Bommalattam Idhu
From Mathar Kula Manickam · 1956
- Lyricist
- Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- S. Rajeswara Rao
- Details
- Mathar Kula Manickam1956
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Ye manidhaa indha kaayamae poiyadaa | O human, this physical body is a lie! |
| Idhu kaatradaitha paiyadaa | It is merely a bag filled with air! |
| Male | |
| Bommalaattamidhu bommalaattamdhu | This life is a puppet show, a puppet show! |
| Nambiduvaai manidhaa…manidhaa | Believe this, O human... O human! |
| Nambiduvaai manidhaa.. | Believe this, O human.. |
| Andha bommaiyil nee orr bommaiyada | Among those puppets, you are just one puppet! |
| Idhu unmaiyada manidhaa | This is the absolute truth, O human! |
| Idhai unarndhu paaraai mooda | Realize this and see, foolish one! |
| Male | |
| Hoo..o..o o …o.. | Hoo..o..o o …o.. |
| Thiraiyil maraindha soothrathaarikkae | Only to the puppeteer hidden behind the curtain, |
| Theriyumada namadhattam | Is our movement and game known! |
| Avanukkae theriyumadaa namadhattam | Only to Him is our dance known! |
| Maru nimishathilae | In the very next moment, |
| Maru nimishathilae enna aagumoo | In the very next moment, what will happen, |
| Maayaa ulagin ottam | To the pace of this illusionary world? |
| Aattu mandhaiyada namm koottam | Our crowd is like a flock of sheep, |
| Nari vandhu vittaal thindaattam | If a fox arrives, there is utter panic and chaos! |
| Male | |
| Hoo..o..o o …o.. | Hoo..o..o o …o.. |
| Kaadhal ooridam kalyaanam ooridam | Love is in one place, marriage in another, |
| Vindhaiyada indha ulagam | Strange indeed is this world! |
| Perum vindhaiyada indha ulagam | A great wonder is this world! |
| Baedhamattra kalyaana maedaiyum | Even the grand wedding stage, |
| Naadaga maedaiyada | Is merely a theatrical drama stage! |
| Ivai yaavum naanmugan leelaiyada | All these are the divine plays of the four-faced Brahma! |
| Unaiyae nambidadhaedaa moodaa…. | Do not rely arrogantly on yourself, foolish one! |
| Male | |
| Bommalaattamidhu bommalaattamdhu | This life is a puppet show, a puppet show! |
| Nambiduvaai manidhaa…manidhaa | Believe this, O human... O human! |
| Nambiduvaai manidhaa.. | Believe this, O human.. |
| Andha bommaiyil nee orr bommaiyada | Among those puppets, you are just one puppet! |
| Idhu unmaiyada manidhaa | This is the absolute truth, O human! |
| Idhai unarndhu paaraai mooda | Realize this and see, foolish one! |
| Male | |
| Ninaivil neendhidum payanam yaavumae | Will all the journeys that swim in memory, |
| Nilaiyil serndhu vidumaa | Reach a permanent destination? |
| Nilaiyil serndhu vidumaa | Reach a permanent destination? |
| Vazhiyinilae ennenna naerumoo | What all unexpected things might happen along the way? |
| Varum vidhi maaridumaa manidhaa | Can approaching destiny ever be altered, O human? |
| Vaazhvu nirandharamaa | Is human life permanent? |
| Maraiyum vaanavilladaa manidhaa | It is merely a vanishing rainbow, O human! |
| Male | |
| Hoo..o..o o …o.. | Hoo..o..o o …o.. |
| Manidha preyathanam vetri kandaal | If human effort alone guaranteed ultimate success, |
| Baghavaan yedhu ulaginilae | Then what necessity is there for God in this world? |
| Marandhae neeyum sagada vaazhvilae | Forgetting this wisdom in the routine of life, |
| Maari maari oodathae | Do not keep running endlessly back and forth! |
| Madhiyae izhandhidaathae | Do not lose your intellect! |
| Manoradham solladhae | Do not yield to foolish daydreams! |
| Madhimayangiyae thullaadhae | Do not leap around having lost your mind! |
ஏ மனிதா இந்தக் காயமே பொய்யடா
இது காற்றடைத்த பையடா
O human, this physical body is a lie!
It is merely a bag filled with air!
பொம்மலாட்டமிது பொம்மலாட்டமிது
நம்பிடுவாய் மனிதா..மனிதா
நம்பிடுவாய் மனிதா
அந்தப் பொம்மையில் நீ ஓர் பொம்மையடா
இது உண்மையடா மனிதா
இதை உணர்ந்து பாராய் மூடா.....
This life is a puppet show, a puppet show!
Believe this, O human... O human!
Believe this, O human..
Among those puppets, you are just one puppet!
This is the absolute truth, O human!
Realize this and see, foolish one!
ஹோ ...ஓ...ஓஒ....ஒ...
திரையில் மறைந்த சூத்ரதாரிக்கே
தெரியுமாடா நமதாட்டம்
அவனுக்கே தெரியுமாடா நமதாட்டம்
மறு நிமிஷத்திலே
மறு நிமிஷத்திலே என்ன ஆகுமோ
மாயா உலகின் ஓட்டம்
ஆட்டு மந்தையடா நம் கூட்டம்
நரி வந்து விட்டால் திண்டாட்டம்
Hoo..o..o o …o..
Only to the puppeteer hidden behind the curtain,
Is our movement and game known!
Only to Him is our dance known!
In the very next moment,
In the very next moment, what will happen,
To the pace of this illusionary world?
Our crowd is like a flock of sheep,
If a fox arrives, there is utter panic and chaos!
ஹோ ...ஓ...ஓஒ....ஒ...
காதல் ஓரிடம் கல்யாணம் ஓரிடம்
விந்தையடா இந்த உலகம்
பெரும் விந்தையடா இந்த உலகம்
பேதமற்ற கல்யாண மேடையும்
நாடக மேடையடா
இவை யாவும் நான்முகன் லீலையடா
உனையே நம்பிடாதேடா மூடா....
Hoo..o..o o …o..
Love is in one place, marriage in another,
Strange indeed is this world!
A great wonder is this world!
Even the grand wedding stage,
Is merely a theatrical drama stage!
All these are the divine plays of the four-faced Brahma!
Do not rely arrogantly on yourself, foolish one!
பொம்மலாட்டமிது பொம்மலாட்டமிது
நம்பிடுவாய் மனிதா..மனிதா
நம்பிடுவாய் மனிதா
அந்தப் பொம்மையில் நீ ஓர் பொம்மையடா
இது உண்மையடா மனிதா
இதை உணர்ந்து பாராய் மூடா.....
This life is a puppet show, a puppet show!
Believe this, O human... O human!
Believe this, O human..
Among those puppets, you are just one puppet!
This is the absolute truth, O human!
Realize this and see, foolish one!
நினைவில் நீந்திடும் பயணம் யாவுமே
நிலையில் சேர்ந்து விடுமா
நிலையில் சேர்ந்து விடுமா
வழியினிலே என்னென்ன நேருமோ
வரும் விதி மாறிடுமா மனிதா
வாழ்வு நிரந்தரமா
மறையும் வானவில்லடா மனிதா
Will all the journeys that swim in memory,
Reach a permanent destination?
Reach a permanent destination?
What all unexpected things might happen along the way?
Can approaching destiny ever be altered, O human?
Is human life permanent?
It is merely a vanishing rainbow, O human!
ஹோ ...ஓ...ஓஒ....ஒ...
மனிதப் பிரயத்தனம் வெற்றி கண்டால்
பகவான் ஏது உலகினிலே
மறந்தே நீயும் சகட வாழ்விலே
மாறிமாறி ஓடாதே
மதியே இழந்திடாதே
மனோரதம் செல்லாதே
மதிமயங்கியே துள்ளாதே...!
Hoo..o..o o …o..
If human effort alone guaranteed ultimate success,
Then what necessity is there for God in this world?
Forgetting this wisdom in the routine of life,
Do not keep running endlessly back and forth!
Do not lose your intellect!
Do not yield to foolish daydreams!
Do not leap around having lost your mind!
Ye manidhaa indha kaayamae poiyadaa
O human, this physical body is a lie!
Idhu kaatradaitha paiyadaa
It is merely a bag filled with air!
Bommalaattamidhu bommalaattamdhu
This life is a puppet show, a puppet show!
Nambiduvaai manidhaa…manidhaa
Believe this, O human... O human!
Nambiduvaai manidhaa..
Believe this, O human..
Andha bommaiyil nee orr bommaiyada
Among those puppets, you are just one puppet!
Idhu unmaiyada manidhaa
This is the absolute truth, O human!
Idhai unarndhu paaraai mooda
Realize this and see, foolish one!
Hoo..o..o o …o..
Hoo..o..o o …o..
Thiraiyil maraindha soothrathaarikkae
Only to the puppeteer hidden behind the curtain,
Theriyumada namadhattam
Is our movement and game known!
Avanukkae theriyumadaa namadhattam
Only to Him is our dance known!
Maru nimishathilae
In the very next moment,
Maru nimishathilae enna aagumoo
In the very next moment, what will happen,
Maayaa ulagin ottam
To the pace of this illusionary world?
Aattu mandhaiyada namm koottam
Our crowd is like a flock of sheep,
Nari vandhu vittaal thindaattam
If a fox arrives, there is utter panic and chaos!
Hoo..o..o o …o..
Hoo..o..o o …o..
Kaadhal ooridam kalyaanam ooridam
Love is in one place, marriage in another,
Vindhaiyada indha ulagam
Strange indeed is this world!
Perum vindhaiyada indha ulagam
A great wonder is this world!
Baedhamattra kalyaana maedaiyum
Even the grand wedding stage,
Naadaga maedaiyada
Is merely a theatrical drama stage!
Ivai yaavum naanmugan leelaiyada
All these are the divine plays of the four-faced Brahma!
Unaiyae nambidadhaedaa moodaa….
Do not rely arrogantly on yourself, foolish one!
Bommalaattamidhu bommalaattamdhu
This life is a puppet show, a puppet show!
Nambiduvaai manidhaa…manidhaa
Believe this, O human... O human!
Nambiduvaai manidhaa..
Believe this, O human..
Andha bommaiyil nee orr bommaiyada
Among those puppets, you are just one puppet!
Idhu unmaiyada manidhaa
This is the absolute truth, O human!
Idhai unarndhu paaraai mooda
Realize this and see, foolish one!
Ninaivil neendhidum payanam yaavumae
Will all the journeys that swim in memory,
Nilaiyil serndhu vidumaa
Reach a permanent destination?
Nilaiyil serndhu vidumaa
Reach a permanent destination?
Vazhiyinilae ennenna naerumoo
What all unexpected things might happen along the way?
Varum vidhi maaridumaa manidhaa
Can approaching destiny ever be altered, O human?
Vaazhvu nirandharamaa
Is human life permanent?
Maraiyum vaanavilladaa manidhaa
It is merely a vanishing rainbow, O human!
Hoo..o..o o …o..
Hoo..o..o o …o..
Manidha preyathanam vetri kandaal
If human effort alone guaranteed ultimate success,
Baghavaan yedhu ulaginilae
Then what necessity is there for God in this world?
Marandhae neeyum sagada vaazhvilae
Forgetting this wisdom in the routine of life,
Maari maari oodathae
Do not keep running endlessly back and forth!
Madhiyae izhandhidaathae
Do not lose your intellect!
Manoradham solladhae
Do not yield to foolish daydreams!
Madhimayangiyae thullaadhae
Do not leap around having lost your mind!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This philosophical song from the 1956 film 'Mathar Kula Manickam' addresses humanity on the impermanence of mortal life and the futility of human ego. The lyricist Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass uses evocative metaphors, characterizing the human body as a transient bag of air and human existence as a puppet show controlled by an invisible divine Puppeteer (the Creator). Life is depicted as an unpredictable journey where unexpected twists render pride and grand plans meaningless.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvam)
“Idhu kaatradaitha paiyadaa”
Compares the perishable human body directly to an air-filled bag ('kaatradaitha pai').
Allegory / Extended Metaphor
“Bommalaattamidhu bommalaattamdhu”
Frames human life and cosmic destiny as a stringed puppet show ('Bommalaattam').
Simile / Metaphor
“Aattu mandhaiyada namm koottam”
Compares society to a herd of sheep ('Aattu mandhai') vulnerable to sudden chaos ('Nari').
Metaphor
“Maraiyum vaanavilladaa manidhaa”
Compares fleeting human life to a disappearing rainbow ('Maraiyum vaanavill').
Anaphora / Initial Rhyme (Mona)
“Madhiyae izhandhidaathae / Manoradham solladhae / Madhimayangiyae thullaadhae”
Repetition of initial consonant/vowel sounds ('Ma') across consecutive lines for rhythmic cadence.
Did you know?
Trivia
The film 'Mathar Kula Manickam' (1956) was a bilingual shot simultaneously in Telugu as 'Charana Daasi'. Music director S. Rajeswara Rao composed timeless melodies for this film, and T. M. Soundararajan's deep, resonant vocal delivery elevated this philosophical track into an enduring classic in Tamil cinema history.
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