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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Thirukoil Katta Enni

From Subrabatham · 1977

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
Vani Jairam, Seerkazhi Govindarajan
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Details
Subrabatham1977

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Thirukoyil katta enniIntending to build a sacred temple
Porupposu vantha ennaiWhen I came taking up the responsibility
Veruppodu paarththaayae perumaalaeYou looked at me with aversion, Oh Lord!
Palar mithiththaalum vidamaattaen thirumaalaeEven if many trample upon me, I will not let go, Oh Thirumal!
Male
Thirukoyil katta enniIntending to build a sacred temple
Porupposu vantha ennaiWhen I came taking up the responsibility
Veruppodu paarththaayae perumaalaeYou looked at me with aversion, Oh Lord!
Palar mithiththaalum vidamaattaen thirumaalaeEven if many trample upon me, I will not let go, Oh Thirumal!
Male
Kanjinagar varatharajaOh Varadaraja of Kanchipuram
Un karunai perumai enna lesaIs the grandeur of your mercy a small thing?
Kanjinagar varatharajaOh Varadaraja of Kanchipuram
Un karunai perumai enna lesaIs the grandeur of your mercy a small thing?
Vaanjaiyudan enakku arulaTo bless me with affection
Kanji varathaa virainthodi varugaOh Varadha of Kanchi, come running fast!
Male
Thiruppani seivatharkku udanthaiSupporting the divine service
Nee thirukoyilil kondirukkum kuzhanthaiYou are the divine child housed in the holy temple
Thiruppani seivatharkku udanthaiSupporting the divine service
Nee thirukoyilil kondirukkum kuzhanthaiYou are the divine child housed in the holy temple
Female
Thinanthorum sevai seiya varavaShall I come to serve you every day?
Ranga srivilli puththoorin thalaivaaOh Lord of Srirangam and Srivilliputhur!
Thinanthorum sevai seiya varavaShall I come to serve you every day?
Ranga srivilli puththoorin thalaivaaOh Lord of Srirangam and Srivilliputhur!
Chorus
Bhoologa vaigunthavaasaa pugazhaagumOh dweller of earthly Vaikuntha, famed Lord
Sri ranga naatha sri ranga naathaSri Ranganatha, Sri Ranganatha
Sri ranga naatha sri ranga naathaSri Ranganatha, Sri Ranganatha
Male
Thiruvarangaththu ranganaathaaOh Ranganatha of Thiruvarangam
En sevaikku thunai puriya vaa vaaCome, come to support my service!
Chorus
Anantha pathmanaaba anantha vishvaroopaaEndless Padmanabha of infinite cosmic form
Female
Thiruvananthai pathmanaabaOh Padmanabha of Thiruvananthapuram
Unakku singaara koyil katta vaaCome to build a beautiful temple for you
Thiruvananthai pathmanaabaOh Padmanabha of Thiruvananthapuram
Unakku singaara koyil katta vaaCome to build a beautiful temple for you
Chorus
Naarayana naarayana naaraayana naarayanaNarayana, Narayana, Narayana, Narayana
Naarayana naarayana naaraayana naarayanaNarayana, Narayana, Narayana, Narayana
Naarayana naarayana naaraayana naarayanaNarayana, Narayana, Narayana, Narayana
Female
Guruvayur thanniloru kuzhanthaiA child in Guruvayur
Nadakka konjuthammaa irandu salangaiTwo anklets chime sweetly as he walks
Guruvayur thanniloru kuzhanthaiA child in Guruvayur
Nadakka konjuthammaa irandu salangaiTwo anklets chime sweetly as he walks
Female
Vara vendum srikrishna balaPlease come, Lord Krishna as a child
Niraintha varathodu anantha laalaaWith abundant blessings, joy-filled Krishna
Vara vendum srikrishna balaPlease come, Lord Krishna as a child
Niraintha varathodu anantha laalaaWith abundant blessings, joy-filled Krishna
Chorus
Pazhamai niraintha thirupathiyaeOh ancient, sacred Tirupati!
Engal azhagar malai karunai nithiyaeOh treasure of mercy at our Azhagar Malai!
Male
Solingar aalugindra mugamaeOh divine face governing Sholinghur
Paavam tholaivatharkku neeraadum kulameOh sacred pond where one bathes to erase sins
Solingar aalugindra mugamaeOh divine face governing Sholinghur
Paavam tholaivatharkku neeraadum kulameOh sacred pond where one bathes to erase sins
Male
Thondu seiyum adiyaargal thamakkuFor the devotees who serve you
Un sodhanai bodhumadaaYour testing is enough, Oh Lord!
Sodhanai theernthu un paathmalar thannilEnd the test and take us to your lotus feet
Engalai saernthidadaaMerge us into yourself!
Male
Thondu seiyum adiyaargal thamakkuFor the devotees who serve you
Un sodhanai bodhumadaaYour testing is enough, Oh Lord!
Sodhanai theernthu un paathmalar thannilEnd the test and take us to your lotus feet
Engalai saernthidadaaMerge us into yourself!
Male
Kondathu kolgai endrathil nindravarThose who stood firm in their resolve
Kumuruthal kelumadaaHear their anguish, Oh Lord!
Kondathu kolgai endrathil nindravarThose who stood firm in their resolve
Kumuruthal kelumadaaHear their anguish, Oh Lord!
Koyil piranthida vilaiyenilIf a temple cannot be built here
Vaigundathaththil saerththidaaAdmit us into Vaikuntha!
Vaigundathaththil saerththidaaAdmit us into Vaikuntha!
Vaigundathaththil saerththidaaAdmit us into Vaikuntha!
Female
Narasimma narasimma narasimmaNarasimha, Narasimha, Narasimha
Vaigundaa vaigundaa vaigundaaVaikunda, Vaikunda, Vaikunda
Sriranga sriranga srirangaSriranga, Sriranga, Sriranga
Female
Mai vanna maeni konda nerinathaOh Lord with a kohl-dark complexioned body!
Thirumagal thannai marbil vaiththa malar marbaOh flower-chested Lord who holds Goddess Lakshmi on his chest!
Mai vanna maeni konda nerinathaOh Lord with a kohl-dark complexioned body!
Thirumagal thannai marbil vaiththa malar marbaOh flower-chested Lord who holds Goddess Lakshmi on his chest!
Female
Nei koondhal vedhavalli thalaimagalaeOh supreme Lord of Vedavalli with oiled tresses!
Manam nirainthirukkum alamelu manathavanaeOh husband of Alamelu who fills the heart!
Female
Eththanaiyo ulagil vadiveduththaaiYou took so many forms in the world
Angu ellaa vadivilum penneduththaaiIn all those forms, you embraced womanhood too
Pithu pidiththa pennai ariyaayoDo you not know this woman who is madly in love with you?
Indru piththam thelinthathendru arulvaaypPlease bless saying that her madness is cured today
Female
Paandurangaa pandarinaathaPanduranga, Pandarinatha
Pannagasayanaa manivannaaReclining on the serpent, gem-complexioned Lord
Patmanabanae veeraraagavaaPadmanabha, Veeraraghava
Aadhikeshava srikrishnaAdikesava, Sri Krishna
Chorus
Rishikesha rishikesha sriranga srirangaRishikesha, Rishikesha, Sriranga, Sriranga
Thirumaalae thirumaalae narasimmaa narasimmaaThirumale, Thirumale, Narasimha, Narasimha
Narasimmaa narasimmaa rishikesha rishikeshaNarasimha, Narasimha, Rishikesha, Rishikesha
Sriranga sriranga thirumaalae thirumaalaeSriranga, Sriranga, Thirumale, Thirumale

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This soul-stirring devotional hymn from the 1977 movie Subrabatham is an ardent plea and pilgrimage across prominent Vaishnavite holy abodes (Divya Desams). The lyricist Kannadasan expresses deep devotion (Bhakti), depicting a devotee who encounters obstacles and hardship while striving to build a temple for Lord Vishnu. The song moves through invocations to Lord Varadaraja of Kanchipuram, Ranganatha of Srirangam, Padmanabha of Thiruvananthapuram, Guruvayurappan, Venkateswara of Tirupati, Azhagar of Azhagar Kovil, and Narasimha of Sholinghur. The lyrics capture the raw emotional turmoil of a devotee enduring divine trials, pleading with the Lord to ease the hardships, grant salvation, or admit the suffering soul into Vaikuntha. Towards the climax, it transitions into a ecstatic chanting of various holy names and forms of Vishnu, highlighting total surrender (Saranagati).

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Emoni (Second-letter Rhyme)

Thirukoyil katta enni / Porupposu vantha ennai

The second consonant sound 'r' aligns between 'Thirukoyil' and 'Porupposu', producing traditional Tamil prosodic harmony.

Anaphora (Repetition)

Naarayana naarayana naaraayana naarayana

Chanting the sacred name 'Naarayana' and 'Sriranga' repeatedly builds devotional fervor and rhythmic cadence.

Metaphor (Uruvagaimai)

Engal azhagar malai karunai nithiyae

Describing the divine feet as 'paathmalar' (lotus feet) and Azhagar Malai as 'karunai nidhi' (treasure chest of mercy).

Imagery (Visual & Auditory)

Nadakka konjuthammaa irandu salangai

Evokes vivid auditory imagery of child Krishna's anklets chiming sweet sounds in Guruvayur.

Did you know?

Trivia

Subrabatham (1977) featured a rich classical soundtrack scored by M. S. Viswanathan. Kannadasan's lyrics in this track serve as a grand tour of Vaishnava Divya Desams, combining elements of traditional Pasurams (Prabandham poetry) with cinematic devotional storytelling. The song showcases a brilliant vocal duet performance by Vani Jairam and Seerkazhi Govindarajan.

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