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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Oru Thaali Varam

From Purusha Lakshanam · 1993

Lyricist
Kalidasan
Singer
K. S. Chitra
Music director
Deva
Details
Purusha Lakshanam1993

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
: Kola vizhiyammaa raja kaaliyammaaOh Goddess Kali with murder-intense eyes, royal Kali Mother,
Palaiyath thaayammaa pangaaru maayammaaMother of Samayapuram, golden enchanting mother,
Muththu maariyammaa pathra kaliyaammaaPearl-like Mariamman, fierce Bhadrakali,
Munda kanniyammaa enga senniyammaaGoddess Mundagakanni, our Senniamman,
Female
Kunguma kodhaiyae annaiyae sodhaiyaeGoddess of vermilion, Mother, radiant flame,
Senthoora dheivaanai singaara bhoopathiGoddess Deivanai in vermilion, beautiful King of all,
Annai visaalaatchi sowdaambaa viruppaatchchuMother Visalakshi, Sowdambigai, Virupatchi,
Sundhara neeliyae sownthara maaliyaeBeautiful Neeli, lovely garlanded mother,
Female
Valliyammaa engal alliyammaaGoddess Valli, our Mother Alli,
Thanga selliyammaa sella kolliyammaaGolden Selliamman, beloved Kolliamman,
Adi angaalammaa engal sengaalammaaOh Angalamman, our Sengalamman,
Arul muppaaththammaa anal veppaaththammaaGoddess of grace, heat-relieving fire mother,
Female
Singaari oiyaari sangari umaiyaamapaaBeautiful, stylish, Goddess Sankari, Goddess Uma,
Mannmaari ponmaari sellaayi silambaayiShower of earth, shower of gold, Selli and Silambai,
Maruvaththoor ammaavae vaaOh Mother of Melmaruvathur, come!
Chorus
Om om om om om om om omOm om om om om om om om
Om om om om om om om omOm om om om om om om om
Female
Oru thaali varam kettu vanathaen thayammaaI have come seeking the boon of my sacred thread, oh Mother,
Kann thiranthu paarammaa Veru thunai yaarammaaOpen your eyes and look, oh Mother; who else is my refuge?
Oru thaali varam kettu vanathaen thayammaaI have come seeking the boon of my sacred thread, oh Mother,
Kann thiranthu paarammaa Veru thunai yaarammaaOpen your eyes and look, oh Mother; who else is my refuge?
Female
Kuththmillaa oru uththama nenjukkuFor a pure, faultless heart,
Sodhanaigal edhukkuWhy are there so many trials?
Avar kattiya thaalikkum pottukkum poovukkumFor the sacred thread he tied, the vermilion, and flowers,
Kaaval kodu enakkuGrant me protection!
Needhikku kann thandhu sodhikkum thunbaththaiGive eyes to justice and transform this testing sorrow,
Nee vanthu maattridammaaCome and change my fate, oh Mother!
Female
Madiyaendhi pichchai ketkiraenHolding out my lap, I beg like a mendicant,
Ammaa maru vaazhvu unnai ketkiraenOh Mother, I ask you for a second life,
Madiyaendhi pichchai ketkiraenHolding out my lap, I beg like a mendicant,
Ammaa maru vaazhvu unnai ketkiraenOh Mother, I ask you for a second life,
Female
Oru thaali varam kettu vanathaen thayammaaI have come seeking the boon of my sacred thread, oh Mother,
Kann thiranthu paarammaa Veru thunai yaarammaaOpen your eyes and look, oh Mother; who else is my refuge?
Female
Kaanaatha poi vazhakku veenaaga vanthirukkuAn unseen false accusation has come uselessly,
Vaadhaada saatchi yaedhammaaWhere is the witness to argue my case, oh Mother?
Oor vaazha aatchi seiyyum meenatchi deviyammaGoddess Meenakshi, who rules so the town may thrive,
Naan vaazha needhi koorammaaDeliver justice so that I may live,
Female
Sodhanaiyai vedhanaiyaiAll the trials and sufferings,
Saerththu vittaen unnadiyilI have placed at your feet,
Sogangalai thurogangalaiThe sorrows and betrayals,
Theerththuvidu en vazhiyilClear them away from my path,
Female
Vaazhvarasi aavatharkku thaali thantha kanniyammaaVirgin Goddess who gave the Mangalsutra to become a queen of life,
Vaasal vantha pillai manamThe heart of the child who came to your doorstep,
Vaadalaamaa ponniyammaaShould it wither away, oh Mother Ponni?
Akilaanda eshwari sabai yaerammaaOh Akhilandeshwari, step up to the court,
Avar meedhu veezhntha pazhi theerammaaClear the false blame that has fallen upon him,
Female
Thirupaththoor gowmaari thiruvaanaikkaavammaaGowmari of Tirupattur, Goddess of Tiruvanaikkaval,
Maangaattu kaamatchi malaiyaala pagavathiKamakshi of Mangadu, Bhagavathi of Kerala,
Thanjavur mariyae kanyaakumaariyaeMariamman of Thanjavur, Goddess Kanyakumari,
Malaiyanoor senbagam mayilapur karpagamShenbagam of Melmalayanur, Karpagam of Mylapore,
Female
Kannigaa parameshvarai annaiyae jegathambaaKannika Parameshwari, oh Mother Jagathamba,
Thulukkaanathammaavae durgai ammaavaeThulukkanathamman, Goddess Durga,
Mukkuzhi ammaavae kulambi ammaavaeMukkuzhi Amman, Kulambi Amman,
Ellai ammaavae gangai ammaavaeEllai Amman, Goddess Gangai,
Naachchiyammaa thanga pechiyammaaNachiyamman, golden Pechiyamman,
Female
Annai moogaambigaa engal yogaambigaaMother Mookambika, our Yogambika,
Adi alamelammaa thaayae varikolammaaOh Alamelu, Mother Varikoli,
Thooya pachchaiyammaa veera padavettammaaPure Pachaiyamman, brave Padaveetu Amman,
Bairavi vairavi thaenaatchi thirupaatchchiBhairavi, Vairavi, Theenatchi, Thirupatchi,
Ammaayi pommaayi azhaammaa kanagammaaAmmayi, Pommayi, unweeping Kanagamman,
Aadhi paraasakthiyae…..Oh Primal Parasakthi!...
Chorus
Om om om om om om om omOm om om om om om om om
Om om om om om om om omOm om om om om om om om
Female
Ooyaatha saththiyamum saayaatha sakkaramumCeaseless truth and unshakeable discus,
Nedhaanae bhoomi meedhilaeAre truly you upon this earth,
Aaththa nee kann thiranthu paarhthaalaeOh Mother, if you open your eyes and look,
Vanjanaigal veezhaatho unthan kaalilaeWill not all deceptions fall at your feet?
Female
Penninangal venduvathuWhat womanhood prays for,
Annai unthan kungumamaeIs your sacred vermilion, oh Mother,
Kungumaththil nee irunthu kaakkanum en mangalamaeResiding in the vermilion, you must protect my marital bliss,
Saththiyaththai kaakka unthan sakkaraththai suththi viduTo protect the truth, spin your sacred discus,
Ukkiraththil nee ezhunthu unmaikkoru vettri koduRise in your fierce anger and grant victory to truth,
Un needhi bhoomiyil thavaraagumaaCan your justice ever fail on this earth?
En vazhvil adhu innum vegu thooramaaIs it still far away in my life?
Chorus
Thaayae periyammaa thaali tharum ammaaOh Mother Periyamma, mother who bestows the sacred thread,
Theppa kulaththammaa theradi poovammaaGoddess of the temple tank, blossom at the chariot stand,
Mangalam neeyammaa manthveli ammaaYou are auspiciousness, Amman of Mandaveli,
Arththnaariyammaa ennai jodhiyammaaArdhanariyamma, light of my flame,
Chorus
Vadivudaiyammaavae thiripurasundhariVadivudaiyamman, Tripurasundari,
Verkkaadu maayammaa kasthoori thaayammaaEnchanting Mother of Thiruverkadu, Mother Kasturi,
Urumaari ulagammaa uruthraatcha thilagammaaShapeshifting Ulagamma, tilak of Rudraksha,
Unnaamulai ammaa pannaari ammaavaeUnnamalai Amman, Pannari Amman,
Chorus
Mageshwari sarppa yaakeshvariMaheshwari, serpent Yageshwari,
Adi logeshwari nalla yogeshwariOh Logeshwari, good Yogeshwari,
Sakthi jegatheeshvari annai parameshwariShakti, Jagatheeshwari, Mother Parameshwari,
Engal buvaneshwari thaayae rajeshwariOur Bhuvaneshwari, Mother Rajeshwari,
Abiraami sivagaami arulmaari magaamaayiAbirami, Sivagami, grace-showering Mahamayi,
Maamundi saamundi paanjaali aththaayeeMamundi, Chamundi, Panchali, Athayi,
Solaiyoor agaamaayi vaa….Goddess Agamayi of Solaiyur, come!...
Chorus
Om om om om om om om omOm om om om om om om om
Om om om om om om om omOm om om om om om om om
Female
Kuththmillaa oru uththama nenjukkuFor a pure, faultless heart,
Sodhanaigal edhukkuWhy are there so many trials?
Avar kattiya thaalikkum pottukkum poovukkumFor the sacred thread he tied, the vermilion, and flowers,
Kaaval kodu enakkuGrant me protection!
Needhikku kann thandhu sodhikkum thunbaththaiGive eyes to justice and transform this testing sorrow,
Nee vanthu maattridammaaCome and change my fate, oh Mother!
Chorus
Om om om om om om om omOm om om om om om om om
Om om om om om om om omOm om om om om om om om
Om sakthi om sakthi om sakthi omOm Shakti Om Shakti Om Shakti Om
Om sakthi om sakthi om sakthi om….Om Shakti Om Shakti Om Shakti Om....

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This emotional devotional song is a passionate plea by a distressed wife to Goddess Parasakthi (and her various regional manifestations across Tamil Nadu) to protect her husband, defend her marital bliss (Thaali), and vindicate innocence against false accusations. Faced with injustice and betrayal, she surrenders entirely at the Mother Goddess's feet, invoking dozens of localized names and shrines of the Divine Mother to awaken divine intervention and restore justice.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Adukkuthodar / Anaphora

Kola vizhiyammaa raja kaaliyammaa / Palaiyath thaayammaa pangaaru maayammaa...

Continuous invocation of Goddess names ending with 'ammaa' creates rhythmic repetition and ecstatic devotional energy.

Ethugai (Second Letter Rhyme)

Kuththmillaa oru uththama nenjukku / Sodhanaigal edhukku

The second consonant sound 'th' aligns across the lines to produce a harmonious poetic cadence.

Metaphor

Madiyaendhi pichchai ketkiraen / Ammaa maru vaazhvu unnai ketkiraen

Comparing begging with her lap outstretched to asking the Divine Mother for a second life for her husband and family.

Did you know?

Trivia

The lyricist Kalidasan is well-known for writing intense, highly evocative devotional and emotional songs in 1990s Tamil cinema, often using extensive lists of local Tamil female deities to heighten the drama and spiritual resonance.

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