Annaiye Naan Anaadhai
From Devaki (1951) · 1951
- Lyricist
- Ka. Mu. Sheriff
- Singer
- N. L. Ganasaraswathi
- Music director
- G. Ramanathan
- Details
- Devaki (1951)1951
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Annaiyae naan anaathai | Mother, I am an orphan |
| Naan anaathai | I am an orphan |
| Annaiyae naan anaathai | Mother, I am an orphan |
| Yaarena kaadhaaram unaiyallaal | Who is my support other than you? |
| Female | |
| Annaiyae naan anaathai | Mother, I am an orphan |
| Yaarena kaadhaaram unaiyallaal | Who is my support other than you? |
| Female | |
| Annaiyae naan anaathai | Mother, I am an orphan |
| Female | |
| Theeraatha noaalen manavaalanae antho | Alas, my husband suffers from an incurable illness |
| Nadaipinamaaga nadamaadavo | Is he to wander around like a living corpse? |
| Theeraatha noaalen manavaalanae antho | Alas, my husband suffers from an incurable illness |
| Nadaipinamaaga nadamaadavo | Is he to wander around like a living corpse? |
| Suga vaazhvu puvimel veen kanavaagavo | Is a happy life on earth to become a futile dream? |
| Suga vaazhvu puvimel veen kanavaagavo | Is a happy life on earth to become a futile dream? |
| Sollaai devi neeyae kadhi nigarillaa | Tell me, Goddess, you are my unmatched sanctuary |
| Female | |
| Annaiyae naan anaathai | Mother, I am an orphan |
| Female | |
| Naathanin thuyar thaalaath paavai naan | I am a helpless woman unable to bear my lord's sorrow |
| Olamiduvathu un sevi vizhavillaiyo | Does my wailing cry not reach your ears? |
| Naathanin thuyar thaalaath paavai naan | I am a helpless woman unable to bear my lord's sorrow |
| Olamiduvathu un sevi vizhavillaiyo | Does my wailing cry not reach your ears? |
| Noyural karma vinaiyo | Is this affliction the result of past karmic deeds? |
| Noyural karma vinaiyo | Is this affliction the result of past karmic deeds? |
| Vinaiyaanaal | If it is indeed karma... |
| Enakkantha noi thanthu naathanai kaavaai | Grant that illness to me and save my lord! |
| Female | |
| Thaal paninthaen unnaiyae jananee | I bow at your divine feet, O Mother |
| Enai aadhari thayaapari nigarilaa | Support me, merciful and peerless one |
| Annaiyae naan anaathai | Mother, I am an orphan |
| Yaarena kaadhaaram unaiyallaal | Who is my support other than you? |
| Female | |
| Annaiyae naan anaathai | Mother, I am an orphan |
அன்னையே நான் அனாதை
நான் அனாதை
அன்னையே நான் அனாதை
யாரெனக் காதாரம் உனையல்லால்
Mother, I am an orphan
I am an orphan
Mother, I am an orphan
Who is my support other than you?
அன்னையே நான் அனாதை
யாரெனக் காதாரம் உனையல்லால்
Mother, I am an orphan
Who is my support other than you?
அன்னையே நான் அனாதை
Mother, I am an orphan
தீராத நோயாலென் மணவாளனே அந்தோ...
நடைப்பிணமாக நடமாடவோ
தீராத நோயாலென் மணவாளனே அந்தோ...
நடைப்பிணமாக நடமாடவோ
சுக வாழ்வு புவிமேல் வீண் கனவாகவோ
சுக வாழ்வு புவிமேல் வீண் கனவாகவோ
சொல்லாய் தேவி நீயே கதி நிகரில்லா
Alas, my husband suffers from an incurable illness
Is he to wander around like a living corpse?
Alas, my husband suffers from an incurable illness
Is he to wander around like a living corpse?
Is a happy life on earth to become a futile dream?
Is a happy life on earth to become a futile dream?
Tell me, Goddess, you are my unmatched sanctuary
அன்னையே நான் அனாதை
Mother, I am an orphan
நாதனின் துயர் தாளாத பாவை நான்
ஓலமிடுவது உன் செவி விழவில்லையோ
நாதனின் துயர் தாளாத பாவை நான்
ஓலமிடுவது உன் செவி விழவில்லையோ
நோயுறல் கர்ம வினையோ
நோயுறல் கர்ம வினையோ
வினையானால்
எனக்கந்த நோய் தந்து நாதனைக் காவாய்
I am a helpless woman unable to bear my lord's sorrow
Does my wailing cry not reach your ears?
I am a helpless woman unable to bear my lord's sorrow
Does my wailing cry not reach your ears?
Is this affliction the result of past karmic deeds?
Is this affliction the result of past karmic deeds?
If it is indeed karma...
Grant that illness to me and save my lord!
தாள் பணிந்தேன் உன்னையே ஜனனீ
எனை ஆதரி தயாபரி நிகரிலா
அன்னையே நான் அனாதை
யாரெனக் காதாரம் உனையல்லால்
I bow at your divine feet, O Mother
Support me, merciful and peerless one
Mother, I am an orphan
Who is my support other than you?
அன்னையே நான் அனாதை....
Mother, I am an orphan
Annaiyae naan anaathai
Mother, I am an orphan
Naan anaathai
I am an orphan
Annaiyae naan anaathai
Mother, I am an orphan
Yaarena kaadhaaram unaiyallaal
Who is my support other than you?
Annaiyae naan anaathai
Mother, I am an orphan
Yaarena kaadhaaram unaiyallaal
Who is my support other than you?
Annaiyae naan anaathai
Mother, I am an orphan
Theeraatha noaalen manavaalanae antho
Alas, my husband suffers from an incurable illness
Nadaipinamaaga nadamaadavo
Is he to wander around like a living corpse?
Theeraatha noaalen manavaalanae antho
Alas, my husband suffers from an incurable illness
Nadaipinamaaga nadamaadavo
Is he to wander around like a living corpse?
Suga vaazhvu puvimel veen kanavaagavo
Is a happy life on earth to become a futile dream?
Suga vaazhvu puvimel veen kanavaagavo
Is a happy life on earth to become a futile dream?
Sollaai devi neeyae kadhi nigarillaa
Tell me, Goddess, you are my unmatched sanctuary
Annaiyae naan anaathai
Mother, I am an orphan
Naathanin thuyar thaalaath paavai naan
I am a helpless woman unable to bear my lord's sorrow
Olamiduvathu un sevi vizhavillaiyo
Does my wailing cry not reach your ears?
Naathanin thuyar thaalaath paavai naan
I am a helpless woman unable to bear my lord's sorrow
Olamiduvathu un sevi vizhavillaiyo
Does my wailing cry not reach your ears?
Noyural karma vinaiyo
Is this affliction the result of past karmic deeds?
Noyural karma vinaiyo
Is this affliction the result of past karmic deeds?
Vinaiyaanaal
If it is indeed karma...
Enakkantha noi thanthu naathanai kaavaai
Grant that illness to me and save my lord!
Thaal paninthaen unnaiyae jananee
I bow at your divine feet, O Mother
Enai aadhari thayaapari nigarilaa
Support me, merciful and peerless one
Annaiyae naan anaathai
Mother, I am an orphan
Yaarena kaadhaaram unaiyallaal
Who is my support other than you?
Annaiyae naan anaathai
Mother, I am an orphan
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song is a poignant, emotional plea sung by a distressed wife to the Divine Mother Goddess. Deeply grieved by her husband's incurable illness that has reduced him to a living corpse, she questions if their dreams of a joyful worldly life were in vain. She surrenders entirely to the Goddess as her sole refuge. In a supreme act of marital devotion and sacrifice, she begs the Goddess to transfer her husband's karmic suffering and illness onto her, pleading for his life to be spared.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Anaphora / Refrain
“Annaiyae naan anaathai”
Repetition of the line 'Annaiyae naan anaathai' emphasizes the protagonist's sense of helplessness and utter reliance on the divine mother.
Metaphor
“Nadaipinamaaga nadamaadavo”
Comparing the ailing husband to a 'nadaipinam' (living corpse) graphically conveys his physical suffering and lifeless state.
Rhetorical Question
“Olamiduvathu un sevi vizhavillaiyo”
Asking whether her wailing cry reaches the Goddess's ears conveys desperation and intensifies the emotional tone of the prayer.
Aethel / Altruistic Sacrifice Motif
“Vinaiyaanaal enakkantha noi thanthu naathanai kaavaai”
The lyrics capture a classic poetic trope of sacrificial love where the devotee offers to absorb the negative karma and disease of her beloved.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song was composed by master musician G. Ramanathan for the 1951 film Devaki, featuring lyrics by Ka. Mu. Sheriff. It was rendered by N. L. Ganasaraswathi, a prominent Carnatic musician and early playback singer celebrated for her soul-stirring vocal technique in devotional film music.
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