Maharajan
From Karnan · 1964
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- P. Susheela, T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
- Details
- Karnan1964
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Mahaaraajan ulagai aalalaam | A great king may rule over the entire world |
| Indha mahaaraani avanai aaluvaa…aa…aal… | But this great queen will rule over him |
| Mahaaraajan ulagai aalalaam | A great king may rule over the entire world |
| Female | |
| Pulavar paada arasar kooda | Poets may sing praise and kings may assemble |
| Arinjar naada vaazhalaam | And scholars may seek him out as he lives grandly |
| Pudhumai koorum manaivi kannil | Yet in the eyes of a wife who speaks of novel delights |
| Ulaga inbam kaanalaam | He can behold all the supreme pleasures of the world |
| Male | |
| Mahaaraani avanai aaluvaal | The great queen will rule over him |
| Adhil mahaaraajan mayangiyaaduva..aa…aan… | Mesmerized by her, the king will dance in ecstasy |
| Mahaaraani avanai aaluvaal | The great queen will rule over him |
| Male | |
| Pulavar paada arasar kooda | Poets may sing praise and kings may assemble |
| Arinjar naada vaazhuvaan | And scholars may seek him out as he lives grandly |
| Pudhumai koorum manaivi kannil | In the eyes of a wife who speaks of novel delights |
| Ulaga inbam kaanuvaan | He will behold all the supreme pleasures of the world |
| Ulaga inbam kaanuvaan | He will behold all the supreme pleasures of the world |
| Mahaaraani avanai aaluvaal | The great queen will rule over him |
| Female | |
| Naangu pakkam thiraigalaadum | Curtains sway on all four sides around |
| Paamalar manjam | A bed woven of poetic flower verses |
| Adhan naduvinilae kudai pidikkum | In the middle of which an umbrella of love |
| Kaadhalar nenjam | Is held up by the hearts of the lovers |
| Male | |
| Maan kodutha saayalangae | Where the gentle grace bestowed by a deer |
| Mayangidum konjam | Swoons just a little bit in enchantment |
| Andha mayakkathilae | And in that sweet state of intoxication |
| Thalaviyidam thalaivanae thanjam | The lord takes complete refuge in his lady |
| Female | |
| Paadhathil mugamirukkum | His face rests humbly near her feet |
| Male :Paarvai irangi varum | Male: His romantic gaze descends gently upon her |
| Female :Vegathil layithirukkum | Female: Completely immersed in the swift momentum of love |
| Male :Veeramum kalaithirukkum | Male: Even his mighty valor rests weary and surrenders |
| Female | |
| Magaaraajan ulagai aalalaam | A great king may rule over the entire world |
| Male | |
| Kannanaiyum andha idam | Was not even Lord Krishna's heart |
| Kalakkavillaiyaa | Stirred and captivated by such intimacy? |
| Indha karnanukku mattum enna | For this Karna, is there no sweet |
| Idhamillaiyaa | Comfort and solace to be found? |
| Female | |
| Vallalukku vallal indha | Isn't womanhood the ultimate giver |
| Penmai illaiyaa | Among all great givers? |
| Endha mannavarkkum vazhanguvadhu | Isn't it the wife who bestows true bliss |
| Manaiviyillaiyaa | Upon any ruler of the land? |
| Male | |
| Alli alli koduthirukkum | She bestows love generously in boundless amounts |
| Female :Andhi pagal thunaiyirukkum | Female: Standing as a loyal companion night and day |
| Male :Unna unna valarndhirukkum | Male: The more it is consumed, the more love grows |
| Female :Ulagamae marandhirukkum | Female: Forgetting the existence of the entire world |
| Female | |
| Magaaraajan ulagai aalalaam | A great king may rule over the entire world |
மகாராஜன் உலகை ஆளலாம்
இந்த மகாராணி அவனை ஆளுவாள்...ஆ...ஆ...
மகாராஜன் உலகை ஆளலாம்
A great king may rule over the entire world
But this great queen will rule over him
A great king may rule over the entire world
புலவர் பாட அரசர் கூட
அறிஞர் நாட வாழலாம்
புதுமை கூறும் மனைவி கண்ணில்
உலக இன்பம் காணலாம்
Poets may sing praise and kings may assemble
And scholars may seek him out as he lives grandly
Yet in the eyes of a wife who speaks of novel delights
He can behold all the supreme pleasures of the world
மகாராணி அவனை ஆளுவாள்
அதில் மகாராஜன் மயங்கியாடுவான்...ஆ...ஆ...
மகாராணி அவனை ஆளுவாள்
The great queen will rule over him
Mesmerized by her, the king will dance in ecstasy
The great queen will rule over him
புலவர் பாட அரசர் கூட
அறிஞர் நாட வாழுவார்
புதுமை கூறும் மனைவி கண்ணில்
உலக இன்பம் காணுவார்
உலக இன்பம் காணுவார்
மகாராணி அவனை ஆளுவாள்
Poets may sing praise and kings may assemble
And scholars may seek him out as he lives grandly
In the eyes of a wife who speaks of novel delights
He will behold all the supreme pleasures of the world
He will behold all the supreme pleasures of the world
The great queen will rule over him
நான்கு பக்கம் திரைகளாடும்
பாமலர் மஞ்சம்
அதன் நடுவினிலே குடை பிடிக்கும்
காதலர் நெஞ்சம்
Curtains sway on all four sides around
A bed woven of poetic flower verses
In the middle of which an umbrella of love
Is held up by the hearts of the lovers
மான் கொடுத்த சாயலங்கே
மயங்கிடும் கொஞ்சம்
அந்த மயக்கத்திலே
தலைவியிடம் தலைவனே தஞ்சம்
Where the gentle grace bestowed by a deer
Swoons just a little bit in enchantment
And in that sweet state of intoxication
The lord takes complete refuge in his lady
பாதத்தில் முகமிருக்கும்
பார்வை இறங்கி வரும்
மேகத்தில் லயித்திருக்கும்
வீரமும் களைத்திருக்கும்
His face rests humbly near her feet
Male: His romantic gaze descends gently upon her
Female: Completely immersed in the swift momentum of love
Male: Even his mighty valor rests weary and surrenders
ஆ....ஆ....ஆ.....ஆ.....ஆ....ஆ.....
ஆ....ஆ....ஆ.....ஆ.....ஆ....ஆ.....
A great king may rule over the entire world
மகாராஜன் உலகை ஆளலாம்
Was not even Lord Krishna's heart
Stirred and captivated by such intimacy?
For this Karna, is there no sweet
Comfort and solace to be found?
கண்ணனையும் அந்த
இடம் கலக்கவில்லையா
இந்த கர்ணனுக்கு மட்டும்
என்ன இதயமில்லையா
Isn't womanhood the ultimate giver
Among all great givers?
Isn't it the wife who bestows true bliss
Upon any ruler of the land?
வள்ளலுக்கு வள்ளல் இந்த
பெண்மை இல்லையா
எந்த மன்னவர்க்கும் வழங்குவது
மனைவியில்லையா
She bestows love generously in boundless amounts
Female: Standing as a loyal companion night and day
Male: The more it is consumed, the more love grows
Female: Forgetting the existence of the entire world
அள்ளி அள்ளி கொடுத்திருக்கும்
அந்தி பகல் துணையிருக்கும்
உண்ண உண்ண வளர்ந்திருக்கும்
உலகமே மறந்திருக்கும்
A great king may rule over the entire world
ஆ....ஆ....ஆ.....ஆ.....ஆ....ஆ.....
ஆ....ஆ....ஆ.....ஆ.....ஆ....ஆ.....
மகாராஜன் உலகை ஆளலாம்
Mahaaraajan ulagai aalalaam
A great king may rule over the entire world
Indha mahaaraani avanai aaluvaa…aa…aal…
But this great queen will rule over him
Mahaaraajan ulagai aalalaam
A great king may rule over the entire world
Pulavar paada arasar kooda
Poets may sing praise and kings may assemble
Arinjar naada vaazhalaam
And scholars may seek him out as he lives grandly
Pudhumai koorum manaivi kannil
Yet in the eyes of a wife who speaks of novel delights
Ulaga inbam kaanalaam
He can behold all the supreme pleasures of the world
Mahaaraani avanai aaluvaal
The great queen will rule over him
Adhil mahaaraajan mayangiyaaduva..aa…aan…
Mesmerized by her, the king will dance in ecstasy
Mahaaraani avanai aaluvaal
The great queen will rule over him
Pulavar paada arasar kooda
Poets may sing praise and kings may assemble
Arinjar naada vaazhuvaan
And scholars may seek him out as he lives grandly
Pudhumai koorum manaivi kannil
In the eyes of a wife who speaks of novel delights
Ulaga inbam kaanuvaan
He will behold all the supreme pleasures of the world
Ulaga inbam kaanuvaan
He will behold all the supreme pleasures of the world
Mahaaraani avanai aaluvaal
The great queen will rule over him
Naangu pakkam thiraigalaadum
Curtains sway on all four sides around
Paamalar manjam
A bed woven of poetic flower verses
Adhan naduvinilae kudai pidikkum
In the middle of which an umbrella of love
Kaadhalar nenjam
Is held up by the hearts of the lovers
Maan kodutha saayalangae
Where the gentle grace bestowed by a deer
Mayangidum konjam
Swoons just a little bit in enchantment
Andha mayakkathilae
And in that sweet state of intoxication
Thalaviyidam thalaivanae thanjam
The lord takes complete refuge in his lady
Paadhathil mugamirukkum
His face rests humbly near her feet
Male :Paarvai irangi varum
Male: His romantic gaze descends gently upon her
Female :Vegathil layithirukkum
Female: Completely immersed in the swift momentum of love
Male :Veeramum kalaithirukkum
Male: Even his mighty valor rests weary and surrenders
Magaaraajan ulagai aalalaam
A great king may rule over the entire world
Kannanaiyum andha idam
Was not even Lord Krishna's heart
Kalakkavillaiyaa
Stirred and captivated by such intimacy?
Indha karnanukku mattum enna
For this Karna, is there no sweet
Idhamillaiyaa
Comfort and solace to be found?
Vallalukku vallal indha
Isn't womanhood the ultimate giver
Penmai illaiyaa
Among all great givers?
Endha mannavarkkum vazhanguvadhu
Isn't it the wife who bestows true bliss
Manaiviyillaiyaa
Upon any ruler of the land?
Alli alli koduthirukkum
She bestows love generously in boundless amounts
Female :Andhi pagal thunaiyirukkum
Female: Standing as a loyal companion night and day
Male :Unna unna valarndhirukkum
Male: The more it is consumed, the more love grows
Female :Ulagamae marandhirukkum
Female: Forgetting the existence of the entire world
Magaaraajan ulagai aalalaam
A great king may rule over the entire world
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Mahaaraajan Ulagai Aalalaam is a famous romantic duet from the epic Tamil film Karnan (1964). Sung by T. M. Soundararajan and P. Susheela, the song captures a intimate moment between King Karna and his queen Subhangi. The central theme explores the poetic paradox of royalty and love: a king may hold absolute power over vast empires, command respect from scholars, and lead armies in battle, but in the private sanctuary of love, he willingly surrenders to his queen. Her gaze holds greater joy than all worldly conquests.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Pulavar paada / Arinjar naada”
Kannadasan employs classic Tamil prosody where the second letter of consecutive lines rhymes, creating a melodic rhythm.
Metaphor (Urvagam)
“Paamalar manjam”
'Paamalar manjam' metaphorically transforms a romantic bed into one woven from the flowers of poetry.
Juxtaposition / Paradox
“Veeramum kalaithirukkum”
Juxtaposes fierce martial strength (Veeram) with tender exhaustion and surrender in the presence of love.
Alliteration & Repetition (Anaphora)
“Vallalukku vallal indha”
Repetition of 'Vallalukku vallal' emphasizes womanhood as the grandest philanthropist of all.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by the iconic duo Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy with lyrics by Kannadasan, Karnan (1964) is considered a landmark in Tamil cinema music. This song highlights Karnan's softer, romantic side amidst the tragic heroics of the Mahabharata narrative.
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