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Dharma album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Dharmangal

From Dharma · 1998

Lyricist
Pulamaipithan
Singer
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Dharma
Movie release year
1998
Lyrics added on
18 Sept 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Dharmangal velai indri thoongum podhu
Nyaayangal oomaiyaagi pogum podhu
Dharmangal velai indri thoongum podhu
Nyaayangal oomaiyaagi pogum podhu
Ezhundhu nirkkindra singam ivanae
Ezhai vargathin pakkam
Thatti ketkindra thangam ivanae
Thamizhar yaarum ivan pakkam
Dharmaa… dharmaa…
Dharmaa ennum perai
Satham pottu chollu
Thattukketta naattil
Dharmaa pakkam nillu
Dharmaa… dharmaa… dharmaa…
Dharmaavin vetri engal vetri vetri
Thambikku chollu idhai thaalam thatti
Thandhaikku pillai illai
Thaaikku ivan maganillai
Ezhaiyin veettu pillai ivan thaanae
Oorukkul unmai illai
Unmaikku kaalam illai
Yaar ingae unmaikkingae ivan thaanae
Neruppaai iruppaan
Idhil adhisayam illai
Irundhaal koduppaan
Adhil arasiyal illai
Ivano nagarum oru erimalai thaanae
Irundhum idhayam oru panimalai thaanae
Dharmangal thalai thookka nyaayangal arasalaa
Engengum dharmaavin raajaangam
Dharmangal velai indri thoongum podhu
Nyaayangal oomaiyaagi pogum podhu
Ezhundhu nirkkindra singam ivanae
Ezhai vargathin pakkam
Thatti ketkindra thangam ivanae
Thamizhar yaarum ivan pakkam
Dharmaa… dharmaa…
Dharmaa ennum perai
Satham pottu chollu
Thattukketta naattil
Dharmaa pakkam nillu
Dharmaa… dharmaa… dharmaa…
Dharmaavin vetri engal vetri vetri
Thambikku chollu idhai thaalam thatti
Thaanaaga thoda maattaan
Vambukku vara maattaan
Pottikku vandhaalae vida maattaan
Sattangal thaaraaga
Nyaayangal tharuvaanae
Oorukku courttellaam ivan thaanae
Eduthaal mudippaan
Adhil thadaigalum illai
Ezhai ulagil ini azhukural illai
Mannin maganae ini pudhumaigal paadu
Manadhaal seyalaal oru pudhu mozhi podu
Dharmangal velai indri thoongum podhu
Nyaayangal oomaiyaagi pogum podhu
Ezhundhu nirkkindra singam ivanae
Ezhai vargathin pakkam
Thatti ketkindra thangam ivanae
Thamizhar yaarum ivan pakkam
Dharmaa… dharmaa…
Dharmaa ennum perai
Satham pottu chollu
Thattukketta naattil
Dharmaa pakkam nillu
Dharmaa… dharmaa… dharmaa…
{Dharmaa ennum perai
Satham pottu chollu
Thattukketta naattil
Dharmaa pakkam nillu} (2)
When righteousness sleeps without doing its duty,
when justice is struck dumb,
When righteousness sleeps without doing its duty,
when justice is struck dumb,
he is the lion that rises to stand,
on the side of the poor.
He is the golden soul who questions injustice;
every Tamil stands by his side!
Dharma... Dharma...
The name of Dharma,
shout it out loud!
In this broken land,
stand on Dharma's side!
Dharma... Dharma... Dharma...
Dharma's victory is our victory, our victory!
Tell this to your brother, clapping to the rhythm!
He is not just one father's child,
he is not just one mother's son,
he is the child of every poor household!
There is no truth left in this town,
this is no good time for the truth,
who else stands for the truth here if not him?
He will burn like fire,
and that is no surprise;
if he has anything, he will give it away,
and there are no politics behind it!
He may be a roaring volcano,
yet his heart is a mountain of snow!
For righteousness to rise and justice to rule,
Dharma's reign is everywhere...
When righteousness sleeps without doing its duty,
when justice is struck dumb,
he is the lion that rises to stand,
on the side of the poor.
He is the golden soul who questions injustice;
every Tamil stands by his side!
Dharma... Dharma...
The name of Dharma,
shout it out loud!
In this broken land,
stand on Dharma's side!
Dharma... Dharma... Dharma...
Dharma's victory is our victory, our victory!
Tell this to your brother, clapping to the rhythm!
He will never pick a fight on his own,
he will never look for trouble,
but if anyone challenges him, he will not spare them!
In place of the law,
he will deliver true justice;
for this entire town, he is the court itself!
If he takes up a task, he will see it through,
and no obstacle can stop him;
in the world of the poor, there will be no more cries of sorrow!
O son of the soil, sing a new song from now on,
through heart and deed, forge a new way!
When righteousness sleeps without doing its duty,
when justice is struck dumb,
he is the lion that rises to stand,
on the side of the poor.
He is the golden soul who questions injustice;
every Tamil stands by his side!
Dharma... Dharma...
The name of Dharma,
shout it out loud!
In this broken land,
stand on Dharma's side!
Dharma... Dharma... Dharma...
The name of Dharma,
shout it out loud!
In this broken land,
stand on Dharma's side!
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This powerful hero-introduction song from the movie Dharma (1998) celebrates the protagonist, Dharma, as a righteous savior of the poor and marginalized. When morality sleeps and justice is silenced in a corrupt society, Dharma arises like a lion to defend the needy and deliver swift justice. The song highlights his selfless nature—he belongs not to a single family but to all poor households, standing as an unyielding force against evil while remaining cool and compassionate at heart. The lyrics urge the public to rally behind Dharma, framing his triumph as a victory for the entire community. Through heroic imagery, he is depicted as a moving volcano against oppression, a one-man court dispensing true justice, and a beacon of hope for a brighter future.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamaani)

“Ezhundhu nirkkindra singam ivanae”

The protagonist is directly compared to a lion ('singam'), pure gold ('thangam'), a moving volcano ('erimalai'), and a mountain of ice ('panimalai') to emphasize his bravery, purity, explosive anger towards evil, and cool compassion.

Contrast / Oxymoron

“Ivano nagarum oru erimalai thaanae / Irundhum idhayam oru panimalai thaanae”

Juxtaposes 'erimalai' (volcano - representing fiery wrath against evil) with 'panimalai' (ice mountain - representing a cool, compassionate heart).

Ethirai (Second Letter Rhyming)

“Neruppaai iruppaan / Irundhaal koduppaan”

The second letter in adjacent lines rhymes ('ru' in Neruppaai and Irundhaal), adhering to traditional Tamil poetic meter rules.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Dharma' (1998) is an action drama starring Vijayakanth and Preetha Vijayakumar, directed by R. Sundarrajan. The film features music composed by Ilaiyaraaja, and this track serves as the iconic hero-glorification song tailored to Vijayakanth's popular screen persona as a champion of the underprivileged.

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