Skip to content

IsaimozhiLyrics · Translation · Meaning

Lyrics & meaning

Kadan

From Naatpadu Theral 2 · 2022

Lyricist: Vairamuthu
Singers: Anthony Daasan, Ramesh Vinayakam
Music director: Ramesh Vinayakam
Movie name: Naatpadu Theral 2
Movie release year: 2022
Lyrics added on: 2 Jul 2022

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics

↻ English translation

Kolathang karaiyoram

Kurumbaadu maechuvarum

Aiyaa paeru enna

Aiyyanaaru chaervaingalaa?

Kaathu kadungaathu

Kannmaraikkum chengaathu

Ammi parandhuvara

Aalamaram vizhum kaathu

Indhak kaathoda

Elandhamullu kaattoda

Andhima kaalathula

Aadotti alaivadhenna?

Ottu kovanamae

Oridathil nikkalaiyae

Athuvaana kaattukkulla

Aadotti alaivadhenna?

Aadotti alaivadhenna?

Aadotti alaivadhenna?

Ukkaaru thambi

Oorupatta kadhaiyirukku

Ninnabadi naan chonnaa

Nenjuvali vandhuvidum

Padamedukkum paambidam

Naan pattahadhai chonnaakkaa

Padatha churuttividum

Padapadannu azhudhuvidum

Padamedukkum paambidam

Naan pattahadhai chonnaakkaa

Padatha churuttividum

Padapadannu azhudhuvidum

Ennakki pondaatti

Ennavittu ponaaloo

Annaikkae embadukkai

Thinnaikku vandhiruchu

Naaidhinnum chothula

Naalanju kavalatha

Enakkum pottuvachaan

Erakkamulla embulla

Naaidhinnum chothula

Naalanju kavalatha

Enakkum pottuvachaan

Erakkamulla embulla

Koni chaakkoda

Kudumbam naan nadathaiyila

Loganaadhan mavaraasan

Loanu vaangi thaaraennaan

Aenjaadhi ennaannu

Ezhubaeru kaettaaga

Yedhedho kadhapaesi

Engileesil chirichaaga

Nadaiyaa nadakkavittu

Narambellaam thaeyavittu

Commison eduthukkittu

Kadangaasu kuduthaaga

Avanukku ainnooraam

Ivanukku munnooraam

Anga anga vettalanaa

Aadugutti podaadhaam

Kottagatta loanu vaangi

Kudisai katti nikkiranae

Kottagatta loanu vaangi

Kudisai katti nikkiranae

Aanaivaanga loanvaangi

Aaduvaangi maeykkiranae

Aattukku patta kadan

Adaibadavae aadirukku

Lanjathil patta kadan

Naangatta thoadhirukkaa?

Lanjathil patta kadan

Naangatta thoadhirukkaa?

Agilathai ellaam

Aadhisaesan chumakkiradhaam

Aadhisaesanum chaethu

Aiyanaaru naanjumakkaen

Along the banks of the pond,

herding short-tailed sheep,

what is your name, elder?

Are you Ayyanar Servai?

The wind is a raging gale,

a red dust-storm blinding the eyes,

a wind where grinding stones fly,

and banyan trees crash down.

In this fierce wind,

amidst this thorny wild scrub,

in the twilight of your life,

why do you wander herding sheep?

Even your patched loincloth

will not stay in place;

in this desolate wilderness,

why do you wander herding sheep?

Why do you wander herding sheep?

Why do you wander herding sheep?

Sit down, brother,

there are so many stories to tell.

If I tell them standing up,

my chest will begin to ache.

If I tell the troubles I suffered

to a cobra with its hood raised,

it would fold its hood down

and weep uncontrollably.

If I tell the troubles I suffered

to a cobra with its hood raised,

it would fold its hood down

and weep uncontrollably.

The day my wife

departed and left me,

that very day my bed

was moved to the front porch.

From the food fed to the dogs,

four or five handfuls

were tossed down to me

by my merciful son!

From the food fed to the dogs,

four or five handfuls

were tossed down to me

by my merciful son!

Wrapped in a gunny sack,

as I managed to get by,

a kind man named Loganathan

said he would get me a loan.

Seven people asked me

what caste I belonged to,

talked about all sorts of things,

and laughed away in English.

Making me run around endlessly,

wearing out every nerve in my body,

they took their cuts and commissions,

and finally gave me the loan money.

Five hundred for this man,

three hundred for that one—

if I didn't bribe them here and there,

they said the sheep wouldn't birth lambs!

I took a loan to build a palace,

and here I stand having built only a hut.

I took a loan to build a palace,

and here I stand having built only a hut.

I took a loan to buy an elephant,

and here I am grazing sheep.

The debt owed for the sheep

can be cleared with the sheep.

But for the debt lost to bribes,

do I have any way to pay it back?

But for the debt lost to bribes,

do I have any way to pay it back?

They say the entire universe

is borne by Adiseshan (the mythical serpent).

But including that Adiseshan,

I, Ayyanar, carry the weight of it all!

Male

Male

Male

Male

Male

Male

Male

Male

Male

Male

Male

Male

Male

Male

Male

Male

Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song from 'Naatpadu Theral 2' depicts a poignant conversation between a traveler and an elderly shepherd named Ayyanaar. Seeing the old man herding sheep in a harsh, dusty storm during the twilight of his life, the traveler asks why he endures such hardship. Ayyanaar shares his tragic life story: after his wife died, his son relegated him to the outer porch and fed him dog scraps. To survive, he sought a government loan to buy livestock, only to fall victim to rampant bureaucracy, casteism, and official corruption where intermediaries ate away most of his loan through bribes. Ultimately, the old man reflects on the crippling burden of debt created by systemic bribery. While standard livestock debt can be cleared by selling sheep, the debt compounded by extortionate corruption is impossible to repay. In a powerful concluding metaphor, Ayyanaar asserts that while the mythical serpent Aadhiseshan allegedly carries the weight of the universe, he as a poor, oppressed old man carries both the universe and Aadhiseshan on his weary shoulders.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Monai (Alliteration)

“Padamedukkum paambidam / Naan pattahadhai chonnaakkaa / Padatha churuttividum / Padapadannu azhudhuvidum”

Repetition of initial consonant sounds ('P') in consecutive lines ('Padamedukkum', 'Pattahadhai', 'Padatha', 'Padapadannu').

Erhai (Rhyme)

“Kaathu kadungaathu / Kannmaraikkum chengaathu”

Rhyming second letters in adjacent lines, a classic Tamil poetic meter structure (e.g., 'Kaathu' / 'Kannmaraikkum').

Hyperbole (Uruvakamm / Uyarnavu Navitchi)

“Ammi parandhuvara / Aalamaram vizhum kaathu”

Exaggerating the severity of the wind ('grinding stone flying') to emphasize the harshness of nature and the old man's struggle.

Personification / Metaphor

“Padamedukkum paambidam... Padatha churuttividum / Padapadannu azhudhuvidum”

Attributing deep human grief and shock to a venomous hooded snake upon hearing his life story.

Irony & Hyperbole

“Agilathai ellaam Aadhisaesan chumakkiradhaam / Aadhisaesanum chaethu Aiyanaaru naanjumakkaen”

Closing image contrasting the cosmic myth of Aadhiseshan holding the Earth with the humble old man bearing a burden far heavier than the cosmos itself.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Naatpadu Theral' is a celebrated independent music album project created by legendary lyricist Vairamuthu, featuring compositions by various music directors to showcase diverse Tamil cultural themes, rural life, and social commentary.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

Enga Vechi Podhachita2026

Thaai KizhaviGriefMelancholic

Kuppaiyile Nel1994

Sindhu Nathi PooPovertyMelancholic

Endha Vazhi2014

Idam Porul YaevalPovertyMelancholic

Kotti Kidakkuthu1987

Theertha KaraiyinilePovertyMelancholic

Poottaatha PoottukkalGriefBittersweet

Athimaram Poopathillai1981

Neruppile Pootha MalarMelancholicVillage Life

From the same album

More songs from Naatpadu Theral 2

Jenmam Niraindhathu2022

Naatpadu Theral 2Contemplative

Unnai Paarthu Song Lyrics – Naatpadu Theral 22022

Naatpadu Theral 2Defiant

Paarthukkol Manidha2022

Naatpadu Theral 2Calm

Iruthalai Kolli2022

Naatpadu Theral 2Melancholic

Oru Jappaniya Meenaippol2022

Naatpadu Theral 2Passionate

Ovvoru Naalum2022

Naatpadu Theral 2Rebellious

Spot an issue?

Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.