Diviye Nalawili Thotilla Lyrics by Amaradeva

The cradle-lullaby of life,
the fruit and food-flavour for the belly,
the rain-showers for the great earth,
all are made by the tree,
by a tree’s greatness, shade is cast upon the path of life

To the young, storing fresh fragrance
at the tips of blossomed flowers,
the wonder of the lovely forest-womb
is made by the tree,
by a tree’s power, the honey-loving bees are drawn

The drifting, stirring, tossing waves,
blocking hand and foot for a moment,
the evergreen forest-lines that paint the ten directions,
by a tree’s power, coolness and comfort are made

To the frail, weak days of old age,
giving vigour with a walking-stick,
only the tree draws near to both sorrow and joy,
it makes shade even for those who cut its branches

A serene, philosophical ode to the tree, sung by the maestro Amaradeva, that treats the tree as the very source and sustainer of life. It is the cradle-lullaby of life, giving fruit and food-flavour for the belly, calling down rain-showers for the great earth; and by a tree’s greatness, shade is cast upon the path of life. Everything living is quietly indebted to it.

The middle celebrates the tree as beauty and abundance. It stores fresh fragrance at the tips of blossomed flowers, creates the wonder of the lovely forest-womb, and draws the honey-loving bees. The tree is not just useful but the maker of the world’s loveliness.

The last verses honour the tree’s steadfast generosity. It gives vigour with a walking-stick to frail old age; only the tree draws near to both sorrow and joy, present in every human season; and, in the line that crowns the whole song, it makes shade even for those who cut its branches. Sung by W. D. Amaradeva to words by Sunil Sarath Perera, it is a luminous classic in praise of the tree, sustainer, beautifier, and boundless giver that shelters even those who harm it.