Amma Kaaveri
From Jaya Gopi · 1955
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- Chithoor Nagaiya
- Music director
- Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
- Details
- Jaya Gopi1955
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Amma kaveri theenarigalin | Mother Kaveri, with evil deeds, |
| Uyirodu vilaiyaadalaamaa | can you play with human lives? |
| Male | |
| Amma kaveri un anbu | Mother Kaveri, where is your loving |
| Ullam engae | heart? |
| Amma kaveri un anbu | Mother Kaveri, where is your loving |
| Ullam engae | heart? |
| Peruntheethu seithatheno | Why did you commit such great harm? |
| Ilanjseyai kondathaeno | Why did you take the life of this young child? |
| Male | |
| Amma kaveri un anbu | Mother Kaveri, where is your loving |
| Ullam engae | heart? |
| Male | |
| Thaayai thedum paalanai | A child who came searching for his mother, |
| Yaen saavidam saerththaai | why did you send him to death? |
| Thaayai thedum paalanai | A child who came searching for his mother, |
| Yaen saavidam saerththaai | why did you send him to death? |
| Thaai veruththaal ulagil veru | If a mother herself rejects, in this world |
| Pugalidam yaethu | where else is there a refuge? |
| Male | |
| Amma kaveri un anbu | Mother Kaveri, where is your loving |
| Ullam engae | heart? |
| Male | |
| Ivvinthai seivathaalae | By performing this strange act, |
| Perum vegam kolvathaalae | by gathering such fierce speed, |
| Udainthu pogumo | will things break apart? |
| Ullam sithainthu pogumo | Will the heart be shattered? |
| Male | |
| Piralaya kaala bayangaramae | O terror resembling the time of deluge, |
| Kavarnthu konda pothilum | even though you snatched him away, |
| Piralaya kaala bayangaramae | O terror resembling the time of deluge, |
| Kavarnthu konda pothilum | even though you snatched him away, |
| Kadanthu nindru idhayanthannil | rising above it all, inside our hearts |
| Nilavum engal gobi | our Gopi will forever reside. |
| Enna koramammaa | What a cruelty this is, O Mother! |
| Yaenintha theengi seithaai | Why did you cause such harm? |
| Male | |
| Thennaadu thaedi vanthaai | You came seeking the Southern land, |
| Siru saeigal kodi kandaai | you saw millions of young children, |
| Orr paapam seithidaa | Without committing even a single sin, |
| Gopiyai pali kondaai | you sacrificed Gopi. |
| Orr paapam seithidaa | Without committing even a single sin, |
| Gopiyai pali kondaai | you sacrificed Gopi. |
| Male | |
| Abagaaram seiyyum yaarkkum | To anyone who brings harm, |
| Ubakaaram seiyyum gobi | Gopi responds only with good deeds. |
| Engal paalagan thamizh kaavalan | Our child, the defender of Tamil, |
| Uyir kaakka vendum thaayae | you must protect his life, O Mother! |
| Unnai vendi nindrom thaayae | We stand begging before you, O Mother! |
| Thaiyai seiyya vendum neeyae | You must grant us this grace yourself! |
| Male | |
| Amma kaveri un anbu | Mother Kaveri, where is your loving |
| Ullam engae | heart? |
| Peruntheethu seithatheno | Why did you commit such great harm? |
| Ilanjseyai kondathaeno | Why did you take the life of this young child? |
| Male | |
| Amma kaveri un anbu | Mother Kaveri, where is your loving |
| Ullam engae | heart? |
அம்மா காவேரி தீனர்களின்
உயிரோடு விளையாடலாமா
Mother Kaveri, with evil deeds,
can you play with human lives?
அம்மா காவேரி உன் அன்பு
உள்ளம் எங்கே
அம்மா காவேரி உன் அன்பு
உள்ளம் எங்கே
பெருந்தீது செய்ததேனோ
இளஞ்சேயைக் கொண்டதேனோ
Mother Kaveri, where is your loving
heart?
Mother Kaveri, where is your loving
heart?
Why did you commit such great harm?
Why did you take the life of this young child?
அம்மா காவேரி உன் அன்பு
உள்ளம் எங்கே
Mother Kaveri, where is your loving
heart?
தாயைத் தேடும் பாலனை
ஏன் சாவிடம் சேர்த்தாய்
தாயைத் தேடும் பாலனை
ஏன் சாவிடம் சேர்த்தாய்
தாய் வெறுத்தால் உலகில் வேறு
புகலிடம் ஏது
A child who came searching for his mother,
why did you send him to death?
A child who came searching for his mother,
why did you send him to death?
If a mother herself rejects, in this world
where else is there a refuge?
அம்மா காவேரி உன் அன்பு
உள்ளம் எங்கே
Mother Kaveri, where is your loving
heart?
இவ் விந்தை செய்வதாலே
பெரும் வேகம் கொள்வதாலே
உடைந்து போகுமோ
உள்ளம் சிதைந்து போகுமோ
By performing this strange act,
by gathering such fierce speed,
will things break apart?
Will the heart be shattered?
பிரளய கால பயங்கரமே
கவர்ந்து கொண்ட போதிலும்
பிரளய கால பயங்கரமே
கவர்ந்து கொண்ட போதிலும்
கடந்து நின்று இதயந்தன்னில்
நிலவும் எங்கள் கோபி
என்ன கோரமம்மா
ஏனிந்த தீங்கு செய்தாய்
O terror resembling the time of deluge,
even though you snatched him away,
O terror resembling the time of deluge,
even though you snatched him away,
rising above it all, inside our hearts
our Gopi will forever reside.
What a cruelty this is, O Mother!
Why did you cause such harm?
தென்னாடு தேடி வந்தாய்
சிறு சேய்கள் கோடி கண்டாய்
ஓர் பாபம் செய்திடா
கோபியை பலி கொண்டாய்
ஓர் பாபம் செய்திடா
கோபியை பலி கொண்டாய்
You came seeking the Southern land,
you saw millions of young children,
Without committing even a single sin,
you sacrificed Gopi.
Without committing even a single sin,
you sacrificed Gopi.
அபகாரம் செய்யும் யார்க்கும்
உபகாரம் செய்யும் கோபி
எங்கள் பாலகன் தமிழ்க் காவலன்
உயிர் காக்க வேண்டும் தாயே
உன்னை வேண்டி நின்றோம் தாயே
தயை செய்ய வேண்டும் நீயே
To anyone who brings harm,
Gopi responds only with good deeds.
Our child, the defender of Tamil,
you must protect his life, O Mother!
We stand begging before you, O Mother!
You must grant us this grace yourself!
அம்மா காவேரி உன் அன்பு
உள்ளம் எங்கே
பெருந்தீது செய்ததேனோ
இளஞ்சேயைக் கொண்டதேனோ
Mother Kaveri, where is your loving
heart?
Why did you commit such great harm?
Why did you take the life of this young child?
அம்மா காவேரி உன் அன்பு
உள்ளம் எங்கே....
Mother Kaveri, where is your loving
heart?
Amma kaveri theenarigalin
Mother Kaveri, with evil deeds,
Uyirodu vilaiyaadalaamaa
can you play with human lives?
Amma kaveri un anbu
Mother Kaveri, where is your loving
Ullam engae
heart?
Amma kaveri un anbu
Mother Kaveri, where is your loving
Ullam engae
heart?
Peruntheethu seithatheno
Why did you commit such great harm?
Ilanjseyai kondathaeno
Why did you take the life of this young child?
Amma kaveri un anbu
Mother Kaveri, where is your loving
Ullam engae
heart?
Thaayai thedum paalanai
A child who came searching for his mother,
Yaen saavidam saerththaai
why did you send him to death?
Thaayai thedum paalanai
A child who came searching for his mother,
Yaen saavidam saerththaai
why did you send him to death?
Thaai veruththaal ulagil veru
If a mother herself rejects, in this world
Pugalidam yaethu
where else is there a refuge?
Amma kaveri un anbu
Mother Kaveri, where is your loving
Ullam engae
heart?
Ivvinthai seivathaalae
By performing this strange act,
Perum vegam kolvathaalae
by gathering such fierce speed,
Udainthu pogumo
will things break apart?
Ullam sithainthu pogumo
Will the heart be shattered?
Piralaya kaala bayangaramae
O terror resembling the time of deluge,
Kavarnthu konda pothilum
even though you snatched him away,
Piralaya kaala bayangaramae
O terror resembling the time of deluge,
Kavarnthu konda pothilum
even though you snatched him away,
Kadanthu nindru idhayanthannil
rising above it all, inside our hearts
Nilavum engal gobi
our Gopi will forever reside.
Enna koramammaa
What a cruelty this is, O Mother!
Yaenintha theengi seithaai
Why did you cause such harm?
Thennaadu thaedi vanthaai
You came seeking the Southern land,
Siru saeigal kodi kandaai
you saw millions of young children,
Orr paapam seithidaa
Without committing even a single sin,
Gopiyai pali kondaai
you sacrificed Gopi.
Orr paapam seithidaa
Without committing even a single sin,
Gopiyai pali kondaai
you sacrificed Gopi.
Abagaaram seiyyum yaarkkum
To anyone who brings harm,
Ubakaaram seiyyum gobi
Gopi responds only with good deeds.
Engal paalagan thamizh kaavalan
Our child, the defender of Tamil,
Uyir kaakka vendum thaayae
you must protect his life, O Mother!
Unnai vendi nindrom thaayae
We stand begging before you, O Mother!
Thaiyai seiyya vendum neeyae
You must grant us this grace yourself!
Amma kaveri un anbu
Mother Kaveri, where is your loving
Ullam engae
heart?
Peruntheethu seithatheno
Why did you commit such great harm?
Ilanjseyai kondathaeno
Why did you take the life of this young child?
Amma kaveri un anbu
Mother Kaveri, where is your loving
Ullam engae
heart?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This emotional song from the film 'Jaya Gopi' (1955) is an anguish-filled lament addressed to Mother Kaveri, personified as a motherly river that has turned destructive. The speaker questions how the revered river could act so cruelly and snatch away the life of young Gopi, a innocent and noble boy who loved Tamil and only ever returned good for evil. The song expresses deep despair over losing a sanctuary in a mother figure and pleads for grace and the preservation of Gopi's spirit in the hearts of his people.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Personification (Uruvagatham)
“Amma kaveri un anbu ullam engae”
Addressing River Kaveri as a mother ('Amma Kaveri') with feelings, intentions, and a heart.
Antithesis / Contrast (Ethir-sol)
“Abagaaram seiyyum yaarkkum Ubakaaram seiyyum gobi”
Contrasting 'Abagaaram' (harmful act) with 'Ubakaaram' (beneficial/kind act) to highlight Gopi's virtuous nature.
Rhyme (Monnai / Ethirai)
“Abagaaram seiyyum yaarkkum / Ubakaaram seiyyum gobi”
Use of matching initial sound / secondary rhyming syllables in 'Abagaaram' and 'Ubakaaram' or 'Amma' and 'Ullam'.
Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navitchi)
“Piralaya kaala bayangaramae”
Comparing the river's rush to the terror of cosmic destruction ('Piralaya kaala bayangaramae').
Did you know?
Trivia
The film 'Jaya Gopi' (1955) featured music by the iconic duo Viswanathan-Ramamoorthy and lyrics by the legendary poet Kannadasan. Renowned actor and singer Chithoor V. Nagaiah rendered this soulful, mournful track with intense classical pathos.
Keep listening
More from Jaya Gopi
Jaya Gopi
Jaya Gopi
Jaya Gopi
Jaya Gopi
Jaya Gopi
Jaya Gopi