Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Thiruvarutchelvar album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Panniner Mozhiyaal

From Thiruvarutchelvar · 1967

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
T. M. Soundararajan, Master Maharajan
Music director
K. V. Mahadevan
Movie name
Thiruvarutchelvar
Movie release year
1967
Lyrics added on
14 Oct 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Panninaer mozhiyaal
Umai pangaro…oo oo
Manninaar balam sei marai kaadaro…
Kanninaal umai kaana kadhavinai…
Thinnamaaga thirandharul seiminaen…
Aaa….aaa….aaa…aaa…aaa…aa…aa..aa…aa…
Aaa…aaa….aa…aa….haa…aaa…aa…haa…aa…aa…aa…aa…
Thaazh thiravaai…
Mani kadhavae thaazh thiravaai
Aalaya mani kadhavae thaazh thiravaai
Marai naayagan mugam kaana thaazh thiravaai
Marai naayagan mugam kaana thaazh thiravaai
Aalaya mani kadhavae thaazh thiravaai
Aaa….aaa….haaa…aaa…haaa…aa…aa..aa…aa…
Aaa…aaa….aa…aa….haa…aaa…aa…..aa…aa…
Mana kadhavum thirandha param porulae
Thiru kadhavum thirakka varam arulae
Mana kadhavum thirandha param porulae
Thiru kadhavum thirakka varam arulae
Aa… aaa… aa…aa…aa…
Iru karam kooppi unnai valam varavae
Aa… aaa…h aa…aa…aa…aa…aa…
Iru karam kooppi unnai valam varavae
Engum sivamayamaai malara thaazh thiravaai
Iru karam kooppi unnai valam varavae
Engum sivamayamaai malara thaazh thiravaai
Aalaya mani kadhavae thaazh thiravaai
Aadum thiruvadi kolam arindhida
Aranae thaazh thiravaai
Annaiyin maarbinil ponmani kandida
Sivanae thaazh thiravaai
Arul neri thelivura thirumarai pugazh pera
Anbae thaazh thiravaai
Oru murai iru murai pala murai ketten
Oliyae thaazh thiravaai
Iraivaa thaazh thiravaai
En thalaivaa thaazh thiravaai
Kadhavae thaazh thiravaai thaazh thiravaai…
Thiruchittrambalam… thiruchittrambalam…
Sivamayamae engum sivamayamae
Ini bhava bhayam illai endrum sivamayamae
Sivamayamae engum sivamayamae
Ini bhava bhayam illai endrum sivamayamae
Sivamayamae engum sivamayamae
Ini bhava bhayam illai yendrum sivamayamae
O Lord who shares Your body with Her whose voice is melodious music,
O Shiva who holds Goddess Uma as part of Yourself... oo oo
O Lord of Thirumaraikadu who grants strength to the people of the earth...
To behold You with our own eyes, open the doors...
Grant us the grace of opening them firmly...
Aaa….aaa….aaa…aaa…aaa…aa…aa..aa…aa…
Aaa…aaa….aa…aa….haa…aaa…aa…haa…aa…aa…aa…aa…
Unbolt the door…
O jewelled door, unbolt yourself
O jewelled door of the temple, unbolt yourself
Unbolt yourself so we may behold the face of the Lord of Vedas
Unbolt yourself so we may behold the face of the Lord of Vedas
O jewelled door of the temple, unbolt yourself
Aaa….aaa….haaa…aaa…haaa…aa…aa..aa…aa…
Aaa…aaa….aa…aa….haa…aaa…aa…..aa…aa…
O Supreme Being who opened the doors of my heart,
Grant the boon to open the sacred temple doors as well
O Supreme Being who opened the doors of my heart,
Grant the boon to open the sacred temple doors as well
Aa… aaa… aa…aa…aa…
To fold both my hands and circumambulate You,
Aa… aaa…h aa…aa…aa…aa…aa…
To fold both my hands and circumambulate You,
Unbolt the door so that Shiva's divine presence blossoms everywhere
To fold both my hands and circumambulate You,
Unbolt the door so that Shiva's divine presence blossoms everywhere
O jewelled door of the temple, unbolt yourself
To witness the divine beauty of Your dancing holy feet,
O Lord Hara, unbolt the door
To see the golden pendant upon the divine Mother's chest,
O Lord Shiva, unbolt the door
So that the path of grace becomes clear and the sacred hymns gain glory,
O Embodiment of Love, unbolt the door
I begged once, twice, and countless times,
O Supreme Light, unbolt the door
O Almighty Lord, unbolt the door
O my Master, unbolt the door
O door, unbolt yourself, unbolt yourself…
Thiruchitrambalam… Thiruchitrambalam…
All is Shiva, everywhere is filled with Shiva's grace
There is no fear of worldly rebirth anymore, forever it is filled with Shiva
All is Shiva, everywhere is filled with Shiva's grace
There is no fear of worldly rebirth anymore, forever it is filled with Shiva
All is Shiva, everywhere is filled with Shiva's grace
There is no fear of worldly rebirth anymore, forever it is filled with Shiva
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Male
Male
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This iconic devotional song from Thiruvarutchelvar (1967) recreates the sacred miracle at the Vedaranyam (Thirumaraikadu) Shiva temple. According to Shaivite lore, Saint Appar (Thirunavukkarasar) sang hymns pleading for the heavy temple doors—which had remained shut after the Vedas worshipped the Lord—to open so devotees could offer worship.\n\nThe lyricist Kannadasan draws upon classic Tevaram imagery, equating the physical unlatching of temple doors (thiru kadhavu) with the spiritual opening of the seeker's mind (mana kadhavu). Upon the doors opening, the song culminates in triumphant praise, proclaiming that the universe is suffused with Lord Shiva's presence (sivamayam) and all fear of the cycle of rebirth (bhava bhayam) is eradicated.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Second-letter Rhyming (Edgai)

“Panninaer mozhiyaal / Manninaar balam sei”

Matching of the second consonant in consecutive lines, such as 'nn' in Panninaer, Manninaar, Kanninaar, and Thinnamaaga.

Epistrophe (Anaphora Refrain)

“Aalaya mani kadhavae thaazh thiravaai”

Rhythmic repetition of 'thaazh thiravaai' at the end of multiple stanzas, amplifying the urgency of the devotional plea.

Metaphor (Uruvagaim)

“Mana kadhavum thirandha param porulae / Thiru kadhavum thirakka varam arulae”

Parallel alignment between the physical opening of temple doors and the divine opening of the human mind/heart.

Did you know?

Trivia

The song depicts the miracle where Thirunavukkarasar sang 'Pannin ner mozhiyaal' to open the locked doors of the Vedaranyam temple, after Thirugnanasambandar had earlier sung to close them. Composed by K. V. Mahadevan and sung magnificently by T. M. Soundararajan, it remains one of Tamil cinema's most famous devotional compositions.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

Brahmakalasha2025
Kantara : Chapter 1DevotionSpirituality
Thaayilar Ena Nenjagam1971
Arutperum JothiDevotionSpirituality
Arul Kann Paarvai1995
AanazhaganDevotionPrayer
Janani Janani1982
Thaai MookaambikaiDevotionSpirituality
Isai Kettal Puvi1972
ThavapudhalavanSpiritualityDevotional
Vaanukku Thanthai1977
Aadu Puli AattamDevotionSpirituality

From the same album

More songs from Thiruvarutchelvar

View album
Sithamellaam Enakku Sivamayame1967
ThiruvarutchelvarDevotional
Naadhar Mudi Melirukkum1967
ThiruvarutchelvarDesperate
Mannavan Vandhaanadi1967
ThiruvarutchelvarCelebratory
Sadhuram Marainthaal1967
ThiruvarutchelvarDevotional
Kadhalaagi1967
ThiruvarutchelvarDevotional
Irukkum Idatthai Vittu1967
ThiruvarutchelvarContemplative

Spot an issue?

Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.