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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Thillai Ambala

From Rajapart Rangadurai · 1973

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
T. M. Soundararajan
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Details
Rajapart Rangadurai1973

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Thillai ambala thalam ondrirukkudhaam…They say there is a sacred shrine in Thillai Ambalam...
Male
Aamaa adhan paeru thaanYes, its name is...
Chidhambaramnu solluvaa enna ippoThey call it Chidambaram. What about it now?
Male
Thillai ambala thalam ondrirukkudhaamThey say there is a sacred shrine in Thillai Ambalam.
Adhai kanda perkkuFor those who behold it,
Janana marana piniyai karukkudhaamIt burns away the disease of birth and death.
Male
Unmai thaanThat is true.
Anga poi bagavaana dharisanam pannittu vandhaaIf one goes there and returns after seeing God,
Jenmamae saabalyam adaiyumOne's entire life achieves fulfillment.
Male
Poi varugaPermit me to go and return.
Male
YaarudaaWho is that?
Male
Naan poi varuga uthaaram thaarumaeIt is me, please grant permission for me to go and return.
Male
Aa neeyaaAh, is it you?
Male
Ungal ponnadiyai pottrinenI praise your golden feet,
Thiruk kannaal paarumae en swaamiLook at me with your holy eyes, my Lord!
Male
Thillai ambala thalam ondrirukkudhaamThey say there is a sacred shrine in Thillai Ambalam.
Adhai kanda perkkuFor those who behold it,
Janana marana piniyai karukkudhaamIt burns away the disease of birth and death.
Male
Nandhaa unna nambiNandan, trusting you,
Naarppadhu vaeli nelatha vittu vachirukkenI have left forty vaeli of farmland in your care.
Indha nelamaila thillai unakkoru kaedaaIn this situation, do you really need Thillai right now?
Indhaa paar ellaathaiyum uzhudhu payirittuLook here, plow all the fields and sow the crops,
Aruvada seidhittu adhukkapparamHarvest them, and after that,
Enga venaalum po vaelaiyai paarGo wherever you want. Get to work!
Male
Aandae aandaeMaster, master...
Male
Podaa velaiyai paardaaGet lost and go do your work!
Male
Naalai pogaamal naan iruppaeno…oo…Will I stay back without going tomorrow?
Indha naarum udalai kandu kalippaenoWill I rejoice looking at this foul body?
Naan naalai pogaamal naan iruppaenoWill I stay back without going tomorrow?
Indha naarum udalai kandu kalippaenoWill I rejoice looking at this foul body?
Naalai pogaamal naan iruppaeno… oo…Will I stay back without going tomorrow?
Indha naakku narambum innum sumappaenoMust I bear these sinews and flesh any longer?
Naalai pogaamal naan iruppaeno..oo…oo…oo..ooWill I stay back without going tomorrow?
Naalai pogaamal naan iruppaeno…Will I stay back without going tomorrow?

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This musical dialogue sequence from 'Rajapart Rangadurai' recreates the story of Bhakta Nandanar, an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva belonging to an oppressed caste, who yearns to visit the sacred temple of Chidambaram (Thillai). Nandanar humbly begs his Brahmin landlord for permission to make the pilgrimage, explaining the immense spiritual salvation associated with viewing Lord Shiva at Thillai.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagaimai)

Janana marana piniyai karukkudhaam

Describing the endless cycle of rebirths as a disease ('Janana marana pini') that gets burned away upon visiting Thillai.

Edhukai (Second Letter Rhyme)

Indha naarum udalai kandu kalippaeno

Rhyming of the second letter 'da' in 'Udalai' and 'Naalai'.

Imagery / Realism

Indha naakku narambum innum sumappaeno

Using visceral imagery ('naarum udalai' meaning stinking body, 'naakku narambu' meaning tongue and sinews) to convey the temporal nature of physical human existence versus spiritual devotion.

Did you know?

Trivia

This sequence pays homage to Gopalakrishna Bharathi's classic 19th-century Tamil opera 'Nandanar Charithram'. In 'Rajapart Rangadurai' (1973), actor Sivaji Ganesan plays a stage actor who performs this famous scene on stage. The music for the film was composed by M. S. Viswanathan, and this classical track features vocals by T. M. Soundararajan.

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