- Lyricist
- Sundara Murthy Nayanar
- Singer
- Seerkazhi Govindarajan
- Music director
- S. M. Subbaiah Naidu
- Movie name
- Sundara Murthy Nayanar
- Movie release year
- 1967
- Lyrics added on
- 10 Jun 2021
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This hymn is based on the sacred 'Thiruthondathogai' composed by Sundaramurthi Nayanar (Aaruran), one of the four chief Saivite saints. In this song, Sundarar demonstrates supreme humility by declaring himself not just a servant of Lord Shiva, but the 'servant of the servants' (adiyarkkum adiyen) of all the great devotees and saints (Nayanmars) of Shiva. He systematically lists various revered saints—such as Thiruneelakanthar, Iyarpagaiyar, Ilayankudi Maranar, and Kochengat Chola—as well as generic categories of devotees, such as those born in Thiruvaroor, temple priests, and holy ascetics. In the concluding verses, Sundarar identifies his lineage as the son of Sadaiyan and Isaignani from Thirunaavaloor. He provides a phala-shruti (promise of benefit), declaring that whoever listens to or recites these devotional verses celebrating Shiva's servants will themselves gain the divine grace and become beloved devotees of Lord Shiva at Thiruvaroor.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Refrain / Anaphora
“Thillai vaazh andhanartham adiyaarkum adiyaen”
The phrase 'adiyaarkkum adiyaen' (servant of the servants) is used repeatedly at the end of lines, reinforcing the central theme of absolute humility and devotion.
Ethukai (Second Letter Assonance/Rhyming)
“Illaiyae ennadha iyarppagaikkum adiyaen”
The Tamil poetic tradition of matching second letters across words or lines, such as 'Thillai' and 'Illaiyae' or 'Bhaktharaai' and 'Paramanaiyae'.
Monaai (Initial Letter Alliteration)
“Annavanaam aaruran adimaikettuveppaar”
Matching of initial consonant sounds across words, such as 'Annavanaam aaruran adimaikettuveppaar / Aaruril ammaanukku anbaraavaarae'.
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Trivia
This composition is adapted from the famous 'Thiruthondathogai', composed by Sundarar at the Devasiriya Mandapam inside the Thiruvaroor Thyagaraja temple. This single poem served as the primary source text that inspire Sekkizhar centuries later to write the 'Periya Puranam' (the hagiography of the 63 Nayanmars). In the 1967 film 'Sundara Murthy Nayanar', the song was powerfully rendered by the legendary carnatic vocalist Seerkazhi Govindarajan under S. M. Subbaiah Naidu's music composition.
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