Kannal Kanbathu Poiye
From Raja Malaiya Simman · 1959
- Lyricist
- A. Maruthakasi
- Singer
- A. P. Komala
- Music director
- Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
- Details
- Raja Malaiya Simman1959
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Kannaaal kaanbathum poiyae… | What is seen with the eyes is a lie... |
| Iru kaadhaal ketpadhum poiyae | What is heard with both ears is a lie. |
| Female | |
| Kannaaal kaanbathum poiyae… | What is seen with the eyes is a lie... |
| Iru kaadhaal ketpadhum poiyae | What is heard with both ears is a lie. |
| Kannaaal kaanbathum poiyae… | What is seen with the eyes is a lie... |
| Iru kaadhaal ketpadhum poiyae | What is heard with both ears is a lie. |
| Female | |
| Unmaikku thirai pottu moodum | It drapes a veil over the truth and covers it, |
| Porul ondrai ver ondraaga kaattum | It portrays one thing as another. |
| Unmaikku thirai pottu moodum | It drapes a veil over the truth and covers it, |
| Porul ondrai ver ondraaga kaattum..aa…aa…aa.. | It portrays one thing as another..aa...aa...aa.. |
| Kannaaal kaanbathum poiyae… | What is seen with the eyes is a lie... |
| Iru kaadhaal ketpadhum poiyae | What is heard with both ears is a lie. |
| Female | |
| Nandraaga enni paaradhu | Without thinking deeply about it, |
| Nee mandugam aaga kudaathu | You must not become like a frog in a well. |
| Nandraaga enni paaradhu | Without thinking deeply about it, |
| Nee mandugam aaga kudaathu | You must not become like a frog in a well. |
| Nee mandugam nee mandugam. | You like a frog, you like a frog. |
| Nee mandugam | You like a frog, |
| Mandugam mandugam mandugam mandugam | Frog, frog, frog, frog... |
| Aaga kudaathu….aa aa aaa aa aaa | Must not become....aa aa aaa aa aaa |
| Nee mandugam aaga kudaathu.. | You must not become a frog in a well.. |
| Mann meedhil veluppaanadhellaam | Everything on this earth that appears white |
| Nee vaayaravae unnum paalagidaadhu | Does not become milk for you to drink to your heart's content. |
| Mann meedhil veluppaanadhellaam | Everything on this earth that appears white |
| Nee vaayaravae unnum paalagidaadhu | Does not become milk for you to drink to your heart's content. |
| Female | |
| Kannaaal kaanbathum poiyae… | What is seen with the eyes is a lie... |
| Iru kaadhaal ketpadhum poiyae | What is heard with both ears is a lie. |
கண்ணால் காண்பதும் பொய்யே
இரு காதால் கேட்பதும் பொய்யே
What is seen with the eyes is a lie...
What is heard with both ears is a lie.
கண்ணால் காண்பதும் பொய்யே
இரு காதால் கேட்பதும் பொய்யே
கண்ணால் காண்பதும் பொய்யே
இரு காதால் கேட்பதும் பொய்யே......
What is seen with the eyes is a lie...
What is heard with both ears is a lie.
What is seen with the eyes is a lie...
What is heard with both ears is a lie.
உண்மைக்குத் திரைப் போட்டு மூடும்
பொருள் ஒன்றை வேறொன்றாகக் காட்டும்
உண்மைக்குத் திரைப் போட்டு மூடும்
பொருள் ஒன்றை வேறொன்றாகக் காட்டும் ஆ...ஆ...ஆ...
கண்ணால் காண்பதும் பொய்யே
இரு காதால் கேட்பதும் பொய்யே.....
It drapes a veil over the truth and covers it,
It portrays one thing as another.
It drapes a veil over the truth and covers it,
It portrays one thing as another..aa...aa...aa..
What is seen with the eyes is a lie...
What is heard with both ears is a lie.
நன்றாக எண்ணி பாராது
நீ மண்டூகம் ஆகக் கூடாது ஆ...ஆ....ஆ...
நன்றாக எண்ணி பாராது
நீ மண்டூகம் ஆகக் கூடாது ஆ...ஆ....ஆ...
நீ மண்டூகம் நீ மண்டூகம் நீமண்டூகம்
மண்டூகம் மண்டூகம் மண்டூகம் மண்டூகம்
ஆகக் கூடாது ஆ...ஆ....ஆ...
நீ மண்டூகம் ஆகக் கூடாது
Without thinking deeply about it,
You must not become like a frog in a well.
Without thinking deeply about it,
You must not become like a frog in a well.
You like a frog, you like a frog.
You like a frog,
Frog, frog, frog, frog...
Must not become....aa aa aaa aa aaa
You must not become a frog in a well..
Everything on this earth that appears white
Does not become milk for you to drink to your heart's content.
Everything on this earth that appears white
Does not become milk for you to drink to your heart's content.
மண் மீதில் வெளுப்பானதெல்லாம்
வாயாரவே உண்ணும் பாலாகிடாது...
மண் மீதில் வெளுப்பானதெல்லாம்
வாயாரவே உண்ணும் பாலாகிடாது.
What is seen with the eyes is a lie...
What is heard with both ears is a lie.
கண்ணால் காண்பதும் பொய்யே
இரு காதால் கேட்பதும் பொய்யே
Kannaaal kaanbathum poiyae…
What is seen with the eyes is a lie...
Iru kaadhaal ketpadhum poiyae
What is heard with both ears is a lie.
Kannaaal kaanbathum poiyae…
What is seen with the eyes is a lie...
Iru kaadhaal ketpadhum poiyae
What is heard with both ears is a lie.
Kannaaal kaanbathum poiyae…
What is seen with the eyes is a lie...
Iru kaadhaal ketpadhum poiyae
What is heard with both ears is a lie.
Unmaikku thirai pottu moodum
It drapes a veil over the truth and covers it,
Porul ondrai ver ondraaga kaattum
It portrays one thing as another.
Unmaikku thirai pottu moodum
It drapes a veil over the truth and covers it,
Porul ondrai ver ondraaga kaattum..aa…aa…aa..
It portrays one thing as another..aa...aa...aa..
Kannaaal kaanbathum poiyae…
What is seen with the eyes is a lie...
Iru kaadhaal ketpadhum poiyae
What is heard with both ears is a lie.
Nandraaga enni paaradhu
Without thinking deeply about it,
Nee mandugam aaga kudaathu
You must not become like a frog in a well.
Nandraaga enni paaradhu
Without thinking deeply about it,
Nee mandugam aaga kudaathu
You must not become like a frog in a well.
Nee mandugam nee mandugam.
You like a frog, you like a frog.
Nee mandugam
You like a frog,
Mandugam mandugam mandugam mandugam
Frog, frog, frog, frog...
Aaga kudaathu….aa aa aaa aa aaa
Must not become....aa aa aaa aa aaa
Nee mandugam aaga kudaathu..
You must not become a frog in a well..
Mann meedhil veluppaanadhellaam
Everything on this earth that appears white
Nee vaayaravae unnum paalagidaadhu
Does not become milk for you to drink to your heart's content.
Mann meedhil veluppaanadhellaam
Everything on this earth that appears white
Nee vaayaravae unnum paalagidaadhu
Does not become milk for you to drink to your heart's content.
Kannaaal kaanbathum poiyae…
What is seen with the eyes is a lie...
Iru kaadhaal ketpadhum poiyae
What is heard with both ears is a lie.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Kannaal Kaanbathum Poiyae is a didactic song from the 1959 Tamil film Raja Malaiya Simman, cautioning against the deceptive nature of sensory perceptions. Built upon the famed Tamil proverb that what is seen and heard can be misleading and only careful investigation yields the truth, the song advises against taking reality at face value, as illusions often obscure genuine facts.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monai (Initial Assonance / Alliteration)
“Kannaaal kaanbathum poiyae…”
Repetition of the initial sound 'Ka' across words in the line ('Kannaaal' and 'kaanbathum') creating a rhythmic poetic effect.
Allegory / Sanskrit Loan Metaphor (Manduga Nyaya)
“Nee mandugam aaga kudaathu”
The term 'Mandugam' refers to a frog in a well, serving as an allegory for a person with narrow perspective and ignorance of the broader reality.
Proverbial Metaphor
“Mann meedhil veluppaanadhellaam”
Utilizes the classic Tamil folk imagery that 'all that is white is not milk' (akin to 'all that glitters is not gold') to illustrate deceptive appearances.
Did you know?
Trivia
The lyricist A. Maruthakasi creatively weaves two famous Tamil philosophical sayings into this song: the adage about deep inquiry ('Kannal kaanbadhum poi...') and the moral proverb 'All that is white is not milk'. Sung spiritedly by A. P. Komala under the direction of legendary composers Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy, the track stands out for combining lighthearted musical arrangements with traditional wisdom.
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