Adho Varugiraan
From Kathanayaki · 1955
- Lyricist
- Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass
- Singer
- S. C. Krishnan
- Music director
- G. Ramanathan
- Details
- Kathanayaki1955
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Adho varugiraan kannae | Look, there he comes, my dear |
| Adho varugiraan | Look, there he comes |
| Aadaatha bommai pola | Like a motionless doll |
| Kodaali meesaiyodu | With an axe-shaped mustache |
| Male | |
| Adho varugiraan kannae | Look, there he comes, my dear |
| Adho varugiraan | Look, there he comes |
| Aadaatha bommai pola | Like a motionless doll |
| Kodaali meesaiyodu | With an axe-shaped mustache |
| Male | |
| Oo…saviththiri…karuppu idhaanaa | Oh Savithri... is Karuppu like this? |
| Maadu pola medai melae | On top of the stage like an ox |
| Madinthu seththaanae heart fail aanaanae | He collapsed and died, he suffered a heart failure |
| Male | |
| Oo…saviththiri…karuppu idhaanaa | Oh Savithri... is Karuppu like this? |
| Maadu pola medai melae | On top of the stage like an ox |
| Madinthu seththaanae heart fail aanaanae | He collapsed and died, he suffered a heart failure |
| Male | |
| Emadharmaraja en naadhanuyir thaarum | Oh Lord Yama, give back my husband's life |
| Uyirai naan tharamaattaen | I will not give back his life |
| Ungalai naan vidamaattaen | I will not let you go |
| Naan dutykku poganumae time aachchu | I have to go to duty, time has come |
| Male | |
| Viththillaamal virutcham mulaikkumaa | Will a tree sprout without a seed? |
| Adhu eppadi mulaikkum | How will that sprout? |
| Villillaamal ambu paayumaa | Will an arrow fly without a bow? |
| Adhu eppadi paayum | How will that fly? |
| Male | |
| Current illaamal light-u eriyumaa | Will a light bulb glow without electricity? |
| Adhu eppadi eriyum | How will that glow? |
| Kaasillaamal kaalam odumaa | Will time move on without money? |
| Adhu eppadi odum | How will that move? |
| Male | |
| Poovillaamal kaayum kaaikkumaa | Will an unripe fruit bear without a flower? |
| Assdhu eppadi kaaikkum | How will that bear? |
| Purushan indri pillaiyum pirakkumaa… | Will a child be born without a husband?... |
அதோ வருகிறான் கண்ணே
அதோ வருகிறான்
ஆடாத பொம்மைப் போல
கோடாலி மீசையோடு.......
Look, there he comes, my dear
Look, there he comes
Like a motionless doll
With an axe-shaped mustache
அதோ வருகிறான் கண்ணே
அதோ வருகிறான்
ஆடாத பொம்மைப் போல
கோடாலி மீசையோடு.......
Look, there he comes, my dear
Look, there he comes
Like a motionless doll
With an axe-shaped mustache
ஓ.....சாவித்திரி.....கறுப்பும் இதானா
மாடு போல மேடை மேலே
மடிந்து செத்தானே ஹார்ட் பெயில் ஆனானே
Oh Savithri... is Karuppu like this?
On top of the stage like an ox
He collapsed and died, he suffered a heart failure
ஓ.....சாவித்திரி.....கறுப்பும் இதானா
மாடு போல மேடை மேலே
மடிந்து செத்தானே ஹார்ட் பெயில் ஆனானே
Oh Savithri... is Karuppu like this?
On top of the stage like an ox
He collapsed and died, he suffered a heart failure
எமதர்மராஜா என் நாதனுயிர் தாரும்
உயிரை நான் தர மாட்டேன்
உங்களை நான் விட மாட்டேன்
நான் டூட்டிக்குப் போகணுமே டயம் ஆச்சு
Oh Lord Yama, give back my husband's life
I will not give back his life
I will not let you go
I have to go to duty, time has come
தர்மராஜா என் நாதனுயிர் தாரும்
உயிரை நான் தர மாட்டேன்
உங்களை நான் விட மாட்டேன்
நான் டூட்டிக்குப் போகணுமே டயம் ஆச்சு
Will a tree sprout without a seed?
How will that sprout?
Will an arrow fly without a bow?
How will that fly?
வித்தில்லாமல் விருக்ஷம் முளைக்குமா
அது எப்படி முளைக்கும்
வில்லில்லாமல் அம்பு பாயுமா
அது எப்படி பாயும்....
Will a light bulb glow without electricity?
How will that glow?
Will time move on without money?
How will that move?
கரண்ட் இல்லாமல் லைட்டு எரியுமா
அது எப்படி எரியும்
காசில்லாமல் காலம் ஓடுமா
அது எப்படி ஓடும்
Will an unripe fruit bear without a flower?
How will that bear?
Will a child be born without a husband?...
பூவில்லாமல் காயும் காய்க்குமா
அது எப்படி காய்க்கும்
புருஷன் இன்றிப் பிள்ளையும் பிறக்குமா....
Adho varugiraan kannae
Look, there he comes, my dear
Adho varugiraan
Look, there he comes
Aadaatha bommai pola
Like a motionless doll
Kodaali meesaiyodu
With an axe-shaped mustache
Adho varugiraan kannae
Look, there he comes, my dear
Adho varugiraan
Look, there he comes
Aadaatha bommai pola
Like a motionless doll
Kodaali meesaiyodu
With an axe-shaped mustache
Oo…saviththiri…karuppu idhaanaa
Oh Savithri... is Karuppu like this?
Maadu pola medai melae
On top of the stage like an ox
Madinthu seththaanae heart fail aanaanae
He collapsed and died, he suffered a heart failure
Oo…saviththiri…karuppu idhaanaa
Oh Savithri... is Karuppu like this?
Maadu pola medai melae
On top of the stage like an ox
Madinthu seththaanae heart fail aanaanae
He collapsed and died, he suffered a heart failure
Emadharmaraja en naadhanuyir thaarum
Oh Lord Yama, give back my husband's life
Uyirai naan tharamaattaen
I will not give back his life
Ungalai naan vidamaattaen
I will not let you go
Naan dutykku poganumae time aachchu
I have to go to duty, time has come
Viththillaamal virutcham mulaikkumaa
Will a tree sprout without a seed?
Adhu eppadi mulaikkum
How will that sprout?
Villillaamal ambu paayumaa
Will an arrow fly without a bow?
Adhu eppadi paayum
How will that fly?
Current illaamal light-u eriyumaa
Will a light bulb glow without electricity?
Adhu eppadi eriyum
How will that glow?
Kaasillaamal kaalam odumaa
Will time move on without money?
Adhu eppadi odum
How will that move?
Poovillaamal kaayum kaaikkumaa
Will an unripe fruit bear without a flower?
Assdhu eppadi kaaikkum
How will that bear?
Purushan indri pillaiyum pirakkumaa…
Will a child be born without a husband?...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This humorous theatrical song snippet from Kathanayaki (1955) presents a comical, modernized enactment of the traditional myth of Savitri and Lord Yama (Emadharmaraja). After a character named Karuppu collapses on stage due to a heart failure, a Savitri-like character pleads with Lord Yama to return her husband's life. Yama playfully refuses, comically complaining about his job duty and strict schedule. The dialogue then evolves into a series of funny, pragmatic rhetorical questions contrasting nature and everyday realities—such as trees needing seeds, arrows needing bows, electric bulbs needing current, and life needing money. Through witty back-and-forth folk rhythms, lyricist Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass blends classical myth with modern everyday concepts.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Upamai)
“Aadaatha bommai pola”
Compares the character's stiff appearance to a motionless doll ('Aadaatha bommai pola') and his position on stage to an ox ('Maadu pola').
Rhetorical Questioning (Vinaa Aani)
“Viththillaamal virutcham mulaikkumaa”
Uses repetitive philosophical and absurd questions ('Will a tree sprout without a seed?', 'Will a light glow without electricity?') to emphasize impossibility.
Anaphora / Repetitive Refrain
“Adhu eppadi mulaikkum”
Repeats the quick conversational response 'Adhu eppadi...' after every condition posed by the speaker.
Did you know?
Trivia
Kathanayaki (1955) featured famous comedy songs by Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass. The lyricist was popular for inserting English terms like 'heart fail', 'duty', 'time', 'current', and 'light-u' into traditional Tamil folk and theatrical play formats, creating a hilarious subversion of classical drama.
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