Kannpona Pokkile
From Panam Padaithavan · 1965
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
- Details
- Panam Padaithavan1965
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| { Kanpona pokkile | Should the feet follow the path where the eyes wander? |
| Kaal pogalama kaal pona | Should the mind follow the path |
| Pokkile manam pogalama } (2) | where the feet wander? |
| Male | |
| { Manam pona | Should a human follow |
| Pokkile manidhan pogalama } (2) | the path where the mind strays? |
| { Manidhan pona paadhaiyai | Should we forget the righteous path |
| Maranthu pogalama } (2) | trodden by great men? |
| Male | |
| Kanpona pokkile | Should the feet follow the path where the eyes wander? |
| Kaal pogalama kaal pona | Should the mind follow the path |
| Pokkile manam pogalama | where the feet wander? |
| Female | |
| …………………………. | ....................... |
| Male | |
| { Nee paartha | The glances you cast |
| Paarvaigal kanavodu | will vanish like a dream, |
| Pogum nee sonna | and the words you spoke |
| Vaarthaigal kaatrodu pogum } (2) | will blow away with the wind. |
| Male | |
| Oor paartha | The truths observed by the world |
| Unmaigal unakaga vaazhum | will endure for your sake, |
| Male : { Unaraamal povorku | Male : But for those who fail to realize them, |
| udhavaamal pogum } (2) | they will remain of no use. |
| Male | |
| Kanpona pokkile | Should the feet follow the path where the eyes wander? |
| Kaal pogalama kaal pona | Should the mind follow the path |
| Pokkile manam pogalama | where the feet wander? |
| Male | |
| Poiyana silaperku | For some insincere people, |
| Pudhu nagareegam puriyadha | this is modern culture; for many who do not understand, |
| Pala perku idhu nagareegam | this passes for modern culture. |
| Male | |
| Muraiyaaga | For those who live |
| Vaazhvorku edhu nagareegam | properly, what is culture? |
| { Munnorgal sonnargal | What our ancestors prescribed, |
| Adhu nagareegam } (2) | that alone is true culture! |
| Male | |
| Kanpona pokkile | Should the feet follow the path where the eyes wander? |
| Kaal pogalama kaal pona | Should the mind follow the path |
| Pokkile manam pogalama | where the feet wander? |
| Chorus | |
| ……………………… | ................... |
| Male | |
| Thirundhadha ullangal | Unreformed minds, |
| Irundhenna laabam | what is the gain in their existence? |
| Varundhadha uruvangal | Bodies that feel no compassion, |
| Pirandhenna laabam | what is the gain in being born? |
| Male | |
| Irunthalum marainthalum | Whether living or departed, |
| Per solla vendum | one should leave behind a glorious name, |
| Male | |
| { Ivar polae yaar | such that the world exclaims, |
| Endru oor solla vendum } (2) | "Who else could be like him!" |
| Male | |
| Kanpona pokkile | Should the feet follow the path where the eyes wander? |
| Kaal pogalama kaal pona | Should the mind follow the path |
| Pokkile manam pogalama | where the feet wander? |
{ கண் போன
போக்கிலே கால் போகலாமா
கால் போன போக்கிலே
மனம் போகலாமா } (2)
Should the feet follow the path where the eyes wander?
Should the mind follow the path
where the feet wander?
{ மனம் போன
போக்கிலே மனிதன்
போகலாமா } (2)
{ மனிதன் போன
பாதையை மறந்து
போகலாமா } (2)
Should a human follow
the path where the mind strays?
Should we forget the righteous path
trodden by great men?
கண் போன
போக்கிலே கால் போகலாமா
கால் போன போக்கிலே
மனம் போகலாமா
Should the feet follow the path where the eyes wander?
Should the mind follow the path
where the feet wander?
..........................
.......................
{ நீ பார்த்த
பார்வைகள் கனவோடு
போகும் நீ சொன்ன
வார்த்தைகள் காற்றோடு
போகும் } (2)
The glances you cast
will vanish like a dream,
and the words you spoke
will blow away with the wind.
ஊர் பார்த்த
உண்மைகள் உனக்காக
வாழும்
{ உணராமல் போவோர்க்கு
உதவாமல் போகும் } (2)
The truths observed by the world
will endure for your sake,
Male : But for those who fail to realize them,
they will remain of no use.
கண் போன
போக்கிலே கால் போகலாமா
கால் போன போக்கிலே
மனம் போகலாமா
Should the feet follow the path where the eyes wander?
Should the mind follow the path
where the feet wander?
பொய்யான சில
பேர்க்கு புது நாகரீகம்
புரியாத பலபேர்க்கு
இது நாகரீகம்
For some insincere people,
this is modern culture; for many who do not understand,
this passes for modern culture.
முறையாக
வாழ்வோர்க்கு எது
நாகரீகம்
{ முன்னோர்கள்
சொன்னார்கள்
அது நாகரீகம் } (2)
For those who live
properly, what is culture?
What our ancestors prescribed,
that alone is true culture!
கண் போன
போக்கிலே கால் போகலாமா
கால் போன போக்கிலே
மனம் போகலாமா
Should the feet follow the path where the eyes wander?
Should the mind follow the path
where the feet wander?
..........................
...................
திருந்தாத உள்ளங்கள்
இருந்தென்ன லாபம் வருந்தாத
உருவங்கள் பிறந்தென்ன லாபம்
Unreformed minds,
what is the gain in their existence?
Bodies that feel no compassion,
what is the gain in being born?
இருந்தாலும்
மறைந்தாலும் பேர்
சொல்ல வேண்டும்
Whether living or departed,
one should leave behind a glorious name,
{ இவர் போல
யார் என்று ஊர்
சொல்ல வேண்டும் } (2)
such that the world exclaims,
"Who else could be like him!"
கண் போன
போக்கிலே கால் போகலாமா
கால் போன போக்கிலே
மனம் போகலாமா
Should the feet follow the path where the eyes wander?
Should the mind follow the path
where the feet wander?
{ Kanpona pokkile
Should the feet follow the path where the eyes wander?
Kaal pogalama kaal pona
Should the mind follow the path
Pokkile manam pogalama } (2)
where the feet wander?
{ Manam pona
Should a human follow
Pokkile manidhan pogalama } (2)
the path where the mind strays?
{ Manidhan pona paadhaiyai
Should we forget the righteous path
Maranthu pogalama } (2)
trodden by great men?
Kanpona pokkile
Should the feet follow the path where the eyes wander?
Kaal pogalama kaal pona
Should the mind follow the path
Pokkile manam pogalama
where the feet wander?
………………………….
.......................
{ Nee paartha
The glances you cast
Paarvaigal kanavodu
will vanish like a dream,
Pogum nee sonna
and the words you spoke
Vaarthaigal kaatrodu pogum } (2)
will blow away with the wind.
Oor paartha
The truths observed by the world
Unmaigal unakaga vaazhum
will endure for your sake,
Male : { Unaraamal povorku
Male : But for those who fail to realize them,
udhavaamal pogum } (2)
they will remain of no use.
Kanpona pokkile
Should the feet follow the path where the eyes wander?
Kaal pogalama kaal pona
Should the mind follow the path
Pokkile manam pogalama
where the feet wander?
Poiyana silaperku
For some insincere people,
Pudhu nagareegam puriyadha
this is modern culture; for many who do not understand,
Pala perku idhu nagareegam
this passes for modern culture.
Muraiyaaga
For those who live
Vaazhvorku edhu nagareegam
properly, what is culture?
{ Munnorgal sonnargal
What our ancestors prescribed,
Adhu nagareegam } (2)
that alone is true culture!
Kanpona pokkile
Should the feet follow the path where the eyes wander?
Kaal pogalama kaal pona
Should the mind follow the path
Pokkile manam pogalama
where the feet wander?
………………………
...................
Thirundhadha ullangal
Unreformed minds,
Irundhenna laabam
what is the gain in their existence?
Varundhadha uruvangal
Bodies that feel no compassion,
Pirandhenna laabam
what is the gain in being born?
Irunthalum marainthalum
Whether living or departed,
Per solla vendum
one should leave behind a glorious name,
{ Ivar polae yaar
such that the world exclaims,
Endru oor solla vendum } (2)
"Who else could be like him!"
Kanpona pokkile
Should the feet follow the path where the eyes wander?
Kaal pogalama kaal pona
Should the mind follow the path
Pokkile manam pogalama
where the feet wander?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Kanpona Pokkile' is a famous Tamil philosophical song that serves as a ethical guide against sensory indulgence and moral decay. Written by poet Vaali for the movie 'Panam Padaithavan' (1965), the lyrics construct a logical hierarchy of moral discipline: physical actions (feet) should not blindly obey desires (eyes), thoughts (mind) should not blindly follow physical urges, and human beings should never abandon the noble path laid out by ancestors. The song redefines true civilization and culture, critiquing superficial modern trends while praising traditional values, compassion, and self-reform. It urges individuals to live meaningful lives characterized by virtue and empathy, ensuring that their good legacy outlives their physical existence.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Chain Metaphor / Anadiplosis (Thodarnilai)
“Kanpona pokkile kaal pogalama kaal pona pokkile manam pogalama”
A logical cascading sequence connecting eyes to feet, feet to mind, mind to human, and human to ethical path.
Edhukai (Second Letter Rhyming)
“Thirundhadha ullangal / Varundhadha uruvangal”
Rhyming of the second letter across lines (e.g., 'Kanpona' / 'Manam' / 'Manidhan' using the 'n/na' sound; 'Irundhenna' / 'Pirandhenna' using 'ru/ra').
Iyaibu (End Rhyme)
“Irundhenna laabam / Pirandhenna laabam”
Matching end words/sounds across lines to create rhythmic symmetry.
Antithesis / Contrast
“Pudhu nagareegam puriyadha pala perku idhu nagareegam... Munnorgal sonnargal adhu nagareegam”
Contrasting superficial modern notions of culture with timeless ancestral wisdom.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Kanpona Pokkile' from 'Panam Padaithavan' (1965) features music composed by the legendary duo Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy, lyrics by Vaali, and playback singing by T. M. Soundararajan. The song was written specifically to fit M. G. Ramachandran's (MGR) screen persona as an idealistic moral leader, making it one of his most iconic philosophical screen anthems.
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