Elaborating Keerthanas – Theeratha Vilayattu Pillai

It’s Janmashtami (Lord Krishna’s Birthday) season. One of the best songs that can elucidate the praise of the mysterious, mischievous god is, Theeratha Vilayattu Pillai lyrics penned by C. Subramania Bharati, which translates to Lord Krisna’s endless playful pranks he plays with the ladies! He loves women dearly and since Krishna is the Parama Purusha, the epitome of masculinity, everything else that is created is feminine. Thus, He takes immense pleasure in performing his tricks with the women folk who always end up taking the brunt.

In Carnatic concerts, this Theeratha Vilayattu Pillai song is rendered as a Ragamalikka comprising 7 short verses or charanams shading the myriad colours of Krishna Leela in a melodious garland of stories, forming the origin of the song. Let’s take a walk through of this ‘light’ song written in simple Tamil, that resonates to every age from 6 to 60!

Mahakavi Bharathiyar- The lyricist of Theeratha Vilayattu Pillai

Everybody who is Tamil knows that Mahakavi Bharatiar, the composer of Theeratha Vilayattu Pillai song and I literally don’t have words to describe this Mahakavi. Born in 1882, he has toiled hard to fight against many prevalent issues through his poems, songs and powerful words that made a great impact as a freedom fighter during the colonial days including equal rights for women, caste eradication, child marriage and a lot more.

His works include many songs on Goddess Shakthi and some say he addresses her in his songs as ‘kannamma’. The best part about this poet’s songs is its simplicity and how a layman could understand with basic Tamil knowledge. 

The Ragas of Theeradha Vilayattu Pillai

The poetic words of Mahakavi is woven into four beautiful ragas including Sindhu Bhairavi, Khamas, Shanmugapriya, and Maand, with an elaborate nine charanam structure, in the last raga making this a splendid ragamalika (a song that has more than one raga). The below notes can be used and applied to keyboard, violin, singer or any instrument of your choice. I have segregated the notes based on the ragas and the same can be used for other verses as well. For instance, the 3rd charanam is in Maand and all the following paras can be performed using these notes.

Talam: Kanda Ekam

Author: Bharathiyar

Raga: Sindhu Bhairavi

Aro: S R2 G1 M1 P D1 N1 Ṡ

Ava: Ṡ N1 D1 P M1 G1 R1 S

Carnatic Notations of Theeradha Vilayattu Pillai

|	P  ,  D  P  M	|	G  R  G  ,  M	|	G  R  G  S  ,	|	,  ,  S  G  M	||
	The raa tha		vilai yat tu		pil lai		kannan

|	P D D P M	|	G R G P M	|	G  R  G  S  ,	|	, , P , P	||
	Thee raa tha		vilai ya tu		pil lai		kannan

|	S M M M G	|	M P P P ,	|	P D D P M	|	G S S G M Ṡ	||
	Theru vi le		pen ga luk		ko ya da		thol lai

|	P  D  D  P  M	|	G M GMM2 M	|	G R G S ,	|	,  ,  N , N	||
	Thee raa tha		vilai yat tu		pil lai		kannan

|	S M M MGG ,	|	M P P P ,	|	P D D P M	|	G M D N Ṡ	||
	Theru vi le		pen ga luk		ko ya da		tholl lai

|	P  , P , D	|	P , G , M	|	P D P , ,	|	, , G S G	||
	Thin na pa		zhan gon du		tha ru van		Pathi

|	D , D , DM	|	M P P P G	|	G , M , DM	|	G R G , ,	||
	Thin kin dra		poa thi le		that ti		paripan

|	P , D , S	|	N , Ṙ , Ṡ	|	D N DPP	|	, , G S G	||
	Thin na pa		zhan gon du		tha ru van		Pathi

|	D , D , DM	|	M P P P G	|	G , M , DM	|	G R G , ,	||
	Thin kin dra		poa thi le		that ti		paripan

|	G M D , N	|	Ṡ , Ṡ , N	|	Ṙ, Ṡ , ,	|	, , , , ,	||
	Ye nap pan		yen nai yan		yen dral		– – – – –

|	Ṙ , Ṙ , N	|	Ṡ , D , N	|	Ṡ , Ġ Ṙ , Ġ Ṡ ,	|	, , D P D	||
	Ye nap pan		yen nai yan		yen dral		athanai

|	D , Ṡ , N	|	D2 , N , D	|	P , D , P	|	G M D N Ṡ	||
	Yechir pa		dut thi ka		di thuk ko		dup pan

Aro: S M1 G2 M1 N2 D2 N1 P D2 N2 Ṡ

Ava: Ṡ N1 D2 P M1 G2 R2 S

|	D Ṡ N , D	|	P M P , D	|	PMG , M , ,	|	,  ,  , , ,	||
	azha gu la		malar kon du		van de		– – – – –

|	D Ṡ N , D	|	P M P , ṠN	|	DPMG M , ,	|	,  ,  G S S	||
	azha gu la		malar kon du		van de		– – yennai

|	G M G M ,	|	M N D N P	|	D , N Ṡ ,	|	Ṡ , Ṡ , ,	||
	azha azhach		sei tha pin		kan nai moo		dik kol – –

|	M N D N P	|	D , N Ṡ ,	|	N D N Ṡ ,	|	, , D , N	||
	ku zha li le		soo ttu ven		yen ban		yen nai

|	N Ṙ Ṙ , ṘD	|	D Ṡ Ṡ Ṡ D	|	D N N D P	|	G M P D N	||
	ku ru dak ki		mala ri nai		tho zhi kku		vai p pan

|	D N N D P	|	P D G , M	|	P , P , ,	|	P D G , M	||
	Thee raa da		vilai yat tu		pil lai		vilai yat tu

|	D , D ,	|	P D G , M	|	D P P , ,	|	, , , , ,	||
	pil lai		vilai yat tu		pil lai – –		– – – – –

Aro: S R2 G1 M2 P D1 N1 Ṡ

Ava: Ṡ N1 D1 P M2 G1 R2 S

Sangathi-1

|	Ṡ , N Ṙ Ṡ	|	D , P , G	|	D , P , ,	|	, , P D N	||
	Pin na lai		pin nin ri		zhap pan		Kannan

|	Ṡ , N Ṙ Ṡ	|	D , P , G	|	D , P , ,	|	D P M	||
	pin na laip		pin nin ri		zhap pan		thalai

|	P D N D N	|	Ṡ , Ṡ Ṡ N	|	Ġ , Ṙ , N	|	Ṙ Ṡ D P D	||
	pin ne ti		rum bum mun		ne sen dru		marai van

|	Ṙ , Ṙ , Ġ	|	Ṙ , N , Ṡ	|	Ṙ Ġ Ṙ , ,	|	, , , , ,	||
	van na pu		dhu se lai		tha ni le		– – – –

|	Ṙ , Ṙ , Ġ	|	Ṙ , N P N	|	N Ġ Ṙ , ,	|	, , N P N	||
	van na pu		dhu se lai		tha ni le		puzhudi

|	Ġ , Ġ , Ṡ	|	Ṙ , Ṙ , N	|	Ṡ , Ṡ , ṠN	|	Ṙ Ṡ D P D	||
	va ri so		rin the va		ruth thi ku		lai paan

|	Ṡ , Ṡ , Ṡ	|	N Ṡ D P D	|	Ṡ , Ṡ , , ,	|	N Ṡ D P D	||
	thee raa da		vilai ya tu		pil lai		vilayattu

|	Ṙ , Ṙ , ,	|	Ṙ Ṡ D P D	|	Ṙ Ṡ , Ṡ , ,	|	, , , , ,	||
	pil lai		vilya yattu		pil lai		– – – –

Aro: S G2 M1 D2 N2 Ṡ

Ava: Ṡ N2 D2 P M1 G2 R2 S

|	Ṡ , Ṡ , Ṡ	|	N Ṡ Ṡ , Ṡ	|	N Ṡ N D D,	|	, D2 D1 D2	||
	pul lang gu		zhalal kon du		va ru vaan		kannan

|	Ṙ Ṡ Ṡ , Ṡ	|	N Ṡ D , D	|	Ṡ Ṡ Ṡ , ,	|	, , Ṡ Ṡ Ṡ P	||
	pul lang gu		zhalal kon du		va ru vaan		amuthu

|	P , D , Ṡ	|	Ṡ , Ṙ Ṙ N	|	N , N , Ṡ	|	D P G M D	||
	pon gi tha		thum pun nar		gee tham pa		pa di pan

|	Ṡ , Ṡ , Ṡ	|	N Ṡ D , D	|	Ṡ Ṡ Ṡ , ,	|	Ṡ Ṡ ṠP	||
	pul lang gu		zhalal kon du		va ru vaan		amuthu

|	P , D , Ṡ	|	Ṡ , Ṙ Ṙ N	|	N , N , Ṡ	|	D P G ,	||
	pon gi tha		thum pun nar		gee tham pa		pa di pan

|	D , D , D	|	D P D M M	|	P Ṡ D , ,	|	, , G P	||
	kallal ma		yan gu va thu		po le		athai

|	N , N , Ṡ	|	D P G G M	|	R , S , S	|	G M D N Ṡ	||
	kan moo di		vai thi ran		te ket ti		ru ppom

|	Ṡ , Ṡ , Ṡ	|	N Ṡ D , D	|	Ṡ , Ṡ , , ,	|	N Ṡ D , D	||
	thee raa da		vilai ya tu		pil lai		vilayattu

|	Ṙ , Ṙ , ,	|	Ṙ Ṡ D P D	|	Ṙ Ṡ , Ṡ , ,	|	, , , , ,	||
	pil lai		vilya yattu		pil lai		– – – –

Pallavi and Anupallavi – Raga, Notes, Lyrics & Meaning

The first two verses Theeratha Vilayattu Pillai song composition starts with Sindhu Bhairavi raga, a janya of the 10th raga, Natakapriya, in the 72 Melakarta structure, whose ascending and descending notes are as follows:

Arohanam: S R1 G2 M1 P D1 N2 S
Avarohana: S N2 D1 P M1 G2 R1 S

Pallavi

Theeratha vilayatu pillai, Kannan,
Theruvile pengalukku oyatha thollai

Anupallavi

Thinna pazham kondu tharuvan-pathi
Thingindra pothinile thatti parippan,
Yennappan yennayyan yendral athanai,
Echir paduthi kadithu koduppan

Meaning

This Theeratha Vilayattu Pillai song pens short anecdotes of how Lord Krishna plays with his gopikas and rasikas. 

The first verse is how the Lord (Kannan) is ever-playful (theeradha vilayattu) who keeps troubling(oyaadha thollai) the ladies(pengalukku) in the street(theruvile), in a sweet way. 

Followed by the Anupallavi where he brings delicious fruits(thinna pazham) that he desires to share with the girls. While they relish it, he takes it back. When they ask for it sweetly (yennappan yennayyan), he relishes half of it and gives it back, irritating them for fun.

Theeratha Vilayattu Pillai Charanam 1

The first Charanam Theeratha Vilayattu Pillai lyrics is composed in Khamas, the janya of the 28th Melakartha raga, Harikambhoji, transcending the song to a different dimension.

Arohanam:   S M1 G3 M1 P D2 N2 S
Avarohanam:   S N2 D2 P M1 G3 R2 S

Charanam 1 Lyrics

Thenotha pandangal kondu –yenna,
Seithaalum yettaatha uyarathil vaippan,
Manotha pennadi yenpan-chathu,
Manam makizhum nerathile killi viduvan.

Charanam 1 Meaning

Lord Krishna is known to give mixed signals to his women. For instance, in this Theeratha Vilayattu Pillai lyrics says he brings precious treats (thenotha pandangal) that are as sweet as honey (amudhu) but he always hides it in the top beyond anyone’s reach (yettadha uyarathil veippan). In the next two lines, he says endearing words (manodha pennadi) to women but pinches (killi viduvan) them back to the moment when they get mesmerised by his love. 

Another way to look at this verse is to say that the Lord takes back what he gives, when you get too attached to it.

Theeratha Vilayattu Pillai Charanam 2

The second Charanam of this Theeratha Vilayattu Pillai lyrics is based on Shanmugapriya, the 56th Melakartha raga that is Lord Shanmuga’s beloved scale. The arohana and avarohana of this raag is as follows: 

Arohanam: S R2 G2 M2 P D1 N2 S
Avarohanam: S N2 D1 P M2 G2 R2 S

Charanam 2 Lyrics

Azhagulla malar kondu vandhe – ennai,
Azha azha Seithu pin, kannai moodi kol,
Kuzhalile chootuven, yenban – ennai ,
Kurudaki malarinai thozhikku vaipan…

Charanam 2 Meaning

In this verse, the poet says Krishna brings attractive flowers (Azhagulla malar) which the girls would want. He would make them plead for it (Azha azha Seithu pin) and finally tell them to close their eyes, promising to ornament their hair (Kuzhalile) with it [the cultural tradition of Indian women is to adorn flowers in their heads for ages till date]. When they do, he blinds them (kurudakki) and keeps the flowers on their friend’s (thozhikku) head unexpectedly because the lord is full of surprises. 

There are things in life that we want so bad and you wish for it hard. You sometimes get it and be grateful only to see it go away from you to someone near you, maybe like a job promotion. We think such is life, but we can also playfully laugh at it when you consider it to be part of Krishna’s troublesome ways to teach us to embrace life’s origin as it is, it is all worth it!

Theeratha Vilayattu Pillai Charanam 3

The third Charanam originates in Maand raga, a folkish scale adapted from the dunes of Rajasthan into Carnatic music. To give you a feel of this raga, try listening to Sowkiyama Kanne from the movie, Sangamam composed by A R Rahman or the famous Carnatic krithi, Muralidhara Gopala. 

Arohanam:   S G3 M1 D2 N3 S
Avarohanam:   S N3 D2 P M1 G3 R2

Charanam 3 Lyrics

Pinnalai pin nindru izhuppan – thalai, 
Pinne thirumbu munne chendru maraivan,
Vanna puthu selai thanile – puzhuthi ,
Vari chorinthe varuthi kulaypan

Charanam 3 Meaning

In this part of Theeratha Vilayattu Pillai lyrics The composer talks about Lord Krishna pulling the girl’s braided hair. When she turns around, he magically disappears and hides right in front of them. The girls dress up in a new saree only to get it ruined by a rain of dust, He, churned out of thin air. Afterall, Krishna is a ‘vilayattu pillai’! Imagine a violin performance of this verse, and you will truly understand the sweet pain of the women the Mahakavi is talking about.

Charanam 4 Lyrics

Pullanguzhal kondu varuvan – amudhu,
Pongi thathumbum geetham padippan,
Kallal mayangu-vathu pole adai,
Kan moodi vaay thirandhe ketpom

Charanam 4 Meaning

The epic element that one would remember when thinking about Lord Krishna, is his flute. HE is known to entertain and charm his whole township with his melodious flute performance and the Mahakavi Bharadhiar explains it to us in four crisp lines about his music being as sweet as the nectar (amudhu). The people who listen to it are intoxicated (mayangu vadhu) like humans feeling ‘the buzz’ with wine (Kallal) with their jaws open (vaay thirandhe) and eyes closed (kan moodi).

Charanam 5 Lyrics

Angandhirukkum vaay thanile-kannan,
Aru ezhu katterumbai pottu viduvan,
Yengagilum parthadhu undo, Kannan,
Yengali cheygindra vedikkai yondro…

Charanam 5 Meaning

We all sleep with our mouths open at one point of time. In the Charanam 5 of Theeratha Vilayattu Pillai lyrics The poet quotes how Lord Krishna picks up 6 to 7 ants (aru ezhu katterumbai) and puts it into your mouth when you are in deep sleep(angandhirukkum). Mahavi asks if we have ever found a God who teases his devotees other than Lord Krishna. The answer is definitely a big NO!

Charanam 6 Lyrics

Vilayada vaa vendrazhaippn-veetil,
Velai yendral athai kelathiruppan,
Ilayorodu adi kuthippan-yemmai,
Idayir pirunthu poi veetil cholvaan.

Charanam 6 Meaning

Lord Krisna says one thing but does something else. He call you to play (Vilayada vaa) and would not turn up when you have given up on them. On the contrary, when something comes up and we are unable to play with him, HE would jump out (kuthipaan) with his shenanigans (laiyorodu) and complain (veetil cholvaan) in your own house about how you had work and you went to play with HIM instead while leaving you astray midway (idayir pirunthu)

Charanam 7 Lyrics

Ammaikku nallavan kandeer, mool,
Athaikku nallavan, thandaikkum akthe,
Yemmai thuyar cheyyum periyor veetil,
Yavarkum nallvan pole nadappan

Charanam 7 Meaning

Though he troubles the women folk, he behaves right with his elders like their mother (ammaikku), aunt (athaikku), father (thandhaikkum) and every elder person (periyor) who has troubled the lady, when HE visits them in the house (veetil). This is the reason we say Krishna can be the most charming person you ever meet who is also his mischievous self making him one of the most beloved strikingly handsome deities.

Charanam 8 Lyrics

Olukku migavum samarthan –poimmai,
Soothiram pazhi chola koosa chazhakkan,
Alu kisainthapadsi pesi theruvil,
Athanai pengalayum agathadippan.

Charanam 8 Meaning

Being around women most of Krishna’s life, he would know all their secrets and gossip(olukku) about them like an expert (samarthan). He uses it to HIS advantage and tells one to another about their lies (poimmai), tone, tricks (soothiram) and confessions that lead to quarrels between the women in different streets.

Final Thoughts

All these verses represent how the women are always in trouble with Lord Krishna’s delinquent attitude. He is still the beloved in every heart and has puzzling methods to show his love that we, the normal humans, would never be able to fathom. In concerts, the performer does not render the entire version and stops with three to four charanam’s based on their choice.

Whatever be the reason, this is a song that is close to my heart whenever I think of Lord Krishna. Share with us what do you think of this song. If these melodies touch your heart, it might be the perfect time to explore the beautiful art of Carnatic music.

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