Gangai Yamunai Saraswathi
From Chakkravarthy · 1977
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- V. Kumar
- Details
- Chakkravarthy1977
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Gangai yamunai saraswathi | Ganges, Yamuna, Saraswathi |
| Endru nadhigal moondrallava | Are there not three rivers? |
| Paadhai moondrum veraanaalum | Though their three paths are different, |
| Thanneer ondrallavaa | Is not the water the same? |
| Male | |
| Gangai yamunai saraswathi | Ganges, Yamuna, Saraswathi |
| Endru nadhigal moondrallava | Are there not three rivers? |
| Paadhai moondrum veraanaalum | Though their three paths are different, |
| Thanneer ondrallavaa | Is not the water the same? |
| Male | |
| Raman engae kugan thaan engae | Where was Rama, where was Guha? |
| Angadhan pirandhadhu thaan engae | Where was Angada born? |
| Nanbargal aanaar manamum gunamum | Yet they became friends, and their minds and character |
| Sangamam aanadhu angae | Merged together right there! |
| Male | |
| Nellil irundhu umiyai pirithaal | If you separate the husk from the paddy, |
| Meendum servadhu engae | Where can it rejoin? |
| Nerungaadhu nerungivittaal | Love does not easily draw near, but once it attaches, |
| Piriya vidathu anbu | It will never let go! |
| Male | |
| Gangai yamunai saraswathi | Ganges, Yamuna, Saraswathi |
| Endru nadhigal moondrallava | Are there not three rivers? |
| Paadhai moondrum veraanaalum | Though their three paths are different, |
| Thanneer ondrallavaa | Is not the water the same? |
| Male | |
| Sattam enbathu iruttarai endru | "The law is a dark room," |
| Arinjar sonnar andru | Said the scholar back then; |
| Dharumam ennum vilakkai kondu | "With the lamp called righteousness, |
| Thedi paarungal endru | Search and see," he said! |
| Male | |
| Ovvoru manidhan ullathilum | In every human heart, |
| Mirugamum deivamum undu | Both a beast and a god exist. |
| Mirugangalai viratti vittu | Let us drive away the beasts, |
| Deivangal aavom indru | And become gods today! |
| Male | |
| Gangai yamunai saraswathi | Ganges, Yamuna, Saraswathi |
| Endru nadhigal moondrallava | Are there not three rivers? |
| Paadhai moondrum veraanaalum | Though their three paths are different, |
| Thanneer ondrallavaa | Is not the water the same? |
| Male | |
| Udal noi maruthuvam undu | For physical illness, there is medicine; |
| Manadhil noikku enna marundhu | What is the cure for an illness of the mind? |
| Ovvoru manadhaiyum aatti veikkindraar | He sways and controls every single mind, |
| Uyarathil oruvan irundhu | Sitting up high, the One Divine. |
| Male | |
| Needhi nyaayam enbavai ellam | Justice and fairness are all |
| Thalaivan aalum aatchi | Under the reign of the supreme leader; |
| Neengal illai naanum illai | It is neither you nor I, |
| Avanae courtukkum saatchi | He alone is the ultimate witness even in court! |
| Male | |
| Gangai yamunai saraswathi | Ganges, Yamuna, Saraswathi |
| Endru nadhigal moondrallava | Are there not three rivers? |
| Paadhai moondrum veraanaalum | Though their three paths are different, |
| Thanneer ondrallavaa | Is not the water the same? |
கங்கை யமுனை சரஸ்வதி என்று
நதிகள் மூன்றல்லவோ
பாதை மூன்றும் வேறானாலும்
தண்ணீர் ஒன்றல்லவோ..........
Ganges, Yamuna, Saraswathi
Are there not three rivers?
Though their three paths are different,
Is not the water the same?
கங்கை யமுனை சரஸ்வதி என்று
நதிகள் மூன்றல்லவோ
பாதை மூன்றும் வேறானாலும்
தண்ணீர் ஒன்றல்லவோ..........
Ganges, Yamuna, Saraswathi
Are there not three rivers?
Though their three paths are different,
Is not the water the same?
ராமன் எங்கே குகன்தான் எங்கே
அங்கதான் பிறந்ததுதான் எங்கே
நண்பர்கள் ஆனார் மனமும் குணமும்
சங்கமம் ஆனது அங்கே
Where was Rama, where was Guha?
Where was Angada born?
Yet they became friends, and their minds and character
Merged together right there!
நெல்லில் இருந்து உமியைப் பிரித்தால்
மீண்டும் சேர்வது எங்கே
நெருங்காது நெருங்கிவிட்டால்
பிரிய விடாது அன்பு ................
If you separate the husk from the paddy,
Where can it rejoin?
Love does not easily draw near, but once it attaches,
It will never let go!
கங்கை யமுனை சரஸ்வதி என்று
நதிகள் மூன்றல்லவோ
பாதை மூன்றும் வேறானாலும்
தண்ணீர் ஒன்றல்லவோ..........
Ganges, Yamuna, Saraswathi
Are there not three rivers?
Though their three paths are different,
Is not the water the same?
சட்டம் என்பது இருட்டறை என்று
அறிஞர் சொன்னார் அன்று
தருமம் என்னும் விளக்கைக் கொண்டு
தேடிப் பாருங்கள் என்று
"The law is a dark room,"
Said the scholar back then;
"With the lamp called righteousness,
Search and see," he said!
ஒவ்வொரு மனிதன் உள்ளத்திலும்
மிருகமும் தெய்வமும் உண்டு
மிருங்கங்களை விரட்டி விட்டு
தெய்வங்கள் ஆவோம் இன்று.........
In every human heart,
Both a beast and a god exist.
Let us drive away the beasts,
And become gods today!
கங்கை யமுனை சரஸ்வதி என்று
நதிகள் மூன்றல்லவோ
பாதை மூன்றும் வேறானாலும்
தண்ணீர் ஒன்றல்லவோ..........
Ganges, Yamuna, Saraswathi
Are there not three rivers?
Though their three paths are different,
Is not the water the same?
உடல் நோய் மருத்துவம் உண்டு
மனதில் நோய்க்கு என்ன மருந்து
ஒவ்வொரு மனதையும் ஆட்டி வைக்கின்றார்
உயரத்தில் ஒருவன் இருந்து
For physical illness, there is medicine;
What is the cure for an illness of the mind?
He sways and controls every single mind,
Sitting up high, the One Divine.
நீதி நியாயம் என்பவை எல்லாம்
தலைவன் ஆளும் ஆட்சி
நீங்கள் இல்லை நானும் இல்லை
அவனே கோர்ட்டுக்கும் சாட்சி........
Justice and fairness are all
Under the reign of the supreme leader;
It is neither you nor I,
He alone is the ultimate witness even in court!
கங்கை யமுனை சரஸ்வதி என்று
நதிகள் மூன்றல்லவோ
பாதை மூன்றும் வேறானாலும்
தண்ணீர் ஒன்றல்லவோ..........
Ganges, Yamuna, Saraswathi
Are there not three rivers?
Though their three paths are different,
Is not the water the same?
Gangai yamunai saraswathi
Ganges, Yamuna, Saraswathi
Endru nadhigal moondrallava
Are there not three rivers?
Paadhai moondrum veraanaalum
Though their three paths are different,
Thanneer ondrallavaa
Is not the water the same?
Gangai yamunai saraswathi
Ganges, Yamuna, Saraswathi
Endru nadhigal moondrallava
Are there not three rivers?
Paadhai moondrum veraanaalum
Though their three paths are different,
Thanneer ondrallavaa
Is not the water the same?
Raman engae kugan thaan engae
Where was Rama, where was Guha?
Angadhan pirandhadhu thaan engae
Where was Angada born?
Nanbargal aanaar manamum gunamum
Yet they became friends, and their minds and character
Sangamam aanadhu angae
Merged together right there!
Nellil irundhu umiyai pirithaal
If you separate the husk from the paddy,
Meendum servadhu engae
Where can it rejoin?
Nerungaadhu nerungivittaal
Love does not easily draw near, but once it attaches,
Piriya vidathu anbu
It will never let go!
Gangai yamunai saraswathi
Ganges, Yamuna, Saraswathi
Endru nadhigal moondrallava
Are there not three rivers?
Paadhai moondrum veraanaalum
Though their three paths are different,
Thanneer ondrallavaa
Is not the water the same?
Sattam enbathu iruttarai endru
"The law is a dark room,"
Arinjar sonnar andru
Said the scholar back then;
Dharumam ennum vilakkai kondu
"With the lamp called righteousness,
Thedi paarungal endru
Search and see," he said!
Ovvoru manidhan ullathilum
In every human heart,
Mirugamum deivamum undu
Both a beast and a god exist.
Mirugangalai viratti vittu
Let us drive away the beasts,
Deivangal aavom indru
And become gods today!
Gangai yamunai saraswathi
Ganges, Yamuna, Saraswathi
Endru nadhigal moondrallava
Are there not three rivers?
Paadhai moondrum veraanaalum
Though their three paths are different,
Thanneer ondrallavaa
Is not the water the same?
Udal noi maruthuvam undu
For physical illness, there is medicine;
Manadhil noikku enna marundhu
What is the cure for an illness of the mind?
Ovvoru manadhaiyum aatti veikkindraar
He sways and controls every single mind,
Uyarathil oruvan irundhu
Sitting up high, the One Divine.
Needhi nyaayam enbavai ellam
Justice and fairness are all
Thalaivan aalum aatchi
Under the reign of the supreme leader;
Neengal illai naanum illai
It is neither you nor I,
Avanae courtukkum saatchi
He alone is the ultimate witness even in court!
Gangai yamunai saraswathi
Ganges, Yamuna, Saraswathi
Endru nadhigal moondrallava
Are there not three rivers?
Paadhai moondrum veraanaalum
Though their three paths are different,
Thanneer ondrallavaa
Is not the water the same?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
The song 'Gangai Yamunai Saraswathi' uses the powerful metaphor of three iconic sacred rivers merging into one to preach unity, brotherhood, and human morality. It highlights how true friendship transcends birth, region, and background, drawing an epic allusion to Ramayana where Rama, Guha, and Angada formed an unbreakable bond. Kannadasan's lyrics emphasize that love, once genuinely formed, binds souls together permanently just like husk once separated from paddy can never be rejoined.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Dharumam ennum vilakkai kondu”
Righteousness (Dharumam) is directly compared to a guiding lamp (Vilakku) that illuminates the darkness of legal complexities.
Allusion (Ilakkiya Kurippu)
“Raman engae kugan thaan engae / Angadhan pirandhadhu thaan engae”
Refers to epic characters from the Ramayana (Rama, Guha, Angada) to illustrate how true friendship transcends diverse backgrounds.
Iyaipu (Rhyming ends)
“Endru nadhigal moondrallava / Thanneer ondrallavaa”
Lines end with similar sounding rhyming word endings ('moondrallava' and 'ondrallavaa').
Antithesis / Contrast (Muran)
“Mirugamum deivamum undu”
Contrasts two opposing concepts—the beast (Mirugam) and the divine (Deivam)—present within human nature.
Did you know?
Trivia
The line 'Sattam enbathu iruttarai endru Arinjar sonnar andru' directly references the famous quote by scholar C. N. Annadurai (former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu), who famously remarked that 'The law is a dark room where the advocate's argument is a light.' Kannadasan cleverly integrates this political and societal philosophy into the song's moral framework.
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