Aa:S R2 G2 M2 P D1 N2 S
Av: S N2 D1 P M2 G2 R2 S

taaLam: Adi
Composer: Muttu TaanDavar
Language:

pallavi

ara hara siva siva namah-shivAyA engaL ammai sivakAma saundari nEyA

anupallavi

paravum toNDarukkanbu seyyum sahAyA nittiya padam peru samayattil
nidam parivAyirundum hitam pera viLaiyADum cidambara dEvA

caraNam 1

dinamum nin pada sEvai sEvikka vENum indat-derisanamE mOkSa palamellAm kANum
ninaivellAm anda rUpamAit-tONum onrum nittam pala dEvataigaL suTram pala irundAlum
veTrambalam alladu ciTrambalam AmO

caraNam 2

yAvarkkum uyirkk-uyirAi uraindAyE - parama
rahasiya mAga engum niraindAyE
mUvarkku mudalvanAi sirandAyE - karuNai
mukhadhara jaganaga naga ena naTamiDu
padayuga taravara Damarugak-karanE

caraNam 3

pAdi mati aNinda param jyOti - anbAip-
paNiyum toNDarukkellAm anubhUti
Adi umaipati Agiya nIti migavum
ambaramAna digambara rUpa pa-
ramparamAna cidambara dEvA

Meaning:

pallavi

ara hara siva siva - Hara hara Siva Siva!
namah-shivAyA - O embodiment of the five-lettered Mantra!

nEyA - O beloved
sivakAma saundari - of Goddess Sivakamasundari,
engaL ammai - our Mother.

anupallavi

sahAyA - O helpful one
anbu seyyum - showing love
paravum toNDarukku - to devotees who praise (you) !

cidambara dEvA - O God of Chidambaram,
irundum - (who) despite being
parivAy 0- merciful,
nidam - always
viLaiyADum - plays, (or tests us)
hitam pera - (for us) to obtain welfare.
peru samayattil - at the time of (us) attaining
nittiya padam - the eternal abode (of your feet) !

(Note : The Lord playfully tests his devotees for their own good, while assuring his mercy and eternal bliss)

caraNam 1

dinamum - Every day
sEvikka vENum - I should enjoy
nin pada sEvai - serving your feet.

inda derisanamE - This vision itself (of you)
kANum - is equal to
mOkSa palam ellAm - all salvation.

anda rUpamAit - That form (of yours)
tONum - seems to be
ninaivu ellAm - (pervading) all thoughts.

nittam - Every day,
irundAlum - even if there are
pala dEvataigaL - many gods (and)
suTram pala - many relatives
onrum - (who) come together,

(this world where we meet them is)
veTrambalam - empty or useless space.
alladu - Instead,
AmO - can it be equal to
ciTrambalam - the dancing hall (which represents the inner space -daharaakasha) ?

Note : Worldly bonds and lesser gods - all these are of no consequence, and only Lord and his the dancing hall form the ultimate purpose of life.

caraNam 2

uraindAyE - You reside
uyirkku uyirAi - as the life force (lit. life of the life)
yAvarkkum - of everyone.

niraindAyE - You pervade
engum - everywhere
parama rahasiya mAga - as the supreme secret/mystery.

sirandAyE - You excel
mudalvanAi - as the foremost
mUvarkkum - of the three gods.

karuNai mukha dhara - O One who has a merciful face!

padayuga tara - O One who has two feet,
naTamiDu - which dance,
jaganaga naga ena - as (with Jathis like) "jaga naga naga" etc. !

vara Damarugak-karanE - O One with an excellent Damaru in (your) hand!

Note: Damaru is a small, handheld drum.

caraNam 3

param jyOti - O Supreme light,
pAdi mati aNinda - wearing the crescent moon !

anubhUti - (You are the) Divine experience
toNDarukku ellAm - (granted) to all devotees,
anbAip-paNiyum - who salute you with love !

nIti - O One who is Righeousness itself,
Agiya - who has also become
Adi umaipati - the primordial Lord of Parvati !

digambara rUpa - O One wearing only the directions as garments,
migavum - (who is) immensely
ambaram Ana - available in the public (dancing) hall !

cidambara dEvA - O Lord of Chidambaram,
paramparam Ana - who is superior to all great things!

Notation:

Other information:
Lyrics contributed by Lakshman Ragde. Corrections and meaning by Rajani Arjun Shankar.