Andru Kollum
From Poompuhar · 1964
- Lyricist
- Mayavanathan
- Singer
- K. B. Sundarambal
- Music director
- R. Sudharsanam
- Details
- Poompuhar1964
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Needhiyae neeyum | Oh Justice, do you |
| Irukkindraayaa… | still exist... |
| Illai neeyum andha kolai kalathil | Or did you also, in that execution ground, |
| Uyir vittaayaa… | give up your life... |
| Female | |
| Andru kollum arasin aanai | The royal decree that kills instantly |
| Vendru vittadhu | has triumphed. |
| Nindru kollum dheivam ingae | The God that punishes later |
| Vandhu vittadhu | has arrived here. |
| Female | |
| Andru kollum arasin aanai | The royal decree that kills instantly |
| Vendru vittadhu | has triumphed. |
| Nindru kollum dheivam ingae | The God that punishes later |
| Vandhu vittadhu | has arrived here. |
| Female | |
| Kaaladi thaamarai novadhu marandhu | Forgetting the pain in her lotus-like feet, |
| Kaadhalanodu nadandhaalae | she walked alongside her beloved. |
| Andha kaalamum thodarndhu nadandhadhai arindhu | Realizing that time too pursued them relentlessly, |
| Karpukkarasi thudithaalae | the queen of chastity agonized. |
| Adaiyaa kadhavaai imaiyaa vizhiyaai | Like an unclosed door, like unblinking eyes, |
| Aayiram yugangal poruthaalae | she endured for a thousand ages. |
| Indru vilaiyaa nilathin vidhaiyaai pona | Today, suffering like a seed cast on barren land, |
| Vaedhanai arindhu thudithaalae | she writhed in deep agony. |
| Female | |
| Andru kollum arasin aanai | The royal decree that kills instantly |
| Vendru vittadhu | has triumphed. |
| Nindru kollum dheivam ingae | The God that punishes later |
| Vandhu vittadhu | has arrived here. |
| Female | |
| Veyilae illaadha kaalathil kidaikkindra | In a time with no sunlight, what is the use |
| Vaedhaa payanenna | of getting shade or warmth? |
| Kenji vaendiya pozhudhu odhungiya needhi | The justice that shrank away when desperately pleaded for, |
| Vandhenna poyenna… | what difference does it make if it comes or goes now... |
| Female | |
| Uyirae pona pin udalenum koottukku | Once life has departed from the cage of the body, |
| Uyarvenna thaazhvenna… | what does high status or low status matter... |
| Female | |
| Seiyaa pizhaikkae thalaiyadhu veezhndhaal | If a head rolls for a crime never committed, |
| Seidhavan gadhi enna… seidhavan gadhi enna… | what will be the fate of the wrongdoer... what will be the fate of the wrongdoer... |
| Pizhai seidhavan gadhi enna… | What will be the fate of the one who committed the injustice... |
நீதியே நீயும் இருக்கின்றாயா...
இல்லை நீயும் அந்த கொலைக் களத்தில்
உயிர் விட்டாயா...
Oh Justice, do you
still exist...
Or did you also, in that execution ground,
give up your life...
அன்று கொல்லும் அரசின் ஆணை
வென்று விட்டது
நின்று கொல்லும் தெய்வம் இங்கே
வந்து விட்டது
The royal decree that kills instantly
has triumphed.
The God that punishes later
has arrived here.
அன்று கொல்லும் அரசின் ஆணை
வென்று விட்டது
நின்று கொல்லும் தெய்வம் இங்கே
வந்து விட்டது
The royal decree that kills instantly
has triumphed.
The God that punishes later
has arrived here.
காலடித் தாமரை நோவது மறந்து
காதலனோடு நடந்தாளே
அந்தக் காலமும் தொடர்ந்து நடந்ததை அறிந்து
கற்புக்கரசி துடித்தாளே
அடையாக் கதவாய் இமையா விழியாய்
ஆயிரம் யுகங்கள் பொறுத்தாளே
இன்று விளையா நிலத்தின் விதையாய்ப் போன
வேதனை அறிந்து துடித்தாளே
Forgetting the pain in her lotus-like feet,
she walked alongside her beloved.
Realizing that time too pursued them relentlessly,
the queen of chastity agonized.
Like an unclosed door, like unblinking eyes,
she endured for a thousand ages.
Today, suffering like a seed cast on barren land,
she writhed in deep agony.
அன்று கொல்லும் அரசின் ஆணை
வென்று விட்டது
நின்று கொல்லும் தெய்வம் இங்கே
வந்து விட்டது
The royal decree that kills instantly
has triumphed.
The God that punishes later
has arrived here.
வெயிலே இல்லாத காலத்தில் கிடைக்கின்ற
வேதாத் பயனென்ன
கெஞ்சி வேண்டிய பொழுது ஒதுங்கிய நீதி
வந்தென்ன போயென்ன...
In a time with no sunlight, what is the use
of getting shade or warmth?
The justice that shrank away when desperately pleaded for,
what difference does it make if it comes or goes now...
உயிரே போன பின் உடலெனும் கூட்டுக்கு
உயர்வென்ன தாழ்வென்ன...
செய்யாப் பிழைக்கே தலையது வீழ்ந்தால்
செய்தவன் கதி என்ன... செய்தவன் கதி என்ன...
பிழை செய்தவன் கதி என்ன...
Once life has departed from the cage of the body,
what does high status or low status matter...
If a head rolls for a crime never committed,
what will be the fate of the wrongdoer... what will be the fate of the wrongdoer...
What will be the fate of the one who committed the injustice...
Needhiyae neeyum
Oh Justice, do you
Irukkindraayaa…
still exist...
Illai neeyum andha kolai kalathil
Or did you also, in that execution ground,
Uyir vittaayaa…
give up your life...
Andru kollum arasin aanai
The royal decree that kills instantly
Vendru vittadhu
has triumphed.
Nindru kollum dheivam ingae
The God that punishes later
Vandhu vittadhu
has arrived here.
Andru kollum arasin aanai
The royal decree that kills instantly
Vendru vittadhu
has triumphed.
Nindru kollum dheivam ingae
The God that punishes later
Vandhu vittadhu
has arrived here.
Kaaladi thaamarai novadhu marandhu
Forgetting the pain in her lotus-like feet,
Kaadhalanodu nadandhaalae
she walked alongside her beloved.
Andha kaalamum thodarndhu nadandhadhai arindhu
Realizing that time too pursued them relentlessly,
Karpukkarasi thudithaalae
the queen of chastity agonized.
Adaiyaa kadhavaai imaiyaa vizhiyaai
Like an unclosed door, like unblinking eyes,
Aayiram yugangal poruthaalae
she endured for a thousand ages.
Indru vilaiyaa nilathin vidhaiyaai pona
Today, suffering like a seed cast on barren land,
Vaedhanai arindhu thudithaalae
she writhed in deep agony.
Andru kollum arasin aanai
The royal decree that kills instantly
Vendru vittadhu
has triumphed.
Nindru kollum dheivam ingae
The God that punishes later
Vandhu vittadhu
has arrived here.
Veyilae illaadha kaalathil kidaikkindra
In a time with no sunlight, what is the use
Vaedhaa payanenna
of getting shade or warmth?
Kenji vaendiya pozhudhu odhungiya needhi
The justice that shrank away when desperately pleaded for,
Vandhenna poyenna…
what difference does it make if it comes or goes now...
Uyirae pona pin udalenum koottukku
Once life has departed from the cage of the body,
Uyarvenna thaazhvenna…
what does high status or low status matter...
Seiyaa pizhaikkae thalaiyadhu veezhndhaal
If a head rolls for a crime never committed,
Seidhavan gadhi enna… seidhavan gadhi enna…
what will be the fate of the wrongdoer... what will be the fate of the wrongdoer...
Pizhai seidhavan gadhi enna…
What will be the fate of the one who committed the injustice...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This poignant song captures Kannagi's agonizing grief and fierce moral outrage upon the unjust execution of her husband Kovalan in the movie Poompuhar (1964). It directly questions the concept of justice, mourning how human law can be swift and cruel while divine justice is often tragically delayed.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Traditional Tamil Proverb / Contrast
“Andru kollum arasin aanai... Nindru kollum dheivam ingae”
Refers to the ancient Tamil proverb 'Arasu அன்று kollum, Dheivam நின்று kollum' (The king kills immediately; God kills over time), contrasting swift human injustice with delayed divine justice.
Uruvagam (Metaphor)
“Uyirae pona pin udalenum koottukku”
'Udalenum koottukku' compares the physical human body to a bird's cage from which life escapes.
Upamai (Simile)
“Kaaladi thaamarai novadhu marandhu”
'Kaaladi thaamarai' compares her soft, beautiful feet to a delicate lotus flower.
Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)
“Needhiyae neeyum”
Matching initial consonant-vowel sounds in words on the same line, such as 'Needhiyae' and 'neeyum'.
Did you know?
Trivia
Poompuhar (1964) is a cinematic adaptation of the epic Silappatikaram written by Ilango Adigal. The movie's sharp, powerful dialogues were penned by former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, emphasizing the central theme that misgovernance and unjust rule inevitably lead to destruction.
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