ॐMantra.Tips

Kandar Alankaram Meaning — Line by Line

கந்தர் அலங்காரம்

Every verse and every word explained in English & Hindi

← Full PageComplete LyricsBenefits & How to Chant

Meaning — Line by Line

Every verse of Kandar Alankaram with its English meaning. Tap any word to hear it, or ▶ to recite the verse.

Verse 1#

kAppu

காப்பு பேற்றைத் தவஞ்சற்று மில்லாத வென்னைப்ரபஞ்சமென்னும் சேற்றைக் கழிய வழிவிட்டவா! செஞ் சடாடவிமேல் ஆற்றைப் பணியை யிதழியைத் தும்பையை யம்புலியின் கீற்றைப் புனைந்த பெருமான் குமாரன் க்ருபாகரனே.

kAppu pEtRaith thavanjsatRum illAdha ennaip prabanjcham ennum sEtRaik kazhiya vazhiviTTavA! senj saDADavimEl AtRaip paNiyai idhazhiyai thumbaiyai ambuliyin keetRaip punaindha perumAn kumAran kirubAgaranE.

MeaningKaappu: O ocean of grace, son (Kumara) of the great Lord who wears upon his reddish forest of matted locks the river Ganga, the serpent, the kondrai and thumbai flowers and the crescent moon — how graciously you showed the way for me, who have not the least merit or austerity, to cross over this mire called the world!

Verse 2#

nUl

நூல் இடுதலைச் சற்றுங் கருதேனைப் போதமிலேனையன்பாற் கெடுதலி லாத்தொண் டரிற்கூட் டியவா! கிரெளஞ்ச வெற்பை அடுதலைச் சாதித்த வேலோன் பிறவி யறவிச்சிறை விடுதலைப் பட்டது விட்டது பாச வினைவிலங்கே.

nUl iDudhalaich satRunj karudhEnaip pOdhamilEnai anbAl keDudhali lAth thoNDariR kUTTiyavA! kireLanjcha veRpai aDudhalaich sAdhiththa vElOn piRavi aRavich siRai viDudhalaip paTTadhu viTTadhu pAcha vinaivilangE.

Meaning(1) Me, who never gave a thought even to charity, me devoid of all wisdom — O how lovingly you joined me to the company of your unfailing devotees! O wielder of the Vel who split the Krauncha mountain — now the prison of birth is utterly opened, and the fetters of bondage and karma have fallen away.

Verse 3#

karumAn maruganaich semmAn magaLaik kaLavugoNDu

கருமான் மருகனைச் செம்மான் மகளைக் களவுகொண்டு வருமா குலவனைச் சேவற் கைக்கோளனை வானமுய்யப் பொருமா வினைச்செற்ற போர்வேல னைக்கன்னிப் பூகமுடன் தருமா மருவுசெங் கோடனை வாழ்த்துகை சாலநன்றே.

karumAn maruganaich semmAn magaLaik kaLavugoNDu varumA kulavanaich sEvaR kaikkOLanai vAnamuyyap porumA vinaichchetRa pOrvEla naikkannip pUgamuDan tharumA maruvuseng kODanai vAzhththugai sAlananRE.

Meaning(2) He is the nephew of the dark Lord (Vishnu); the one who, in courtship, won and bore away the daughter of the red deer (Valli); he who bears the rooster as his banner; the wielder of the war-Vel who destroyed the demons' deeds so that heaven might be saved. To praise him, the Lord of Tiruchengodu, is good — exceedingly good indeed!

Word-by-Word Breakdown

காப்பு
kAppu
The protective invocatory verse that opens the work (here addressed to Lord Murugan / Kumara)
பேற்றைத் தவஞ்சற்றும் இல்லாத என்னை
pEtRaith thavanj satRum illAdha ennai
Me, who have not the least merit or austerity (to claim any blessing)
ப்ரபஞ்சம் என்னும் சேற்றைக் கழிய வழிவிட்டவா
prabanjcham ennum sEtRaik kazhiya vazhiviTTavA
O you who showed (me) the way to cross the mire that is this world (prapancha)!
செஞ் சடாடவிமேல்
senj saDADavimEl
Upon (Shiva's) reddish forest of matted locks
ஆற்றை, பணியை, இதழியை, தும்பையை, அம்புலியின் கீற்றை
AtRai, paNiyai, idhazhiyai, thumbaiyai, ambuliyin keetRai
The river (Ganga), the serpent, the kondrai flower, the thumbai flower, and the crescent of the moon (worn by Shiva)
புனைந்த பெருமான் குமாரன்
punaindha perumAn kumAran
The son (Kumara / Murugan) of the great Lord (Shiva) who wears all these
க்ருபாகரனே
kirubAgaranE
O ocean of grace (Krupakara)! — the close of the Kaappu
இடுதலைச் சற்றுங் கருதேனை
iDudhalaich satRunj karudhEnai
Me, who never gave a thought even to giving (charity)
போதமிலேனை அன்பால் கெடுதலிலாத் தொண்டரில் கூட்டியவா
pOdhamilEnai anbAl keDudhali lAth thoNDariR kUTTiyavA
Me, devoid of wisdom — O how lovingly you joined me to the company of your unfailing devotees!
கிரெளஞ்ச வெற்பை அடுதலைச் சாதித்த வேலோன்
kireLanjcha veRpai aDudhalaich sAdhiththa vElOn
The wielder of the Vel who accomplished the splitting of the Krauncha mountain
பிறவி அறவிச்சிறை விடுதலைப் பட்டது
piRavi aRavich siRai viDudhalaip paTTadhu
The prison of birth (samsara) has been completely set free
விட்டது பாச வினைவிலங்கே
viTTadhu pAcha vinaivilangE
The fetters (vilangu) of bondage (pasha) and karma have fallen away!
கருமான் மருகனை
karumAn maruganai
The nephew of the dark one (Vishnu / Tirumal), Murugan
செம்மான் மகளைக் களவுகொண்டு வருமா குலவனை
semmAn magaLaik kaLavugoNDu varumA kulavanai
The one who (won and) bore away the daughter of the red deer (Valli) by stealth (in courtship)
சேவற் கைக்கோளனை
sEvaR kaikkOLanai
He who holds the rooster (the cock-banner) as his emblem
வானமுய்யப் பொருமா வினைச்செற்ற போர்வேலனை
vAnamuyyap porumA vinaichchetRa pOrvElanai
The wielder of the war-Vel who destroyed the (demons') great hostile deeds so that heaven might be saved
செங்கோடனை வாழ்த்துகை சாலநன்றே
sengkODanai vAzhththugai sAlananRE
To praise the Lord of Tiruchengodu (Sengodan) is exceedingly good indeed!

Origin & History

Source: Tamil devotional literature (Murugan / Kaumara tradition)

Author: Arunagirinathar

Period: c. 15th century CE

Kandar Alankaram was composed by Arunagirinathar, the Tamil saint-poet and supreme devotee of Lord Murugan. Tradition holds that after a wayward youth he was saved and graced by Murugan, who touched his tongue with the Vel, after which inspired Tamil poetry flowed from him. Where the Tiruppugazh is a vast garland of rhythmic songs and the Kandar Anubhuti a concentrated mystical cry, the Kandar Alankaram is his 'garland of ornament' — verses of dazzling poetic craft that adorn Lord Skanda with praise, recount his deeds and shrines, and voice the saint's wonder at the grace that freed him from the bondage of birth.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Kandar Alankaram?▼
Kandar Alankaram ('the adornment / garland of Skanda') is a famous Tamil devotional poem to Lord Murugan (Skanda / Kartikeya) by the saint-poet Arunagirinathar. Opening with a Kaappu (invocatory verse) and composed in highly ornamented verses, it praises Murugan's grace, his deeds and his shrines, and is one of Arunagirinathar's most beloved works alongside the Kandar Anubhuti and Tiruppugazh.
Who composed it?▼
It was composed by Arunagirinathar, the great 15th-century Tamil saint and devotee of Lord Murugan associated with Tiruvannamalai. After a turning point in his life he poured out thousands of inspired verses, of which the Tiruppugazh, Kandar Anubhuti and Kandar Alankaram are the most famous.
What does the word 'Alankaram' mean here?▼
'Alankaram' means ornament, decoration or garland. The work is a 'garland of adornment' for Lord Skanda — both because it adorns the Lord with praise and because it is composed in an ornate, alankara-rich poetic style celebrated in Tamil literature.
What are the benefits of reciting Kandar Alankaram?▼
It is recited for Lord Murugan's grace, for devotion and wisdom, and for the cutting of the bonds of karma and birth — themes the poet himself voices in the opening verses, marvelling that the Lord lifted him out of the 'mire of the world' into the company of his devotees. Individual verses are also chanted as potent mantras for protection and blessings.

Ready to start chanting?

See Benefits & How to Chant →