- Lyricist
- Pattukkottai Kalyanasundram
- Singers
- C. S. Jayaraman, Padmini
- Music director
- Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
- Movie name
- Thanga Padhumai
- Movie release year
- 1959
- Lyrics added on
- 11 Jun 2020
Lyrics & meaning
♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Aththaan neengal kolaikaararaa
Kotravanai kondreergala
Koorungal aththaan koorungal
Eedattra pathiniyin inbathai kondravan naan
Aval idhayathil kondhalitha ennathai kondravan naan
Vaazha thagundhavalai vaazhaamal vaithuvittu
Paazhum parathaiyinaal panbudhanai kondravan naan
Andha kolaigalukkkkae aalaai irundhu vittaen
Ini endha kolai seidhaalum ennadi en gyanappennae..ae…
Ennadi en gyanappennae
Ennadi en gyanappennae
Aarambhamaavadhu pennukkullae
Avan aadi adanguvadhu mannukkullae
Manidhan aarambhamaavadhu pennukkullae
Avan aadi adanguvadhu mannukkullae
Aadi adanguvadhu mannukkullae
Aaraindhu paar mana kannukkullae
Aathiran kollaadhae nenjukkullae
Aaraindhu paar mana kannukkullae
Aathiran kollaadhae nenjukkullae
Aarambhamaavadhu….
Manidhan aarambhamaavadhu pennukkullae
Avan aadi adanguvadhu mannukkullae
Aththaan aththaan
Ungal meedhu kodum pazhi vandhirukkiradhae
Aththaan en meedhu unmaiyaaga anbirundhaal
Anjaamal unmaiyai sollungal
Yaarukkum anjaamal unmaiyai sollungal
Anbai keduthu nal aasaiyai kondravan
Anji nadappaano gyanappennae..ae…
Anbai keduthu nal aasaiyai kondravan
Anji nadappaano gyanappennae..ae…
Thunbathai katti sumakka thunindavan
Sonnaalum kaetpaano gyanappennae
Sonnaalum kaetpaano gyanappennae
Aarambhamaavadhu….
Manidhan aarambhamaavadhu pennukkullae
Avan aadi adanguvadhu mannukkullae
Aththaan unmaiyai koora mudiyaadhabadi
Avvalavu periya thavaru enna seithuvitteergal
Thavarukku thavaraana thavarai purindhu vittu
Thanippattu ponavan gyanappennae…ae…..ae….
Thavarukku thavaraana thavarai purindhu vittu
Thanippattu ponavan gyanappennae…
Thanippattu ponavan gyanappennae
Padhari padhari nindru kadhari pulambinaalum
Payanpattu varuvaano gyanappennae
Payanpattu varuvaano gyanappennae
Aarambhamaavadhu….
Manidhan aarambhamaavadhu pennukkullae
Avan aadi adanguvadhu mannukkullae
Aaraindhu paar mana kannukkullae
Aathiran gollaadhae nenjukkullae
Aaaaaaaaaa…… aththaan… aththaan…..
Idhu enna aththaan… idhu enna….
Ungal kangal engae aththaan…..
Ungal kangal engae…..aththaan
Koduththavanae parithu kondaandi
Maanae valarthavanae veruthu vittaandi
Kannai koduththavanae parithu kondaandi
Maanae valarthavanae veruthu vittaandi
Poruthamaana thunaiyirundhum
Pongi varum azhagirundhum
Pona pakkam poga vittaen paarvaiyai
Avan poruthirundae purindhu kondaan vaelaiyai
Poruthamaana thunaiyirundhum
Pongi varum azhagirundhum
Pona pakkam poga vittaen paarvaiyai
Avan poruthirundae purindhu kondaan vaelaiyai
Kannai koduthavanae parithu kondaandi
Maanae valarthavanae veruthu vittaandi
Karunaiyae vadivamaana dheivamaa
Ungal kangalai parithadhu
Edhiril vandhu kedukkavillai
Idhayamidam kodukkavillai
Edhiril vandhu kedukkavillai
Idhayamidam kodukkavillai
Engirundo yaevivittaan kiliyai
Adhu en thalaiyil pottadhadi pazhiyai
Kannai koduthavanae parithu kondaandi
Maanae valarthavanae veruthu vittaandi
Needhi nilai pera
En naetriyil kungumam thigazha
Unmaiyai koorungal…
Ungal manaivi kaetkiraal…..
En manjalum kungumamum kaetkirathu athathaan…
Singaaram kettu… siraippatta paavikku…
Samsaaram edhukkadi …thangam
Samsaaram edhukkadi….
Singaaram kettu… siraippatta paavikku…
Samsaaram edhukkadi
Thangam samsaaram edhukkadi….
Singaaram kettu… siraippatta paavikku…
Samsaaram edhukkadi
Thangam samsaaram edhukkadi….
Manaiviyai kuzhandaiyai marandhu pirindhavanai
Vaazhthuvadhaagaadhadi…ee….ee…ee…
Manaiviyai kuzhandaiyai marandhu pirindhavanai
Vaazhthuvadhaagaadhadi
Thangam mannikka koodaaadhadi
Singaaram kettu… siraippatta paavikku…
Samsaaram edhukkadi
Thangam samsaaram edhukkadi….
Athann, are you a murderer?
Did you kill the king?
Tell me, Athann, please tell me!
I am the one who destroyed the happiness of an incomparable wife.
I am the one who crushed the hopes welling in her heart.
Denying a good life to a woman worthy of living,
I ruined all virtue because of a wretched courtesan.
I have already become guilty of those very murders!
Now, what does it matter what murder I commit, my wise girl?
What does it matter, my wise girl?
What does it matter, my wise girl?
Man's life begins inside a woman,
and his restless dance ends inside the earth.
Man's life begins inside a woman,
and his restless dance ends inside the earth.
His restless dance ends inside the earth.
Look closely with your inner eye,
do not let anger rage within your heart.
Look closely with your inner eye,
do not let anger rage within your heart.
Life begins...
Man's life begins inside a woman,
and his restless dance ends inside the earth.
Athann... Athann...
A terrible blame has fallen upon you!
Athann, if you truly have love for me,
speak the truth without fear.
Fear no one and speak the truth!
One who betrayed love and destroyed pure hopes—
will he live in fear, my wise girl?
One who betrayed love and destroyed pure hopes—
will he live in fear, my wise girl?
One who has chosen to carry a bundle of sorrow—
will he listen even if told, my wise girl?
Will he listen even if told, my wise girl?
Life begins...
Man's life begins inside a woman,
and his restless dance ends inside the earth.
Athann, what grave mistake could you have made
that keeps you from telling the truth?
Having made a blunder worse than any mistake,
I am a man left all alone, my wise girl...
Having made a blunder worse than any mistake,
I am a man left all alone, my wise girl...
A man left all alone, my wise girl.
Even if one stands trembling, weeping, and wailing,
can he ever be of any good again, my wise girl?
Can he ever be of any good again, my wise girl?
Life begins...
Man's life begins inside a woman,
and his restless dance ends inside the earth.
Look closely with your inner eye,
do not let anger rage within your heart.
Ah... Athann... Athann...
What is this, Athann? What is this?
Where are your eyes, Athann?
Where are your eyes, Athann?
The One who gave them has snatched them away, my dear.
My gentle deer, the One who raised me has come to despise me.
The One who gave my eyes has snatched them away, my dear.
My gentle deer, the One who raised me has come to despise me.
Though I had a devoted and fitting wife,
though she possessed overflowing beauty,
I let my wandering gaze stray wherever it pleased.
He waited patiently and did His deed!
Though I had a devoted and fitting wife,
though she possessed overflowing beauty,
I let my wandering gaze stray wherever it pleased.
He waited patiently and did His deed!
The One who gave my eyes has snatched them away, my dear.
My gentle deer, the One who raised me has come to despise me.
Was it God, the very embodiment of mercy,
who snatched away your eyes?
He did not face me directly to destroy me;
He showed no mercy in His heart.
He did not face me directly to destroy me;
He showed no mercy in His heart.
From somewhere, He set a branch in motion,
and it dumped all the blame upon my head!
The One who gave my eyes has snatched them away, my dear.
My gentle deer, the One who raised me has come to despise me.
For justice to prevail,
for the kumkum to stay bright on my forehead,
tell the truth!
Your wife is asking you...
My turmeric and kumkum are pleading, Athann!
For a ruined sinner imprisoned in a cell,
why does he need a family, my precious?
Why does he need a family?
For a ruined sinner imprisoned in a cell,
why does he need a family?
My precious, why does he need a family?
For a ruined sinner imprisoned in a cell,
why does he need a family?
My precious, why does he need a family?
One who forgot and abandoned his wife and child—
should never be blessed, my dear!
One who forgot and abandoned his wife and child—
should never be blessed.
My precious, he must never be forgiven!
For a ruined sinner imprisoned in a cell,
why does he need a family?
My precious, why does he need a family?
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Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This emotional philosophical dialogue song from the film 'Thanga Padhumai' (1959) depicts a heart-wrenching exchange between a remorseful husband (Manoharan, played by Sivaji Ganesan) and his loyal wife (Selvi, played by Padmini). The husband has fallen from virtue due to lust and deceit, losing both his moral standing and his eyesight as cosmic retribution. When the wife questions him about the false accusations of regicide leveled against him, the husband expresses deep guilt, acknowledging that his moral degradation killed his wife's happiness long before any physical crime.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Edhugai (Second letter rhyming)
“Aarambhamaavadhu pennukkullae / Avan aadi adanguvadhu mannukkullae”
Matching second consonants across successive lines, e.g., 'Aarambhamaavadhu' / 'Aaraindhu' / 'Aathiran' in lines 12-18.
Monae (Initial letter rhyming/alliteration)
“Padhari padhari nindru kadhari pulambinaalum”
Repetition of initial consonant/vowel sounds within the same line, such as 'Padhari padhari... kadhari'.
Metaphor (Uruvagaim)
“Ini endha kolai seidhaalum ennadi en gyanappennae”
Addressing the mind/self as 'gyanappennae' (wise maiden) as an internal philosophical interlocutor, a classic Siddhar poetic tradition.
Contrast / Anthesis
“Manidhan aarambhamaavadhu pennukkullae / Avan aadi adanguvadhu mannukkullae”
Contrasting life's origin in a woman's womb ('pennukkullae') with man's ultimate end in the soil ('mannukkullae').
Did you know?
Trivia
This legendary song from 'Thanga Padhumai' (1959) features music composed by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy and lyrics written by Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram. It was rendered by T. M. Soundararajan and P. Leela. The framing of 'Gyanappennae' pays homage to ancient Tamil Siddhar philosophical songs.
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