- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singer
- S. Janaki
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Movie name
- Salangai Oli
- Movie release year
- 1983
- Lyrics added on
- 7 Apr 2018
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This song is a sublime classical devotional piece dedicated to Lord Shiva (Nataraja), the lord of dance. The lyricist metaphorically frames the entire universe, nature, and art as manifestations of Shiva himself. The five elements form his faces, the six seasons are his garments, the three periods of time are his eyes, and the four Vedas are the path to reach him. Through classical Bharatanatyam dance movements and swara patterns, the dancer surrenders completely to the cosmic dancer, seeking his divine grace and enlightenment. The emotional arc transitions from solemn reverent invocation into philosophical awe—attributing concepts of Advaita (non-duality), omnipresence, and eternal cosmic order to Shiva. The dancer repeatedly begs for Shiva's grace ('Arulillaiyaa'), expressing that without the Lord's blessing, earthly life lacks color and meaning.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Uruvagamm (Metaphor)
“Panja boodhangalum Mugavadivaagum”
Compares the five cosmic elements (Pancha Bhootas) directly to the divine faces of Lord Shiva.
Metaphor
“Moondru kaalangalum Undhan vizhigal”
Equates the three tenses of time (past, present, future) to Shiva's three eyes.
Iyaipu (End Rhyme)
“Un paarvaiyae ettu dhisaigalae / Un sorkalae navarasangalae”
The lines end with matching rhyming suffixes ('dhisaigalae' / 'navarasangalae') to create lyrical rhythm suited for classical dance.
Muran (Antithesis)
“Adhianthamum nee”
Combines 'Aadi' (Beginning) and 'Antham' (End) to denote the paradoxical omnipresence of the Supreme Being.
Did you know?
Trivia
This song is from the iconic film 'Salangai Oli' (1983), which is the Tamil dubbed version of K. Viswanath's Telugu masterpiece 'Sagara Sangamam'. The musical score was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, with lyrics penned in Tamil by Vairamuthu. The song was rendered passionately by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and S. Janaki. Kamal Haasan's portrayal of Balakrishna, an uncompromising classical dancer performing Natya Puja in this sequence, is considered one of the greatest performances in Indian cinematic history.
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