Kanna Neeyum
From Gauravam · 1973
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Details
- Gauravam1973
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Kannaa | Oh Kanna, |
| { Neeyum naanumaa | { Is it you versus me, |
| Kanna neeyum naanumaa } (2) | Oh Kanna, is it you versus me? } (2) |
| Male | |
| { Kaalam | { Even if time |
| Maarinaal gouravam | changes, will dignity/pride |
| Maarumaa } (2) | ever change? } (2) |
| Male | |
| Never | Never! |
| Male | |
| Neeyum naanumaa | Is it you versus me? |
| Kanna neeyum naanumaa | Oh Kanna, is it you versus me? |
| Male | |
| { Arivai | { Imparting knowledge |
| Koduthadho | and wisdom was |
| Dhronarin gouravam } (2) | Dronacharya's honor and pride. } (2) |
| Male | |
| Avar mel | Aimeing arrows back |
| Thoduthadhae | at his master |
| Arjunan gouravam | was Arjuna's dutiful honor. |
| Male | |
| { Nadanthadhu | { Did the epic Bharatham |
| Andha naal mudinthadha | truly end on the day |
| Bharatham } (2) | it occurred back then? } (2) |
| Male | |
| Naalaiya | Who is the reason |
| Bharatham yaar | behind tomorrow's |
| Adhan kaaranam | Mahabharata? |
| Male | |
| Neeyum naanumaa | Is it you versus me? |
| Kanna neeyum naanumaa | Oh Kanna, is it you versus me? |
| Male | |
| { Moondradi | { Requesting three paces |
| Man kettan vamanan | of land, Vamana asked |
| Ulagilae } (2) | in this world. } (2) |
| Male | |
| Moondrena | The third pace was |
| Vaithadho mannavan | placed upon the king's |
| Thalaiyilae | head. |
| Male | |
| { Valartha | { My Kanna, who was raised |
| En kannano | with love, stands upon |
| Thandhaiyin nenjilae } (2) | his father's heart. } (2) |
| Male | |
| Maarum | Such changing |
| Avathaaramae | incarnations alone |
| Idhu thaan ulagilae | exist in this world. |
| Male | |
| Neeyum naanumaa | Is it you versus me? |
| Kanna neeyum naanumaa | Oh Kanna, is it you versus me? |
| Male | |
| { Mannanin | { A king's pride lies |
| Gouravam chadhuranga | in the middle of a |
| Naduvilae | chessboard, |
| Male | |
| Marikindra | where the sacrificed |
| Senaiyo pillayin vadivilae } (2) | soldier takes the form of his son. } (2) |
| Male | |
| Aagatum | Let it be, |
| Paarkalam aatathin | let us see at the game's |
| Mudivilae arubadhai | conclusion whether sixty years of age |
| Irubadhu velluma ulagilae | will be conquered by twenty years in this world! |
கண்ணா
{ நீயும் நானுமா
கண்ணா நீயும்
நானுமா } (2)
Oh Kanna,
{ Is it you versus me,
Oh Kanna, is it you versus me? } (2)
{ காலம் மாறினால்
கௌரவம் மாறுமா } (2)
{ Even if time
changes, will dignity/pride
ever change? } (2)
நெவர்
Never!
நீயும் நானுமா
கண்ணா நீயும்
நானுமா
Is it you versus me?
Oh Kanna, is it you versus me?
{ அறிவை
கொடுத்ததோ
துரோணரின் கௌரவம் } (2)
{ Imparting knowledge
and wisdom was
Dronacharya's honor and pride. } (2)
அவர் மேல்
தொடுத்ததே அர்ஜுனன்
கௌரவம்
Aimeing arrows back
at his master
was Arjuna's dutiful honor.
{ நடந்தது அந்த
நாள் முடிந்ததா
பாரதம் } (2)
{ Did the epic Bharatham
truly end on the day
it occurred back then? } (2)
நாளைய
பாரதம் யாரதன்
காரணம்
Who is the reason
behind tomorrow's
Mahabharata?
நீயும் நானுமா
கண்ணா நீயும்
நானுமா
Is it you versus me?
Oh Kanna, is it you versus me?
{ மூன்றடி மண்
கேட்டான் வாமனன்
உலகிலே } (2)
{ Requesting three paces
of land, Vamana asked
in this world. } (2)
மூன்றென
வைத்ததோ மன்னவன்
தலையிலே
The third pace was
placed upon the king's
head.
{ வளர்த்த என்
கண்ணனோ தந்தையின்
நெஞ்சிலே } (2)
{ My Kanna, who was raised
with love, stands upon
his father's heart. } (2)
மாறும் அவதாரமே
இதுதான் உலகிலே
Such changing
incarnations alone
exist in this world.
நீயும் நானுமா
கண்ணா நீயும்
நானுமா
Is it you versus me?
Oh Kanna, is it you versus me?
{ மன்னனின்
கௌரவம் சதுரங்க
நடுவிலே
{ A king's pride lies
in the middle of a
chessboard,
மரிக்கின்ற
சேனையோ பிள்ளையின்
வடிவிலே } (2)
where the sacrificed
soldier takes the form of his son. } (2)
ஆகட்டும் பார்க்கலாம்
ஆட்டத்தின் முடிவிலே
அறுபதை இருபது வெல்லுமா
உலகிலே
Let it be,
let us see at the game's
conclusion whether sixty years of age
will be conquered by twenty years in this world!
Kannaa
Oh Kanna,
{ Neeyum naanumaa
{ Is it you versus me,
Kanna neeyum naanumaa } (2)
Oh Kanna, is it you versus me? } (2)
{ Kaalam
{ Even if time
Maarinaal gouravam
changes, will dignity/pride
Maarumaa } (2)
ever change? } (2)
Never
Never!
Neeyum naanumaa
Is it you versus me?
Kanna neeyum naanumaa
Oh Kanna, is it you versus me?
{ Arivai
{ Imparting knowledge
Koduthadho
and wisdom was
Dhronarin gouravam } (2)
Dronacharya's honor and pride. } (2)
Avar mel
Aimeing arrows back
Thoduthadhae
at his master
Arjunan gouravam
was Arjuna's dutiful honor.
{ Nadanthadhu
{ Did the epic Bharatham
Andha naal mudinthadha
truly end on the day
Bharatham } (2)
it occurred back then? } (2)
Naalaiya
Who is the reason
Bharatham yaar
behind tomorrow's
Adhan kaaranam
Mahabharata?
Neeyum naanumaa
Is it you versus me?
Kanna neeyum naanumaa
Oh Kanna, is it you versus me?
{ Moondradi
{ Requesting three paces
Man kettan vamanan
of land, Vamana asked
Ulagilae } (2)
in this world. } (2)
Moondrena
The third pace was
Vaithadho mannavan
placed upon the king's
Thalaiyilae
head.
{ Valartha
{ My Kanna, who was raised
En kannano
with love, stands upon
Thandhaiyin nenjilae } (2)
his father's heart. } (2)
Maarum
Such changing
Avathaaramae
incarnations alone
Idhu thaan ulagilae
exist in this world.
Neeyum naanumaa
Is it you versus me?
Kanna neeyum naanumaa
Oh Kanna, is it you versus me?
{ Mannanin
{ A king's pride lies
Gouravam chadhuranga
in the middle of a
Naduvilae
chessboard,
Marikindra
where the sacrificed
Senaiyo pillayin vadivilae } (2)
soldier takes the form of his son. } (2)
Aagatum
Let it be,
Paarkalam aatathin
let us see at the game's
Mudivilae arubadhai
conclusion whether sixty years of age
Irubadhu velluma ulagilae
will be conquered by twenty years in this world!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
The song 'Neeyum Naanumaa' from the 1973 legal drama 'Gauravam' depicts a intense ideological clash and battle of egos between an arrogant, undefeated senior advocate, Barrister Rajnikant, and his idealistic young nephew/foster-son, Kannan (both played by Sivaji Ganesan). The lyrics draw heavy parallels to mythological events from the Mahabharata and the Vamana avatar of Lord Vishnu, comparing the generational courtroom duel to the master-disciple confrontation between Drona and Arjuna.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor & Allegory (Uvamaani)
“Arivai Koduthadho Dhronarin gouravam... Arjunan gouravam”
Kannadasan masterfully compares the courtroom clash to Dronacharya facing Arjuna in Mahabharata, as well as King Mahabali being subdued by Vamana.
Edhugai (Second letter rhyming)
“Arivai Koduthadho / Thoduthadhae”
Consonance of the second letter 'ri' and 'dh' across consecutive lines (Arivai / Thoduthadhae).
Iyaibu (End rhyme)
“Dhronarin gouravam / Arjunan gouravam”
Rhyming of ending syllables like 'gouravam' and 'ulagilae' across stanzas.
Numerical Contrast / Symbolism
“Mudivilae arubadhai Irubadhu velluma ulagilae”
The lyricist uses numbers 'Arubadhai' (60, representing the senior lawyer's age and experience) and 'Irubadhu' (20, representing the youth and modern idealism) to symbolize generational conflict.
Did you know?
Trivia
Although the prompt lists music and singer as unknown, the music for 'Gauravam' was composed by M. S. Viswanathan (MSV) and sung by T. M. Soundararajan (TMS). The movie features legendary actor Sivaji Ganesan in dual roles (Barrister Rajnikant and his nephew Kannan), and this song stands as one of the finest musical confrontations in Tamil cinema history.
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