Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Valarmathi Kanniyinaanai

From Sundara Murthy Nayanar · 1967

Lyricist
Sundara Murthy Nayanar
Singers
Seerkazhi Govindarajan, G. Vaidehi
Music director
S. M. Subbaiah Naidu
Movie name
Sundara Murthy Nayanar
Movie release year
1967
Lyrics added on
12 Jun 2021

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Maadhar pirai kanniyaanai
Malaiyaan magalodum paadi
Maadhar pirai kanniyaanai
Malaiyaan magalodum paadi
Pothodu neer sumandhendhi
Puguvaar avar pin puguven
Both :Pothodu neer sumandhendhi
Puguvaar avar pin puguven
Maadhar pirai kanniyaanai
Malaiyaan magalodum paadi
Yaadhum suvadu padaamal
Aiyaaru adaikkindra pothu
Yaadhum suvadu padaamal
Aiyaaru adaikkindra pothu
Kaadhal mada pidiyodum
Kaliru varuvana kanden
Kaadhal mada pidiyodum
Kaliru varuvana kanden
Both :Avar thirupaadham
Kandariyaadhena kanden
Avar thirupaadham
Kandariyaadhena kanden
Valarmathi kanniyinanai
Vaar kuzhalaalodum paadi
Valarmathi kanniyinanai
Vaar kuzhalaalodum paadi
Kalavu padaadhadhoor kaalam
Kaanbaan kadaikann nikkindraen
Kalavu padaadhadhoor kaalam
Kaanbaan kadaikann nikkindraen
Both :Valarmathi kanniyinanai
Vaar kuzhalaalodum paadi
Alavu padaathathoor anbodu
Aiyaaru adaikindrapothu
Alavu padaathathoor anbodu
Aiyaaru adaikindrapothu
Female :Ilamana naaguthazhuvi
Yeruvaruvana kanden
Ilamana naaguthazhuvi
Yeruvaruvana kanden
Both :Avar thirupaadham
Kandariyaadhena kanden
Avar thirupaadham
Kandariyaadhena kanden
Maadhar pirai kanniyaanai
Malaiyaan magalodum paadi
Singing of the Lord who wears the beautiful crescent moon,
along with the daughter of the mountain king,
Singing of the Lord who wears the beautiful crescent moon,
along with the daughter of the mountain king,
Bearing fresh flowers and water in worship,
I follow behind those who enter His shrine.
Bearing fresh flowers and water in worship,
I follow behind those who enter His shrine.
Singing of the Lord who wears the beautiful crescent moon,
along with the daughter of the mountain king,
Leaving not a single footprint on the path,
as I reached sacred Tiruvaiyaru,
Leaving not a single footprint on the path,
as I reached sacred Tiruvaiyaru,
Along with its gentle, loving mate,
I saw a male elephant walking by.
Along with its gentle, loving mate,
I saw a male elephant walking by.
There, in them, I saw His holy feet—
sights I had never seen before!
There, in them, I saw His holy feet—
sights I had never seen before!
Singing of Him who wears the growing crescent moon,
along with Her of long, lovely hair,
Singing of Him who wears the growing crescent moon,
along with Her of long, lovely hair,
Before my time is stolen away by life,
I stand at His threshold seeking His glance.
Before my time is stolen away by life,
I stand at His threshold seeking His glance.
Singing of Him who wears the growing crescent moon,
along with Her of long, lovely hair,
With boundless, measureless love in my heart,
as I reached sacred Tiruvaiyaru,
With boundless, measureless love in my heart,
as I reached sacred Tiruvaiyaru,
Nuzzling its tender young mate,
I saw a noble bull walking by.
Nuzzling its tender young mate,
I saw a noble bull walking by.
There, in them, I saw His holy feet—
sights I had never seen before!
There, in them, I saw His holy feet—
sights I had never seen before!
Singing of the Lord who wears the beautiful crescent moon,
along with the daughter of the mountain king.
Male
Female
Male
Male
Female
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This classic devotional song originates from the holy Tevaram hymns of Saiva Siddhanta. It describes the divine ecstasy of a devotee traveling to the sacred town of Thiruvaiyaru. Carrying flowers and holy water, the seeker journeys with deep devotion to offer worship to Lord Shiva and Parvati. Upon reaching Thiruvaiyaru, the saint experiences a profound spiritual epiphany: every male and female creature in nature—such as elephants walking together or a bull with a heifer—is perceived as a manifestation of the divine couple, Lord Shiva and Goddess Shakti. The refrain 'Kandariyaadhena kanden' ('I saw sights I had never seen before') highlights the cosmic revelation that the entire creation is filled with Shiva-Shakti.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Moonaal / Initial Alliteration

“Maadhar pirai kanniyaanai / Malaiyaan magalodum paadi”

Matching initial consonant sounds in consecutive lines or words, such as 'Maadhar' and 'Malaiyaan'.

Imagery & Allegory

“Kaadhal mada pidiyodum / Kaliru varuvana kanden”

Use of natural animal pairings (bull and heifer, male and female elephants) as allegorical representations of the cosmic union of Shiva and Shakti.

Refrain / Repetition for Devotional Emphasis

“Avar thirupaadham / Kandariyaadhena kanden”

The phrase 'Kandariyaadhena kanden' is repeated as a refrain to express ecstatic wonder and divine realization.

Ezhukai / Second-letter Rhyme

“Kalavu padaadhadhoor kaalam / Alavu padaathathoor anbodu”

Harmonious rhyme of the second letter 'la' across distinct stanzas ('Kalavu padaadhadhoor' and 'Alavu padaathathoor').

Did you know?

Trivia

This hymn is famously attributed to Saint Appar (Thirunavukkarasar) in the Tevaram canon, capturing his legendary vision at Thiruvaiyaru where Lord Shiva revealed that all living pairs in the cosmos reflect Shiva and Parvati. In the 1967 movie Sundara Murthy Nayanar, S. M. Subbaiah Naidu composed the music, featuring the magnificent vocals of Seerkazhi Govindarajan.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

Sakthi Bhagavati1992
Villu PattukaranDevotionSpirituality
Thillai Vazh Anthanartham1967
Sundara Murthy NayanarDevotionSpirituality
Maari Magamaayi2006
SivappathigaramDevotionDevotional
Puthukottai Bhuvaneswari2000
Rajakali AmmanDevotionSpirituality
Adida Nayaandiya2010
GoaDevotionSpirituality
Maa Manakkuthu1959
PanchaliNatureSpirituality

From the same album

More songs from Sundara Murthy Nayanar

View album
Veruthen Manai Vazhkkaiyai1967
Sundara Murthy NayanarDevotional
Meela Adimai Umakke1967
Sundara Murthy NayanarDevotional
Ponnar Meniyane Pulitholai1967
Sundara Murthy NayanarDevotional
Parakkum Em Killaikaal1967
Sundara Murthy NayanarDevotional
Thillai Vazh Anthanartham1967
Sundara Murthy NayanarDevotional
Thalaiye Nee Vanangaai1967
Sundara Murthy NayanarDevotional

Spot an issue?

Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.