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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Vaada Kanna Hari Hari

From Thambathigal · 1983

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, S. Jayashree
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Details
Thambathigal1983

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Vaadaa kannaaCome, my Krishna!
Hari hari gogula krishnaaHari, Hari, Gokula Krishna!
Vaadaa kannaaCome, my Krishna!
Hari hari gogula krishnaaHari, Hari, Gokula Krishna!
Female
Un mangai ullamthaanYour woman's heart indeed,
Oru gangai vellamthaanIs a flood of the river Ganges!
Un mangai ullamthaanYour woman's heart indeed,
Oru gangai vellamthaanIs a flood of the river Ganges!
Female
Nee neentha vanthaayoDid you come to swim in it?
Ennai yaentha vanthaayoOr did you come to embrace me?
Nee neentha vanthaayoDid you come to swim in it?
Ennai yaentha vanthaayoOr did you come to embrace me?
Siru poova vanthathu ponnaa minnuthuComing like a small flower, it shines like gold;
Vaa vaa endrathu vanthaa nallathu orae santhoshamIt called 'come, come', it's good that you came, sheer happiness!
Male
Vaadi bhaamaa harae harae saththiyabhaamaaCome, my Bhama, Hare Hare Sathyabhama!
Vaadi bhaamaa harae harae saththiyabhaamaaCome, my Bhama, Hare Hare Sathyabhama!
Male
Un kannan nenjamthaanYour Krishna's chest indeed,
Malar konjum manjamthaanIs a flower-adorned bed of love!
Un kannan nenjamthaanYour Krishna's chest indeed,
Malar konjum manjamthaanIs a flower-adorned bed of love!
Male
Nee naadi vanthaayo nizhal thedi vanthaayoDid you come seeking me, did you come seeking shade?
Nee naadi vanthaayo nizhal thedi vanthaayoDid you come seeking me, did you come seeking shade?
Ilam maanaa vanthathu meenaa thulluthuArriving like a young deer, leaping like a fish;
Thaanaa vanthathu thaenaa ponguthu orae sallaapamComing on its own, overflowing like honey, sheer joyful intimacy!
Female
Vaadaa kannaaCome, my Krishna!
Hari hari gogula krishnaaHari, Hari, Gokula Krishna!
Female
Rajagobalan kuzhalosai kettuHearing the flute music of Rajagopala,
Rathai thirumaeni vaadaathiRadha's beautiful body shall not wither!
Rajagobalan kuzhalosai kettuHearing the flute music of Rajagopala,
Rathai thirumaeni vaadaathiRadha's beautiful body shall not wither!
Male
Kadhal reengaaram kalaiyaatha veenaiThe everlasting veena playing love's hum,
Kannan viral meetta vaaraathoWon't it come for Krishna's fingers to play?
Kadhal reengaaram kalaiyaatha veenaiThe everlasting veena playing love's hum,
Kannan viral meetta vaaraathoWon't it come for Krishna's fingers to play?
Female
Intha radhaa vanthathumAs soon as this Radha arrived,
Male :Raagam vanthathuMale: Melody arrived!
Female :Naathaa endrathumFemale: As soon as she called 'My Lord',
Male :Naatham vanthathumMale: Divine sound arrived!
Both :Oraey sangeethamBoth: Sheer music!
Female
Vaadaa kannaaCome, my Krishna!
Hari hari gogula krishnaaHari, Hari, Gokula Krishna!
Un mangai ullamthaanYour woman's heart indeed,
Oru gangai vellamthaanIs a flood of the river Ganges!
Female
Nee neentha vanthaayoDid you come to swim in it?
Ennai yaentha vanthaayoOr did you come to embrace me?
Siru poova vanthathu ponnaa minnuthuComing like a small flower, it shines like gold;
Vaa vaa endrathu vanthaa nallathu orae santhoshamIt called 'come, come', it's good that you came, sheer happiness!
Male
Vaadi bhaamaa harae harae saththiyabhaamaaCome, my Bhama, Hare Hare Sathyabhama!
Vaadi bhaamaa harae harae saththiyabhaamaaCome, my Bhama, Hare Hare Sathyabhama!
Female
Baktha meeraavin paamaalai polaeLike the garland of hymns of devotee Meera,
Paadum thirupaavai neethaanoAre you the sacred verse being sung?
Baktha meeraavin paamaalai polaeLike the garland of hymns of devotee Meera,
Paadum thirupaavai neethaanoAre you the sacred verse being sung?
Female
Naalum kaadhodu naan ketkum geethaiAre you the Gita I listen to daily in my ears,
Odhum paranthaaman neethaanoThe supreme Lord who recites it?
Naalum kaadhodu naan ketkum geethaiAre you the Gita I listen to daily in my ears,
Odhum paranthaaman neethaanoThe supreme Lord who recites it?
Male
Oru kodhai vanthathumAs soon as Kodhai arrived,
Female :koyil kondathumFemale: And took abode in the temple,
Male :Bodhai manthiramMale: The intoxicating chant,
Female :Kannil sonnathumFemale: Spoken through the eyes,
Both :Orae ursaagamBoth: Sheer enthusiasm!
Male
Vaadi bhaamaa harae harae saththiyabhaamaaCome, my Bhama, Hare Hare Sathyabhama!
Un kannan nenjamthaanYour Krishna's chest indeed,
Malar konjum manjamthaanIs a flower-adorned bed of love!
Male
Nee naadi vanthaayo nizhal thedi vanthaayoDid you come seeking me, did you come seeking shade?
Ilam maanaa vanthathu meenaa thulluthuArriving like a young deer, leaping like a fish;
Thaanaa vanthathu thaenaa ponguthu orae sallaapamComing on its own, overflowing like honey, sheer joyful intimacy!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This playful duet from the 1983 movie Thambathigal features lovers engaging in romantic banter by poetically comparing themselves to Lord Krishna and his consorts Radha, Sathyabhama, and Kodhai (Andal), as well as devotee Meera. The heroine fondly addresses her lover as Gokula Krishna and Rajagopala, while the hero responds by calling her Sathyabhama and Radha. Lyricist Vaali beautifully weaves Vaishnavite spiritual imagery—flute music, Ganges floods, veena melodies, Thiruppavai, and Bhagavad Gita—into a romantic dialogue. The song celebrates mutual adoration, where love transforms into divine musical harmony and absolute joy.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagamm)

Un mangai ullamthaan / Oru gangai vellamthaan

Compares the woman's heart to a sweeping flood of the sacred river Ganges.

Simile (Uvamai)

Baktha meeraavin paamaalai polae

Compares the beloved's presence/song to the devotional poem-garlands of devotee Meera.

Rhyme and Wordplay (Emonai & Ethukai)

Intha radhaa vanthathum / Raagam vanthathu / Naathaa endrathum / Naatham vanthathum

Intricate internal rhyming matching 'Radhaa' with 'Raagam' and 'Naathaa' with 'Naatham'.

Alliteration (Moonaai)

Ilam maanaa vanthathu meenaa thulluthu

Repetition of consonant 'M' sounds across 'maanaa', 'meenaa', 'manjam', etc.

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Trivia

The song from 'Thambathigal' (1983) features music composed by M. S. Viswanathan with lyrics penned by Vaali. Vaali masterfully incorporated rich Vaishnavite literary allusions—referencing Meera, Kodhai (Andal), Radha, Sathyabhama, and Paranthaman—transforming a mainstream romantic duet into a classical devotional metaphor.

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