- Lyricist
- Udumalai Narayanakavi
- Singer
- M. L. Vasanthakumari
- Music director
- G. Ramanathan
- Movie name
- Raja Desingu
- Movie release year
- 1960
- Lyrics added on
- 25 May 2020
Lyrics & meaning
♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Paarkadal alai melae paambanaiyin melae
Palli kondaai ranganaadhaa…
Paarkadal alai melae paambanaiyin melae
Palli kondaai ranganaadhaa…
Undhan padhamalar nidham thaedi paravasamodu paadi
Padhamalar nidham thaedi paravasamodu paadi
Gadhi peravae njaanam nee thaa dhaevaa
Paarkadal alai melae paambanaiyin melae
Palli kondaai ranganaadhaa…
Kaadhaganaana oru somugan kai kondu
Kadalidaiyae olitha marai naalum
Kaadhaganaana oru somugan kai kondu
Kadalidaiyae olitha marai naalum pinnum
Maedhini thaen meelaa… aa… aa… aa…
Maedhini thaen meelaa paadhagan thaan maala
Meenavathaarang konda thirumaalae
Vaanavarum thaanavarum aazhiyamudham kadaindha
Madhara giri thannai thaangidavae
Vaanavarum thaanavarum aazhiyamudham kadaindha
Madhara giri thannai thaangidavae oru
Koonudaiya odu konda… aa…aa….aa…aa..
Koonudaiya odu konda koormaavadhaaramena
Kola muttraai pugazhum ongidavae
Eenan iranyaatchanenum padupaavi
Ee….ee….ee….ee….ee….aa….aa….aa….aa….aa…..
Eenan iranyaatchanenum padupaavi paayaai
Ezhu kadalul maraitha boodhaevi aval
Dheena ratchagaa sagala jeeva ratchagaa
Dheena ratchagaa sagala jeeva ratchagaa
Enavae maanilatthai thookkiya varaaga vadivaanavanae
Engirukkiraan hari engirukkiraan
Avan engirukkiraan solladaa
Engirukkiraan endra iraniyan sollai
Idai marithae avan pillai hari
Engum iruppaan thoonil ingum iruppaan hari
Engum iruppaan thoonil ingum iruppaan yena
Iyambinadhaal naerndha thollai neengavum
Ponghu sina vanbaanadhu boodha udalum thasai
Thindrezhndha thondhiyodu manikkudalum
Udhiram sindhavae nagam kondu keerum
Narasingamaana avathaaranae
Sangu chakra dharanae upakaaranae aadhaaranae
Moovadi man kaettu vandhu mannalandhu vinnalandhu
Maavali siram alandha vaamananae
Moovadi man kaettu vandhu mannalandhu vinnalandhu
Maavali siram alandha vaamananae thandhai
Aaviyai parithadhanaal sooriya kula vairiyena
Aaviyai parithadhanaal sooriya kula vairiyena
Amaindha parasuraaman aanavanae
Dhaevargal sirai meetta raavanaadhi uyir maaitha
Dhaevargal sirai meetta raavanaadhi uyir maaitha
Dhasaradha sri raama avadhaaranae
Dhasaradha sri raama avadhaaranae
Boovulagilae uzhavor pugazhum kalappai thannai
Boovulagilae uzhavor pugazhum kalappai thannai
Puyanthanil thaangi nindra balaraamanae… ae… ae…
Aavani rohiniyil ashtamiyilae
Artta jaama naerathilae avadharithonae
Aavani rohiniyil ashtamiyilae
Artta jaama naerathilae avadharithonae
Aayarpaadi maeviya yasodhai nandhalaalaa…
Aa… aa… aa…
Aayarpaadi maeviya yasodhai nandhalaalaa
Pathinaayiram gopiyar paramaanandha lolaa
Pathinaayiram gopiyar paramaanandha lolaa
Boo baaram theerkka baaradha por muditha seelaa
Boo baaram theerkka baaradha por muditha seelaa
Gopaala kirushnanaana aadhimoolaa paripaalaa
Aavani rohiniyil ashtamiyilae
Artha jaama naerathilae avadharithonae
Panja paadhagam vaadhudan kodiya
Vanjagam mithra baedhagam
Panja paadhagam vaadhudan kodiya
Vanjagam mithra baedhagam
Seiya anjidaadhavar aadidum naadaga maedai
Aadiya kaliyugam azhikkavae dharmam thazhaikkavae
Anburuvaagiya kalki avadhaaranae
Singaaranae dhasaavadhaaran neeyae
{Paarkadal alai melae paambanaiyin melae
Palli kondaai ranghanaadhaa…} (2)
Upon the waves of the milk ocean, upon the serpent bed,
You rest in slumber, Lord Ranganatha...
Upon the waves of the milk ocean, upon the serpent bed,
You rest in slumber, Lord Ranganatha...
Seeking Your lotus feet each day, singing with blissful joy,
Seeking Your lotus feet each day, singing with blissful joy,
Grant me wisdom, O Lord, that I may find salvation!
Upon the waves of the milk ocean, upon the serpent bed,
You rest in slumber, Lord Ranganatha...
When the cruel demon Somukasura seized
and hid the four Vedas beneath the ocean waves,
When the cruel demon Somukasura seized
and hid the four Vedas beneath the ocean waves, and then
to redeem the precious earth... ah... ah... ah...
To redeem the precious earth and destroy that wicked foe,
You took the form of the Fish (Matsya), O Lord Vishnu!
When the gods and demons churned the deep ocean for nectar,
to support Mount Mandara upon Your back,
When the gods and demons churned the deep ocean for nectar,
to support Mount Mandara upon Your back,
With a domed, protective shell... ah... ah... ah... ah...
Taking the form of a Tortoise (Kurma) with a domed shell,
You assumed that wondrous form as Your glory soared!
When the vile sinner Hiranyaksha
Ah... ah... ah... ah... ah... ah... ah... ah... ah... ah...
When the vile sinner Hiranyaksha rolled the earth like a mat
and hid Mother Earth inside the seven seas, she called out:
'O Protector of the helpless! Protector of all living beings!'
'O Protector of the helpless! Protector of all living beings!'
And hearing her, You lifted the vast earth in the form of a Boar (Varaha)!
'Where is Hari? Where is he?
Tell me, where is he?'
When Hiranyakashipu roared, 'Where is he?'
his young son interrupted him, saying:
'Hari is everywhere! He is right here in this pillar too!'
'Hari is everywhere! He is right here in this pillar too!'
To resolve the crisis sparked by the boy's words,
with surging fury, tearing open the demon's giant body,
his bloated belly and his glistening entrails,
ripping him with Your sharp claws till blood gushed out,
O Lord who manifested as the Man-Lion (Narasimha)!
Bearer of the conch and discus, our benefactor, our supreme refuge!
Asking for three paces of land, measuring the earth and the heavens,
and placing Your foot upon Mahabali's head, O Vamana!
Asking for three paces of land, measuring the earth and the heavens,
and placing Your foot upon Mahabali's head, O Vamana! When Your father's
life was stolen, You became the sworn enemy of the royal kings,
Because they took your father's life, You became the foe of the warrior clans,
and rose as the axe-bearing Parashurama!
Freeing the gods from captivity and slaying Ravana and his kin,
Freeing the gods from captivity and slaying Ravana and his kin,
O Sri Rama, son of Dasharatha, who came down to earth!
O Sri Rama, son of Dasharatha, who came down to earth!
Carrying upon Your strong shoulder the plough praised by farmers,
Carrying upon Your strong shoulder the plough praised by farmers,
You stood tall as mighty Balarama! Ah... ah...
In the month of Aavani, on the eighth day of the moon under Rohini star,
at the quiet hour of midnight, You were born!
In the month of Aavani, on the eighth day of the moon under Rohini star,
at the quiet hour of midnight, You were born!
Beloved child of Yashoda and Nanda in the village of Ayarpadi...
Ah... ah... ah...
Beloved child of Yashoda and Nanda in the village of Ayarpadi,
who brought boundless joy to ten thousand cowherd girls!
Who brought boundless joy to ten thousand cowherd girls!
Noble Lord who ended the Mahabharata war to ease the earth's burden,
Noble Lord who ended the Mahabharata war to ease the earth's burden,
O primal protector who walked among us as Gopala Krishna!
In the month of Aavani, on the eighth day of the moon under Rohini star,
at the quiet hour of midnight, You were born!
Where the five deadly sins, endless conflict, and cruel
deceit and betrayal of friends run rampant,
Where the five deadly sins, endless conflict, and cruel
deceit and betrayal of friends run rampant,
on this stage where the shameless act without fear,
to end this raging Kali Yuga and make righteousness flourish,
You shall arrive as the Kalki avatar, the embodiment of love!
O charming Lord, You are the Master of all ten avatars!
Upon the waves of the milk ocean, upon the serpent bed,
You rest in slumber, Lord Ranganatha...
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Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This song is a grand devotional hymn describing the ten avatars (Dasavatharam) of Lord Vishnu, starting with a prayer to Lord Ranganatha reclining on the serpent bed Adisesha in the Milky Ocean. The lyricist systematically enumerates each incarnation—Matsya (fish), Kurma (turtle), Varaha (boar), Narasimha (half-man half-lion), Vamana (dwarf Brahmin), Parasurama (warrior with axe), Rama (prince of Ayodhya), Balarama (wielder of the plow), Krishna (the divine lover and guide of Mahabharata), and Kalki (the future avatar of love and righteousness to destroy Kali Yuga). Through vivid Tamil poetic imagery, the song recounts the divine feats associated with each avatar to destroy evil, rescue devotion, and restore righteousness (Dharma) on Earth.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Paarkadal alai melae / Palli kondaai ranganaadhaa...”
Matching second consonants across lines, e.g., 'Paarkadal' and 'Palli' (r/l rhyme family) or 'Undhan' and 'Padhamalar'.
Monaai (Alliteration)
“Sangu chakra dharanae upakaaranae aadhaaranae”
Repetition of initial consonant sounds within a line, such as 'Sangu chakra dharane upakaarane aadhaarane'.
Anaphora / Repetition
“Engirukkiraan hari engirukkiraan / Avan engirukkiraan solladaa”
Refrain and repeated line structure across stanzas detailing avatar attributes for rhythmic emphasis.
Did you know?
Trivia
Written by Udumalai Narayanakavi, a revered Tamil lyricist known as 'Kaviraayar', this song serves as a comprehensive musical narration of Vishnu's Dasavatharam in traditional Carnatic/film music style from the 1960 historical film 'Raja Desingu'.
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