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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Thaaye Un Seyal

From Iru Sagodharigal · 1957

Lyricist
Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass
Singers
T. V. Rathinam, M. L. Vasanthakumari
Music director
S. Rajeswara Rao
Details
Iru Sagodharigal1957

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Thaayae un seiyalallavoO Mother, is this not your divine doing?
Tamil thaayae un seyallalavoO Mother Tamil, is this not your divine doing?
Inba thaalaatti arivendra paaloottumSinging a blissful lullaby and feeding the milk of wisdom,
Senthamizh thaayae un seyallallavoO Mother of pure Tamil, is this not your doing?
Inba thaalaatti arivendra paaloottumSinging a blissful lullaby and feeding the milk of wisdom,
Senthamizh thaayae un seyallallavoO Mother of pure Tamil, is this not your doing?
Female
Neeyae en kalai vaanilaeYou alone are in the sky of my arts,
Aa…aaa….aa….Aa... aaa... aa...
Neeyae en kalai vaanilaeYou alone are in the sky of my arts,
Minnum nithiyaana mathiyallavoAre you not the eternal moon shining bright?
Neeyae en kalai vaanilaeYou alone are in the sky of my arts,
Minnum nithiyaana mathiyallavoAre you not the eternal moon shining bright?
Kavi ninaivodu vilaiyaadumPlaying delightfully with the poet's thoughts,
Thiruvae unai maravaen ini senthamizhO divine one, I shall never forget you from now, O pure Tamil,
Female
Thaayae un seiyalallavoO Mother, is this not your doing?
Female
Iyal isai muraiyoduWith the harmonious order of literature and music,
Ezhil mevum raniThe graceful queen,
Ilakkiya suvaiyoduRich with literary sweetness,
Inainthaadum vaaniThe goddess Saraswati who dances in unison,
Female
Uyirudan meiyyodu ongaaramae…aeThe sacred Om sound intertwined with soul and body, vowels and consonants...
Uyirudan meiyyodu ongaaramaeThe sacred Om sound intertwined with soul and body, vowels and consonants,
Un mozhiyil ulavum reengaarameThe melodious humming resonance that wanders in your language,
Uyirudan meiyyodu ongaaramaeThe sacred Om sound intertwined with soul and body, vowels and consonants,
Un mozhiyil ulavum reengaarameThe melodious humming resonance that wanders in your language,
Female
Ulagam pottrum amuthavaariThe ocean of nectar praised by the entire world,
Un thirumalar paathamae maravaenI shall never forget your sacred lotus feet,
Ini senthamizh thaayae un seiyalallavoFrom now on, O Mother of pure Tamil, is this not your doing?
Female
Thaayae un seiyalallavoO Mother, is this not your doing?
Thaayae un seiyalallavoO Mother, is this not your doing?
Thaayae un seiyalallavoO Mother, is this not your doing?
Thaayae un seiyalallavoO Mother, is this not your doing?
Thaayae un seiyalallavoO Mother, is this not your doing?

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This classic song is a deeply devotional tribute praising Mother Tamil (Tamil Thai) as the divine catalyst for all wisdom, artistic talent, and creative thought. The speaker attributes all musical and literary accomplishments to Mother Tamil, who lulls her devotees with blissful music and feeds them the milk of intelligence. She is poetically envisioned as the eternal moon illuminating the sky of fine arts and as the supreme queen embodying prose, music, and literature. Furthermore, lyricist Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass creatively weaves Tamil grammatical terms—'Uyir' (vowels/soul) and 'Meiy' (consonants/body)—into a profound spiritual metaphor, illustrating how Tamil forms the divine vibration (Ongaaram) that fills the universe. The singers offer complete gratitude and surrender, vowing to never forget her sacred lotus feet.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Uruvagam (Metaphor)

Inba thaalaatti arivendra paaloottum

Compares wisdom directly to milk ('arivendra paal'), representing how knowledge nurtures the mind like mother's milk.

Visual Imagery & Metaphor

Neeyae en kalai vaanilae / Minnum nithiyaana mathiyallavo

Compares Mother Tamil to an eternal moon ('nithiyaana mathi') shining in the sky of creative arts ('kalai vaan').

Siledai / Double Entendre (Grammatical & Spiritual Metaphor)

Uyirudan meiyyodu ongaaramae

Plays on the dual meanings of 'Uyir' (Soul/Vowel) and 'Meiy' (Body/Consonant), equating Tamil language structure with cosmic creation and divine sound.

Ethirai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Iyal isai muraiyodu / Ezhil mevum rani

Features the second-letter rhyming pattern typical of classical Tamil poetry ('Iyal' / 'Ezhil' and 'Ilakkiya' / 'Inainthaadum').

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by S. Rajeswara Rao for the 1957 movie 'Iru Sagodharigal', this classical piece stands out as a rare duet between two titans of Carnatic music and Tamil playback singing: T. V. Rathinam and M. L. Vasanthakumari. Lyricist Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass ingeniously integrated Tamil linguistic grammatical terms (Uyir and Meiy) into a devotional song praising Mother Tamil.

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