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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Ninnaicharan Adainthen Female

From Bharathi · 2000

Lyricist
Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyaar
Singer
Bombay Jayashree
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Bharathi2000

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Aa… aa… aa…haa aa aaaAa… aa… aa…haa aa aaa
Aa… aa… aa…haa aa aaaAa… aa… aa…haa aa aaa
Aa… aa… aa…..Aa… aa… aa…..
Female
Ninnai charanadaindhenI have surrendered unto you
Kannammaa ninnai charanadaindhenOh Kannamma, I have surrendered unto you
Ninnai charanadaindhenI have surrendered unto you
Kannammaa ninnai charanadaindhenOh Kannamma, I have surrendered unto you
Ponnai uyarvai pugazhai virumbidumDesiring wealth, status, and fame
Ponnai uyarvai pugazhai virumbidumDesiring wealth, status, and fame
Ennai kavalaigal thinna thagaadhendruDeciding that worries should not consume me
Female
Ninnai charanadaindhenI have surrendered unto you
Kannammaa ninnai charanadaindhenOh Kannamma, I have surrendered unto you
Female
Midimaiyum achamumPoverty and fear
Maevi en nenjilPervading within my heart
Midimaiyum achamumPoverty and fear
Maevi en nenjilPervading within my heart
Kudimai pugunthanaTook up residence as dwellers
Kondravai pokkendruTo slay and banish them away
Female
Ninnai charanadaindhenI have surrendered unto you
Kannammaa ninnai charanadaindhenOh Kannamma, I have surrendered unto you
Female
Than seyal enniAnxious over one's own actions
Thavippadhu theerndhinguEnding that anguish right here
Nin seyal seidhuTo carry out your divine will
Niraivu perum vannamAnd attain complete fulfillment
Female
Ninnai charanadaindhenI have surrendered unto you
Kannammaa ninnai charanadaindhenOh Kannamma, I have surrendered unto you
Female
Thunbam ini illai sorvillaiThere is no sorrow anymore, no weariness
Sorvillai thorppillaiNo weariness, no defeat
Nalladhu theeyadhu naamariyomWhat is good or bad, we do not know
Naamariyom naamariyomWe do not know, we do not know
Anbu neriyil arangal valarthidaTo nurture virtues through the path of love
Nalladhu naattuga theemaiyai ottugaTo establish good and banish evil
Female
Ninnai charanadaindhenI have surrendered unto you
Kannammaa ninnai charanadaindhenOh Kannamma, I have surrendered unto you
Ninnai charanadaindhenI have surrendered unto you
Kannammaa ninnai charanadaindhenOh Kannamma, I have surrendered unto you
Ponnai uyarvai pugazhai virumbidumDesiring wealth, status, and fame
Ponnai uyarvai pugazhai virumbidumDesiring wealth, status, and fame
Ennai kavalaigal thinna thagaadhendruDeciding that worries should not consume me
Female
Ninnai charanadaindhenI have surrendered unto you
Kannammaa ninnai charanadaindhenOh Kannamma, I have surrendered unto you
Ninnai charanadaindhenI have surrendered unto you
Kannammaa ninnai charanadaindhenOh Kannamma, I have surrendered unto you

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Ninnai Charanadaindhen is an iconic devotional hymn composed by Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyaar, centered on the concept of absolute surrender (Sharanagati) to the Divine Mother, personified as Kannamma. The poet expresses his desire to free himself from material greed (wealth, status, fame), psychological burdens (fear, poverty of mind), and self-centered anxieties. By surrendering his individual ego and personal agency to the divine will, he finds ultimate liberation, strength, and immunity to defeat and sorrow.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Ethugai (Second Letter Rhyme)

Than seyal enni / Nin seyal seidhu

The second letter 'n' (ன்) matches in 'Than' and 'Nin', forming a classic Tamil ethugai rhyme structure across contrasting ideas.

Monai (First Letter Alliteration)

Ponnai uyarvai pugazhai virumbidum

The 'p' sound repeats in 'Ponnai' and 'pugazhai', creating rhythmic flow through monai.

Personification

Ennai kavalaigal thinna thagaadhendru

Worries (kavalaigal) are personified as predatory creatures capable of eating or consuming the speaker.

Anaphora / Refrain

Ninnai charanadaindhen / Kannammaa ninnai charanadaindhen

The continuous repetition of 'Ninnai charanadaindhen' emphasizes the core spiritual refrain of complete surrender throughout the poem.

Did you know?

Trivia

This poem is part of Subramanya Bharathiyaar's famous 'Kannamma' series, where Kannamma is addressed variously as a child, lover, master, and supreme deity. In the movie Bharathi (2000), directed by Gnana Rajasekaran, this immortal poem was set to music by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja and sung soulfully by Bombay Jayashri.

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