Here is a loose line-by-line English rendering of the original Tamil lyrics:
The presence of sacred ash on the body is said to prevent "wrong deeds" and encourage noble thoughts by reminding the devotee of the Lord’s presence. Manthiramavathu Neeru Thevaram Lyrics In English
"Manthiramavathu Neeru Thevaram" is a beautiful song from the Malayalam movie/album. Here are the lyrics in English: Here is a loose line-by-line English rendering of