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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Muthaitharu Pathithirunagai

From Arunagirinathar · 1964

Lyricist
Arunagirinathar
Singer
T. M. Soundararajan
Music director
T. R. Pappa
Movie name
Arunagirinathar
Movie release year
1964
Lyrics added on
26 Aug 2021

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Muthaitharu pathith thirunagai
Aththikkirai saththi saravana
Muththikkoru viththu gurubara..enavodhum
Muthaitharu pathith thirunagai
Aththikkirai saththi saravana
Muththikkoru viththu gurubara..enavodhum
Mukkatpara marku suruthiyin
Murpattathu karpith thiruvarum
Muppaththumu varkkath thamararum adipaena
Mukkatpara marku suruthiyin
Murpattathu karpith thiruvarum
Muppaththumu varkkath thamararum adipaena
Paththu thalai thaththa kanaithodu
Otraikkiri maththai poruthoru
Pattappagal vatta thigiriyil iravaaga
Paththu thalai thaththa kanaithodu
Otraikkiri maththai poruthoru
Pattappagal vatta thigiriyil iravaaga
Paththarkira thaththai kadaviya
Pachchaippuyal mechcha thaguporul
Patchaththodu ratchith arulvadhum orunalae
Paththarkira thaththai kadaviya
Pachchaippuyal mechcha thaguporul
Patchaththodu ratchith arulvadhum orunalae
Thiththiththeya otha paripura
Nirththappadham vaithu payiravi
Thikkotka nadikka kazhukodu kazhuthaada
Thiththiththeya otha paripura
Nirththappadham vaithu payiravi
Thikkotka nadikka kazhukodu kazhuthaada
Thikkuppari atta payiravar
Thokkuththogu thokkuth thoguthogu
Chithrappavurikku thrikadaka enavodha
Thikkuppari atta payiravar
Thokkuththogu thokkuth thoguthogu
Chithrappavurikku thrikadaka enavodha
Koththupparai kotta kalamisai
Kukkukkuku kukkuk kukukuku
Kuththipputhai pukku pidiyena muthukogai
Koththupparai kotta kalamisai
Kukkukkuku kukkuk kukukuku
Kuththipputhai pukku pidiyena muthukogai
Kotputrezha natputtravunarai
Vettippali yittu kulakiri
Kuththuppada voththu poravala perumalae….
Kotputrezha natputtravunarai
Vettippali yittu kulakiri
Kuththuppada voththu poravala perumalae…
With a radiant smile like rows of pearls,
Lord of Devayanai, master of the spear, born in the sacred Saravana pool,
"The supreme seed of salvation, our great master"—praising you thus,
With a radiant smile like rows of pearls,
Lord of Devayanai, master of the spear, born in the sacred Saravana pool,
"The supreme seed of salvation, our great master"—praising you thus,
To the three-eyed Lord Shiva,
You taught the sacred truth that came before the Vedas,
While the other two great gods and the thirty-three groups of gods in heaven worship your feet;
To the three-eyed Lord Shiva,
You taught the sacred truth that came before the Vedas,
While the other two great gods and the thirty-three groups of gods in heaven worship your feet;
He who shot arrows to fell the ten heads of Ravana,
Who used a single mountain to churn the great ocean,
Who turned bright daylight into darkness with his round discus,
He who shot arrows to fell the ten heads of Ravana,
Who used a single mountain to churn the great ocean,
Who turned bright daylight into darkness with his round discus,
And drove the war chariot for his devoted friend Arjuna—
Even that cloud-hued Lord Vishnu praises your divine wisdom;
Will there be a day when you lovingly protect me and grant your grace?
And drove the war chariot for his devoted friend Arjuna—
Even that cloud-hued Lord Vishnu praises your divine wisdom;
Will there be a day when you lovingly protect me and grant your grace?
With tinkling anklets matching the rhythmic beat,
Goddess Bhairavi steps into her fierce dance,
Making the world spin as vultures and ghouls dance around;
With tinkling anklets matching the rhythmic beat,
Goddess Bhairavi steps into her fierce dance,
Making the world spin as vultures and ghouls dance around;
The eight guardian Bhairavas of all directions
Beat out the rhythm of 'thokku-thogu thokku-thoguthogu',
Chanting 'thrigadaka' for the wondrous, swirling dance;
The eight guardian Bhairavas of all directions
Beat out the rhythm of 'thokku-thogu thokku-thoguthogu',
Chanting 'thrigadaka' for the wondrous, swirling dance;
As battle drums throb across the field,
And old screech-owls hoot 'Kukku-kugu kukku-kugugugu',
Shrieking, "Strike them down, bury them deep, enter and seize them!"
As battle drums throb across the field,
And old screech-owls hoot 'Kukku-kugu kukku-kugugugu',
Shrieking, "Strike them down, bury them deep, enter and seize them!"
Slaying the allied demon hordes that rose in rage,
Offering them as a sacrifice, you pierced the Krauncha mountain,
O supreme Lord, mighty champion in the great battle!
Slaying the allied demon hordes that rose in rage,
Offering them as a sacrifice, you pierced the Krauncha mountain,
O supreme Lord, mighty champion in the great battle!
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

'Muthai Tharu' is the celebrated opening hymn of Thiruppugazh composed by saint-poet Arunagirinathar. In this hymn, Lord Murugan is revered as the supreme guru who explained the sacred meaning of the Pranava mantra 'Om' to Lord Shiva. The lyrics weave together praise for Murugan's radiance, his cosmic lineage connecting him to Lord Vishnu (his maternal uncle who performed great deeds in the Ramayana and Mahabharata), and a vivid depiction of his victorious war against demon Surapadman. The poem concludes with a personal plea for divine protection and spiritual liberation.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Chantham (Rhythmic Meter & Onomatopoeia)

Thokkuththogu thokkuth thoguthogu

The song uses complex rhythmic meter (Thalam/Santham) featuring onomatopoeic sounds to mimic drumbeats and battlefield cries.

Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Muthaitharu / Muththikkoru

Repetition of the second consonant sound 'th' across consecutive lines creates structural harmony.

Monaik-Thodai (Alliteration)

Paththu thalai thaththa kanaithodu

Matching initial consonant sounds across words in the same line enhances phonetic flow.

Did you know?

Trivia

Legend holds that when Arunagirinathar attempted to end his life by jumping off the Vallala Maharaja gopuram at Tiruvannamalai, Lord Murugan caught him and inscribed the Pranava mantra on his tongue, giving him the first words 'Muthai Tharu' to begin his legendary composition of Thiruppugazh.

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