Ethanai Avatharam Adada
From Naan Nanethan · 1980
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- P. Jayachandran
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Details
- Naan Nanethan1980
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Eththanai avathaaran adadaa eththanai avathaaram | How many disguises! Oh my, how many avatars! |
| Eththanai avathaaran adadaa eththanai avathaaram | How many disguises! Oh my, how many avatars! |
| Iththanai siriya manithan dhinamum | Such a tiny human being, every single day, |
| Eduppathu dhasaavadhaaram | Takes on ten different avatars (Dasavatharam). |
| Iththanai siriya manithan dhinamum | Such a tiny human being, every single day, |
| Eduppathu dhasaavadhaaram | Takes on ten different avatars. |
| Male | |
| Saththiyam pesum gunaththinilae | In pretending to speak the truth, |
| Avan krishnan avathaaram | He puts on the avatar of Krishna. |
| Dharmaththai kaakkum nadippinilae | In acting as if protecting righteousness, |
| Avan sriraman avadhaaram | He dons the avatar of Sri Rama. |
| Male | |
| Thaliyai maraiththu oorai yaeippathil | In hiding his head and fooling the whole world, |
| Koorma avadhaaram | He takes the Kurma (Tortoise) avatar. |
| Santharppam kidaiththaal ovvoru manithanum | Given the right opportunity, every single man |
| Narasimma avadhaaram | Becomes the ferocious Narasimha avatar. |
| Male | |
| Eththanai avathaaran adadaa eththanai avathaaram | How many disguises! Oh my, how many avatars! |
| Male | |
| Idam theriyaamal vizhuvathilae | In rolling down into filth without realizing where he lands, |
| Avan varaaha avadhaaram | He becomes the Varaha (Boar) avatar. |
| Inam theriyaamal edhirpathilae | In opposing blindly without knowing friend or foe, |
| Avan vaaman avadhaaram | He takes the Vamana avatar. |
| Male | |
| Pidipadum pothu nazhuvuvathil | In slipping away just when he gets caught, |
| Avan machcha avadhaaram | He acts out the Matsya (Fish) avatar. |
| Pirarai keduppathil eduppathuthaanae | And in destroying others, what he assumes are |
| Micha avadhaaram…..micha avadhaaram | The remaining avatars... the remaining avatars! |
| Male | |
| Eththanai avathaaran adadaa eththanai avathaaram | How many disguises! Oh my, how many avatars! |
| Male | |
| Kannondru kaanum vaayondru pesum | The eyes see one thing, while the mouth speaks another— |
| Irattai vedamadaa | It is all a double role, my friend! |
| Kaattrulla pothae thoottrikkol enbathu | "Make hay while the sun shines" is |
| Manithanin paadamadaa | The lesson man lives by. |
| Male | |
| Penn veri kondavan evanaalum | For anyone consumed by lust for women, |
| Thaayae thaaramadaa | Even a mother is treated like a wife. |
| Intha pedhaigalai naam ninaippathu kooda | Even thinking about these ignorant fools |
| Nenjukku paaramadaa | Is a heavy burden upon the heart. |
| Male | |
| Eththanai avathaaran adadaa eththanai avathaaram | How many disguises! Oh my, how many avatars! |
| Iththanai siriya manithan dhinamum | Such a tiny human being, every single day, |
| Eduppathu dhasaavadhaaram | Takes on ten different avatars. |
| Male | |
| Eththanai avathaaran adadaa eththanai avathaaram | How many disguises! Oh my, how many avatars! |
எத்தனை அவதாரம் அடடா எத்தனை அவதாரம்
எத்தனை அவதாரம் அடடா எத்தனை அவதாரம்
இத்தனை சிறிய மனிதன் தினமும்
எடுப்பது தசாவதாரம்....
இத்தனை சிறிய மனிதன் தினமும்
எடுப்பது தசாவதாரம்....
How many disguises! Oh my, how many avatars!
How many disguises! Oh my, how many avatars!
Such a tiny human being, every single day,
Takes on ten different avatars (Dasavatharam).
Such a tiny human being, every single day,
Takes on ten different avatars.
சத்தியம் பேசும் குணத்தினிலே
அவன் கிருஷ்ணன் அவதாரம்
தர்மத்தை காக்கும் நடிப்பினிலே
அவன் ஸ்ரீராமன் அவதாரம்
In pretending to speak the truth,
He puts on the avatar of Krishna.
In acting as if protecting righteousness,
He dons the avatar of Sri Rama.
தலையை மறைத்து ஊரை ஏய்ப்பதில்
கூர்ம அவதாரம்...
சந்தர்ப்பம் கிடைத்தால் ஒவ்வொரு மனிதனும்
நரசிம்ம அவதாரம்.....
In hiding his head and fooling the whole world,
He takes the Kurma (Tortoise) avatar.
Given the right opportunity, every single man
Becomes the ferocious Narasimha avatar.
எத்தனை அவதாரம் அடடா எத்தனை அவதாரம்
How many disguises! Oh my, how many avatars!
இடம் தெரியாமல் விழுவதிலே
அவன் வராஹ அவதாரம்
இனம் தெரியாமல் எதிர்ப்பதிலே
அவன் வாமன அவதாரம்
In rolling down into filth without realizing where he lands,
He becomes the Varaha (Boar) avatar.
In opposing blindly without knowing friend or foe,
He takes the Vamana avatar.
பிடிபடும் போது நழுவுவதில்
அவன் மச்ச அவதாரம்
பிறரை கெடுப்பதில் எடுப்பதுதானே
மிச்ச அவதாரம்....மிச்ச அவதாரம்
In slipping away just when he gets caught,
He acts out the Matsya (Fish) avatar.
And in destroying others, what he assumes are
The remaining avatars... the remaining avatars!
எத்தனை அவதாரம் அடடா எத்தனை அவதாரம்
How many disguises! Oh my, how many avatars!
கண்ணொன்று காணும் வாயொன்று பேசும்
இரட்டை வேடமடா
காற்றுள்ள போதே தூற்றிக் கொள் என்பது
மனிதனின் பாடமடா
The eyes see one thing, while the mouth speaks another—
It is all a double role, my friend!
"Make hay while the sun shines" is
The lesson man lives by.
பெண் வெறிக் கொண்டவன் எவனானாலும்
தாயே தாரமடா
இந்த பேதைகளை நாம் நினைப்பது கூட
நெஞ்சுக்கு பாரமடா...
For anyone consumed by lust for women,
Even a mother is treated like a wife.
Even thinking about these ignorant fools
Is a heavy burden upon the heart.
எத்தனை அவதாரம் அடடா எத்தனை அவதாரம்
இத்தனை சிறிய மனிதன் தினமும்
எடுப்பது தசாவதாரம்....
How many disguises! Oh my, how many avatars!
Such a tiny human being, every single day,
Takes on ten different avatars.
எத்தனை அவதாரம் அடடா எத்தனை அவதாரம்
How many disguises! Oh my, how many avatars!
Eththanai avathaaran adadaa eththanai avathaaram
How many disguises! Oh my, how many avatars!
Eththanai avathaaran adadaa eththanai avathaaram
How many disguises! Oh my, how many avatars!
Iththanai siriya manithan dhinamum
Such a tiny human being, every single day,
Eduppathu dhasaavadhaaram
Takes on ten different avatars (Dasavatharam).
Iththanai siriya manithan dhinamum
Such a tiny human being, every single day,
Eduppathu dhasaavadhaaram
Takes on ten different avatars.
Saththiyam pesum gunaththinilae
In pretending to speak the truth,
Avan krishnan avathaaram
He puts on the avatar of Krishna.
Dharmaththai kaakkum nadippinilae
In acting as if protecting righteousness,
Avan sriraman avadhaaram
He dons the avatar of Sri Rama.
Thaliyai maraiththu oorai yaeippathil
In hiding his head and fooling the whole world,
Koorma avadhaaram
He takes the Kurma (Tortoise) avatar.
Santharppam kidaiththaal ovvoru manithanum
Given the right opportunity, every single man
Narasimma avadhaaram
Becomes the ferocious Narasimha avatar.
Eththanai avathaaran adadaa eththanai avathaaram
How many disguises! Oh my, how many avatars!
Idam theriyaamal vizhuvathilae
In rolling down into filth without realizing where he lands,
Avan varaaha avadhaaram
He becomes the Varaha (Boar) avatar.
Inam theriyaamal edhirpathilae
In opposing blindly without knowing friend or foe,
Avan vaaman avadhaaram
He takes the Vamana avatar.
Pidipadum pothu nazhuvuvathil
In slipping away just when he gets caught,
Avan machcha avadhaaram
He acts out the Matsya (Fish) avatar.
Pirarai keduppathil eduppathuthaanae
And in destroying others, what he assumes are
Micha avadhaaram…..micha avadhaaram
The remaining avatars... the remaining avatars!
Eththanai avathaaran adadaa eththanai avathaaram
How many disguises! Oh my, how many avatars!
Kannondru kaanum vaayondru pesum
The eyes see one thing, while the mouth speaks another—
Irattai vedamadaa
It is all a double role, my friend!
Kaattrulla pothae thoottrikkol enbathu
"Make hay while the sun shines" is
Manithanin paadamadaa
The lesson man lives by.
Penn veri kondavan evanaalum
For anyone consumed by lust for women,
Thaayae thaaramadaa
Even a mother is treated like a wife.
Intha pedhaigalai naam ninaippathu kooda
Even thinking about these ignorant fools
Nenjukku paaramadaa
Is a heavy burden upon the heart.
Eththanai avathaaran adadaa eththanai avathaaram
How many disguises! Oh my, how many avatars!
Iththanai siriya manithan dhinamum
Such a tiny human being, every single day,
Eduppathu dhasaavadhaaram
Takes on ten different avatars.
Eththanai avathaaran adadaa eththanai avathaaram
How many disguises! Oh my, how many avatars!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song is a satirical philosophical commentary on the hypocrisy, greed, and duplicity inherent in human nature. Legendary lyricist Kannadasan cleverly uses the revered concept of 'Dasavatharam' (the ten divine incarnations of Lord Vishnu) as a extended metaphor to critique the deceitful roles and masks that ordinary humans wear every day for selfish ends.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Allegory / Extended Metaphor
“Iththanai siriya manithan dhinamum eduppathu dhasaavadhaaram”
The entire song frames human moral flaws and hypocrisies through the lens of Lord Vishnu's ten divine avatars (Krishna, Rama, Kurma, Narasimha, Varaha, Vamana, Matsya).
Ethugai (Second Letter Rhyming)
“Eththanai / Iththanai”
The second consonant 'th' (த்) rhymes across consecutive lines 'Eththanai' and 'Iththanai'.
Iyaipu (End Rhyming)
“Manithanin paadamadaa / Thaayae thaaramadaa / Nenjukku paaramadaa”
The rhyming suffix '-adaa' is used consistently across line endings to create a rhythmic, conversational tone.
Muran (Oxymoron / Contrast)
“Kannondru kaanum vaayondru pesum”
Contrasts what the eyes observe versus what the mouth speaks, highlighting human deceit and double standards.
Did you know?
Trivia
Written by the master lyricist Kannadasan and set to tune by 'Mellisai Mannar' K. V. Mahadevan, this song stands out for using sacred mythological iconography to deliver a sharp socio-philosophical critique. P. Jayachandran's vocal delivery gives the moralizing lyric a reflective yet mocking quality that was characteristic of situational songs in 1980s Tamil cinema.
Keep listening
More from Naan Nanethan
Naan Nanethan
Naan Nanethan
Naan Nanethan