Iraivanukkum Peyarai
From Shanmuga Priya · 1973
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- Jaya Vijaya
- Details
- Shanmuga Priya1973
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Iraivanukkum peyarai vaiththaan | One man gave a name even to God |
| Oru manithan ingae | here on earth. |
| Iraivanukkum peyarai vaiththaan | One man gave a name even to God |
| Oru manithan ingae | here on earth. |
| Iraivan illai endrum sonnaan | Another man declared that God does not exist |
| Oru manithan ingae | here on earth. |
| Male | |
| Iruvarukkum arivai vaiththae | By bestowing intellect upon both of them, |
| Solla vaiththaan oruvan | someone enabled them to speak. |
| Iruvarukkum arivai vaiththae | By bestowing intellect upon both of them, |
| Solla vaiththaan oruvan | someone enabled them to speak. |
| Ini puriyum adha unmai | Now that truth can be understood: |
| Avanallavaa iraivan | is He not the ultimate God? |
| Avanallavaa iraivan | Is He not the ultimate God? |
| Male | |
| Iraivanukkum peyarai vaiththaan | One man gave a name even to God |
| Oru manithan ingae | here on earth. |
| Male | |
| Kaattru vanthaal maramasaiyum | When the wind blows, trees sway, |
| Kaattrai kandathundaa | but has anyone ever seen the wind? |
| Kaattru vanthaal maramasaiyum | When the wind blows, trees sway, |
| Kaattrai kandathundaa | but has anyone ever seen the wind? |
| Veedhi engum pul mulaikkum | Grass sprouts all along the streets, |
| vithaiyai kandathundaa | but has anyone seen the seed? |
| Male | |
| Kadalin neerai megam vaangum | The clouds draw water from the ocean, |
| Kangal paarththathundaa | have human eyes ever seen that happen? |
| Kadalin neerai megam vaangum | The clouds draw water from the ocean, |
| Kangal paarththathundaa | have human eyes ever seen that happen? |
| Udalukkullae ullamundu | Inside the physical body lives the soul, |
| Uruvam angu undaa | does it have a visible form there? |
| Male | |
| Iraivanukkum peyarai vaiththaan | One man gave a name even to God |
| Oru manithan ingae | here on earth. |
| Male | |
| Thedi thedi alainthavanum | The one who wandered searching endlessly |
| Kaanavillai endraan | said he could not find Him. |
| Thedi thedi alainthavanum | The one who wandered searching endlessly |
| Kaanavillai endraan | said he could not find Him. |
| Thelintha nilai kondavanum | Even the one who attained clear enlightenment |
| Illai illai endraan | said 'Not this, not this'. |
| Male | |
| Illai illai endravanum | Even the atheist who claimed God does not exist, |
| Edhanai illai endraan | what exactly did he say was non-existent? |
| Illai illai endravanum | Even the atheist who claimed God does not exist, |
| Edhanai illai endraan | what exactly did he say was non-existent? |
| Illai oru sakthi endru | He did not say that |
| Sollavillai endraan | there is no divine energy at all. |
| Sollavillai endraan | He never said that. |
| Male | |
| Iraivanukkum peyarai vaiththaan | One man gave a name even to God |
| Oru manithan ingae | here on earth. |
| Iraivanukkum peyarai vaiththaan | One man gave a name even to God |
| Oru manithan ingae | here on earth. |
இறைவனுக்கும் பெயரை வைத்தான்
ஒரு மனிதன் இங்கே
இறைவனுக்கும் பெயரை வைத்தான்
ஒரு மனிதன் இங்கே
இறைவன் இல்லை என்றும் சொன்னான்
ஒரு மனிதன் இங்கே
One man gave a name even to God
here on earth.
One man gave a name even to God
here on earth.
Another man declared that God does not exist
here on earth.
இருவருக்கும் அறிவை வைத்தே
சொல்ல வைத்தான் ஒருவன்
இருவருக்கும் அறிவை வைத்தே
சொல்ல வைத்தான் ஒருவன்
இனி புரியும் அதன் உண்மை
அவனல்லவா இறைவன்.......
அவனல்லவா இறைவன்.......
By bestowing intellect upon both of them,
someone enabled them to speak.
By bestowing intellect upon both of them,
someone enabled them to speak.
Now that truth can be understood:
is He not the ultimate God?
Is He not the ultimate God?
இறைவனுக்கும் பெயரை வைத்தான்
ஒரு மனிதன் இங்கே
One man gave a name even to God
here on earth.
காற்று வந்தால் மரமசையும்
காற்றைக் கண்டதுண்டா
காற்று வந்தால் மரமசையும்
காற்றைக் கண்டதுண்டா
வீதி எங்கும் புல் முளைக்கும்
விதையைக் கண்டதுண்டா
When the wind blows, trees sway,
but has anyone ever seen the wind?
When the wind blows, trees sway,
but has anyone ever seen the wind?
Grass sprouts all along the streets,
but has anyone seen the seed?
கடலின் நீரை மேகம் வாங்கும்
கண்கள் பார்த்ததுண்டா
கடலின் நீரை மேகம் வாங்கும்
கண்கள் பார்த்ததுண்டா
உடலுக்குள்ளே உள்ளமுண்டு
உருவம் அங்கு உண்டா..........
உருவம் அங்கு உண்டா..........
The clouds draw water from the ocean,
have human eyes ever seen that happen?
The clouds draw water from the ocean,
have human eyes ever seen that happen?
Inside the physical body lives the soul,
does it have a visible form there?
இறைவனுக்கும் பெயரை வைத்தான்
ஒரு மனிதன் இங்கே
One man gave a name even to God
here on earth.
தேடித் தேடி அலைந்தவனும்
காணவில்லை என்றான்.....
தேடித் தேடி அலைந்தவனும்
காணவில்லை என்றான்.....
தெளிந்த நிலை கொண்டவனும்
இல்லை இல்லை என்றான்
The one who wandered searching endlessly
said he could not find Him.
The one who wandered searching endlessly
said he could not find Him.
Even the one who attained clear enlightenment
said 'Not this, not this'.
இல்லை இல்லை என்றவனும்
எதனை இல்லை என்றான்
இல்லை இல்லை என்றவனும்
எதனை இல்லை என்றான்
இல்லை ஒரு சக்தி என்று
சொல்லவில்லை என்றான்.....
சொல்லவில்லை என்றான்.....
Even the atheist who claimed God does not exist,
what exactly did he say was non-existent?
Even the atheist who claimed God does not exist,
what exactly did he say was non-existent?
He did not say that
there is no divine energy at all.
He never said that.
இறைவனுக்கும் பெயரை வைத்தான்
ஒரு மனிதன் இங்கே
இறைவன் இல்லை என்றும் சொன்னான்
ஒரு மனிதன் இங்கே
One man gave a name even to God
here on earth.
One man gave a name even to God
here on earth.
Iraivanukkum peyarai vaiththaan
One man gave a name even to God
Oru manithan ingae
here on earth.
Iraivanukkum peyarai vaiththaan
One man gave a name even to God
Oru manithan ingae
here on earth.
Iraivan illai endrum sonnaan
Another man declared that God does not exist
Oru manithan ingae
here on earth.
Iruvarukkum arivai vaiththae
By bestowing intellect upon both of them,
Solla vaiththaan oruvan
someone enabled them to speak.
Iruvarukkum arivai vaiththae
By bestowing intellect upon both of them,
Solla vaiththaan oruvan
someone enabled them to speak.
Ini puriyum adha unmai
Now that truth can be understood:
Avanallavaa iraivan
is He not the ultimate God?
Avanallavaa iraivan
Is He not the ultimate God?
Iraivanukkum peyarai vaiththaan
One man gave a name even to God
Oru manithan ingae
here on earth.
Kaattru vanthaal maramasaiyum
When the wind blows, trees sway,
Kaattrai kandathundaa
but has anyone ever seen the wind?
Kaattru vanthaal maramasaiyum
When the wind blows, trees sway,
Kaattrai kandathundaa
but has anyone ever seen the wind?
Veedhi engum pul mulaikkum
Grass sprouts all along the streets,
vithaiyai kandathundaa
but has anyone seen the seed?
Kadalin neerai megam vaangum
The clouds draw water from the ocean,
Kangal paarththathundaa
have human eyes ever seen that happen?
Kadalin neerai megam vaangum
The clouds draw water from the ocean,
Kangal paarththathundaa
have human eyes ever seen that happen?
Udalukkullae ullamundu
Inside the physical body lives the soul,
Uruvam angu undaa
does it have a visible form there?
Iraivanukkum peyarai vaiththaan
One man gave a name even to God
Oru manithan ingae
here on earth.
Thedi thedi alainthavanum
The one who wandered searching endlessly
Kaanavillai endraan
said he could not find Him.
Thedi thedi alainthavanum
The one who wandered searching endlessly
Kaanavillai endraan
said he could not find Him.
Thelintha nilai kondavanum
Even the one who attained clear enlightenment
Illai illai endraan
said 'Not this, not this'.
Illai illai endravanum
Even the atheist who claimed God does not exist,
Edhanai illai endraan
what exactly did he say was non-existent?
Illai illai endravanum
Even the atheist who claimed God does not exist,
Edhanai illai endraan
what exactly did he say was non-existent?
Illai oru sakthi endru
He did not say that
Sollavillai endraan
there is no divine energy at all.
Sollavillai endraan
He never said that.
Iraivanukkum peyarai vaiththaan
One man gave a name even to God
Oru manithan ingae
here on earth.
Iraivanukkum peyarai vaiththaan
One man gave a name even to God
Oru manithan ingae
here on earth.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Written by the famed poet Kannadasan and rendered by T. M. Soundararajan, this philosophical classic explores the nature of divine presence versus human perception. The lyrics compare the believer who names God and the atheist who denies God, concluding that the supreme power behind both minds is God Himself, who endows humanity with the intelligence to ponder such questions. Through vivid imagery from nature—such as unseen wind moving trees, hidden seeds sprouting grass, invisible ocean evaporation forming clouds, and the formless soul within a physical body—the song illustrates that invisible forces govern the universe. It argues that even those who deny a personified God acknowledge the underlying cosmic power (sakthi) driving existence.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Edhugai (Monostich Rhyme / Second Letter Rhyme)
“Kaattru vanthaal maramasaiyum / Kaattrai kandathundaa”
Matching second consonant 'ddr' in 'Kaattru' and 'Kaattrai' reinforces rhythm across adjacent lines.
Anaphora / Repetition
“Kaattrai kandathundaa / vithaiyai kandathundaa / Kangal paarththathundaa”
Repeated use of the rhetorical question ending 'kandathundaa' highlights natural phenomena that are felt but remain unseen.
Analogy (Uvamai)
“Udalukkullae ullamundu / Uruvam angu undaa”
Uses invisible physical elements (wind, seeds, evaporation, soul) as analogies to explain the formless yet powerful presence of the Divine.
Did you know?
Trivia
This track from Shanmuga Priya (1973) stands out as one of Kannadasan's most celebrated philosophical songs. The composition is noted for bridging devotional theology and atheist philosophy, reflecting Kannadasan's unique knack for harmonizing opposite viewpoints using simple everyday natural observations.
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