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Lyrics & meaning

Kannan Pirantha Velaiyilae

From Puguntha Veedu · 1972

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
P. Susheela
Music director
Shankar Ganesh
Movie name
Puguntha Veedu
Movie release year
1972
Lyrics added on
8 Mar 2024

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Kannan pirantha velaiyilae
Antha devagi irunthaal kaavalilae
Aval annan polae unnaamal
Annan polae unnaamal
Kaaval nindraan vaasalilae
Thaayo siraiyinilae….yae….
Thanthaiyo veliyinilae….yae
Kannan pirantha velaiyilae
Antha devagi irunthaal kaavalilae
Neeyum antha kannanai pola
Geedhai solvaayo
Neeyum antha kannanai pola
Geedhai solvaayo
Un thaayum thanathu thunaiyai
Serum paathai solvaayaa
Aandavan illaa aalayaththil
Naan aadidum vanna deepamadaa
Aandavan illaa aalayaththil
Naan aadidum vanna deepamadaa
Yaarai sollo aavathenna
Un annai seitha paavamadaa
Annai seitha paavamadaa
Kannan pirantha velaiyilae
Antha devagi irunthaal kaavalilae
Ooraar ketka vidukathai pottaal
Unthan annaiyadaa….aa…
Ooraar ketka vidukathai pottaal
Unthan annaiyadaa….
Aval vazhve indru vidukadhaiyaanaal
Vidaiyenna solvathadaa
Vidaiyenna solvathadaa
Irukarai inaippathu nadhiyaagum
Engal iruvarai piriththathu vithiyaagum
Nadhi vazhiponaal karaiyundu
Naam vithi vazhi ponaal yaarundu
Vithi vazhi ponaal yaarundu
Kannan pirantha velaiyilae
Antha devagi irunthaal kaavalilae
Aval annan polae unnaamal
Kaaval nindraan vaasalilae
Thaayo siraiyinilae….yae….
Thanthaiyo veliyinilae….yae
When Krishna was born,
Devaki was held in prison.
Her brother, without even eating,
her brother, without even eating,
stood guard at the doorway.
The mother was in prison...
while the father was on the outside...
When Krishna was born,
Devaki was held in prison.
Like that Krishna, will you too
teach me the Gita?
Like that Krishna, will you too
teach me the Gita?
And show your mother the path
to reunite with her husband?
In a temple with no deity,
I am a flickering lamp, my child.
In a temple with no deity,
I am a flickering lamp, my child.
What is the point of blaming anyone?
It is the misfortune of your mother, my child.
The misfortune of your mother, my child...
When Krishna was born,
Devaki was held in prison.
She posed a riddle for the town to hear,
did this mother of yours, my child...
She posed a riddle for the town to hear,
did this mother of yours, my child.
When her own life has become a riddle today,
what answer can she give, my child?
What answer can she give, my child?
A river connects two shores,
but it was fate that separated the two of us.
If you follow the river, there is a bank,
but if we follow the path of fate, who is there for us?
If we follow the path of fate, who is there for us?
When Krishna was born,
Devaki was held in prison.
Her brother, without even eating,
stood guard at the doorway.
The mother was in prison...
while the father was on the outside...
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

'Kannan Pirantha Velaiyilae' from Puguntha Veedu (1972) is a deeply poignant maternal lament sung by a mother addressing her child. Drawing a strong parallel to Hindu mythology—specifically the birth of Lord Krishna to Devaki while imprisoned and separated from Vasudeva—the song conveys the mother's isolation, sorrow, and tragic circumstances. She compares her existence to a solitary lamp burning in a godless temple and questions the twists of destiny that separated her from her husband. Through lyricist Vaali's metaphorical style, the song explores themes of suffering, fate, and tragic helplessness. While natural elements like rivers connect distant shores, fate has divided her family, leaving her life an unsolved riddle. P. Susheela's soul-stirring vocal performance and Shankar-Ganesh's classic composition elevate this song into an enduring masterpiece of emotional Tamil cinema music.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Mythological Allusion (Purana Kurippu)

“Kannan pirantha velaiyilae / Antha devagi irunthaal kaavalilae”

The entire opening stanza uses the mythological story of Devaki's imprisonment at Krishna's birth as an allegory for the protagonist's own entrapment and separation from her husband.

Metaphor (Uvamaani)

“Aandavan illaa aalayaththil / Naan aadidum vanna deepamadaa”

The singer compares her life to a bright lamp flickering inside a temple that lacks a deity, symbolizing empty devotion and purposeless sorrow.

Antithesis / Contrast (Eduroopaani)

“Irukarai inaippathu nadhiyaagum / Engal iruvarai piriththathu vithiyaagum”

Contrasts the unifying nature of a river connecting two banks with the destructive nature of fate separating two individuals.

Rhetorical Question & Wordplay (Vidukadhai)

“Aval vazhve indru vidukadhaiyaanaal / Vidaiyenna solvathadaa”

Extends the metaphor of 'vidukadhai' (riddle), comparing her past actions of posing riddles to her present tragic state where her life itself has become an unsolved riddle.

Did you know?

Trivia

Puguntha Veedu (1972), directed by F. N. Dass, featured a stellar cast including A. V. M. Rajan, Savitri, Lakshmi, and R. Muthuraman. The soundtrack composed by the duo Shankar-Ganesh remains memorable, with 'Kannan Pirantha Velaiyilae' standing out as one of P. Susheela's finest dramatic vocal performances written by Vaali.

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