Dharama Thulabaram
From Neethi Devan Mayakkam · 1982
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Details
- Neethi Devan Mayakkam1982
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Dharma thulaapaaram idhu dharma thulaapaaram | This is the balance scale of righteousness, yes, the balance scale of justice. |
| Dharma thulaapaaram idhu dharma thulaapaaram | This is the balance scale of righteousness, yes, the balance scale of justice. |
| Male | |
| Kangalillaa niyaayangal saatchiyillaa dharmangal | Blind justice and witnessless righteousness, |
| Ondrai ondru modhi kollum | They collide against one another. |
| Needhi enna needhi idhu neetdhiyillaa needhi | What kind of justice is this? It is justice without any integrity! |
| Male | |
| Dharma thulaapaaram idhu dharma thulaapaaram | This is the balance scale of righteousness, yes, the balance scale of justice. |
| Male | |
| Saatchiyodu seivathuthaan niyaayamaana kuttram | A crime committed with calculated evidence is hailed as fair. |
| Niyaaya devan kaigalilae neendathoru sattam | In the hands of the god of justice, the law stretches endlessly. |
| Thandanaiyai ketkkumpothu kuttravaali kalakkam | When hearing the verdict of punishment, the criminal trembles in panic. |
| Thandanaikku pinpuraththil needhi devan mayakkam | Behind the shadow of punishment, the god of justice himself falls into delusion. |
| Needhi devan mayakkam | The god of justice falls into delusion. |
| Male | |
| Adhigaara suvar ezhuppi aniyaaya kadai nadaththi | Erecting walls of authority and running a shop of injustice, |
| Mudhalillaa vaanipaththil mundhi nirkkiraar | They step ahead in a business that requires no capital. |
| Dharma devar peyaralae droupathiyai thuyiluriyum | In the name of righteousness, disrobing Draupadi like in the Mahabharata, |
| Soodhaattangal endrum poraattangal | Gambling games become endless daily struggles. |
| Male | |
| Dharma thulaapaaram idhu dharma thulaapaaram | This is the balance scale of righteousness, yes, the balance scale of justice. |
| Male | |
| Saththiyaththai kondra pinbu sathiraaduthu kaalam | After murdering the truth, time dances with joy. |
| Sattamendra peyarinilae thittamitta viyaapaaram | Under the guise of the law, it is a pre-planned commercial business. |
| Manithan sollum saatchiyellaam | All the witnesses spoken by human mouths, |
| Ooththedukkum niyaayangal | Are fabricated forms of justice. |
| Manasaatchi enbathuthaan needhidevan aalayam | Conscience alone is the true temple of the god of justice. |
| Male | |
| Aalayaththu munnilaiyil | In front of that sacred temple, |
| Aandavanin sannathiyil | In the divine presence of the Almighty, |
| Aththanaikkum theerpalikkum saththiyasothanai | The trial of truth delivers the ultimate verdict for everything. |
| Niraparaathi viduthalaiyum kuttravaali thandanaiyum | The acquittal of the innocent and the punishment of the guilty, |
| Dharma saathanai athu saththiya dharamam miga uththma dharmam | Is the victory of righteousness; that true justice is the highest divine virtue. |
தர்ம துலாபாரம் இது தர்ம துலாபாரம்
தர்ம துலாபாரம் இது தர்ம துலாபாரம்
This is the balance scale of righteousness, yes, the balance scale of justice.
This is the balance scale of righteousness, yes, the balance scale of justice.
கண்களில்லா நியாயங்கள் சாட்சியில்லா தர்மங்கள்
ஒன்றை ஒன்று மோதிக் கொள்ளும்
நீதி என்ன நீதி இது நீதியில்லா நீதி
Blind justice and witnessless righteousness,
They collide against one another.
What kind of justice is this? It is justice without any integrity!
தர்ம துலாபாரம் இது தர்ம துலாபாரம்
This is the balance scale of righteousness, yes, the balance scale of justice.
சாட்சியோடு செய்வதுதான் நியாயமான குற்றம்
நியாய தேவன் கைகளிலே நீண்டதொரு சட்டம்
தண்டனையைக் கேட்கும்போது குற்றவாளி கலக்கம்
தண்டனைக்குப் பின்புறத்தில் நீதி தேவன் மயக்கம்
நீதி தேவன் மயக்கம்
A crime committed with calculated evidence is hailed as fair.
In the hands of the god of justice, the law stretches endlessly.
When hearing the verdict of punishment, the criminal trembles in panic.
Behind the shadow of punishment, the god of justice himself falls into delusion.
The god of justice falls into delusion.
அதிகார சுவரெழுப்பி அநியாய கடை நடத்தி
முதலில்லா வாணிபத்தில் முந்தி நிற்கிறார்
தர்மதேவர் பெயராலே த்ரௌபதியை துயிலுரியும்
சூதாட்டங்கள் என்றும் போராட்டங்கள்
Erecting walls of authority and running a shop of injustice,
They step ahead in a business that requires no capital.
In the name of righteousness, disrobing Draupadi like in the Mahabharata,
Gambling games become endless daily struggles.
தர்ம துலாபாரம் இது தர்ம துலாபாரம்
This is the balance scale of righteousness, yes, the balance scale of justice.
சத்தியத்தைக் கொன்ற பின்பு சதிராடுது காலம்
சட்டமென்ற பெயரினிலே திட்டமிட்ட வியாபாரம்
மனிதன் சொல்லும் சாட்சியெல்லாம்
ஊத்தெடுக்கும் நியாயங்கள்
மனசாட்சி என்பதுதான் நீதிதேவன் ஆலயம்
After murdering the truth, time dances with joy.
Under the guise of the law, it is a pre-planned commercial business.
All the witnesses spoken by human mouths,
Are fabricated forms of justice.
Conscience alone is the true temple of the god of justice.
ஆலயத்து முன்னிலையில்
ஆண்டவனின் சன்னதியில்
அத்தனைக்கும் தீர்ப்பளிக்கும் சத்தியசோதனை
நிரபராதி விடுதலையும் குற்றவாளி தண்டனையும்
தர்ம சாதனை அது சத்திய தர்மம் மிக உத்தம தர்மம்
In front of that sacred temple,
In the divine presence of the Almighty,
The trial of truth delivers the ultimate verdict for everything.
The acquittal of the innocent and the punishment of the guilty,
Is the victory of righteousness; that true justice is the highest divine virtue.
Dharma thulaapaaram idhu dharma thulaapaaram
This is the balance scale of righteousness, yes, the balance scale of justice.
Dharma thulaapaaram idhu dharma thulaapaaram
This is the balance scale of righteousness, yes, the balance scale of justice.
Kangalillaa niyaayangal saatchiyillaa dharmangal
Blind justice and witnessless righteousness,
Ondrai ondru modhi kollum
They collide against one another.
Needhi enna needhi idhu neetdhiyillaa needhi
What kind of justice is this? It is justice without any integrity!
Dharma thulaapaaram idhu dharma thulaapaaram
This is the balance scale of righteousness, yes, the balance scale of justice.
Saatchiyodu seivathuthaan niyaayamaana kuttram
A crime committed with calculated evidence is hailed as fair.
Niyaaya devan kaigalilae neendathoru sattam
In the hands of the god of justice, the law stretches endlessly.
Thandanaiyai ketkkumpothu kuttravaali kalakkam
When hearing the verdict of punishment, the criminal trembles in panic.
Thandanaikku pinpuraththil needhi devan mayakkam
Behind the shadow of punishment, the god of justice himself falls into delusion.
Needhi devan mayakkam
The god of justice falls into delusion.
Adhigaara suvar ezhuppi aniyaaya kadai nadaththi
Erecting walls of authority and running a shop of injustice,
Mudhalillaa vaanipaththil mundhi nirkkiraar
They step ahead in a business that requires no capital.
Dharma devar peyaralae droupathiyai thuyiluriyum
In the name of righteousness, disrobing Draupadi like in the Mahabharata,
Soodhaattangal endrum poraattangal
Gambling games become endless daily struggles.
Dharma thulaapaaram idhu dharma thulaapaaram
This is the balance scale of righteousness, yes, the balance scale of justice.
Saththiyaththai kondra pinbu sathiraaduthu kaalam
After murdering the truth, time dances with joy.
Sattamendra peyarinilae thittamitta viyaapaaram
Under the guise of the law, it is a pre-planned commercial business.
Manithan sollum saatchiyellaam
All the witnesses spoken by human mouths,
Ooththedukkum niyaayangal
Are fabricated forms of justice.
Manasaatchi enbathuthaan needhidevan aalayam
Conscience alone is the true temple of the god of justice.
Aalayaththu munnilaiyil
In front of that sacred temple,
Aandavanin sannathiyil
In the divine presence of the Almighty,
Aththanaikkum theerpalikkum saththiyasothanai
The trial of truth delivers the ultimate verdict for everything.
Niraparaathi viduthalaiyum kuttravaali thandanaiyum
The acquittal of the innocent and the punishment of the guilty,
Dharma saathanai athu saththiya dharamam miga uththma dharmam
Is the victory of righteousness; that true justice is the highest divine virtue.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This powerful song from 'Neethi Devan Mayakkam' serves as a sharp philosophical critique of human legal systems and systemic corruption. Lyricist Kannadasan contrasts human courtrooms—where truth is manipulated through technicalities, false testimony, and power dynamics—with true moral justice. The song highlights how criminals exploit legal loopholes while the innocent suffer under hypocritical facades.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Manasaatchi enbathuthaan needhidevan aalayam”
Compares human conscience directly to the sacred temple of the God of Justice.
Paradox / Oxymoron
“Needhi enna needhi idhu neetdhiyillaa needhi”
Contradicts the core concept of justice by calling it 'justice without integrity/ethics'.
Mythological Allusion (Sarithira Kurippu)
“Dharma devar peyaralae droupathiyai thuyiluriyum”
Alludes to the gambling match in Mahabharata where Draupadi was humiliated in the name of righteousness.
Personification
“Saththiyaththai kondra pinbu sathiraaduthu kaalam”
Personifies 'Time' as dancing triumphantly after truth has been slain.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song title reflects the film's core theme, questioning courtrooms and legal technicalities. Composed by K. V. Mahadevan with powerful vocals by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Kannadasan's lyrics effectively combine Mahabharata lore with modern judicial criticism.
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