Endro Pulavan Padiyathai
From Engal Vathiyar · 1980
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Details
- Engal Vathiyar1980
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Naaraai naaraai sengaal naaraai | O stork, O stork, O red-legged stork! |
| Panampadu panaiyin kizhanku pilanthanna | With a beak like a split Palmyra tuber, |
| Pavala koorvaai sengaal naaraai… | O red-legged stork with a sharp coral beak... |
| Male | |
| Endro pulavan paadiyathai | What a poet sang long ago, |
| Naan indrae paadugiraen | I am singing today. |
| Endro pulavan paadiyathai | What a poet sang long ago, |
| Naan indrae paadugiraen | I am singing today. |
| Male | |
| En varumaiyai pokkum arasan yaaro | Who is the king that will eradicate my poverty? |
| Avanai thedugiraen avanai thedugiraen | I am searching for him, I am searching for him. |
| Male | |
| Endro pulavan paadiyathai | What a poet sang long ago, |
| Naan indrae paadugiraen | I am singing today. |
| Male | |
| Kalvi kangalai thiranthavan paarvai | The vision of the one who opened eyes to education, |
| Kurudaai ponathammaa | Has turned blind, alas! |
| Paasamaai valarththa magalum | The daughter I raised with affection, |
| Enakke paaramaai aananthammaa | Has become a burden to me, alas! |
| Male | |
| Arivai thantha dheivam enkku | God, who gave me knowledge, |
| Aasthiyai tharavillai | Did not grant me wealth. |
| Yaaridam ketpen yaaridam solven | Whom do I ask, whom do I tell? |
| Enkkey puriyavillai | Even I do not understand. |
| Male | |
| Endro pulavan paadiyathai | What a poet sang long ago, |
| Naan indrae paadugiraen | I am singing today. |
| Male | |
| Yaenipadigal thaanae endrum | Ladders themselves, after all, never... |
| Yaeri povathillai | ...climb up. |
| Adhil yaeri ponavar yaeniyai konjam | For those who climbed using them, to look back at the ladder a bit, |
| Paarppathil thavarillai | Is not wrong. |
| Male | |
| Payirai koduppathu bhoomiyin dharmam | Yielding crops is the duty of the earth, |
| Adhai naan seigindraen | I am doing just that. |
| Boomiyin thaagam theerkka | To quench the earth's thirst, |
| Thanneer vendum ketkindraen | Water is needed, I ask. |
| Vendum ketkindraen | It is needed, I ask. |
| Male | |
| Endro pulavan paadiyathai | What a poet sang long ago, |
| Naan indrae paadugiraen | I am singing today. |
| Indrae paadugiraen | I am singing today. |
நாராய் நாராய் செங்கால் நாராய்
பனம்படு பனையின் கிழங்கு பிளந்தன்ன
பவளக் கூர்வாய்ச் செங்கால் நாராய்.......
O stork, O stork, O red-legged stork!
With a beak like a split Palmyra tuber,
O red-legged stork with a sharp coral beak...
என்றோ புலவன் பாடியதை
நான் இன்றே பாடுகிறேன்
என்றோ புலவன் பாடியதை
நான் இன்றே பாடுகிறேன்
What a poet sang long ago,
I am singing today.
What a poet sang long ago,
I am singing today.
என் வறுமையை போக்கும் அரசன் யாரோ
அவனை தேடுகிறேன் அவனை தேடுகிறேன்
Who is the king that will eradicate my poverty?
I am searching for him, I am searching for him.
என்றோ புலவன் பாடியதை
நான் இன்றே பாடுகிறேன்
What a poet sang long ago,
I am singing today.
கல்வி கண்களை திறந்தவன் பார்வை
குருடாய் போனதம்மா.....
பாசமாய் வளர்த்த மகளும்
எனக்கே பாரமாய் ஆனதம்மா....
The vision of the one who opened eyes to education,
Has turned blind, alas!
The daughter I raised with affection,
Has become a burden to me, alas!
அறிவை தந்த தெய்வம் எனக்கு
ஆஸ்தியை தரவில்லை
யாரிடம் கேட்பேன் யாரிடம் சொல்வேன்
எனக்கே புரியவில்லை
God, who gave me knowledge,
Did not grant me wealth.
Whom do I ask, whom do I tell?
Even I do not understand.
என்றோ புலவன் பாடியதை
நான் இன்றே பாடுகிறேன்
What a poet sang long ago,
I am singing today.
ஏணிப்படிகள் தானே என்றும்
ஏறி போவதில்லை
அதில் ஏறிப் போனவர் ஏணியை கொஞ்சம்
பார்ப்பதில் தவறில்லை
Ladders themselves, after all, never...
...climb up.
For those who climbed using them, to look back at the ladder a bit,
Is not wrong.
பயிரை கொடுப்பது பூமியின் தர்மம்
அதை நான் செய்கின்றேன்
பூமியின் தாகம் தீர்க்க
தண்ணீர் வேண்டும் கேட்கின்றேன்.......
வேண்டும் கேட்கின்றேன்.......
Yielding crops is the duty of the earth,
I am doing just that.
To quench the earth's thirst,
Water is needed, I ask.
It is needed, I ask.
என்றோ புலவன் பாடியதை
நான் இன்றே பாடுகிறேன்
இன்றே பாடுகின்றேன்
What a poet sang long ago,
I am singing today.
I am singing today.
Naaraai naaraai sengaal naaraai
O stork, O stork, O red-legged stork!
Panampadu panaiyin kizhanku pilanthanna
With a beak like a split Palmyra tuber,
Pavala koorvaai sengaal naaraai…
O red-legged stork with a sharp coral beak...
Endro pulavan paadiyathai
What a poet sang long ago,
Naan indrae paadugiraen
I am singing today.
Endro pulavan paadiyathai
What a poet sang long ago,
Naan indrae paadugiraen
I am singing today.
En varumaiyai pokkum arasan yaaro
Who is the king that will eradicate my poverty?
Avanai thedugiraen avanai thedugiraen
I am searching for him, I am searching for him.
Endro pulavan paadiyathai
What a poet sang long ago,
Naan indrae paadugiraen
I am singing today.
Kalvi kangalai thiranthavan paarvai
The vision of the one who opened eyes to education,
Kurudaai ponathammaa
Has turned blind, alas!
Paasamaai valarththa magalum
The daughter I raised with affection,
Enakke paaramaai aananthammaa
Has become a burden to me, alas!
Arivai thantha dheivam enkku
God, who gave me knowledge,
Aasthiyai tharavillai
Did not grant me wealth.
Yaaridam ketpen yaaridam solven
Whom do I ask, whom do I tell?
Enkkey puriyavillai
Even I do not understand.
Endro pulavan paadiyathai
What a poet sang long ago,
Naan indrae paadugiraen
I am singing today.
Yaenipadigal thaanae endrum
Ladders themselves, after all, never...
Yaeri povathillai
...climb up.
Adhil yaeri ponavar yaeniyai konjam
For those who climbed using them, to look back at the ladder a bit,
Paarppathil thavarillai
Is not wrong.
Payirai koduppathu bhoomiyin dharmam
Yielding crops is the duty of the earth,
Adhai naan seigindraen
I am doing just that.
Boomiyin thaagam theerkka
To quench the earth's thirst,
Thanneer vendum ketkindraen
Water is needed, I ask.
Vendum ketkindraen
It is needed, I ask.
Endro pulavan paadiyathai
What a poet sang long ago,
Naan indrae paadugiraen
I am singing today.
Indrae paadugiraen
I am singing today.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This poignant song draws a direct parallel between the ancient Sangam poet Sathimutha Pulavar—who famously sang to a red-legged stork about his severe poverty—and a noble, self-sacrificing schoolteacher struggling in modern times. Despite spending his life opening the eyes of others through education, the protagonist finds himself destitute, blind to a hopeful future, and unable to support his beloved daughter.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Classical Allusion / Uvamaani (Simile)
“Panampadu panaiyin kizhanku pilanthanna / Pavala koorvaai sengaal naaraai…”
Directly quotes Sangam literature (Sathimutha Pulavar) where the stork's sharp coral beak is compared to a split palmyra tuber.
Metaphor (Uruvagakani)
“Yaenipadigal thaanae endrum / Yaeri povathillai”
Compares a teacher to a ladder that helps everyone else climb to high positions while remaining stationary itself.
Ethugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Endro pulavan paadiyathai / Naan indrae paadugiraen”
The second consonant sound 'nd' in 'Endro' matches 'indrae', creating a traditional Tamil rhythmic flow.
Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)
“Yaenipadigal thaanae endrum / Yaeri povathillai”
The opening sound 'Yae' is repeated across 'Yaenipadigal' and 'Yaeri'.
Did you know?
Trivia
The opening lines 'Naaraai naaraai sengaal naaraai...' are taken directly from an ancient Sangam-era Tamil poem written by Sathimutha Pulavar, who used a migrating red-legged stork as a messenger to convey his poverty to the king of Madurai. Kannadasan cleverly integrates this classical literary motif into M. S. Viswanathan's composition to highlight the plight of impoverished teachers.
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