kurai ondrum illai marai moorthy kannas

Lyrics : Ragam: Raagamaalika
Composer: Rajaji

Pallavi…… (rAgA:  shivaranjani)

kurai ondrum illai marai moorthy kannas

kurai ondrum illai kannaa

kurai ondrum illai GOvinda (2)

(I have) no worries or regrets (kurai) not even one (ondrum illai)! Oh krishNa (kaNNA), (you are) the very essence/form (mUrti) of the vEdAs (marai).

Kannukku Theriyaamal nirkinraay kannaa

kannukku Theriyaamal ninraalum enakku

kurai onrum illai marai Moorththy kanna

krishNa (kaNNA), you exist (nirkinrAi) in a place/plane that my eyes (kaNNukku) are not able to fathom/visualize/understand (teriyAmal). Even so, even if you exist (ninrAlum) where my eyes cannot behold you, I have no worries or regrets, not even one!

Charanam 1

Vendiyathai thannthida Venkatesan nindru irukka

Vendiyathu Verillai marai Moorthi kannaa

Manivannaa malaiappaa Govinda Govinda

Oh essence of the vEdAs, as long as you exist as (yenru irukka) the Lord of the seven hills (vEnkaTESan) to grant (tandiDa) my wishes/requests (vENDiyadai), I do not have (illai) any other (vEru) request/need (vENDiyadu). Oh dark-hued (mani vaNNa) resident of the hills (malaiappA) of tirupati!

Charanam 2….. (rAgA:  kApi)

Thiraiyin pin nirkinraay kannaa - (2)

Unnai marai Odhum Nyaaniyar mattume kaanpaar (2)

endraalum kurai onrum enakkillai kannaa

Oh krishNa (kaNNA), you exist (nirkinrAi) behind/beyond (pin) a curtain (tiraiyin) [1], and only (maTTumE) realized souls like the knowledgeable (gnyAniyar) individuals well versed (Odum = literally read/chant) in the vEdAs (marai) can attain/realize/see (kANbAr) you (unnai). Even so (enrAlum), I have no worries or regrets, nary a one.

CharaNam 3

Kundrin Mel kallaagi nirkindra varathaa

kurai onrum illai marai Moorthy kannaa (2)

Manivannaa Malaiappaa Govinda Govinda

Oh bountiful one (varadA), as you stand (nirkinra) enshrined in a stone (kallAgi) atop (mEl) a hillock/mountain (kunrin), I have no regrets or worries, not even one.

Charanam 4….. (rAgA:  sindhubhairavi)

Kalinnaar-kiranngi kallile irangi

Nilayaaga Kovilil nirkindraai Kesavaa (2)

kurai onrum illai marai Moorththy kanna

Heeding to the needs/requests of kaliyug (kali nALukku), you consented (irangi = with compassion) to descend (irangi) in a stone (kallilE) vigraha and exist (nirkinrAi) permanently (nilaiyAga) in that temple (kOvilil) Oh kESavA.

CharaNam 5

Yaathum marukkaatha malaiyappaa - un maarbil

Ethum thara nirkum karunai kadal annai

endrum irunthida Ethu kuRai enakku (2)

ondrum kurai illai marai Moorthi kannaa (2)

Manivannaa malaiappaa Govinda Govinda

Oh Lord of hills (malai appA) who does not deny (marukkAda) anything (yAdum) to anyone who asks, as long as that mother (annai), the repository (kaDal) of compassion (karuNai), who exists (nirkkum) only to grant (tara) anything (Edum) and everything to her devotees, is established (irundiDa) in your (un) heart/chest (mArbil), how (yEdu) can I (enakku) have any worries (kurai)? I have no (illai) worries or regrets (kurai), none (ondrum) at all.

Meaning: (Adapted From http://www.chennaionline.com/music/thamizhsongs/2004/song17.asp)

Pallavi: I do not ("illai") have any ("onrum") problem ("kurai") Oh, KaNNa the vEdAs ("marai") personified ("murthi")! I do not have ("onrum illai") any problem ("kurai"), kaNNA! I do not have any ("onrum illai") complaint ("kurai"), Oh, gOvindA!

Anupallavi: You are ("nirkinrai") invisible ("kannuku theriyaada"), Oh, kaNNA! But even ("ninraalum") when you remain invisible("kannuku theriyaada"), I ("yenakku") do not have any ("onrum illai") problem ("kurai"), Oh, kaNNA! 

Caranam1: When there is ("enrirukka") Venkatesan to give us ("thandhida") what we want ("Vendiyadhai"), we shall not want ("Verillai") anything ("Vediyadhu"), Oh, kaNNA! maNivaNNa! malaiyappA! gOvindA!

Caranam2: You are standing ("nirkinrai") behind ("pin") a screen ("tiraiyin"), kaNNa! Only ("mattume") the wise men ("jnaaniyar") who are well-versed in the vEdAs ("marai Odum") can “see” ("kaan paar") you ("unnai"). Still ("enraalum") I do not have a ("onrum illai") problem ("kurai") (if I cannot see you).

Caranam3: You ("varadaa") are standing ("nirkkinra") like a stone ("kallaagi") on the hilltop ("kunrin mel"). I do not have any problem ("kurai onrum illai") still.

Caranam4: You have taken ("kalinaalukkirangi") this stone-form ("nilayaaga")  recognising this kaliyugA ("kalile"). You are permanently here ("nirkinrai") in this temple ("koyilil").

Caranam5: You do not refuse ("marukkaada") the request ("yAdum") from your devotees. The ever-merciful ("karunai-kadal") Goddess Lakshmi ("kadal annai")  is residing in your ("un") chest ("maarbil"). In that situation ("enrum irundida") what ("Edu") deficiency ("kurai") can I ("ennakku") have? I do not have any complaint ("kurai onrum illai"), kannA, maNivaNNa, malaiyappA, gOvindA!

General comments:

This song is unusual in several ways. First of all it is a rare composition by a person who is not a regular composer or a musician. Although Rajaji was a popular writer, he was not recognised as a composer. Secondly, unlike other devotional songs which lament the status of the composer and request the Lord to save them (authors) in this and the next life, this song does not lament nor request special favours. Instead, the song describes the contented state of mind of the composer. The composer does not want anything. He is just content with seeing and worshipping the Lord. He just admires the everlasting grace of Lord Venkatesa of Tirupati.

Rajaji does not make any distinction here between Lord Venkatesa of Tirupati and the incarnation Krishna (known as kaNNAn in Thamizh). He uses the names interchangeably. He expresses only a common concept that the Lord, though present in the stone form, is taking care of the needs of the devotees. However, the concept comes out so crystal-clear when one hears the song. Perhaps it is the melody because there is no splendour of diction in this song. The words used are so commonplace.

Another distinctive feature of this song is that this was sung by MS Subbulakshmi at her United Nations concert in 1969 arranged by the then UN Undersecretary-general C V Narasimhan. The song was set to music by Kadayanallur Venkataraman who has worked with MS for decades. It is now a highly popular song in the concert circuit. Almost every musician keeps it in his/her repertoire to be rendered either as a regular item towards the end or to be rendered at the request of the audience.

Rajaji also composed a benediction verse in English to be rendered at the same UN concert by MS.

Kurai Ondrum Illai

kurai ondrum illai' is one of the famous tamil devotional song which was tuned by Shri Kadayanallur Venkatraman, who was a close associate of Shri Semmangudi. Rajaji has weaved those beautiful words into an amazing song and here is a video sung by none other than the M.S.Subbulakshmi amma who has made this lively song divine and immortal with her soulful voice!

To mention the raagams, this is a Raagamalika, means the whole song is not based on just one raagam. The pallavi and anupallavi are sung in Shivaranjani while the charanam is rendered in Shivaranjani,Kapi and Sindubhairavi.

Below is the lyrics and meaning of this song.

Ragam: Raagamaalika
Composer: Rajaji

Pallavi
raagam : shiva ranjani

kuRai onRum illai maRaiMoorththi kaNNaa
kuRai onRum illai kaNNaakuRai onRum illai GOvinthaa

Anupallavi
raagam : shiva ranjani

kaNNukku Theriyaamal niRkinRaay kaNNaa
kaNNukku Theriyaamal ninRaalum enakku
kuRai onRum illai maRaiMoorththi kaNNaa
Charanam 1
raagam : shiva ranjani

VEndiyathai thanNthida VEnkaTEsan enRirukka
VEndiyathu VERillai maRaiMoorththi kaNNaa
maNivaNNaa malaiappaa GOvinthaa GOvinthaa
Charanam 2
raagam: kaapi

Thiraiyin pin niRkinRaay kaNNaa - unnai
maRai Othum NYaaniyar mattuME kaaNpaar
enRaalum kuRai onRum enakkillai kaNNaa

Charanam 3
raagam: kaapi

kunRin MEl kallaaki niRkinRa varathaakuRai onRum illai maRaiMoorththi kaNNaamaNivaNNaa malaiappaa GOvinthaa GOvinthaa

Charanam 4
raagam: sindu bhairavi

kalinNaaLukkiranNgi kallilE iRangi
nilaiyaaga KOvilil niRkinRaay KEsavaa

Charanam 5
raagam: sindu bhairavi

yaathum maRukkaatha malaiyappaa - un maarbilEthum thara niRkum karuNai kadal annaienRum irunthida Ethu kuRai enakkuonRum kuRai illai 
maRaiMoorththi kaNNaamaNivaNNaa malaiappaa GOvinthaa GOvinthaa

The meaning behind the divine lyrics:

I have no problem Oh, Lord, Kanna! I do not have anything to say, Kanna! I have no complaint, Oh, Govindaa! You are invisible, Oh, kanna! Yet, I have no problem, Oh, Kanna! When Lord Venkateswara is ready to give us what we want, why do we desire anything, Oh, Kanna! Manivanna, malaiappa, Govindaa! You are standing behind a screen, Oh Lord! Only those scholars who are well-versed in the Vedas can “see” you. Yet, I have no problem; No problem even if I do not see You.Oh Lord, You are standing on a hill. I do not have any problem still.You have incarnated yourself into a stone-form recognising the necessity during Kali Yuga. You are permanently here in this Temple. You do not refuse the request from any of your devotees. You also have the merciful Goddess Lakshmi residing in Your chest. So, what deficiency can I have? I have no complaint, Kanna, manivanna, malaiappa, Govindaa, Govindaa!Govindaa, Govindaa! Govindaa, Govindaa! Govindaa, Govindaa!