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Lyrics & meaning

Jeyichutte Kanna

From Kaliyuga Kannan · 1974

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
T. M. Soundararajan
Music director
V. Kumar
Movie name
Kaliyuga Kannan
Movie release year
1974
Lyrics added on
9 Oct 2023

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Jeyichchuttae kannaa nee jeyichchuttae
Theranthutae kannai theranthuttae
Jeyichchuttae kannaa nee jeyichchuttae
Unnidaththil thottaraththil vettri enakku
Kannaa naan yaar kittataa thoththaen
Saathaarana manushan kittayaa
Unnidaththil thottaraththil vettri enakku
Ennai theliya vaiththaai thannai
Puriya vaiththaai en nandri unakku
Kannaa jeyichchuttadaa nee
Jeyichchuttae kannae nee jeyichchuttae
Sooriyanai paarththu intha naai kulaiththathu
Un soodu pattu kedu kettu vaai adaiththathu
Aganthai pidiththa siru kuzhanthai pidiththa
Pidivaatham theernthathendru paaradaa
Unnai vendru nindravan yaaradaa…
Kannaa un naadakaththil naanoru paaththiram
Unakku mun naan emmaaththiram
Jeyichchuttae kannaa nee jeyichchuttae
Ettadukku kattidaththil onbathu ottai
Idhil nalla raththam ulla mattum eththnai saettai
Kannaa sakthi irunthappa puthiyillai
Puthi irukkirappo sakthi illai
Kondu vanthenna kondu selvathenna
Ondrumillayae mudivilae
Idhai unarntha pillai un madiyilae
Kannaa neethaandaa jeyichae
Jeyichchuttae kannaa nee jeyichchuttae
Aanavaththai vittozhiththaen odi varuga
Kannaa naanirukkum vasalai nee thedi varuga
Thannaiyarinthavarkku thaanaagi nirpavane
Ennaiyarinthu kondaen mannanae
Enakkul geethai eduthuraiththa kannanae
Kanna…….kanna…….kanna…….
You won, Krishna, you won!
You opened my eyes, you really opened them!
You won, Krishna, you won!
In losing to you, I have found my victory.
Krishna, whom did I really lose to?
Was it to an ordinary man?
In losing to you, I have found my victory.
You cleared my confusion, and made me...
...understand who you are; my gratitude to you!
Krishna, you truly won!
You won, my dear Krishna, you won!
This dog barked at the sun,
scorched by your heat, it was humbled and silenced.
See how the stubbornness of this arrogant,
little child has finally come to an end!
Who has ever stood undefeated against you?
Krishna, I am just an actor in your play,
what do I amount to before you?
You won, Krishna, you won!
In this eight-storey mansion with nine openings,
how much mischief goes on as long as good blood flows!
Krishna, when I had strength, I lacked wisdom,
and now that I have wisdom, I have no strength.
What did we bring, and what will we take away?
Nothing at all in the end!
The child who realized this now lies in your lap.
Krishna, you are the one who truly won!
You won, Krishna, you won!
I have cast away my ego, come running to me!
Krishna, come seeking the doorstep where I wait!
O Lord who becomes one with those who know themselves,
I have finally understood who I am, my King!
O Krishna, who taught the Gita within my heart!
Krishna... Krishna... Krishna...
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Jeyichchuttae Kannaa from Kaliyuga Kannan (1974) is a soulful devotional and philosophical song centered on complete spiritual surrender (Sharanagati) to Lord Krishna. The protagonist experiences a profound awakening, realizing that submitting to the Divine is not a loss, but the ultimate victory over human ego and ignorance. He reflects on his past arrogance—likening his former hubris to a dog barking at the sun—and acknowledges his insignificance in the grand cosmic play directed by Krishna. Through vivid imagery, lyricist Vaali portrays the human body as a fragile structure and highlights the ironies of life, such as possessing strength when lacking wisdom and acquiring wisdom only after losing physical strength. Stripped of vanity and material attachments, the devotee surrenders to God as a child resting on its mother's lap, welcoming Krishna to reign within his heart after discovering his true inner self.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Paradox

“Unnidaththil thottaraththil vettri enakku”

Expresses the spiritual truth that surrendering/losing to the Almighty is actually a personal victory.

Metaphor

“Kannaa un naadakaththil naanoru paaththiram”

Compares human life to a stage play and the speaker to merely a character acting in Krishna's drama.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

“Ettadukku kattidaththil onbathu ottai”

Compares the human body to an eight-story building featuring nine openings (the navadvaras or nine body openings).

Antithesis / Parallelism

“Kannaa sakthi irunthappa puthiyillai / Puthi irukkirappo sakthi illai”

Uses contrasting ideas of strength (sakthi) and wisdom (puthi) across consecutive lines to highlight the tragic timing of human maturation.

Did you know?

Trivia

Kaliyuga Kannan (1974) features music composed by V. Kumar with lyrics by Vaali and vocals by T. M. Soundararajan. In this iconic track, Vaali seamlessly integrates Advaita philosophy and Bhagavad Gita teachings into accessible colloquial Tamil. The line referencing 'Ettadukku kattidaththil onbathu ottai' is widely remembered in Tamil cinema as a quintessential philosophical metaphor for the nine apertures of the human physical form.

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