krishnaoothukkaduvenkata-kavitamil

𑌅𑌲𑍈𑌪𑌾𑌯𑍁𑌤𑍇 𑌕𑌣𑍍𑌣𑌾

அலைபாயுதே கண்ணா in Grantha · 𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

🕉️ hindu·📿 1× repetitions·🕐 Morning or evening prayer; especially during Krishna Janmashtami and in Krishna worship·📜 Tamil kriti of Oothukkadu Venkata Kavi, in raga Kanada, Adi tala (18th century CE)

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हिन्दी / देवनागरी తెలుగు தமிழ்ಕನ್ನಡ മലയാളം ગુજરાતી বাংলা ଓଡ଼ିଆ ਪੰਜਾਬੀ English සිංහල𑌗𑍍𑌰𑌨𑍍𑌥

Origin & Story

Tamil kriti of Oothukkadu Venkata Kavi, in raga Kanada, Adi tala (18th century CE) · Oothukkadu Venkata Kavi (Venkata Subbaiyer) · 18th century CE

Oothukkadu Venkata Kavi, a saint and composer devoted to Lord Krishna at Oothukkadu near Thanjavur, poured his love for the Lord into hundreds of kritis. In 'Alaipayuthe Kanna' he gives voice to the soul's overwhelming longing for Krishna — the mind tossing like waves at the music of the flute — in the mood of the gopis who could not bear to be apart from Him. The song, long treasured, has become one of the most popular of all Tamil Krishna kritis.

✦ As told in scripture

It is told that Oothukkadu Venkata Kavi was so beloved of Krishna that the Lord, as the dancing Bala Krishna of Oothukkadu, would respond to his songs; devotees hold that to sing 'Alaipayuthe Kanna' with true longing draws the same enchanting nearness of Krishna that the composer himself knew.

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Complete Text with Meaning

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Verse 1

𑌅𑌲𑍈𑌪𑌾𑌯𑍁𑌤𑍇 𑌕𑌣𑍍𑌣𑌾 𑌏̀𑌨𑍍 𑌮𑌨𑌮𑍍 𑌮𑌿𑌕𑌵𑍇 𑌅𑌲𑍈𑌪𑌾𑌯𑍁𑌤𑍇 𑌉𑌨𑍍 𑌆𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌤 𑌮𑍋𑌕𑌨 𑌵𑍇𑌣𑍁𑌕𑌾𑌨𑌮𑍍

alaipāyudhē kaṇṇā en manam migavē alaipāyudhē un ānanda mōhana vēṇugānam

Meaning:मेरा मन लहरों-सा उमड़ता और हिलोरें लेता है, हे कण्णा (कृष्ण) — यह आपके बाँसुरी के आनंदमय, मोहक संगीत के लिए व्याकुल होकर उमड़ता है। (यह ऊत्तुक्काडु वेंकट कवि की प्रसिद्ध तमिल कृति है, राग कानडा में।)

Verse 2

𑌨𑌿𑌲𑍈𑌪𑍇̀𑌯𑌰𑌾𑌤𑍁 𑌸𑌿𑌲𑍈𑌪𑍋𑌲𑌵𑍇 𑌨𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌰𑍁 𑌨𑍇𑌰𑌿𑌌𑌐 𑌯𑌵𑌳𑍋𑌟𑍁𑌮𑍍 𑌨𑍀 𑌕𑍁𑌌𑌅𑌲𑍍 𑌊𑌤𑌿 𑌕𑌲𑌕𑌲𑌵𑍇̀𑌨𑍍𑌰𑍁 𑌸𑌿𑌰𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌤𑍁 𑌵𑌨𑍍𑌤𑍇̀𑌨𑍍 𑌮𑍁𑌨𑍍 𑌨𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌕𑍁𑌮𑍍 𑌤𑌰𑍁𑌣𑌮𑍍 𑌇𑌤𑍁 𑌮𑌿𑌕𑌵𑍇

nilaipeyarādhu silaipōlavē ninṟu nērizhai yavaḷōḍum nī kuzhal ūdhi kalakalavenṟu siriththu vandhen mun niṟkum taruṇam idhu migavē

Meaning:मैं उस क्षण की लालसा करता हूँ जब आप, मूर्ति-सी निश्चलता से बिना हिले खड़े होकर, सुसज्जित गोपी के पास बाँसुरी बजाते हैं, और फिर खिलखिलाकर हँसते हुए आकर मेरे सामने खड़े होते हैं — मैं इसके लिए कितना तरसता हूँ!

Verse 3

𑌤𑍇̀𑌳𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌤 𑌨𑌿𑌲𑌵𑍁 𑌪𑌟𑍍𑌟𑌪𑍍 𑌪𑌕𑌲𑍍𑌪𑍋𑌲𑍍 𑌏̀𑌰𑌿𑌯𑍁𑌤𑍇 𑌉𑌨𑍍 𑌤𑌿𑌕𑌌 𑌮𑍁𑌕𑌮𑍍 𑌸𑌤𑍁𑌰𑍍 𑌮𑍁𑌕𑌮𑍍 𑌮𑌰𑍈𑌯𑍁𑌤𑍇 𑌕𑍁𑌳𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌨𑍍𑌤 𑌅𑌮𑍁𑌤𑍈𑌪𑍍 𑌪𑌰𑍁𑌕𑌿 𑌨𑍀 𑌏̀𑌨𑌕𑍍𑌕𑌳𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌯𑍍 𑌕𑍁𑌰𑍈 𑌯𑍋̀𑌨𑍍𑌰𑍁𑌮𑌿𑌲𑍍𑌲𑍈 𑌮𑌰𑍈 𑌮𑍂𑌰𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌿 𑌕𑌣𑍍𑌣𑌾 𑌕𑌰𑌿𑌯 𑌮𑍇𑌨𑌿 𑌯𑍁𑌟𑍈𑌯 𑌕𑌣𑍍𑌣𑌾 𑌨𑍀 𑌏̀𑌨𑌕𑍍𑌕𑍁𑌕𑍍 𑌕𑌨𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌤 𑌮𑍋̀𑌌𑌇𑌯𑍈 𑌅𑌳𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌟𑍁 𑌕𑌣𑍍𑌣𑌾 𑌇𑌨𑌿 𑌯𑍋̀𑌰𑍁 𑌕𑌣𑌮𑍁𑌮𑍍 𑌤𑌰𑌿𑌯𑍇𑌨𑍍 𑌕𑌣𑍍𑌣𑌾 𑌏̀𑌨𑍍 𑌕𑌣𑍍𑌣𑌾 𑌉𑌨𑍍𑌨𑍈 𑌇𑌨𑌿 𑌇𑌨𑌿 𑌪𑌿𑌰𑌿𑌯𑍇𑌨𑍇

theḷindha nilavu paṭṭap pagalpōl eriyudhē un thigazh mugam sadhur mugam maṟaiyudhē kuḷirndha amudhaip parugi nī enakkaḷiththāy kuṟai yonṟumillai maṟai mūrthi kaṇṇā kariya mēni yuḍaiya kaṇṇā nī enakkuk kanindha mozhiyai aḷiththiḍu kaṇṇā ini yoru kaṇamum thariyēn kaṇṇā en kaṇṇā unnai ini ini piriyēnē

Meaning:निर्मल चाँदनी दिन के उजाले-सी दमकती है; आपका दीप्त मुख चतुर्मुख ब्रह्मा के मुख को भी लज्जित कर देता है। आपके संगीत के शीतल अमृत का पान कर, आपने वही आनंद मुझे दे दिया है — अब मुझे किसी वस्तु की कोई कमी नहीं, हे कण्णा, वेद-स्वरूप! हे श्यामवर्ण कण्णा, मुझे अपने मधुर, कोमल वचन प्रदान करो। मैं अब एक क्षण के लिए भी (आपसे दूर) नहीं रह सकता, हे मेरे कण्णा — अब कभी, कभी मैं आपसे विलग नहीं होऊँगा!

Word-by-Word Meaning

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𑌅𑌲𑍈𑌪𑌾𑌯𑍁𑌤𑍇🔊alaipāyudhēIt surges / tosses like waves (the mind is restless with longing).

𑌕𑌣𑍍𑌣𑌾🔊kaṇṇāO Kanna (Krishna).

𑌏̀𑌨𑍍 𑌮𑌨𑌮𑍍 𑌮𑌿𑌕𑌵𑍇 𑌅𑌲𑍈𑌪𑌾𑌯𑍁𑌤𑍇🔊en manam migavē alaipāyudhēMy mind surges greatly like restless waves (for You).

𑌉𑌨𑍍 𑌆𑌨𑌨𑍍𑌤 𑌮𑍋𑌕𑌨 𑌵𑍇𑌣𑍁𑌕𑌾𑌨𑌮𑍍🔊un ānanda mōhana vēṇugānam(Because of) Your blissful, enchanting music of the flute (venu-gana).

𑌨𑌿𑌲𑍈𑌪𑍇̀𑌯𑌰𑌾𑌤𑍁 𑌸𑌿𑌲𑍈𑌪𑍋𑌲𑌵𑍇 𑌨𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌰𑍁🔊nilaipeyarādhu silaipōlavē ninṟuStanding motionless, like a statue, without stirring from the spot.

𑌨𑍇𑌰𑌿𑌌𑌐𑌯𑌵𑌳𑍋𑌟𑍁𑌮𑍍 𑌨𑍀 𑌕𑍁𑌌𑌅𑌲𑍍 𑌊𑌤𑌿🔊nērizhaiyavaḷōḍum nī kuzhal ūdhiPlaying the flute beside the well-adorned maiden (Radha / the gopi).

𑌕𑌲𑌕𑌲𑌵𑍇̀𑌨𑍍𑌰𑍁 𑌸𑌿𑌰𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌤𑍁 𑌵𑌨𑍍𑌤𑍇̀𑌨𑍍 𑌮𑍁𑌨𑍍 𑌨𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌕𑍁𑌮𑍍 𑌤𑌰𑍁𑌣𑌮𑍍🔊kalakalavenṟu siriththu vandhen mun niṟkum taruṇamThe moment when You come laughing merrily and stand before me.

𑌤𑍇̀𑌳𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌤 𑌨𑌿𑌲𑌵𑍁 𑌪𑌟𑍍𑌟𑌪𑍍 𑌪𑌕𑌲𑍍𑌪𑍋𑌲𑍍 𑌏̀𑌰𑌿𑌯𑍁𑌤𑍇🔊theḷindha nilavu paṭṭap pagalpōl eriyudhēThe clear moonlight blazes (bright) like broad daylight.

𑌉𑌨𑍍 𑌤𑌿𑌕𑌌 𑌮𑍁𑌕𑌮𑍍 𑌸𑌤𑍁𑌰𑍍 𑌮𑍁𑌕𑌮𑍍 𑌮𑌰𑍈𑌯𑍁𑌤𑍇🔊un thigazh mugam sadhur mugam maṟaiyudhēYour radiant face puts even the four-faced Brahma's face to shame (eclipses it).

𑌕𑍁𑌳𑌿𑌰𑍍𑌨𑍍𑌤 𑌅𑌮𑍁𑌤𑍈𑌪𑍍 𑌪𑌰𑍁𑌕𑌿 𑌨𑍀 𑌏̀𑌨𑌕𑍍𑌕𑌳𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌾𑌯𑍍🔊kuḷirndha amudhaip parugi nī enakkaḷiththāyHaving drunk the cool nectar (of Your music), You have given (that bliss) to me.

𑌕𑍁𑌰𑍈 𑌯𑍋̀𑌨𑍍𑌰𑍁𑌮𑌿𑌲𑍍𑌲𑍈 𑌮𑌰𑍈 𑌮𑍂𑌰𑍍𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌿 𑌕𑌣𑍍𑌣𑌾🔊kuṟai yonṟumillai maṟai mūrthi kaṇṇāThere is no lack of anything (in me now), O Kanna, embodiment of the Vedas.

𑌕𑌰𑌿𑌯 𑌮𑍇𑌨𑌿𑌯𑍁𑌟𑍈𑌯 𑌕𑌣𑍍𑌣𑌾🔊kariya mēniyuḍaiya kaṇṇāO Kanna of the dark (blue) complexion.

𑌕𑌨𑌿𑌨𑍍𑌤 𑌮𑍋̀𑌌𑌇𑌯𑍈 𑌅𑌳𑌿𑌤𑍍𑌤𑌿𑌟𑍁 𑌕𑌣𑍍𑌣𑌾🔊kanindha mozhiyai aḷiththiḍu kaṇṇāGrant me Your sweet, tender words, O Kanna.

𑌇𑌨𑌿 𑌯𑍋̀𑌰𑍁 𑌕𑌣𑌮𑍁𑌮𑍍 𑌤𑌰𑌿𑌯𑍇𑌨𑍍 𑌕𑌣𑍍𑌣𑌾🔊ini yoru kaṇamum thariyēn kaṇṇāI can no longer bear (to be apart) even for a single moment, O Kanna.

𑌉𑌨𑍍𑌨𑍈 𑌇𑌨𑌿 𑌇𑌨𑌿 𑌪𑌿𑌰𑌿𑌯𑍇𑌨𑍇🔊unnai ini ini piriyēnēI shall never, never again be parted from You!

Benefits of Chanting அலைபாயுதே கண்ணா

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A supreme expression of loving devotion (madhura bhakti) to Lord Krishna and the longing of the soul for Him.

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Sung in homes, temples and concerts in praise of Krishna, especially during Krishna Janmashtami.

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Believed to kindle intense love and yearning for the Lord and to draw the bliss of His nearness.

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Its enchanting setting in raga Kanada makes it both a devotional prayer and a treasured musical masterpiece.

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Cultivates the resolve never to be parted from God, the heart of the gopis' love for Krishna.

How to Chant அலைபாயுதே கண்ணா

Repetitions1times

Best TimeMorning or evening prayer; especially during Krishna Janmashtami and in Krishna worship

FaceFacing the deity of Krishna / Vishnu or east

Sit before an image of Lord Krishna and sing or recite the kriti with feeling, letting the heart long for the Lord as the words describe the restless mind tossing like waves at the sound of His flute. If sung, it is set in raga Kanada and Adi tala; if recited, chant the refrain 'Alaipayuthe Kanna' tenderly, surrendering to the yearning love it expresses.

Frequently Asked Questions

This page shows the complete அலைபாயுதே கண்ணா written in the Grantha script — the same Sanskrit/Hindi verses, transliterated character-by-character so you can read and chant comfortably. Tap any line (or the ▶ button) to hear it recited aloud.

Yes — only the script changes; the words and their meaning are the original. The verse-by-verse meaning, benefits and how-to-chant guidance on this page apply exactly the same.

It is a famous Tamil kriti (devotional song) on Lord Krishna by Oothukkadu Venkata Kavi, set in raga Kanada. Its title means 'it surges like waves' — describing the devotee's mind tossing restlessly with longing for Krishna at the sound of His flute. It is among the most loved Krishna songs in Carnatic music.

Oothukkadu Venkata Kavi (also Venkata Subbaiyer, 18th century) was a great Tamil composer-saint and devotee of Lord Krishna, from Oothukkadu near Thanjavur. He composed hundreds of kritis in Tamil and Sanskrit of remarkable musical and devotional depth, many rediscovered and popularised in modern times.

It expresses madhura bhakti — the soul's restless, loving longing for Krishna. The devotee's mind surges like waves at the enchanting music of His flute, yearning to see Him play beside the gopis and come laughing near; having tasted the nectar of His presence, the devotee feels complete and vows never to part from Him.

It is sung in devotion to Lord Krishna, especially during Krishna Janmashtami, and is a much-loved item in Carnatic music concerts and Bharatanatyam. As a heartfelt prayer of longing and love, it may be sung whenever the devotee yearns for the nearness of Krishna.