Unnai Thaan Paarthen
From Sakthi Leelai · 1972
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- T. K. Ramamoorthy
- Details
- Sakthi Leelai1972
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Jagadheeswri arul konduvaa | Oh Goddess of the Universe, bring your divine grace! |
| Malar koonthalil mangkonduva | Bring fragrance in your flower-adorned hair! |
| Maganuku irandu kann konduvaa ahh | Bring two eyes for your son, ahh! |
| Male | |
| Unnai thaan parthen kangalile | I saw you with my very eyes. |
| Unnai thaan parthen kangalile | I saw you with my very eyes. |
| Unnaithane ninaithen naan ullathile amma | It is only you whom I contemplated in my heart, Oh Mother. |
| Unnai thaan parthen kangalile | I saw you with my very eyes. |
| Unnaithane ninaithen naan ullathile amma | It is only you whom I contemplated in my heart, Oh Mother. |
| Unnai thaan parthen kangalile | I saw you with my very eyes. |
| Male | |
| Karthigai piraipole poomugam kanden | I saw your flower-like face resembling the Karthigai crescent moon. |
| Kaalvarai vilaiyadum koonthalai kanden | I saw your long hair that plays down to your feet. |
| Saathiya maalai unakillaiyo amma | Do you not have a garland offered to you, Oh Mother? |
| Saathiya maalai unakillaiyo amma | Do you not have a garland offered to you, Oh Mother? |
| Thaye sambavam ninaivilaiyo | Oh Mother, do you not remember the incident? |
| Thaye sambavam ninaivilaiyo | Oh Mother, do you not remember the incident? |
| Unnai thaan parthen kangalile | I saw you with my very eyes. |
| Male | |
| Ambigai vanthathenna poiya meiya | Did Goddess Ambigai arrive, is it illusion or reality? |
| Anbudan azhaithathenna poiya meiya | Was calling me with affection illusion or reality? |
| Kangalil kandathenna poiya meiya | Was what was seen with my eyes illusion or reality? |
| Kaalgalil vizhunthathenna poiya meiya | Was falling at your divine feet illusion or reality? |
| Kodu vittu keelirangum | Descending down from the high peaks, |
| Megamentra koonthaluku | for your hair which resembles a dark cloud, |
| Maalaiyittu parthathenna poiya meiya | was adorning it with a garland illusion or reality? |
| Maalai konda devi unthan | Oh Goddess who accepted the garland, |
| Vasamulla konthal ondru | a single fragrant hair strand of yours, |
| Maalaiyudan vanthathenna | coming along with the garland, is it illusion or reality? |
| Poiya meiya | Is it illusion... or reality? |
| Poiya…. meiya | Is it illusion... or reality? |
| Poiya…. meiya | Is it illusion... or reality? |
| Male | |
| Unnai thaan parthen kangalile | I saw you with my very eyes. |
| Unnaithane ninaithen naan ullathile amma | It is only you whom I contemplated in my heart, Oh Mother. |
| Unnai thaan parthen kangalile | I saw you with my very eyes. |
ஜெகதீஸ்வரி அருள் கொண்டுவா
மலர்க் கூந்தலில் மணங்கொண்டுவா
மகனுக்கு இரண்டு கண் கொண்டுவா….!
Oh Goddess of the Universe, bring your divine grace!
Bring fragrance in your flower-adorned hair!
Bring two eyes for your son, ahh!
உன்னைத்தான் பார்த்தேன் கண்களிலே
உன்னைத்தான் பார்த்தேன் கண்களிலே
உனைத்தானே நினைத்தேன் உள்ளத்திலே அம்மா நான்
உன்னைத்தான் பார்த்தேன் கண்களிலே
உனைத்தானே நினைத்தேன் உள்ளத்திலே அம்மா நான்
உன்னைத்தான் பார்த்தேன் கண்களிலே
I saw you with my very eyes.
I saw you with my very eyes.
It is only you whom I contemplated in my heart, Oh Mother.
I saw you with my very eyes.
It is only you whom I contemplated in my heart, Oh Mother.
I saw you with my very eyes.
கார்த்திகைப் பிறைபோலே பூமுகம் கண்டேன்
கால்வரை விளையாடும் கூந்தலைக் கண்டேன்
சாத்திய மாலை உனக்கில்லையோ அம்மா
சாத்திய மாலை உனக்கில்லையோ அம்மா
தாயே சம்பவம் நினைவில்லையோ
தாயே சம்பவம் நினைவில்லையோ
உன்னைத்தான் பார்த்தேன் கண்களிலே
I saw your flower-like face resembling the Karthigai crescent moon.
I saw your long hair that plays down to your feet.
Do you not have a garland offered to you, Oh Mother?
Do you not have a garland offered to you, Oh Mother?
Oh Mother, do you not remember the incident?
Oh Mother, do you not remember the incident?
I saw you with my very eyes.
அம்பிகை வந்ததென்ன பொய்யா மெய்யா
அன்புடன் அழைத்ததென்ன பொய்யா மெய்யா
கண்களில் கண்டதென்ன பொய்யா மெய்யா
கால்களில் விழுந்ததென்ன பொய்யா மெய்யா
Did Goddess Ambigai arrive, is it illusion or reality?
Was calling me with affection illusion or reality?
Was what was seen with my eyes illusion or reality?
Was falling at your divine feet illusion or reality?
Descending down from the high peaks,
for your hair which resembles a dark cloud,
was adorning it with a garland illusion or reality?
Oh Goddess who accepted the garland,
a single fragrant hair strand of yours,
coming along with the garland, is it illusion or reality?
Is it illusion... or reality?
Is it illusion... or reality?
Is it illusion... or reality?
கோடு விட்டுக் கீழிறங்கும்
மேகமென்ற கூந்தலுக்கு
மாலையிட்டுப் பார்த்ததென்ன பொய்யா மெய்யா
மாலை கொண்ட தேவி உந்தன்
வாசமுள்ள கூந்தலொன்று
மாலையுடன் வந்ததென்ன பொய்யா மெய்யா
பொய்யா மெய்யா பொய்யா மெய்யா……!
பொய்யா மெய்யா…
I saw you with my very eyes.
It is only you whom I contemplated in my heart, Oh Mother.
I saw you with my very eyes.
உன்னைத்தான் பார்த்தேன் கண்களிலே
உனைத்தானே நினைத்தேன் உள்ளத்திலே அம்மா நான்
உன்னைத்தான் பார்த்தேன் கண்களிலே
Jagadheeswri arul konduvaa
Oh Goddess of the Universe, bring your divine grace!
Malar koonthalil mangkonduva
Bring fragrance in your flower-adorned hair!
Maganuku irandu kann konduvaa ahh
Bring two eyes for your son, ahh!
Unnai thaan parthen kangalile
I saw you with my very eyes.
Unnai thaan parthen kangalile
I saw you with my very eyes.
Unnaithane ninaithen naan ullathile amma
It is only you whom I contemplated in my heart, Oh Mother.
Unnai thaan parthen kangalile
I saw you with my very eyes.
Unnaithane ninaithen naan ullathile amma
It is only you whom I contemplated in my heart, Oh Mother.
Unnai thaan parthen kangalile
I saw you with my very eyes.
Karthigai piraipole poomugam kanden
I saw your flower-like face resembling the Karthigai crescent moon.
Kaalvarai vilaiyadum koonthalai kanden
I saw your long hair that plays down to your feet.
Saathiya maalai unakillaiyo amma
Do you not have a garland offered to you, Oh Mother?
Saathiya maalai unakillaiyo amma
Do you not have a garland offered to you, Oh Mother?
Thaye sambavam ninaivilaiyo
Oh Mother, do you not remember the incident?
Thaye sambavam ninaivilaiyo
Oh Mother, do you not remember the incident?
Unnai thaan parthen kangalile
I saw you with my very eyes.
Ambigai vanthathenna poiya meiya
Did Goddess Ambigai arrive, is it illusion or reality?
Anbudan azhaithathenna poiya meiya
Was calling me with affection illusion or reality?
Kangalil kandathenna poiya meiya
Was what was seen with my eyes illusion or reality?
Kaalgalil vizhunthathenna poiya meiya
Was falling at your divine feet illusion or reality?
Kodu vittu keelirangum
Descending down from the high peaks,
Megamentra koonthaluku
for your hair which resembles a dark cloud,
Maalaiyittu parthathenna poiya meiya
was adorning it with a garland illusion or reality?
Maalai konda devi unthan
Oh Goddess who accepted the garland,
Vasamulla konthal ondru
a single fragrant hair strand of yours,
Maalaiyudan vanthathenna
coming along with the garland, is it illusion or reality?
Poiya meiya
Is it illusion... or reality?
Poiya…. meiya
Is it illusion... or reality?
Poiya…. meiya
Is it illusion... or reality?
Unnai thaan parthen kangalile
I saw you with my very eyes.
Unnaithane ninaithen naan ullathile amma
It is only you whom I contemplated in my heart, Oh Mother.
Unnai thaan parthen kangalile
I saw you with my very eyes.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This classic devotional song from 'Sakthi Leelai' (1972) expresses intense devotion and spiritual wonder towards Goddess Sakthi (Ambigai). The devotee recalls a miraculous vision of the divine mother, describing her radiant appearance—a crescent moon face and long flowing locks descending like dark clouds. He desperately seeks her grace to restore sight (or spiritual vision) to her son. Throughout the latter half of the song, the lyricist delves into a philosophical interrogation of spiritual illusion versus reality ('Poiya Meiya'). The devotee ponders whether his experience of witnessing the Goddess, offering her a garland, and finding a strand of her fragrant hair entwined in it was a divine reality or a mystical dream.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Upamai (Simile)
“Karthigai piraipole poomugam kanden”
Compares the radiant divine face of the Goddess to the bright crescent moon of the Karthigai month.
Uruvagam (Metaphor)
“Megamentra koonthaluku”
Metaphorically describes the thick, long, black hair of the Goddess as dark rain-bearing clouds descending down.
Anaphora & Refrain
“Poiya meiya”
The rhythmic repetition of 'Poiya meiya' (Lie or Truth?) builds dramatic tension and philosophical reflection on divine maya (illusion) vs reality.
Monal / Etukai (Rhyming / Alliteration)
“Ambigai vanthathenna poiya meiya / Anbudan azhaithathenna poiya meiya”
Tamil poetic rhyming across lines using matching second consonant sounds ('Ambigai', 'Anbudan', 'Kangalil', 'Kaalgalil').
Did you know?
Trivia
'Sakthi Leelai' (1972) is a mythological film produced by Ramkumar Films. The soundtrack was composed by T. K. Ramamoorthy after his separation from the iconic Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy duo. Kannadasan's lyrics in 'Poiya Meiya' draw inspiration from traditional Tamil temple legends where devotional miracles involving divine hair strands in temple garlands (such as the legend of Thirukannapuram or Thiruvannamalai) are questioned and validated.
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