Kurai Onrum Illai

A beautiful song in Tamil written by C. Rajagopalacharya

kurai ondrum illai marai moorthi kanna
kurai ondrum illai kanna……………
kurai ondrum illai govindaa..

kannukkuth theriyamal nirkindrai kanna
kannukkuth theriyamal nindralum yenakku
kurai ondrum illai marai moorthi kanna

vendiyadhai thandhida venkatesan nindrukka
vediyadhu verillai marai moorthi kanna
mani vanna malai yappa govindaa govindaa
govindaa govindaa………..,

thirai yindri nirkindrai kanna…kanna
thirai yindri nirkindrai kanna unnai
marai vodhum nyaniyar mattumey kaanbar yendralum
kurai ondrum yenakkillai kanna yendralum
kurai ondrum yenakillai kanna
kundrinmel kallagi nirkindra varadha
kurai ondrum illai marai moorthy kanna (mani vanna)

kalinalukkirangi kalliley irangi silaiyaga
koyilil nirkindrai kesava
kurai ondrum illai marai moorthi kanna
yarum marukkadha malai yappa
yarum marukkadha malai yappa yen vazhvil
yedhum thara nirkkum karunai kadalannai
yendrum irundhida yedhu kurai yenakku
ondrum kurai illai marai moorthy kanna
ondrum kurai illai marai moorthy kanna
mani vanna , malai yappa govindaa govindaa

Translation

Though I can’t see Thou,
Thou art my sight,
Thou art my light
O Lord of the Seven Hills,
Protector of the mortal beings,
I know Thou art here for me,
What else do I need?

Thou standeth veiled by a curtain
To be seen only by the Vedic scholars
But why should I be worried
I’m not a scholar,
Yet I don’t have any regrets.
No shortcomings do I have.

On this hill
Thou art a crowning glory
O boon-giver,
O Unsurmountable Lord
No regrets do I have.

In this Kaliyuga,
Thou hast entered the stone in the sanctum
And though I see Thee naught,
No worries for me.

O symbol of strength,
With the Ocean of love and compassion,
Who breathes in Thy heart,
Who is like My Mother,
And gives me anything I ask for;
With the two of You beside me
Can I have any regrets?
No woes do I have,
No regrets.

The above verses and the translation have been taken from here. Another translation can be found here

And beautifully sung by M.S. Subulakshmi. Download mp3 from here.