Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Andavan Thodangi

From Kasethan Kadavulada · 1972

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
M. S. Vishwanathan, A. L. Raghavan, K. Veeramani
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Details
Kasethan Kadavulada1972

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Aanadavan thodangiFrom God Almighty
Aandigal varaiyilTo the lowliest beggars
Kaasethaan kadavuladaMoney is indeed God!
Male :Adi pattu odha pattuHaving been beaten and kicked around
ArinjukittendaI have realized this, my friend
Kaasethaan kadavuladaMoney is indeed God!
Male
Aanadavan thodangiFrom God Almighty
Aandigal varaiyilTo the lowliest beggars
Kaasethaan kadavuladaMoney is indeed God!
Adi pattu odha pattuHaving been beaten and kicked around
ArinjukittendaI have realized this, my friend
Kaasethaan kadavuladaMoney is indeed God!
Male
KaasethaanOnly money...
Male :Kadavulada...is God, man!
Male :Kaasethaan kadavuladaMoney is indeed God!
Male :KaasethaanOnly money...
Male :Kadavulada...is God, man!
Male :Kaasethaan kadavuladaMoney is indeed God!
Male
Lal lal laaa….aaaaLal lal laaa....aaaa
Male :Achadicha andha pachai notukkuTo that printed green bank note
Archanai seivom malaraaleWe will perform ritual worship with flowers
Male :Malaarale..With flowers..
Male :Aaa hmm aaa hmm aaa aaa hmmmVocalizing
Aa aa hmmm …Vocalizing
Male
Om rubaiya namaha omSalutations to the Rupee currency, Om
Male :Alukku nottu namaha omSalutations to dirty money bills, Om
Male :Om velli naanayam maha omSalutations to silver coins, Om
Male :Atleast naya paisaya nama omAt least salutations to the new paisa coin, Om
Male :Aahh…Aahh...
Male
Achadicha andha pachai notukkuTo that printed green bank note
Archanai seivom malaraaleWe will perform ritual worship with flowers
Male :Thengai odachu soodathai yeththiBreaking a coconut and lighting camphor
Darisanam seivom kidachaalaeWe will offer prayers if we manage to get it!
Male :Haaa aaa aaah…haaa aaa aaahhVocalizing
Male
Dhuttu irundha tea adipenIf I have cash, I drink tea
Illaangaati ee adippenOtherwise, I just swat flies idle
Sokka pesi nekka paathuSpeaking sweetly, eyeing cleverly
Pocket adippenI will pick pockets
Male
Dhuttu irundha tea adipenIf I have cash, I drink tea
Illaangaati ee adippenOtherwise, I just swat flies idle
Sokka pesi nekka paathuSpeaking sweetly, eyeing cleverly
Pocket adippenI will pick pockets
Daav adippen dive adippenI flirt and make bold moves
Daav adippen dive adippenI flirt and make bold moves
Jaga vaangi side adippenI dodge away and sidestep
Bajari kaithe unna nottala adippenYou shrewd thief, I will strike you with banknotes!
Male
KaasethaanOnly money...
Male :Kadavulada...is God, man!
Male :Kaasethaan kadavuladaMoney is indeed God!
Male :KaasethaanOnly money...
Male :Kadavulada...is God, man!
Male :Kaasethaan kadavuladaMoney is indeed God!
Male
Aanadavan thodangiFrom God Almighty
Aandigal varaiyilTo the lowliest beggars
Kaasethaan kadavuladaMoney is indeed God!
Male :Adi pattu odha pattuHaving been beaten and kicked around
ArinjukittendaI have realized this, my friend
Kaasethaan kadavuladaMoney is indeed God!
Male
Pethedutha thaaiExcept for the mother who gave birth
Thandhaiyai thaviraAnd the father
Panathaal ethaiyum perakoodumAnything else in this world can be obtained through money
Aaah…hmm aaah hmm aaahaa hmmmVocalizing
AaahhhmmVocalizing
Male
Pethedutha thaaiExcept for the mother who gave birth
Thandhaiyai thaviraAnd the father
Panathaal ethaiyum perakoodumAnything else in this world can be obtained through money
Laksmhi oruthi kooda irundhaalIf Goddess Lakshmi (wealth) stays by one's side
Latchiyam ellaam niraiverumAll ambitions and goals will be fulfilled
Male :Aha latchiyam ellaam niraiverumAha, all ambitions will be fulfilled!
Male
Enna manusan enna oh hoWhat kind of human is this, oh ho!
Annaengiraan thambingraanHe calls everyone brother and elder brother
Galla pettiya kandaan kaatiBut the moment he sees the cash register
Salaam adikkiraanHe bows down and salutes!
Male
Enna manusan enna oh hoWhat kind of human is this, oh ho!
Annaengiraan thambingraanHe calls everyone brother and elder brother
Galla pettiya kandaan kaatiBut the moment he sees the cash register
Salaam adikkiraanHe bows down and salutes!
Penja mazhai onju ponaOnce the poured rain subsides
Penja mazhai onju ponaOnce the poured rain subsides
Saanja edam kaanju ponaAnd the place where he took shelter dries up
Pettaiyathaan maathikinnuChanging his hood or locality
Dera adikkiraanHe sets up camp somewhere else!
Male
Aanadavan thodangiFrom God Almighty
Aandigal varaiyilTo the lowliest beggars
Kaasethaan kadavuladaMoney is indeed God!
Adi pattu odha pattuHaving been beaten and kicked around
ArinjukittendaI have realized this, my friend
Kaasethaan kadavuladaMoney is indeed God!
Male
KaasethaanOnly money...
Male :Kadavulada...is God, man!
Male :Kaasethaan kadavuladaMoney is indeed God!
Male :KaasethaanOnly money...
Male :Kadavulada...is God, man!
Male :Kaasethaan kadavuladaMoney is indeed God!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

'Kaasethaan Kadavulada' is a satirical and philosophical Tamil song that highlights the absolute supremacy of money in human society. The song humorously elevates currency to the status of a deity, parodying traditional Hindu mantras with chanting dedicated to green notes, coins, and rupees. It reflects on how society's respect and interpersonal relationships shift according to wealth, pointing out that everyone—from kings to mendicants—is bound by the pursuit of riches. While delivering sharp socio-political commentary on greed, hypocrisy, and opportunism, the lyrics maintain a lighthearted, comedic tone. Vaali subtly notes that while money can buy almost everything and fulfill all materialistic ambitions, it can never replace one's biological parents, adding a poignant touch of human truth amidst the cynical satire.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Satire / Parody

Om rubaiya namaha om

The song parodies religious Vedic mantras by chanting 'Om rubaiya namaha' and 'Om velli naanayam maha om', treating money as a divine entity.

Emonai (Alliteration)

Aanadavan thodangi / Aandigal varaiyil

Repetition of the initial consonant sounds across adjacent lines or words ('Aanadavan' / 'Aandigal').

Iyaibu (Rhyme)

Dhuttu irundha tea adipen / Illaangaati ee adippen

Use of rhyming end sounds like 'tea adipen', 'ee adippen', 'pocket adippen' to create a lively rhythmic slang flow.

Metaphor

Laksmhi oruthi kooda irundhaal / Latchiyam ellaam niraiverum

Equating financial prosperity directly with the presence of Goddess Lakshmi to symbolise ambition fulfillment.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Kasethan Kadavulada' (1972) is a classic Tamil comedy film directed by Chitralaya Gopu, starring Muthuraman, Lakshmi, Thengai Srinivasan, and Manorama. The music was composed by M. S. Viswanathan, with vocals by M. S. Viswanathan himself along with K. Veeramani and others. The title track became an iconic anthem reflecting the commercial nature of modern life.

Keep listening

More from Kasethan Kadavulada