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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Sangam Valartha

From Murugan Adimai · 1977

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
T. M. Soundararajan
Music director
K. V. Mahadevan
Details
Murugan Adimai1977

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Evan magan endro naanWhose son is he, I wondered,
Edhirthu nindrenAnd stood opposing him.
Haa…aa…Ah... ah...
Evan magan endro naan edhirthu nindrenAsking whose son he might be, I stood in opposition,
Ingae sivan maganai kandu thigaithu nindrenBut here, seeing the son of Lord Shiva, I stood stunned in awe!
Evan magan endro naan edhirthu nindrenAsking whose son he might be, I stood in opposition,
Ingae sivan maganai kandu thigaithu nindrenBut here, seeing the son of Lord Shiva, I stood stunned in awe!
Unnidamae andru adam pidithenThat day, I obstinately argued with you,
Unnidamae andru adam pidithenThat day, I obstinately argued with you,
Indru un thiru nenjinilae idam pidithenToday, I have found a place in your sacred heart!
Male
Sangam valartha thamizh neeyallavaAre you not the very Tamil nurtured by the Sangam academy?
Endhan thalamai kavingan indha kugan allavaIs not Lord Kugan my supreme poet laureate?
Swami maganallava gyaana guruvallavaIs he not the Son of the Lord, the guru of supreme wisdom?
Sangam valartha thamizh neeyallavaAre you not the very Tamil nurtured by the Sangam academy?
Male
Muttaiyil kunjondru veli vandhadhuA chick hatched out from the egg,
Indha moorthi thirumugathil oli vandhadhuA divine radiance appeared on the face of this holy deity!
Muttaiyil kunjondru veli vandhadhuA chick hatched out from the egg,
Indha moorthi thirumugathil oli vandhadhuA divine radiance appeared on the face of this holy deity!
Pettaiyai sevalaiyum idhu vendrathuIt vanquished both the hen and the rooster,
Pettaiyai sevalaiyum idhu vendrathuIt vanquished both the hen and the rooster,
En paedhamaiyai indrenakku purigindrathuToday, I realize my own foolishness!
Male
Sangam valartha thamizh neeyallavaAre you not the very Tamil nurtured by the Sangam academy?
Endhan thalamai kavingan indha kugan allavaIs not Lord Kugan my supreme poet laureate?
Swami maganallava gyaana guruvallavaIs he not the Son of the Lord, the guru of supreme wisdom?
Sangam valartha thamizh neeyallavaAre you not the very Tamil nurtured by the Sangam academy?
Male
Paruvathil siriya velavaOh Velan, though young in age,
En pagutharivae neeyallavaAre you not my very power of rational thought?
Uruvathai kandu igazhvadhaShould I mock him seeing his youthful form?
En ullathai kandu pugalvadhaOr praise him seeing the greatness of his divine soul?
Male
Aadhara moorthi en appanaeOh my father, the primordial supporting deity,
Nee ariyaadha pillaiyaa subbanaeAre you an ignorant child, Subba?
Naadha endrae aadinenI danced calling out 'Oh Lord!',
En naa thaangum varai paadinenI sang as long as my tongue could sustain,
Paadinen paadinen paadinen…I sang, I sang, I sang...
Male
Sangam valartha thamizh neeyallavaAre you not the very Tamil nurtured by the Sangam academy?
Endhan thalamai kavingan indha kugan allavaIs not Lord Kugan my supreme poet laureate?
Swami maganallava gyaana guruvallavaIs he not the Son of the Lord, the guru of supreme wisdom?
Sangam valartha thamizh neeyallavaAre you not the very Tamil nurtured by the Sangam academy?

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This devotional song captures a profound moment of divine enlightenment, humility, and surrender. The singer reflects on his initial arrogance when he opposed Lord Murugan, failing to recognize His divinity. Upon witnessing the divine radiance and wisdom of Murugan, the son of Shiva, the singer's pride dissolves into awe and reverence. The hymn celebrates Lord Murugan as the living incarnation of the sacred Tamil language nurtured by the Madurai Tamil Sangam, the supreme celestial poet, and the guru of divine wisdom. The singer surrenders his intellect and voice in total devotion, singing praise as long as his tongue can sustain.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagamm)

Sangam valartha thamizh neeyallava

Equating Lord Murugan directly to the pure Tamil language cultivated by the ancient Sangam literary academies.

Repetition (Adukku Thodar)

Paadinen paadinen paadinen…

Empathetic repetition of 'Paadinen' to express intense ecstatic devotion and continuous singing.

Rhyme / Iyaibu

Muttaiyil kunjondru veli vandhadhu / Indha moorthi thirumugathil oli vandhadhu

End rhyming pattern using 'vandhadhu' across consecutive lines to add rhythmic melody to the composition.

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Trivia

This song is deeply rooted in Tamil literary folklore, referencing the story of Nakkeerar, the head of the Madurai Tamil Sangam, who challenged Lord Murugan's youthful disguise before recognizing His supreme divinity. Composed by K. V. Mahadevan and rendered with classical grandeur by T. M. Soundararajan, Kannadasan's lyrics beautifully weave classical Tamil literary heritage with devotional fervor.

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