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Mangala Nayagi album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Vadivelane Sivabalane

From Mangala Nayagi · 1980

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
P. Susheela
Music director
V. Kumar
Movie name
Mangala Nayagi
Movie release year
1980
Lyrics added on
2 May 2022

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Vadivelanae sivabalanae
Thirumaalin marumaganae
Vadivelanae sivabalanae
Thirumaalin marumaganae
Pazhaniyam padhiyinil iruppavanae
Adiyavan thuyaragalai thaduppavanae
Vadivelanae sivabalanae
Thirumaalin marumaganae
Thuyar kadhai en vaazhvil
Thodarkathai endraanaal
Kandum kaanaatha kolam enna
Thuyar kadhai en vaazhvil
Thodarkathai endraanaal
Kandum kaanaatha kolam enna
Alai kadal siru odam puyal vasam thadumaara
Vanthu kaavaatha maayam enna
Devanae ariyaayo thaayin ullam
Neeyum oru thaayin pillaithaan
Devanae ariyaayo thaayin ullam
Neeyum oru thaayin pillaithaan
Un manam nalla ponmanam alla
Kal manam endrum arinthaenae
Vadivelanae sivabalanae
Thirumaalin marumaganae
Oru malar kaniyaamal karugida vidalaamo
Annai naan seitha paavam enna
Oru malar kaniyaamal karugida vidalaamo
Annai naan seitha paavam enna
Anuthinam alangaaram aaraththi abhishegam
Yaavum naan seithu laabam enna
Velodu mayil meedhu odi vanthu
Pillai noi theerkka vendumae
Velodu mayil meedhu odi vanthu
Pillai noi theerkka vendumae
Shanmuganaathaa innarul nee thaa
Panniru kangal malaraathaa
Vadivelanae sivabalanae
Thirumaalin marumaganae
O Lord with the spear, son of Shiva,
Nephew of Lord Vishnu,
O Lord with the spear, son of Shiva,
Nephew of Lord Vishnu,
O One who resides in the holy town of Palani,
O One who removes the sorrows of devotees...
O Lord with the spear, son of Shiva,
Nephew of Lord Vishnu,
If the tale of sorrow in my life
has become a never-ending story,
why do you pretend not to see it?
If the tale of sorrow in my life
has become a never-ending story,
why do you pretend not to see it?
As a little boat struggles in a stormy sea,
why haven't you come to save it?
O Lord, do you not understand a mother's heart?
After all, aren't you too a mother's child?...
O Lord, do you not understand a mother's heart?
After all, aren't you too a mother's child?...
Your heart is not made of gold,
I have realized it is a heart of stone...
O Lord with the spear, son of Shiva,
Nephew of Lord Vishnu,
Can you let a flower wither away before bearing fruit?
As a mother, what sin did I commit?
Can you let a flower wither away before bearing fruit?
As a mother, what sin did I commit?
Decorations, waving of sacred lamps, and holy baths every day—
what was the use of doing all of them?
Come rushing on your peacock with your spear
and cure my child's illness!
Come rushing on your peacock with your spear
and cure my child's illness!
O Shanmukha (six-faced Lord Murugan), grant your sweet grace,
won't your twelve eyes open in compassion?...
O Lord with the spear, son of Shiva,
Nephew of Lord Vishnu,
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This emotional devotional song from Mangala Nayagi (1980) expresses a mother's agonized plea to Lord Murugan to heal her ailing child. She addresses the deity using various traditional titles—the bearer of the Vel, the son of Shiva, the nephew of Vishnu, and the Lord of Palani—while questioning why her life's hardships have turned into an endless saga of suffering. Using vivid imagery of a small boat tossed in a ocean storm and a flower scorching before it ripens, she laments her helpless situation. She challenges Lord Murugan's indifference, reminding him that he too was born to a mother, and questions the purpose of her daily religious rituals if her child remains uncured. Ultimately, she begs Lord Shanmuga to ride his peacock and use his twelve eyes of mercy to bestow his divine healing touch.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Uvamai (Metaphor/Simile)

“Alai kadal siru odam puyal vasam thadumaara”

Compares a helpless person in distress to a small boat caught in a fierce oceanic storm.

Metaphor

“Oru malar kaniyaamal karugida vidalaamo”

Compares a child suffering prematurely to a flower scorching away before turning into fruit.

Rhetorical Question

“Kandum kaanaatha kolam enna”

The speaker questions God's inaction and her own fate, expressing despair and grief.

Edukai (Second-letter Rhyme)

“Vadivelanae / Thodarkathai”

Rhyming of the second letter 'du' across lines for rhythmic emphasis.

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by V. Kumar with lyrics by Vaali, 'Vadivelanae Sivabalanae' is a quintessential example of a cinematic devotional lament ('Pulambal'). Expressed eloquently in the voice of P. Susheela, the song weaves traditional mythological iconography of Lord Murugan (Vel, Peacock, Palani, Shanmuga's 12 eyes) into a intense maternal melodrama.

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