- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- P. Susheela, T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
- Movie name
- Karnan
- Movie release year
- 1964
- Lyrics added on
- 31 Jan 2019
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
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.
Keep listening
Songs with a similar feeling
From the same album
More songs from Karnan
View albumSpot an issue?
Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.