Kadugalavu
From Kadugu · 2017
- Lyricist
- Madhan Karky
- Singer
- Haricharan
- Music director
- S. N. Arunagiri
- Details
- Kadugu2017
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Size-il andha vaanam perusu | That sky is big in size |
| Kanna moodikittaa sirusaagum | If you close your eyes, it becomes small |
| Size-il indha vaazhkkai sirusu | This life is small in size |
| Kanna moodumvara perusaagum | Until you close your eyes, it grows big |
| Male | |
| Malaichaa unakku malaidhaan | If you get overwhelmed, it remains a mountain to you |
| Uli eduthaa adhuvum silaidhaan | If you pick up a chisel, even that mountain becomes a statue |
| Ilai nuniyil paniyum azhagu | The dew drop on the tip of a leaf is beautiful |
| Adhukkulaiyum adangum ulagu | Even the entire world is contained inside it |
| Male | |
| Aiyaiyaiyo bhoomikku | Oh my! To this Earth... |
| Nee oru kadugu | You are just a mustard seed! |
| Aiyaiyaiyo saamikku | Oh my! To God... |
| Bhoomiyae kadugu | Even this Earth is just a mustard seed! |
| Male | |
| Size-il andha vaanam perusu | That sky is big in size |
| Kanna moodikittaa sirusaagum | If you close your eyes, it becomes small |
| Size-il indha vaazhkkai sirusu | This life is small in size |
| Kanna moodumvara perusaagum | Until you close your eyes, it grows big |
| Male | |
| Aanoda thuliyaa | As a drop from a man |
| Pennoda valiyaa | Through a woman's labor pain |
| Vandhaayae | You arrived! |
| Male | |
| Dhoorathil irukkum | Chasing the scent |
| Vaasathai thurathi | That lies far away |
| Ponaayae | You went ahead! |
| Male | |
| Ellamae pudhusa | Everything looking fresh and new |
| Kannukku parisaa | As a gift presented to your eyes |
| Paarthaayae | You beheld them! |
| Male | |
| Parisa pirichu | Unwrapping the gift |
| Rusichu rasichu | Savoring and admiring it |
| Theerthaayae | You finished it all! |
| Male | |
| Thudi thudikkira nenju | A heart that throbs with life |
| Adhukkulla | Inside of which |
| Oru kanavu thekki | Storing up a dream |
| Padapadakkira rekkai | Wings that flutter with eagerness |
| Adha virichu | Spreading them out wide |
| Pudhu bhoomiya nokki | Soaring towards a new land |
| Male | |
| Paraparakkira kaaththil | In the howling, chaotic wind |
| Puriyaama | Without understanding |
| Oru panjappola | Floating like a speck of cotton wool |
| Aduaduththadhu enna | What comes next |
| Theriyaama | Without knowing |
| Nee payanam pora | You embark on a journey |
| Male | |
| Sogam ellaam perusudhaan | All sorrows seem immense indeed |
| Sirikka therinjaa ellaam kadugalavu | If you learn to smile, everything becomes the size of a mustard seed |
| Sirikka therinjaa ellaam kadugalavu | If you learn to smile, everything becomes the size of a mustard seed |
| Male | |
| Size-il andha vaanam perusu | That sky is big in size |
| Kanna moodikittaa sirusaagum | If you close your eyes, it becomes small |
| Size-il indha vaazhkkai sirusu | This life is small in size |
| Kanna moodumvara perusaagum | Until you close your eyes, it grows big |
| Male | |
| Malaichaa unakku malaidhaan | If you get overwhelmed, it remains a mountain to you |
| Uli eduthaa adhuvum silaidhaan | If you pick up a chisel, even that mountain becomes a statue |
| Ilai nuniyil paniyum azhagu | The dew drop on the tip of a leaf is beautiful |
| Adhukkulaiyum adangum ulagu | Even the entire world is contained inside it |
| Male | |
| Aiyaiyaiyo bhoomikku | Oh my! To this Earth... |
| Nee oru kadugu | You are just a mustard seed! |
| Aiyaiyaiyo saamikku | Oh my! To God... |
| Bhoomiyae kadugu | Even this Earth is just a mustard seed! |
சைஸில் அந்த
வானம் பெருசு கண்ண
மூடிக்கிட்டா சிறுசாகும்
சைஸில் இந்த வாழ்க்கை
சிறுசு கண்ண மூடும்வரை
பெருசாகும்
That sky is big in size
If you close your eyes, it becomes small
This life is small in size
Until you close your eyes, it grows big
மலைச்சா உனக்கு
மலைதான் உளி எடுத்தா
அதுவும் சிலைதான் இலை
நுனியில் பனியும் அழகு
அதுக்குலையும் அடங்கும்
உலகு
If you get overwhelmed, it remains a mountain to you
If you pick up a chisel, even that mountain becomes a statue
The dew drop on the tip of a leaf is beautiful
Even the entire world is contained inside it
அய்யய்யோ
பூமிக்கு நீ ஒரு கடுகு
அய்யய்யோ சாமிக்கு
பூமியே கடுகு
Oh my! To this Earth...
You are just a mustard seed!
Oh my! To God...
Even this Earth is just a mustard seed!
சைஸில் அந்த
வானம் பெருசு கண்ண
மூடிக்கிட்டா சிறுசாகும்
சைஸில் இந்த வாழ்க்கை
சிறுசு கண்ண மூடும்வரை
பெருசாகும்
That sky is big in size
If you close your eyes, it becomes small
This life is small in size
Until you close your eyes, it grows big
ஆணோட
துளியா பெண்ணோட
வலியா வந்தாயே
As a drop from a man
Through a woman's labor pain
You arrived!
தூரத்தில்
இருக்கும் வாசத்தை
துரத்தி போனாயே
Chasing the scent
That lies far away
You went ahead!
எல்லாமே
புதுசா கண்ணுக்கு
பரிசா பார்த்தாயே
Everything looking fresh and new
As a gift presented to your eyes
You beheld them!
பரிச பிரிச்சு
ருசிச்சு ரசிச்சு
தீர்த்தாயே
Unwrapping the gift
Savoring and admiring it
You finished it all!
துடி துடிக்கிற
நெஞ்சு அதுக்குள்ள
ஒரு கனவு தேக்கி
படபடக்கிற ரெக்கை
அத விரிச்சு புது பூமிய
நோக்கி
A heart that throbs with life
Inside of which
Storing up a dream
Wings that flutter with eagerness
Spreading them out wide
Soaring towards a new land
பரபரக்கிற
காத்தில் புரியாம
ஒரு பஞ்சப்போல
அடுஅடுத்தது என்ன
தெரியாம நீ பயணம்
போற
In the howling, chaotic wind
Without understanding
Floating like a speck of cotton wool
What comes next
Without knowing
You embark on a journey
சோகம் எல்லாம்
பெருசுதான் சிரிக்க
தெரிஞ்சா எல்லாம்
கடுகளவு சிரிக்க
தெரிஞ்சா எல்லாம்
கடுகளவு
All sorrows seem immense indeed
If you learn to smile, everything becomes the size of a mustard seed
If you learn to smile, everything becomes the size of a mustard seed
சைஸில் அந்த
வானம் பெருசு கண்ண
மூடிக்கிட்டா சிறுசாகும்
சைஸில் இந்த வாழ்க்கை
சிறுசு கண்ண மூடும்வரை
பெருசாகும்
That sky is big in size
If you close your eyes, it becomes small
This life is small in size
Until you close your eyes, it grows big
மலைச்சா உனக்கு
மலைதான் உளி எடுத்தா
அதுவும் சிலைதான் இலை
நுனியில் பனியும் அழகு
அதுக்குலையும் அடங்கும்
உலகு
If you get overwhelmed, it remains a mountain to you
If you pick up a chisel, even that mountain becomes a statue
The dew drop on the tip of a leaf is beautiful
Even the entire world is contained inside it
அய்யய்யோ
பூமிக்கு நீ ஒரு கடுகு
அய்யய்யோ சாமிக்கு
பூமியே கடுகு
Oh my! To this Earth...
You are just a mustard seed!
Oh my! To God...
Even this Earth is just a mustard seed!
Size-il andha vaanam perusu
That sky is big in size
Kanna moodikittaa sirusaagum
If you close your eyes, it becomes small
Size-il indha vaazhkkai sirusu
This life is small in size
Kanna moodumvara perusaagum
Until you close your eyes, it grows big
Malaichaa unakku malaidhaan
If you get overwhelmed, it remains a mountain to you
Uli eduthaa adhuvum silaidhaan
If you pick up a chisel, even that mountain becomes a statue
Ilai nuniyil paniyum azhagu
The dew drop on the tip of a leaf is beautiful
Adhukkulaiyum adangum ulagu
Even the entire world is contained inside it
Aiyaiyaiyo bhoomikku
Oh my! To this Earth...
Nee oru kadugu
You are just a mustard seed!
Aiyaiyaiyo saamikku
Oh my! To God...
Bhoomiyae kadugu
Even this Earth is just a mustard seed!
Size-il andha vaanam perusu
That sky is big in size
Kanna moodikittaa sirusaagum
If you close your eyes, it becomes small
Size-il indha vaazhkkai sirusu
This life is small in size
Kanna moodumvara perusaagum
Until you close your eyes, it grows big
Aanoda thuliyaa
As a drop from a man
Pennoda valiyaa
Through a woman's labor pain
Vandhaayae
You arrived!
Dhoorathil irukkum
Chasing the scent
Vaasathai thurathi
That lies far away
Ponaayae
You went ahead!
Ellamae pudhusa
Everything looking fresh and new
Kannukku parisaa
As a gift presented to your eyes
Paarthaayae
You beheld them!
Parisa pirichu
Unwrapping the gift
Rusichu rasichu
Savoring and admiring it
Theerthaayae
You finished it all!
Thudi thudikkira nenju
A heart that throbs with life
Adhukkulla
Inside of which
Oru kanavu thekki
Storing up a dream
Padapadakkira rekkai
Wings that flutter with eagerness
Adha virichu
Spreading them out wide
Pudhu bhoomiya nokki
Soaring towards a new land
Paraparakkira kaaththil
In the howling, chaotic wind
Puriyaama
Without understanding
Oru panjappola
Floating like a speck of cotton wool
Aduaduththadhu enna
What comes next
Theriyaama
Without knowing
Nee payanam pora
You embark on a journey
Sogam ellaam perusudhaan
All sorrows seem immense indeed
Sirikka therinjaa ellaam kadugalavu
If you learn to smile, everything becomes the size of a mustard seed
Sirikka therinjaa ellaam kadugalavu
If you learn to smile, everything becomes the size of a mustard seed
Size-il andha vaanam perusu
That sky is big in size
Kanna moodikittaa sirusaagum
If you close your eyes, it becomes small
Size-il indha vaazhkkai sirusu
This life is small in size
Kanna moodumvara perusaagum
Until you close your eyes, it grows big
Malaichaa unakku malaidhaan
If you get overwhelmed, it remains a mountain to you
Uli eduthaa adhuvum silaidhaan
If you pick up a chisel, even that mountain becomes a statue
Ilai nuniyil paniyum azhagu
The dew drop on the tip of a leaf is beautiful
Adhukkulaiyum adangum ulagu
Even the entire world is contained inside it
Aiyaiyaiyo bhoomikku
Oh my! To this Earth...
Nee oru kadugu
You are just a mustard seed!
Aiyaiyaiyo saamikku
Oh my! To God...
Bhoomiyae kadugu
Even this Earth is just a mustard seed!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
The title track 'Kadugu' (Mustard Seed) offers a profound philosophical reflection on perception, human existence, and perspective. The lyrics contrast grand scale with microscopic insignificance, highlighting how the vast sky shrinks when we close our eyes, whereas human life—though fleeting and small—feels immense until death. By employing the metaphor of a mustard seed ('Kadugu'), Madhan Karky reminds us that human beings are minuscule in the cosmic scale, and even planet Earth is merely a mustard seed in the vast universe. Despite this existential smallness, the song encourages a resilient mindset. Obstacles seem like intimidating mountains only until we take action like a sculptor carving a statue. Life's anxieties and overwhelming sorrows can be rendered insignificant if one learns to smile and appreciate the beauty around them, just like seeing an entire world reflected in a single drop of dew.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor & Scale Anthesis
“Aiyaiyaiyo bhoomikku / Nee oru kadugu”
Compares human scale to a mustard seed relative to Earth, and Earth to a mustard seed relative to the Creator/Cosmos.
Ezhukai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Malaichaa unakku malaidhaan / Uli eduthaa adhuvum silaidhaan”
The second consonant sound 'la' matches across consecutive lines ('Malaichaa' and 'Uli').
Simile (Upamai)
“Oru panjappola”
Compares the unpredictable trajectory of human life to cotton floating helplessly in the wind.
Iyaibu (End Rhyme)
“Kanna moodikittaa sirusaagum / Kanna moodumvara perusaagum”
Matching end sounds ('sirusaagum' / 'perusaagum').
Did you know?
Trivia
The song serves as the thematic backbone of the film 'Kadugu' (2017), directed by cinematographer-turned-director Vijay Milton. Lyricist Madhan Karky used simple, colloquial Tamil terms combined with profound philosophical imagery to capture the essence of how small individuals are in the grand scheme of society.
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