Avanukkenna
From Periya Idathu Penn · 1963
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
- Details
- Periya Idathu Penn1963
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| { Avanukenna thoonkivittan | What does He care? He has fallen asleep. |
| Agapattavan naan allava | Am I not the one trapped? |
| Aiyirandu maadhathilae | In ten months time, |
| Kaigalilae potu vittan } (2) | He placed me in hands. |
| Kaigalilae potu vittan | He placed me in hands. |
| Male | |
| { Ivanukendru | For this man, |
| Edhai koduthaan | What did He give? |
| Elumbudanae sadhai | Along with bones, flesh |
| Koduthaan } (2) | He gave. |
| Male | |
| Idhayathaiyum | A heart too |
| Koduthuvitu irankum | He gave, and until death |
| Varai thudika vittan | He made it beat. |
| Irankum varai | Until death |
| Thudika vittan | He made it throb. |
| Male | |
| Avanukenna thoonkivittan | What does He care? He has fallen asleep. |
| Agapattavan naan allava | Am I not the one trapped? |
| Aiyirandu maadhathilae | In ten months time, |
| Kaigalilae potu vittan | He placed me in hands. |
| Male | |
| Yaanai idam | In the elephant, |
| Nandri vaithaan | He placed gratitude. |
| Kaakai idam | In the crow, |
| Uravu vaithaan | He placed kinship. |
| Male | |
| Maangalukum | Even to deer, |
| Maanam vaithaan | He gave dignity. |
| { Manidhanuku | For human beings, |
| Enna vaithaan } (2) | What did He keep? |
| Male | |
| Avanukenna thoonkivittan | What does He care? He has fallen asleep. |
| Agapattavan naan allava | Am I not the one trapped? |
| Aiyirandu maadhathilae | In ten months time, |
| { Kaigalilae potu vittan } (2) | He placed me in hands. |
| Male | |
| { Vaanil ulla | To let the celestials in heaven live, |
| Devargalai vaazhavaika | To make them survive, |
| Visham kudithaan… } (2) | He drank poison... |
| Male | |
| Naatil ulla | All the poison in this world, |
| Vishathai ellam | All that poison, |
| { Naan kudika vituvittan } (2) | He made me drink instead. |
| Male | |
| Avanukenna thoonkivittan | What does He care? He has fallen asleep. |
| Agapattavan naan allava | Am I not the one trapped? |
| Aiyirandu maadhathilae | In ten months time, |
| { Kaigalilae potu vittan } (2) | He placed me in hands. |
{ அவனுக்கென்ன
தூங்கிவிட்டான் அகப்பட்டவன்
நான் அல்லவா ஐயிரண்டு
மாதத்திலே கைகளிலே
போட்டு விட்டான் } (2)
கைகளிலே போட்டு விட்டான்
What does He care? He has fallen asleep.
Am I not the one trapped?
In ten months time,
He placed me in hands.
He placed me in hands.
{ இவனுக்கென்று
எதை கொடுத்தான்
எலும்புடனே சதை
கொடுத்தான் } (2)
For this man,
What did He give?
Along with bones, flesh
He gave.
இதயத்தையும்
கொடுத்துவிட்டு இறக்கும்
வரை துடிக்க விட்டான்
இறக்கும் வரை துடிக்க
விட்டான்
A heart too
He gave, and until death
He made it beat.
Until death
He made it throb.
அவனுக்கென்ன
தூங்கிவிட்டான் அகப்பட்டவன்
நான் அல்லவா ஐயிரண்டு
மாதத்திலே கைகளிலே
போட்டு விட்டான்
What does He care? He has fallen asleep.
Am I not the one trapped?
In ten months time,
He placed me in hands.
யானை இடம்
நன்றி வைத்தான்
காக்கை இடம் உறவு
வைத்தான்
In the elephant,
He placed gratitude.
In the crow,
He placed kinship.
மான்களுக்கும்
மானம் வைத்தான்
{ மனிதனுக்கு என்ன
வைத்தான் } (2)
Even to deer,
He gave dignity.
For human beings,
What did He keep?
அவனுக்கென்ன
தூங்கிவிட்டான் அகப்பட்டவன்
நான் அல்லவா ஐயிரண்டு
மாதத்திலே கைகளிலே
போட்டு விட்டான் கைகளிலே
போட்டு விட்டான்
What does He care? He has fallen asleep.
Am I not the one trapped?
In ten months time,
He placed me in hands.
{ வானில் உள்ள
தேவர்களை வாழவைக்க
விஷம் குடித்தான் } (2)
To let the celestials in heaven live,
To make them survive,
He drank poison...
நாட்டில் உள்ள
விஷத்தை எல்லாம்
{ நான் குடிக்க விட்டு
விட்டான் } (2)
All the poison in this world,
All that poison,
He made me drink instead.
அவனுக்கென்ன
தூங்கிவிட்டான் அகப்பட்டவன்
நான் அல்லவா ஐயிரண்டு
மாதத்திலே கைகளிலே
போட்டு விட்டான் கைகளிலே
போட்டு விட்டான்
What does He care? He has fallen asleep.
Am I not the one trapped?
In ten months time,
He placed me in hands.
{ Avanukenna thoonkivittan
What does He care? He has fallen asleep.
Agapattavan naan allava
Am I not the one trapped?
Aiyirandu maadhathilae
In ten months time,
Kaigalilae potu vittan } (2)
He placed me in hands.
Kaigalilae potu vittan
He placed me in hands.
{ Ivanukendru
For this man,
Edhai koduthaan
What did He give?
Elumbudanae sadhai
Along with bones, flesh
Koduthaan } (2)
He gave.
Idhayathaiyum
A heart too
Koduthuvitu irankum
He gave, and until death
Varai thudika vittan
He made it beat.
Irankum varai
Until death
Thudika vittan
He made it throb.
Avanukenna thoonkivittan
What does He care? He has fallen asleep.
Agapattavan naan allava
Am I not the one trapped?
Aiyirandu maadhathilae
In ten months time,
Kaigalilae potu vittan
He placed me in hands.
Yaanai idam
In the elephant,
Nandri vaithaan
He placed gratitude.
Kaakai idam
In the crow,
Uravu vaithaan
He placed kinship.
Maangalukum
Even to deer,
Maanam vaithaan
He gave dignity.
{ Manidhanuku
For human beings,
Enna vaithaan } (2)
What did He keep?
Avanukenna thoonkivittan
What does He care? He has fallen asleep.
Agapattavan naan allava
Am I not the one trapped?
Aiyirandu maadhathilae
In ten months time,
{ Kaigalilae potu vittan } (2)
He placed me in hands.
{ Vaanil ulla
To let the celestials in heaven live,
Devargalai vaazhavaika
To make them survive,
Visham kudithaan… } (2)
He drank poison...
Naatil ulla
All the poison in this world,
Vishathai ellam
All that poison,
{ Naan kudika vituvittan } (2)
He made me drink instead.
Avanukenna thoonkivittan
What does He care? He has fallen asleep.
Agapattavan naan allava
Am I not the one trapped?
Aiyirandu maadhathilae
In ten months time,
{ Kaigalilae potu vittan } (2)
He placed me in hands.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Avanukenna Thoonkivittan is a profound philosophical song from the 1963 Tamil film Periya Idathu Penn, penned by the legendary Kannadasan. The protagonist laments the burdens of human life, questioning the Almighty's design. After creating man with bones, flesh, and a heart doomed to throb incessantly until death, God seems to rest peacefully while leaving humans to suffer. The song contrasts human agony with animal instincts, observing that animals possess natural virtues—elephants are faithful, crows exhibit unity, and deer possess self-dignity—yet humans are left with suffering and conflict. Drawing upon Hindu mythology, the lyricist references Lord Shiva consuming the cosmic poison (Halahala) to save the gods in heaven, but lamenting that in the earthly realm, humans are forced to drink the poison of daily grief and hardship on their own. Through simple yet haunting verses, the song serves as an existential commentary on human struggle, fate, and divine apathy.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Rhetorical Question (Vinaa Alangaram)
“Manidhanuku / Enna vaithaan”
The poet asks 'Manidhanuku / Enna vaithaan' (What did He keep for human beings?) to forcefully highlight human suffering rather than seek an actual answer.
Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Yaanai idam / Kaakai idam”
The second letters of 'Agapattavan' (g) and 'Aiyirandu' (i/y - phonetically paired) or 'Yaanai' / 'Kaakai' / 'Maangalukum' create structured rhythm in Tamil prosody.
Mythological Allusion
“Devargalai vaazhavaika / Visham kudithaan…”
Refers to the Hindu mythological episode of Thiruneelakandar (Lord Shiva) drinking poison to save the Devas during the churning of the ocean.
Antithesis / Contrast (Muran)
“Naatil ulla / Vishathai ellam / Naan kudika vituvittan”
Contrasts God's act of drinking poison to save heavenly beings with forcing humans to consume earthly poison themselves.
Did you know?
Trivia
Although listed as Unknown in the prompt, 'Periya Idathu Penn' (1963) features music composed by the iconic duo Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy, with vocals by T. M. Soundararajan (TMS) picturized on M. G. Ramachandran (MGR). Kannadasan's philosophical songs for MGR frequently blended spiritual references with social commentary tailored for the common man.
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