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Mandhira Punnagai album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Naan Kadhalil

From Mandhira Punnagai · 1986

Lyricist
Na. Kamarasan
Singer
Jayachandran
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Mandhira Punnagai
Movie release year
1986
Lyrics added on
7 Feb 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Naan kaadhalil pudhu paadagan
Un vaasalil oru yaasagan
Yaarammaa thaen mozhi
Thaalaattum poo vizhi
Podammaa kaadhali
Bikshaandhaehi paarvathi
Podammaa kaadhali
Bikshaandhaehi paarvathi
Lala laa laa laa laa
Dhinam dhinam naan kaadhalil
Pudhu paadagan
Un vaasalil oru yaasagan
Idhazhil oorum gangai
Ilamai thaenin thangai
Kaala neram illai
Kaadhal sevai thaevai
Dheva dheviyae
Poovin jaadhiyae
Kaaman thaerilae
Geetham paadavaa
Podammaa kaadhali
Bikshaandhaehi paarvathi
Lala laa laa laa laa
Dhinam dhinam naan kaadhalil
Pudhu paadagan
Un vaasalil oru yaasagan
Iravu neram vandhaal
Idhaya veenai paadum
Mogam nenjil koodum
Dhegam medai aagum
Tholil aadavaa
Oonjal podavaa
Paarvai paesudhae
Vaarthai thaevaiyaa
Podammaa kaadhali
Bikshaandhaehi paarvathi
Lala laa laa laa laa
Dhinam dhinam naan kaadhalil
Pudhu paadagan
Un vaasalil oru yaasagan
Yaarammaa thaen mozhi
Thaalaattum poo vizhi
Podammaa kaadhali
Bikshaandhaehi paarvathi
Podammaa kaadhali
Bikshaandhaehi paarvathi
Lala laa laa laa laa
Dhinam dhinam naan kaadhalil
Pudhu paadagan
Un vaasalil oru yaasagan
I am a new singer of love,
A beggar at your doorstep.
Who is she, with words sweet as honey,
And flower-like eyes that sing a lullaby?
Grant me alms, my love,
Sing "Bhiksham Dehi" (grant me alms)!
Grant me alms, my love,
Sing "Bhiksham Dehi" (grant me alms)!
Lala la la la la
Every single day, in love,
I am a new singer,
A beggar at your doorstep.
The holy Ganga rests at the corner of your lips,
Your youth is like a sister to sweet honey.
Time and hour do not matter,
The devotion of love is all that is needed.
Oh divine goddess,
One born of the family of flowers,
Riding the chariot of Kama (the god of love),
Shall I sing a song?
Grant me alms, my love,
Sing "Bhiksham Dehi" (grant me alms)!
Lala la la la la
Every single day, in love,
I am a new singer,
A beggar at your doorstep.
When the night arrives,
The veena of my heart begins to play.
Desire gathers in the heart,
And the body becomes a stage.
Shall I sway upon your shoulder?
Shall I swing in your embrace?
Your eyes are speaking,
Are words even needed?
Grant me alms, my love,
Sing "Bhiksham Dehi" (grant me alms)!
Lala la la la la
Every single day, in love,
I am a new singer,
A beggar at your doorstep.
Who is she, with words sweet as honey,
And flower-like eyes that sing a lullaby?
Grant me alms, my love,
Sing "Bhiksham Dehi" (grant me alms)!
Grant me alms, my love,
Sing "Bhiksham Dehi" (grant me alms)!
Lala la la la la
Every single day, in love,
I am a new singer,
A beggar at your doorstep.
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

In this classic romantic track from Mandhira Punnagai (1986), the protagonist metaphorically compares himself to a devotional beggar standing at his lover's door, pleading for her love as alms. He addresses her as a deity ('Parvathi', 'Dheva dhevi') and describes her beauty with vivid imagery, comparing her speech to honey and her lips to the holy River Ganges. As night falls, desire awakens like music from a heart's veena, turning their love into a grand performance where eyes speak louder than words. Poet Na. Kamarajan masterfully blends devotional terms like 'Bikshaandhaehi' (give me alms) with romantic passion to elevate a lover's yearning into a sacred devotion.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

“Un vaasalil oru yaasagan”

Compares the protagonist begging for romantic affection at the lover's doorstep to a spiritual beggar seeking alms.

Hyperbole & Sacred Imagery

“Idhazhil oorum gangai”

Compares the sweetness and purity of the beloved's lips to the sacred River Ganges.

Personification

“Idhaya veenai paadum”

Attributes human musical ability to the heart, describing it as playing the veena when night arrives.

Ethukai (Second Letter Rhyming)

“Iravu neram vandhaal / Idhaya veenai paadum”

Classic Tamil poetic second-letter rhyming pattern with 'ra' in 'Iravu' and 'da' in 'Idhaya'.

Did you know?

Trivia

The song uses the traditional Sanskrit devotional phrase 'Bikshaandhaehi' (traditionally used by mendicants and sages asking Divine Mother Parvathi for food/alms) and cleverly repurposes it within a modern romantic context. Written by Na. Kamarajan, a pioneer of the modern 'Pudhu Kadhai' (New Poetry) movement in Tamil literature.

Keep listening

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Suttum Vizhi Sudarthan1957
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Thendral Vandhu Ennai Thodum1985
Thendrale Ennai ThoduRomanticDevotion
Kannana Kannanukku1962
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