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Ponmana Selvan album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Kana Karunguyile

From Ponmana Selvan · 1989

Lyricist
Gangai Amaran
Singers
Mano, K. S. Chithra
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Ponmana Selvan
Movie release year
1989
Lyrics added on
19 Apr 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Kaanakarunguyilae
Kaadhal or paavamadi
Kaanakarunguyilae
Kaadhal or paavamadi
Kaadhal kanakkinilae
Kanneer thaan laabamadi
Aasai… undaanathu
Adhil veedu…rendaanathu
Adi kaanakarunguyilae
Kaadhal or paavamadi
Boomiyil naan pirantha
Jaathagam maaruthu
En vidhi maedai katti
Naadagam aaduthu
Vanjiyae un manam
Ennidam yaen vanthathu
Vanthathaal iththanai
Thunbamum vaainthathu
Vaedhanai sodhanai
Yaaridam naan solvathu
En manam indru thaan
Ambalam aanathu
Neeyum indha thukkathilae
Nillu maru pakkathilae
Naeram oru kaalam
Vara koodum andru onnaagalam
Kaanakarunguyilae
Kaadhal or paavamadi
Kaadhal kanakkinilae
Kanneer thaan laabamadi
Aasai… undaanathu
Adhil veedu…rendaanathu
Kangalil neer vazhinthu
Kannathil oduthu
Karpanai aayiram thaan
Ennathil oduthu
Vaanamae illaiyae
Vennila ennavathu
Valarvathaa thaeivatha
Yaaridam ketpathu
Poomaram illaiyae
Poongodi ennavathu
Vaazhvatha veezhvatha
Yaaridam ketpathu
Irunthaal ini
Unnodu thaan
Illaiyael udal mannodu thaan
Maalai idum vaelai
Varum naalai endru naan vaazhgiren
Kaanakarunguyilae
Kaadhal or paavamadi
Aasai… undaanathu
Adhil veedu…rendaanathu
Adi kaanakarunguyilae
Kaadhal or paavamadi
Kaadhal kanakkinilae
Kanneer thaan laabamadi
O dark forest cuckoo,
Love is a sin, my girl.
O dark forest cuckoo,
Love is a sin, my girl.
In the accounts of love,
Tears are the only profit.
A desire was born...
And it split the home in two.
O dark forest cuckoo,
Love is a sin, my girl.
The fate I was born with
On this earth is shifting now.
My destiny has built a stage
And is acting out a play.
O sweet girl, your heart—
Why did it ever turn to me?
Because it came to me,
All these sorrows have found us.
All this pain and these trials,
To whom can I tell my grief?
Only today has my heart
Been laid bare to the world.
In the midst of this sorrow,
Please wait on the other side.
The right time and season
May arrive, and we can unite then.
O dark forest cuckoo,
Love is a sin, my girl.
In the accounts of love,
Tears are the only profit.
A desire was born...
And it split the home in two.
Tears spill from my eyes
And stream down my cheeks.
A thousand restless thoughts
Run wildly through my mind.
If there is no sky,
What will happen to the pale moon?
Whether to grow full or fade away,
Whom can it ask?
If there is no tree to cling to,
What will happen to the flowering vine?
Whether to live or to wither away,
Whom can it ask?
If I live from now on,
It will only be with you.
If not, my body belongs to the earth.
The moment when we exchange wedding garlands
Will arrive tomorrow—with that hope, I live.
O dark forest cuckoo,
Love is a sin, my girl.
A desire was born...
And it split the home in two.
O dark forest cuckoo,
Love is a sin, my girl.
In the accounts of love,
Tears are the only profit.
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This poignant song expresses the grief and despair of a lover facing the painful consequences of love and social or familial division. Addressing a wild cuckoo ('Kaanakarunguyil'), the speaker reflects on how love, which began with desire and affection, ended up tearing households apart and bringing endless tears instead of joy.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Apostrophe & Metaphor

“Kaanakarunguyilae”

Addressing the 'Kaanakarunguyil' (forest cuckoo) serves as a poetic proxy to express inner despair.

Monorhyme / Second-letter Rhyme (Edukai)

“Kaadhal kanakkinilae”

Matching second consonants in Tamil poetic structure ('Kaadhal' / 'Kanneer' / 'Aasai').

Metaphor

“Kaadhal kanakkinilae / Kanneer thaan laabamadi”

Comparing love's emotional balance sheet to accounting, where tears are the only 'profit'.

Analogy

“Vaanamae illaiyae / Vennila ennavathu”

Comparing the lovers' interdependence to the sky and moon, and a tree and a flowering vine.

Did you know?

Trivia

The song is written by Gangai Amaran for the movie 'Ponmana Selvan' (1989), starring Vijayakanth and Shobana, with music composed by Ilaiyaraaja.

Keep listening

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Naan Paadum Mouna Raagam1985
Idhaya KovilHeartbreakGrief
Unnai Naan Ariven1991
GunaaLongingMelancholic
Kadhal Oru Vazhi Payanam1981
KilinjalgalHeartbreakGrief
En Kathai Mudiyum Neram1980
Oru Thalai RagamHeartbreakGrief
Katha Pola Thonum1998
Veera ThalattuMortalityMelancholic
Vellai Pura Ondru (Sad Version)1982
Pudhu KavithaiHeartbreakGrief

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