to behold Lord Vishnu
Came searching across the Ocean of Milk
The divine nectar reposing upon a banyan leaf
They marveled, saying 'We are blessed to see Him'
They marveled, saying 'We are blessed to see the divine nectar'
ஆண் மற்றும் குழு :
சங்கரன் வந்தான் இந்திரன் வந்தான்
சந்திர சூரியர் வந்தார்
அங்கு மிங்குமாய் ஐயனைத்தேடி
ஆயர் மனைதனில் கண்டார் தேடி
ஆயர் மனைதனில் கண்டார்
He enshrined Himself in Meera's heart as a temple
He took this simple maiden into eternal servitude
Within the heart of Meera
Servant Meera... ah... ah... ah...
மீரா ஹ்ருதயம் கோவில் கொண்டான்
மீளா அடிமை கொண்டான் பேதை
மீரா ஹ்ருதயம் தன்னில்
அடியாள் மீரா...ஆஆ... ஆ...ஆ...ஆ...ஆ...
மீரா ஹ்ருதயம் கோவில் கொண்டான்
மீளா அடிமை கொண்டான்...ஆ...
மீரா ஹ்ருதயம் கோவில் கொண்டான்
மீளா அடிமை கொண்டான்
மாறி மாறி வரும் பிறவிகள் தனிலும்
மாறாப் பிரேமை தந்தான்
கண்ணன் லீலைகள் செய்வானே
கண்ணன் மாயைகள் புரிவானே
லீலைகள் செய்வான் பாலகோபாலன்
நீல முகில் மணிவண்ணன்
கண்ணன் லீலைகள் செய்வானே
கண்ணன் மாயைகள் புரிவானே
Kannan leelaigal seivaanae
Kannan will perform divine playful acts
Kannan maayaigal purivaanae
Kannan will perform divine illusions
Leelaigal seivaan baalagopaalan
Child Gopala performs divine playful acts
Neela mugil manivannan kannan
Krishna who possesses the hue of dark rain clouds and precious gems
Leelaigal seivaanae
He will perform divine playful acts
Kaanaga maduvil kaaliyan thalaiyil
In the forest pond, upon the head of Kaliya
Kali nadam puriyum paadhan aa…aa
The feet that perform the joyful dance, ah... ah
Kaanaga maduvil kaaliyan thalaiyil
In the forest pond, upon the head of Kaliya
Kali nadam puriyum paadhan
The feet that perform the joyful dance
Vaanavar vaazha maanila meedhu
So that the celestial beings may flourish, on this earth
Aanirai maeitha en naadhan
My Lord who grazed the herds of cattle
Kannan leelaigal seivaanae
Kannan will perform divine playful acts
Aayar manaiyil
In the homes of the cowherds
Vennai thiruduvaan
He steals butter
Agamum kavarndhiduvaanae
He captivates the inner soul as well
Maaya punnagai seidhu mayakkum
Enchanting with a magical smile
Meeraavin prabu thaanae
He is indeed Meera's Lord
Kannan leelaigal seivaanae
Kannan will perform divine playful acts
Praema nadhiyin theera madhanil
On the banks of the river of divine love
Meeraa prabuvum varuvaan aaa…aa
Meera's Lord will come, ah... ah
Praema nadhiyin theera madhanil
On the banks of the river of divine love
Meeraa prabuvum varuvaan
Meera's Lord will come
Thiru mugamadhanil kurunagai malara
As a gentle smile blossoms on His divine face
Agamum puramum niraivaan
He fills both the inner consciousness and the outer world
Kannan leelaigal seivaanae
Kannan will perform divine playful acts
Vaanam alandhaan
He who measured the skies
Kaalai ninaindhaal
If one contemplates His feet
Maayavinai agalaadho
Will not karmic illusions vanish?
Kani idhazh oodhum
Playing from sweet fruit-like lips
Kuzhalisai kettaal
If one hears the music of the flute
Kal manamum karaiyaadho
Will not even a heart of stone melt?
Kannan leelaigal seivaanae
Kannan will perform divine playful acts
Maalinai kaana maamunivorgal
Great sages seeking to behold Lord Vishnu
Paarkadal thaediyae vandhaar
Came searching across the Ocean of Milk
Aalilai melae thuyilkollum amudhai
The divine nectar reposing upon a banyan leaf
Kaangilam endru viyandhaar
They marveled, saying 'We are blessed to see Him'
Amudhai kaangilam endru viyandhaar
They marveled, saying 'We are blessed to see the divine nectar'
Meeraa hrudhayam kovil kondaan
He enshrined Himself in Meera's heart as a temple
Meelaa adimai kondaan paedhai
He took this simple maiden into eternal servitude
Meeraa hrudhayam thannil
Within the heart of Meera
Adiyaal meeraa…aaa….aaa….aaa…aaa…aaa…aa…
Servant Meera... ah... ah... ah...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Kannan Leelaigal Seivaanae is a classic devotional song celebrating the divine play, charm, and cosmic miracles of Lord Krishna, expressed through the devotion of Saint Meera. The song highlights both Krishna's accessible, endearing childhood acts—such as stealing butter from cowherd homes and dancing atop the venomous serpent Kaliya—and his grand cosmic forms, such as Vamana measuring the heavens and Vishnu resting on a banyan leaf.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monai (Initial Alliteration)
“Kaanaga maduvil kaaliyan thalaiyil”
Repetition of initial consonant sound 'K' across words in the line for rhythmic resonance.
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Praema nadhiyin theera madhanil”
Comparing love to a flowing river ('Praema nadhi') and fruit to lips ('Kani idhazh').
Rhetorical Question
“Kal manamum karaiyaadho”
Asking a question with an implied emphasis that divine music and contemplation melt even hard-hearted individuals and dispel karmic illusion.
Edugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Vaanam alandhaan / Kaalai ninaindhaal”
Rhyming of the second letter 'n' in consecutive lines ('Vaanam' and 'Kaalai' / 'Kani').
Did you know?
Trivia
This iconic song is from the landmark 1945 movie 'Meera', directed by American filmmaker Ellis R. Dungan and starring Bharat Ratna M. S. Subbulakshmi. Penned and composed by the legendary Carnatic composer Papanasam Sivan, the song showcased M. S. Subbulakshmi's incomparable vocal purity and cemented her image nationwide as the modern voice of Saint Meera.
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