- Lyricist
- A. Maruthakasi
- Singer
- Radha Jayalakshmi
- Music director
- G. Ramanathan
- Movie name
- Sarangathara
- Movie release year
- 1958
- Lyrics added on
- 15 Jan 2026
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This song is a classic example of 'Nindastuthi'—a traditional poetic device in Indian classical art and devotion where the devotee praises the deity under the guise of apparent blame, mockery, or complaint. The singer asks Lord Nataraja of Chidambaram (Thillai) why he displays such coldness or feigned anger towards her, playfully questioning if she accidentally offended him by speaking of his famous unconventional acts and mythical quirks. Throughout the lyrics, she lists sacred legends of Shiva—begging with a skull bowl, riding a single bull (Nandi), taking a bride from the Kurava tribe for his son Murugan, sharing half his body with Parvati (Ardhanarishvara), taking cane blows as a humble laborer carrying sand in Madurai, and wearing animal skins and snakes. Far from insulting the deity, these teasing rhetorical questions celebrate Lord Shiva's divine humility, transcendence over caste and social norms, and his infinite love for his devotees.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Nindastuthi (Allegorical Blame as Praise)
“Jaathiyum thaayum thagappanum illaadha Thaniyan endraenoo”
A major poetic figure in Indian devotional literature where apparent insults (calling Shiva family-less or a beggar) actually highlight his absolute, uncreated, and supreme divine nature.
Rhetorical Questioning (Anaphora)
“Adhanai sonnenaenoo / Vaai padham sonnenaenoo”
The repeated ending of lines with 'endraenoo' and 'sonnenaenoo' ('Did I say so?') builds emotional rhythm and underlines the playful innocence of the devotee.
Ethugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Paadhi piraiyai / Paramane thillaipadhi”
The second consonant 'dhi' matches in both line segments ('Paadhi' and 'Thillaipadhi'), creating harmony in classical Tamil prosody.
Monai (First-letter Alliteration)
“Marai oodhi vanangum nadaesare ummai naan... Eppodhum illaadha thippili endraenoo”
Alliteration and complementary sound matching across rhythmic phrases accentuating the Carnatic classical tempo.
Did you know?
Trivia
This composition from the 1958 movie 'Sarangathara' (starring Sivaji Ganesan and P. Bhanumathi) features music composed by the legendary G. Ramanathan and is rendered in a classical Carnatic style by Radha Jayalakshmi. The lyrics, penned by A. Maruthakasi, draw heavily upon traditional South Indian Carnatic Nindastuthi compositions (similar to the famous works of Marimutha Pillai and Anai-Ayya) which are prominently featured in classical Bharatanatyam dance performances.
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