Aandavan Mugatha Parkkanum
From Kalyana Oorvalam · 1970
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- R. Parthasarathy
- Details
- Kalyana Oorvalam1970
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Aandavan mugaththa paakkanum | I want to see the face of God. |
| Naan avanidam onnae onnu ketkanum | I want to ask Him just one thing. |
| Aandavan mugaththa paakkanum | I want to see the face of God. |
| Naan avanidam onnae onnu ketkanum | I want to ask Him just one thing. |
| Male | |
| Yaendaa saami enna padaichcha | Why, oh Lord, did you create me? |
| Ennai padaikkaiyilae enna ninaichcha | What were you thinking when you created me? |
| Yaendaa saami enna padaichcha | Why, oh Lord, did you create me? |
| Ennai padaikkaiyilae enna ninaichcha | What were you thinking when you created me? |
| Male | |
| {Panam irunthaa intha ulagaththilae | If one possesses money in this world, |
| Pala kadhai nadakkuthappaa | So many stories unfold, oh friend. |
| Nee padaikkaiyilae konjam nottaiyyum kizhichchu | When creating me, if you had torn a piece of currency, |
| Padaichchaa udviyappaa} (2) | And created me with it, it would have been a great help, oh friend. |
| Male | |
| Padiththaal enna uzhaiththaal enna | So what if one is educated, so what if one works hard? |
| Panamthaan vaazhvin ellaiyappaa | Money alone seems to be the limit/goal of life, oh friend. |
| Male | |
| Aandavan mugaththa paakkanum | I want to see the face of God. |
| Naan avanidam onnae onnu ketkanum | I want to ask Him just one thing. |
| Male | |
| {Tharmam enbathu endro orunaal | Righteousness, on some day long ago, |
| Tharkolai purinthathappaa | Committed suicide, oh friend. |
| Thalaivan udambum needhikku payanthu | Fearing justice, even the leader's body, |
| kovililmaranthathappaa} (2) | Was hidden and forgotten inside the temple, oh friend. |
| Male | |
| Azhuthaal enna thozhuthaal enna | What if one cries, what if one prays? |
| Nadakkum kadhaithaan nadakkuthappaa | Whatever is destined to happen will happen, oh friend. |
| Male | |
| Aandavan mugaththa paakkanum | I want to see the face of God. |
| Naan avanidam onnae onnu ketkanum | I want to ask Him just one thing. |
| Male | |
| Ovvoru uyirukkum iraivan thanthathu | What God gave to every living being, |
| Oru jaan vayirallavaa | Is merely a single span of a stomach, isn't it? |
| Oru jaan vayittrukku vazhiyillai endraal | If there is no way to feed this single span of a stomach, |
| Oru muzham kayirallavaa | Isn't there a cubit of rope available? |
| Male | |
| Vayirum vaiththu kayirum vaiththu | By creating a stomach and creating a rope, |
| Vaiththu paaiththathu unthan thavarallavaa | And letting humans suffer between them, isn't that your fault, God? |
| Male | |
| Aandavan mugaththa paakkanum | I want to see the face of God. |
| Naan avanidam onnae onnu ketkanum | I want to ask Him just one thing. |
| Yaendaa saami enna padaichcha | Why, oh Lord, did you create me? |
| Ennai padaikkaiyilae enna ninaichcha | What were you thinking when you created me? |
| Male | |
| Aandavan mugaththa paakkanum | I want to see the face of God. |
| Naan avanidam onnae onnu ketkanum…. | I want to ask Him just one thing... |
ஆண்டவன் முகத்த பாக்கணும்
நான் அவனிடம் ஒன்னே ஒன்னு கேட்கணும்
ஆண்டவன் முகத்த பாக்கணும்
நான் அவனிடம் ஒன்னே ஒன்னு கேட்கணும்
I want to see the face of God.
I want to ask Him just one thing.
I want to see the face of God.
I want to ask Him just one thing.
ஏன்டா சாமி என்ன படைச்ச
என்னை படைக்கையிலே என்ன நினைச்ச
ஏன்டா சாமி என்ன படைச்ச
என்னை படைக்கையிலே என்ன நினைச்ச
Why, oh Lord, did you create me?
What were you thinking when you created me?
Why, oh Lord, did you create me?
What were you thinking when you created me?
{பணம் இருந்தா இந்த உலகத்திலே
பல கதை நடக்குதப்பா
நீ படைக்கையிலே கொஞ்சம் நோட்டையும் கிழிச்சு
படைச்சா உதவியப்பா} (2)
If one possesses money in this world,
So many stories unfold, oh friend.
When creating me, if you had torn a piece of currency,
And created me with it, it would have been a great help, oh friend.
படித்தால் என்ன உழைத்தால் என்ன
பணம்தான் வாழ்வின் எல்லையப்பா
So what if one is educated, so what if one works hard?
Money alone seems to be the limit/goal of life, oh friend.
ஆண்டவன் முகத்த பாக்கணும்
நான் அவனிடம் ஒன்னே ஒன்னு கேட்கணும்
I want to see the face of God.
I want to ask Him just one thing.
{தர்மம் என்பது என்றோ ஒரு நாள்
தற்கொலை புரிந்ததப்பா
தலைவன் உடம்பும் நீதிக்கு பயந்து
கோவிலில் மறைந்ததப்பா} (2)
Righteousness, on some day long ago,
Committed suicide, oh friend.
Fearing justice, even the leader's body,
Was hidden and forgotten inside the temple, oh friend.
அழுதால் என்ன தொழுதால் என்ன
நடக்கும் கதைத்தான் நடக்குதப்பா
What if one cries, what if one prays?
Whatever is destined to happen will happen, oh friend.
ஆண்டவன் முகத்த பாக்கணும்
நான் அவனிடம் ஒன்னே ஒன்னு கேட்கணும்
I want to see the face of God.
I want to ask Him just one thing.
ஒவ்வொரு உயிருக்கும் இறைவன் தந்தது
ஒரு ஜாண் வயிறல்லவா
ஒரு ஜாண் வயிற்றுக்கு வழியில்லையென்றால்
ஒரு முழம் கயிறல்லவா
What God gave to every living being,
Is merely a single span of a stomach, isn't it?
If there is no way to feed this single span of a stomach,
Isn't there a cubit of rope available?
வயிறும் வைத்து கயிறும்
வைத்துப் படைத்தது உந்தன் தவறல்லவா
By creating a stomach and creating a rope,
And letting humans suffer between them, isn't that your fault, God?
ஆண்டவன் முகத்த பாக்கணும்
நான் அவனிடம் ஒன்னே ஒன்னு கேட்கணும்
ஏன்டா சாமி என்ன படைச்ச
என்னை படைக்கையிலே என்ன நினைச்ச
I want to see the face of God.
I want to ask Him just one thing.
Why, oh Lord, did you create me?
What were you thinking when you created me?
ஆண்டவன் முகத்த பாக்கணும்
நான் அவனிடம் ஒன்னே ஒன்னு கேட்கணும்
I want to see the face of God.
I want to ask Him just one thing...
Aandavan mugaththa paakkanum
I want to see the face of God.
Naan avanidam onnae onnu ketkanum
I want to ask Him just one thing.
Aandavan mugaththa paakkanum
I want to see the face of God.
Naan avanidam onnae onnu ketkanum
I want to ask Him just one thing.
Yaendaa saami enna padaichcha
Why, oh Lord, did you create me?
Ennai padaikkaiyilae enna ninaichcha
What were you thinking when you created me?
Yaendaa saami enna padaichcha
Why, oh Lord, did you create me?
Ennai padaikkaiyilae enna ninaichcha
What were you thinking when you created me?
{Panam irunthaa intha ulagaththilae
If one possesses money in this world,
Pala kadhai nadakkuthappaa
So many stories unfold, oh friend.
Nee padaikkaiyilae konjam nottaiyyum kizhichchu
When creating me, if you had torn a piece of currency,
Padaichchaa udviyappaa} (2)
And created me with it, it would have been a great help, oh friend.
Padiththaal enna uzhaiththaal enna
So what if one is educated, so what if one works hard?
Panamthaan vaazhvin ellaiyappaa
Money alone seems to be the limit/goal of life, oh friend.
Aandavan mugaththa paakkanum
I want to see the face of God.
Naan avanidam onnae onnu ketkanum
I want to ask Him just one thing.
{Tharmam enbathu endro orunaal
Righteousness, on some day long ago,
Tharkolai purinthathappaa
Committed suicide, oh friend.
Thalaivan udambum needhikku payanthu
Fearing justice, even the leader's body,
kovililmaranthathappaa} (2)
Was hidden and forgotten inside the temple, oh friend.
Azhuthaal enna thozhuthaal enna
What if one cries, what if one prays?
Nadakkum kadhaithaan nadakkuthappaa
Whatever is destined to happen will happen, oh friend.
Aandavan mugaththa paakkanum
I want to see the face of God.
Naan avanidam onnae onnu ketkanum
I want to ask Him just one thing.
Ovvoru uyirukkum iraivan thanthathu
What God gave to every living being,
Oru jaan vayirallavaa
Is merely a single span of a stomach, isn't it?
Oru jaan vayittrukku vazhiyillai endraal
If there is no way to feed this single span of a stomach,
Oru muzham kayirallavaa
Isn't there a cubit of rope available?
Vayirum vaiththu kayirum vaiththu
By creating a stomach and creating a rope,
Vaiththu paaiththathu unthan thavarallavaa
And letting humans suffer between them, isn't that your fault, God?
Aandavan mugaththa paakkanum
I want to see the face of God.
Naan avanidam onnae onnu ketkanum
I want to ask Him just one thing.
Yaendaa saami enna padaichcha
Why, oh Lord, did you create me?
Ennai padaikkaiyilae enna ninaichcha
What were you thinking when you created me?
Aandavan mugaththa paakkanum
I want to see the face of God.
Naan avanidam onnae onnu ketkanum….
I want to ask Him just one thing...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This poignant philosophical song written by Kannadasan features a grief-stricken protagonist confronting God about the harsh realities of life, poverty, and social corruption. The speaker questions why God created human beings without ensuring they have basic sustenance, pointing out that in a world driven solely by money, hard work and education often go unrewarded. The lyrics also express cynicism about justice and virtue, noting that righteousness has long died out, and highlighting the tragic contrast between the small span of a hungry stomach and the rope used to end one's life.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Rhetorical Question
“Yaendaa saami enna padaichcha / Ennai padaikkaiyilae enna ninaichcha Short Description: Direct, confrontational questions posed to God to highlight human existential plight and poverty.”
Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyme / Contrast)
“Oru jaan vayirallavaa / Oru muzham kayirallavaa Short Description: Parallel structure contrasting 'jaan vayiru' (span of a stomach) with 'muzham kayiru' (cubit of rope), illustrating hunger versus suicide.”
Metaphor / Personification
“Tharmam enbathu endro orunaal / Tharkolai purinthathappaa Short Description: Personification of 'Dharma' (righteousness) as having committed suicide long ago due to rampant dishonesty in the world.”
Did you know?
Trivia
Kannadasan was famous for using popular folk idioms like 'Oru jaan vayiru' (one-span stomach) and 'Oru muzham kayiru' (one-cubit rope) to turn everyday Tamil proverbs into deeply philosophical lyricism questioning divinity and societal inequality.
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