Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Anaiyaatha Deepam

From Yaarukkum Vetkamillai · 1975

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
P. Susheela
Music director
G. K. Venkatesh
Details
Yaarukkum Vetkamillai1975

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Mm…mm…mm…Mm... mm... mm...
Hmm mm mm mm mmmHmm mm mm mm mmm
Anaiyadha deebam manidhabimaanamHumanity is an unextinguishable lamp.
Ullorgal ingae yaaro yaar yaroooWho are the ones here who possess it? Who are they?
Anaiyadha deebam manidhabimaanamHumanity is an unextinguishable lamp.
Ullorgal ingae yaaro yaar yaroooWho are the ones here who possess it? Who are they?
Female
Kaal pona jeevanai thol meedhu konduCarrying a injured life upon his shoulders,
Kaappatri veithaan sidhaartha dhevanLord Siddhartha saved its life.
Sindhaadha kanneer naan sindhugirenI shed tears that have never been shed before;
Sidharthan ingae yaaryaenum undooIs there any Siddhartha present here?
Female
Paavangal silar seiya naan paaviyaanaenBecause a few committed sins, I became a sinner;
Parigaaram engae devaa devaaWhere is the atonement, O Lord, O Lord?
Female
Anaiyadha deebam manidhabimaanamHumanity is an unextinguishable lamp.
Ullorgal ingae yaaro yaar yaroooWho are the ones here who possess it? Who are they?
Female
Nabinayagam than nagar maari sendraarProphet Muhammad left his town and migrated,
Ayalargal yaesa varungaalam pesaAs outsiders mocked, so that the future could speak.
Edhirgaala ulagil maramaaga nindraarHe stood like a shade tree for the future world,
Ingaeyum avarin nizhal vaazhugindraarAnd even here, his shadow continues to live.
Ellorkum thaaiyaana maakaali sakthiThe great Goddess Kali, who is a mother to all,
En deivam neeyae neeyae thaaiyaeYou are my deity, O Mother, you alone.
Female
Anaiyadha deebam manidhabimaanamHumanity is an unextinguishable lamp.
Ullorgal ingae yaaro yaar yaroooWho are the ones here who possess it? Who are they?
Female
Kalai maadhu maeri orr vilaimaadhu endruSaying Mary was a courtesan,
Kallaal erindhaargal ooraargal andruThe villagers pelted stones at her that day.
Nallorgal aval mel eriyungal indruLet those who are without sin throw stones at her today,
Allorgal thammai ariyungal endruAnd let those who have sinned examine themselves,
Female
Eeson endra oru devan sonnanSaid the God named Jesus.
Eriyungal neengalGo ahead and throw stones,
Eriyungal neenga aiyaa aiyaaThrow them, O sirs, O sirs!
Female
Anaiyadha deebam manidhabimaanamHumanity is an unextinguishable lamp.
Ullorgal ingae yaaro yaar yaroooWho are the ones here who possess it? Who are they?

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Anaiyadha Deebam from the 1975 film Yaarukkum Vetkamillai is a poignant philosophical song penned by Kannadasan. The song questions the presence of true empathy and humanity in society, comparing a woman's suffering and societal condemnation to the life stories of iconic spiritual figures including Gautama Buddha, Prophet Muhammad, Goddess Kali, and Jesus Christ. It highlights how moral hypocrisy leads society to judge others harshly while ignoring their own flaws. By bringing together teachings across multiple faiths, Kannadasan emphasizes that human dignity and compassion are universal virtues that transcend religious boundaries. The speaker laments being forced into a life of suffering by the actions of others and asks if anyone in the modern world possesses the true spirit of forgiveness and mercy.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Anaiyadha deebam manidhabimaanam

Human self-respect and compassion ('manidhabimaanam') are compared to an eternal, unextinguishable lamp ('anaiyadha deebam').

Religious and Historical Allusion

Kaappatri veithaan sidhaartha dhevan

The lyrist invokes stories of Buddha saving a life, Prophet Muhammad's Hijrah, Goddess Kali's maternal protection, and Jesus Christ defending Mary Magdalene.

Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)

Kaal pona jeevanai thol meedhu kondu

Repetition of the initial letter 'Ka' across consecutive words in the line.

Etukai (Second Letter Rhyme)

Kalai maadhu maeri orr vilaimaadhu endru

Rhyming of the second letter 'll' in 'Kalai', 'Kallaal', 'Nallorgal', and 'Allorgal'.

Did you know?

Trivia

Yaarukkum Vetkamillai (1975) was directed by celebrated Tamil writer D. Jayakanthan, based on his acclaimed novel of the same name. The movie addressed bold social issues surrounding prostitution and societal hypocrisy. The song features music composed by G. K. Venkatesh and lyrics by Kannadasan, who masterfully wove interfaith spiritual stories into a single song.

Keep listening

More from Yaarukkum Vetkamillai