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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Thaga Thaga Thagayena Aadava

From Karaikkal Ammaiyar · 1973

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
K. B. Sundarambal
Music director
Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan
Details
Karaikkal Ammaiyar1973

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Odungaal odi ullam urugi isai paadungaalRun swiftly, let your heart melt, and sing music
Paada vandhaen param porulaeI have come to sing, O Supreme Being!
Odungaal odi ullam urughi isai paadungaalRun swiftly, let your heart melt, and sing music
Paada vandhaen param porulaeI have come to sing, O Supreme Being!
Aadungaal eduthu nadamiduvaai iraivaaDance, lift your legs and dance, O Lord!
Un thamizhamudhai paditha naan paadum padi…ee..So that I, who studied your Tamil nectar, may sing...
Un thamizhamudhai paditha naan paadum padi…ee..So that I, who studied your Tamil nectar, may sing...
Female
Thagathagathaga thagavena aadavaaShall I dance to the vibrant rhythm 'Thagathagathaga'?
Sivasakthi sakthi sakthiyodu aadavaaShall I dance with Siva-Shakthi, Sakthi, Sakthi?
Thagathagathaga thagavena aadavaaShall I dance to the vibrant rhythm 'Thagathagathaga'?
Sivasakthi sakthi sakthiyodu aadavaaShall I dance with Siva-Shakthi, Sakthi, Sakthi?
Female
Aala gaalanae aalangaattinilO Lord who consumed poison, in the forest of Thiruvalangadu
Aadidum naayaganaeO Supreme Leader who dances!
Neelagandanae vaedha naayagaaO Blue-throated One, O Master of the Vedas!
Needhiyin kaavalanaeO Guardian of Justice!
Aala gaalanae aalangaattinilO Lord who consumed poison, in the forest of Thiruvalangadu
Aadidum naayaganaeO Supreme Leader who dances!
Neelagandanae vaedha naayagaaO Blue-throated One, O Master of the Vedas!
Needhiyin kaavalanaeO Guardian of Justice!
Female
Thaala vagaigalodu maela thundhubigalAlong with types of rhythm, divine kettle drums
Muzhanghida or ganamaeResound at this very moment!
Kaalai thookkiyae aanandha thaandavamLifting your leg, perform the Blissful Dance (Ananda Tandava)
Aaduga mannavanaeDance, O Sovereign King!
Thaala vagaigalodu maela thundhubigalAlong with types of rhythm, divine kettle drums
Muzhanghida or ganamaeResound at this very moment!
Kaalai thookkiyae aanandha thaandavamLifting your leg, perform the Blissful Dance (Ananda Tandava)
Aaduga mannavanaeDance, O Sovereign King!
Female
Muthukkodi sakthi kulamagal viththukkoruAs a stream of support for the seed of the noble Sakthi lineage
Vellam thunaiyenaLike a vast flood as assistance
Bakthi kodi padarum nenjinil vilaiyaadaTo play within the heart where the vine of devotion spreads
Thiththippadhu iraivan seyalena pathu tharumIt is sweet to realize that all actions are the Lord's, granting refuge
Paraman thunaiyenaWith the Supreme One as eternal support
Suththakkoru manidhan kulamoru isai paadaFor pure humanity to sing as one music
Female
Kattru tharum oru vagai arivinilIn a kind of knowledge that teaches wisdom
Muttrum therivadhu pol manidhargalPeople act as if they know everything completely
Vettru pugazh peruvaar avargalum uravaadaGaining empty fame, and as they form bonds
Female
Thikku pala dhimidhimidhimiyenaWith sounds echoing 'dhimidhimidhimi' in all directions
Thakka thunai thagathagathagavenaWith 'thagathagathaga' as appropriate support
Thakka kadal alaiyena nadamidu ulagaalaDance like the fitting waves of the ocean to rule the world
Female
Immaikkum ezhaezhu piravikkum pattraagiBecoming the refuge for this birth and seven times seven births
Ezhilodu emaiyaala vaaCome with beauty to rule over us!
Iyal isai naadagam muththamizh thannilaeIn the three forms of Tamil: Literature, Music, and Drama
Iyangiyae ulagaala vaaFunction actively and come to rule the world!
Female
Ammaikkum naayagaa appanae aiyanaeO Master of Mother Goddess, O Father, O Lord!
Arasanae nadamaada vaaO Supreme King, come and dance!
Aadugira kaal azhagil kaadu podiyaaga venaMay the forest turn into dust by the beauty of the dancing foot
Ammaiyudan neeyaada vaaCome to dance along with the Divine Mother!
Female
Sirippukkul neruppondru varacheidha neeYou who caused fire to emerge from within a smile
Neruppukkul neer ondru tharacheidha neeYou who brought forth water from within fire
Sirippukkul neruppondru varacheidha neeYou who caused fire to emerge from within a smile
Neruppukkul neer ondru tharacheidha neeYou who brought forth water from within fire
Female
Karuppaikkul iruppkkum uyir thandha neeYou who gave life to the being existing within the womb
Kalippukkul ulagangal nadamaada vaaCome, let the worlds dance in joy!
Karuppaikkul iruppukkum uyir thandha neeYou who gave life to the being existing within the womb
Kalippukkul ulagangal nadamaada vaaCome, let the worlds dance in joy!
Female
Ulagathu nidhiyae samayaththu porulaeO Treasure of the world, O Essence of religion!
Idhayaththu arivae irulukkul oliyaeO Wisdom of the heart, O Light within the darkness!
Ulagathu nidhiyae samayaththu porulaeO Treasure of the world, O Essence of religion!
Idhayaththu arivae irulukkul oliyaeO Wisdom of the heart, O Light within the darkness!
Female
Aadavaa nadamaadavaaShall I dance? Shall I perform the divine dance?
Vilaiyaadavaa ulagaadavaaShall I play? Shall I make the world dance?
Aadavaa nadamaadavaaShall I dance? Shall I perform the divine dance?
Vilaiyaadavaa ulagaadavaaShall I play? Shall I make the world dance?
Female
Naadha geedha bodha vaedhaWith sound, song, teaching, scriptures
Bhaava raaga thaalamoduAlong with emotion, melody, and rhythm
Naadha geedha bodha vaedhaWith sound, song, teaching, scriptures
Bhaava raaga thaalamoduAlong with emotion, melody, and rhythm
Female
Adiyavar thirumudi vanangidaSo that devotees bow their sacred heads in reverence
Kodi uyarndhida padai nadungidaSo that the banner rises high and the armies tremble
Adiyavar thirumudi vanangidaSo that devotees bow their sacred heads in reverence
Kodi uyarndhida padai nadungidaSo that the banner rises high and the armies tremble
Female
Thagathagathaga thagavena aadavaaShall I dance to the vibrant rhythm 'Thagathagathaga'?
Sivasakthi sakthi sakthiyodu aadavaaShall I dance with Siva-Shakthi, Sakthi, Sakthi?
Thagathagathaga thagavena aadavaaShall I dance to the vibrant rhythm 'Thagathagathaga'?
Sivasakthi sakthi sakthiyodu aadavaaShall I dance with Siva-Shakthi, Sakthi, Sakthi?
Thagathagathaga thagavena aadavaaShall I dance to the vibrant rhythm 'Thagathagathaga'?
Sivasakthi sakthi sakthiyodu aadavaaShall I dance with Siva-Shakthi, Sakthi, Sakthi?
Chorus
Om nama shivaaya…(3)Om Namah Shivaya... Om Namah Shivaya... Om Namah Shivaya...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song is a sublime devotional hymn from the 1973 Tamil biographical movie 'Karaikkal Ammaiyar'. It portrays the deep spiritual fervor and ecstatic devotion of Karaikkal Ammaiyar towards Lord Shiva, invoking Him as the cosmic dancer who performs the Ananda Tandava in Thiruvalangadu. The lyrics praise Shiva's divine attributes—his drinking of the poison (Alahala), his blue neck (Neelakantha), his cosmic play (Lila), and his role as the ultimate light in darkness and the giver of life.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Anaphora / Rhyme (Monnai & Ethukai)

Aala gaalanae aalangaattinil / Neelagandanae vaedha naayagaa

Repetition of rhythmically matching syllables across line beginnings and internal rhyme, typical of Tamil devotional prosody.

Onomatopoeia (Oli-kkurippu)

Thagathagathaga thagavena aadavaa

Use of rhythmic solkattu words like 'Thagathagathaga' and 'dhimidhimidhimi' to emulate the sound of Lord Shiva's divine dance feet and drums.

Paradox / Antithesis

Sirippukkul neruppondru varacheidha nee / Neruppukkul neer ondru tharacheidha nee

Juxtaposition of opposing cosmic elements (fire within a smile, water within fire) to emphasize Shiva's omnipotence.

Metaphor

Bakthi kodi padarum nenjinil vilaiyaada

Describing devotion as a climbing vine ('Bakthi kodi') spreading across the heart.

Did you know?

Trivia

The film 'Karaikkal Ammaiyar' (1973) depicts the life of one of the 63 Nayanmars (prominent Shaivite saints). Karaikkal Ammaiyar is revered as one of the earliest poets of Tamil devotional literature who asked Lord Shiva for a skeletal form to abandon her physical beauty and forever witness Shiva's divine dance at Thiruvalangadu. The film featured music composed by Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan and legendary renditions by K. B. Sundarambal.

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