Amaithiyaana Nathiyinile
From Aandavan Kattalai (1964) · 1964
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela
- Music director
- Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
- Details
- Aandavan Kattalai (1964)1964
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| { Amaithiyaana | { In a peaceful |
| Nathiyinilae odum | River floating, |
| Odam alavillatha | A boat sways when |
| Vellam vanthaal aadum } (2) | Unbounded flood waters arrive } (2) |
| Male | |
| { Kaatrinilum | { In the winds, |
| Mazhaiyinilum kalanga | In the rain, and troubling |
| Vaikum idiyinilum } (2) | Thunder that startles } (2) |
| Karaiyinilae othungi | If it steps aside to the shore, |
| Nindraal vaazhum hoi hoi | It survives, hoi hoi! |
| Male | |
| Amaithiyaana | In a peaceful |
| Nathiyinilae odum | River floating, |
| Odam alavillatha | A boat sways when |
| Vellam vanthaal aadum | Unbounded flood waters arrive. |
| Male | |
| Thennam ilankeetrinilae …. | In the tender coconut fronds... |
| { Thennam ilankeetrinilae | { In the tender coconut fronds, |
| Thaalaatum thendral adhu } (2) | It is the breeze that lulls to sleep } (2) |
| Male | |
| { Thennai thanai | { Yet the coconut tree itself |
| Saaithu vidum puyalaaga | It uproots like a storm |
| Varum pozhuthu } (2) | When it arrives } (2) |
| Male | |
| Amaithiyaana | In a peaceful |
| Nathiyinilae odum | River floating, |
| Odam alavillatha | A boat sways when |
| Vellam vanthaal aadum | Unbounded flood waters arrive. |
| Male | |
| { Aatrankarai | { On the riverbank |
| Metinilae aadi nirkum | Mound, standing and swaying, |
| Naanal adhu } (2) | That is the reed grass } (2) |
| Male | |
| { Kaatradithaal | { Even when strong winds blow, |
| Saaivathillai kanintha | It does not break; a mature |
| Manam veezhvathillai } (2) | Heart never collapses } (2) |
| Male | |
| { Amaithiyaana | { In a peaceful |
| Nathiyinilae odum | River floating, |
| Odam alavillatha | A boat sways when |
| Vellam vanthaal aadum } (2) | Unbounded flood waters arrive } (2) |
| Female | |
| ……………………. | ... |
| Female | |
| { Naanalilae | { Amidst the reeds, |
| Kaal eduthu nadanthu | Taking steps and walking, |
| Vantha penmai idhu } (2) | This womanhood arrived } (2) |
| Female | |
| { Naanam | { In shyness, |
| Ennum thendralilae | Which acts as a soft breeze, |
| Thottil kattum menmai idhu } (2) | Tying a cradle with tenderness } (2) |
| Female | |
| Amaithiyaana | In a peaceful |
| Nathiyinilae odum | River floating, |
| Odam alavillatha | A boat sways when |
| Vellam vanthaal aadum | Unbounded flood waters arrive. |
| Female | |
| { Anthiyil | { Falling faint |
| Mayangi vizhum | In the dusk, |
| Kaalaiyil thelinthu vidum } (2) | It clears up by morning } (2) |
| Female | |
| { Anbu mozhi | { Words of love, |
| Ketu vittaal thunba | Once heard, the painful |
| Nilai maarividum } (2) | State of life will change } (2) |
{ அமைதியான
நதியினிலே ஓடும்
ஓடம் அளவில்லாத
வெள்ளம் வந்தால் ஆடும் } (2)
{ In a peaceful
River floating,
A boat sways when
Unbounded flood waters arrive } (2)
{ காற்றினிலும்
மழையினிலும் கலங்க
வைக்கும் இடியினிலும் } (2)
கரையினிலே ஒதுங்கி
நின்றால் வாழும் ஹோய்
ஹோய்
{ In the winds,
In the rain, and troubling
Thunder that startles } (2)
If it steps aside to the shore,
It survives, hoi hoi!
அமைதியான
நதியினிலே ஓடும்
ஓடம் அளவில்லாத
வெள்ளம் வந்தால் ஆடும்
In a peaceful
River floating,
A boat sways when
Unbounded flood waters arrive.
தென்னம்
இளங்கீற்றினிலே....
{ தென்னம் இளங்கீற்றினிலே
தாலாட்டும் தென்றல் அது } (2)
In the tender coconut fronds...
{ In the tender coconut fronds,
It is the breeze that lulls to sleep } (2)
{ தென்னைதனைச்
சாய்த்துவிடும் புயலாக
வரும்பொழுது }(2)
{ Yet the coconut tree itself
It uproots like a storm
When it arrives } (2)
அமைதியான
நதியினிலே ஓடும்
ஓடம் அளவில்லாத
வெள்ளம் வந்தால் ஆடும்
In a peaceful
River floating,
A boat sways when
Unbounded flood waters arrive.
{ ஆற்றங்கரை
மேட்டினிலே ஆடி
நிற்கும் நாணலது } (2)
{ On the riverbank
Mound, standing and swaying,
That is the reed grass } (2)
{ காற்றடித்தால்
சாய்வதில்லை கனிந்த
மனம் வீழ்வதில்லை } (2)
{ Even when strong winds blow,
It does not break; a mature
Heart never collapses } (2)
{ அமைதியான
நதியினிலே ஓடும்
ஓடம் அளவில்லாத
வெள்ளம் வந்தால் ஆடும் } (2)
{ In a peaceful
River floating,
A boat sways when
Unbounded flood waters arrive } (2)
.......................
...
{ நாணலிலே
காலெடுத்து நடந்து
வந்த பெண்மை இது } (2)
{ Amidst the reeds,
Taking steps and walking,
This womanhood arrived } (2)
{ நாணம் என்னும்
தென்றலிலே தொட்டில்
கட்டும் மென்மை இது } (2)
{ In shyness,
Which acts as a soft breeze,
Tying a cradle with tenderness } (2)
அமைதியான
நதியினிலே ஓடும்
ஓடம் அளவில்லாத
வெள்ளம் வந்தால் ஆடும்
In a peaceful
River floating,
A boat sways when
Unbounded flood waters arrive.
{ அந்தியில்
மயங்கி விழும்
காலையில் தெளிந்து
விடும் } (2)
{ Falling faint
In the dusk,
It clears up by morning } (2)
{ அன்பு மொழி
கேட்டுவிட்டால் துன்ப
நிலை மாறிவிடும் } (2)
{ Words of love,
Once heard, the painful
State of life will change } (2)
ஆண் & பெண் :
அமைதியான
நதியினிலே ஓடும்
ஓடம் அளவில்லாத
வெள்ளம் வந்தால் ஆடும்
ஆண் & பெண் :
காற்றினிலும்
மழையினிலும் கலங்க
வைக்கும் இடியினிலும்
கரையினிலே ஒதுங்கி
நின்றால் வாழும் ஹோய்
ஹோய்
ஆண் & பெண் :
அமைதியான
நதியினிலே ஓடும்
ஓடம் அளவில்லாத
வெள்ளம் வந்தால் ஆடும்
{ Amaithiyaana
{ In a peaceful
Nathiyinilae odum
River floating,
Odam alavillatha
A boat sways when
Vellam vanthaal aadum } (2)
Unbounded flood waters arrive } (2)
{ Kaatrinilum
{ In the winds,
Mazhaiyinilum kalanga
In the rain, and troubling
Vaikum idiyinilum } (2)
Thunder that startles } (2)
Karaiyinilae othungi
If it steps aside to the shore,
Nindraal vaazhum hoi hoi
It survives, hoi hoi!
Amaithiyaana
In a peaceful
Nathiyinilae odum
River floating,
Odam alavillatha
A boat sways when
Vellam vanthaal aadum
Unbounded flood waters arrive.
Thennam ilankeetrinilae ….
In the tender coconut fronds...
{ Thennam ilankeetrinilae
{ In the tender coconut fronds,
Thaalaatum thendral adhu } (2)
It is the breeze that lulls to sleep } (2)
{ Thennai thanai
{ Yet the coconut tree itself
Saaithu vidum puyalaaga
It uproots like a storm
Varum pozhuthu } (2)
When it arrives } (2)
Amaithiyaana
In a peaceful
Nathiyinilae odum
River floating,
Odam alavillatha
A boat sways when
Vellam vanthaal aadum
Unbounded flood waters arrive.
{ Aatrankarai
{ On the riverbank
Metinilae aadi nirkum
Mound, standing and swaying,
Naanal adhu } (2)
That is the reed grass } (2)
{ Kaatradithaal
{ Even when strong winds blow,
Saaivathillai kanintha
It does not break; a mature
Manam veezhvathillai } (2)
Heart never collapses } (2)
{ Amaithiyaana
{ In a peaceful
Nathiyinilae odum
River floating,
Odam alavillatha
A boat sways when
Vellam vanthaal aadum } (2)
Unbounded flood waters arrive } (2)
…………………….
...
{ Naanalilae
{ Amidst the reeds,
Kaal eduthu nadanthu
Taking steps and walking,
Vantha penmai idhu } (2)
This womanhood arrived } (2)
{ Naanam
{ In shyness,
Ennum thendralilae
Which acts as a soft breeze,
Thottil kattum menmai idhu } (2)
Tying a cradle with tenderness } (2)
Amaithiyaana
In a peaceful
Nathiyinilae odum
River floating,
Odam alavillatha
A boat sways when
Vellam vanthaal aadum
Unbounded flood waters arrive.
{ Anthiyil
{ Falling faint
Mayangi vizhum
In the dusk,
Kaalaiyil thelinthu vidum } (2)
It clears up by morning } (2)
{ Anbu mozhi
{ Words of love,
Ketu vittaal thunba
Once heard, the painful
Nilai maarividum } (2)
State of life will change } (2)
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This classic philosophical song written by Kannadasan uses powerful nature metaphors to convey wisdom about life's unpredictable journeys. A boat on a calm river sails smoothly, but when faced with an overwhelming flood, survival lies in steering toward the shore rather than stubbornly fighting the current. Similarly, rigid coconut trees can be uprooted by fierce storms, whereas flexible reeds bend with the wind and remain standing. The lyricist encourages the listener to cultivate a resilient, adaptable mind that yields gracefully to hardship, highlighting how love, gentle grace, and time can heal life's deepest sorrow.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Odam alavillatha / Vellam vanthaal aadum”
The 'boat' (Odam) symbolizes human life, while the 'flood' (Vellam) represents unexpected trials and hardships.
Contrast / Allegory
“Kaatradithaal / Saaivathillai kanintha / Manam veezhvathillai”
Compares the rigid coconut tree (uprooted by storms) with the flexible reed grass (bending with the breeze without breaking) to teach adaptability.
Monai (Initial Alliteration)
“Amaithiyaana / Nathiyinilae odum”
Repetition of initial consonant/vowel sounds across lines for musical rhythm (e.g., 'Amaithiyaana' and 'Odam').
Did you know?
Trivia
Although the prompt context lists the composer and singers as unknown, this iconic masterpiece from Aandavan Kattalai (1964) was composed by the legendary duo Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy, written by Kannadasan, and sung by T. M. Soundararajan and P. Susheela, starring Sivaji Ganesan and Devika.
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