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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Maname Muruganin

From Motor Sundaram Pillai · 1966

Lyricist
Kothamangalam Subbu
Singer
Radha Jayalakshmi
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Details
Motor Sundaram Pillai1966

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Maname muruganin mayil vaaganamOh my mind is the peacock vehicle of Lord Murugan
Maname muruganin mayil vaaganamOh my mind is the peacock vehicle of Lord Murugan
En maanthalir meniye gugan aalayamMy tender leaf-like body is the temple of Lord Gugan
Female
Maname muruganin mayil vaaganamOh my mind is the peacock vehicle of Lord Murugan
En maanthalir meniye gugan aalayamMy tender leaf-like body is the temple of Lord Gugan
Female
En kurale sendhoorin koyil maniMy voice is the temple bell of Tiruchendur
Haa……aaa…..aa…..aa…..aa…..aaaa….Haa……aaa…..aa…..aa…..aa…..aaaa….
Kurale sendhoorin koyil maniThe voice is the temple bell of Tiruchendur
Adhu gugane shanmugane endroli koori neeRinging out in resonance calling, O Gugan! O Shanmuga!
Adhu gugane shanmugane endroli koori neeRinging out in resonance calling, O Gugan! O Shanmuga!
Maname muruganin mayil vaaganamOh my mind is the peacock vehicle of Lord Murugan
Female
Nin ni th pa ni mayil vaaganamNin ni th pa ni, the peacock vehicle
Tha ni tha tha ni ni tha tha pa tha ni ni pa paSolfege notes: Tha ni tha tha ni ni tha tha pa tha ni ni pa pa
Tha tha ga ga pa pa tha tha ma ma tha tha ma maSolfege notes: Tha tha ga ga pa pa tha tha ma ma tha tha ma ma
Tha tha sa ra ga tha tha ka ma ma thaSolfege notes: Tha tha sa ra ga tha tha ka ma ma tha
Muruganin mayil vaaganamLord Murugan's peacock vehicle
Female
Ga ga tha ma tha ma ga ma ni ga tha ma ni niSolfege notes: Ga ga tha ma tha ma ga ma ni ga tha ma ni ni
Tha ga ni na ni tha ma ga pa tha maga tha thaSolfege notes: Tha ga ni na ni tha ma ga pa tha maga tha tha
Ni tha ni tha ni tha ka tha ma ga tha thaSolfege notes: Ni tha ni tha ni tha ka tha ma ga tha tha
Ni tha ni tha ni tha gaSolfege notes: Ni tha ni tha ni tha ga
Maname muruganin mayil vaaganamOh my mind is the peacock vehicle of Lord Murugan

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

In this classical devotional song, the lyricist metaphorically transforms human physical and mental existence into sacred attributes dedicated to Lord Murugan. The singer expresses that her mind acts as the peacock mount (Mayil Vaaganam) carrying the deity, her tender youth-like body serves as His holy abode (Gugan Aalayam), and her voice functions as the ringing temple bell at Tiruchendur (Sendhoor). The composition weaves poetic imagery with intricate Carnatic swara passages (solfege) to signify total surrender of thought, body, and voice to Lord Shanmuga.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvameyam)

Maname muruganin mayil vaaganam / En maanthalir meniye gugan aalayam

Directly equates the mind to Murugan's peacock mount and the physical body to His temple without using explicit comparative conjunctions.

Auditory Imagery & Metaphor

En kurale sendhoorin koyil mani

Compares the human voice to the sacred chime of temple bells at Tiruchendur, evoking a vivid soundscape of temple worship.

Monai (Initial Alliteration)

Maname muruganin mayil vaaganam

Repetition of the 'Ma' sound across words ('Maname', 'muruganin', 'mayil') creates melodic symmetry in Tamil prosody.

Did you know?

Trivia

This classical song from the 1966 film 'Motor Sundaram Pillai' features lyrics written by the celebrated writer, poet, and scholar Kothamangalam Subbu. The soundtrack was composed by M. S. Viswanathan. Although presented in a feature film, the song gained immense popularity as a standalone Carnatic devotional classic dedicated to Lord Murugan.

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