- Lyricist
- Papanasam Sivan
- Singer
- M. S. Subbulakshmi
- Music director
- S. V. Venkatraman
- Movie name
- Meera (1945) Film
- Movie release year
- 1945
- Lyrics added on
- 21 Jul 2019
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This devotional song reflects on the omnipresent and boundless nature of Lord Krishna. It questions the idea of confining the cosmic deity—who fills the entire cosmos, earth, and sky—to a single physical idol. Instead, the lyrics urge the seeker to recognize Krishna's divine presence everywhere in nature: in gold, gems, fruits, flowers, and every living soul. The ultimate purpose of all divine love and human devotion is to merge at the feet of Lord Krishna, yielding eternal, unceasing joy.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Rhetorical Question (Vina)
“Vikkiragam ondril adanginano”
The line asks whether the infinite Lord who fills heaven and earth can be limited to a single idol, emphasizing His omnipresence.
Anaphora / Repetition (Irattai Kilavi / Sorkal)
“Ponnil maniyil kaniyil malaril”
The listing of natural objects with rhyming locative suffixes creates a rhythmic, musical cadence highlighting nature's variety.
Metaphor (Uruvagamm)
“Kannan arul vella thee valaiyae”
Compares Krishna's divine grace to a vast flood ('arul vellam') that encompasses all earthly treasures.
Did you know?
Trivia
This iconic song comes from the classic 1945 movie 'Meera', starring the legendary Carnatic vocalist M. S. Subbulakshmi and directed by American filmmaker Ellis R. Dungan. The song's lyrics were penned by Tamil poet-composer Papanasam Sivan, while the music for the film was composed by S. V. Venkatraman, making it a cornerstone of Tamil cinema's musical history.
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