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Kochadaiiyaan album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Karma Veeran

From Kochadaiiyaan · 2014

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
A. R. Reihana, A. R. Rahman
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Movie name
Kochadaiiyaan
Movie release year
2014
Lyrics added on
2 Oct 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Aagaya megangal
Pozhiyum pothu
Aagayam kelaadhu
Thaai naadu kaakkindra
Ullam endrum
Thanakkaaga vaazhaathu
Thanakkaaga vaazhaathu
Hey veeranae
Karma veeranae
Kadamai veeranae
Karma veeranae
Ohooo…oo…aa…ohoooo
Tholvigalaalae thuvandu vidaathae
Vetrigalaalae veri kollathae
Kalladi padum enbathaalae
Maram kaaikaamal povathillai
Maalaigalai kandu mayangaathae
Malaigalai kandu kalangaathae
Solladi padum enbathaalae
Vetri kaanaamal povathillai
Kaatrae kaatrae nee
Thunguvathae illai
Karma veeranae veeranae
Nee oivathae illai
Vaazhvae vaazhvae
Nee theeruvathae illai
Indha vaazhvilae sathiyam
Thorpathae illai
Nindra idathil nirkka venduma
Nee oodikondae iru
Nimmathi vaazhvil venduma
Nee paadikondae iru
Aagaya megangal
Pozhiyum pothu
Aagayam kelaadhu
Thaai naadu kaakkindra
Ullam endrum
Thanakkaaga vaazhaathu
Thanakkaaga vaazhaathu
Thanakkaaga vaazhaathu
Kaatrae kaatrae nee
Thunguvathae illai
Karma veeranae veeranae
Nee oivathae illai
Vaazhvae vaazhvae
Nee theeruvathae illai
Indha vaazhvilae sathiyam
Thorpathae illai
Kozhaigal mannithaal
Athu perithalla perithalla
Veeragal mannithaal
Athu varalaaru varalaaru
{Kaatrae kaatrae nee
Thunguvathae illai
Karma veeranae veeranae
Nee oivathae illai
Vaazhvae vaazhvae
Nee theeruvathae illai
Indha vaazhvilae sathiyam
Thorpathae illai} (2)
Ponnum mannum
Vendru mudipavan
Kadamai veeranae
Antha ponnai oru naal
Mannaai paarpavan
Karma veeranae
Karma veeranae
Aagaya megangal
Pozhiyum pothu
Aagayam kelaadhu
Thaai naadu kaakkindra
Ullam endrum
Thanakkaaga vaazhaathu
Thanakkaaga vaazhaathu
Thanakkaaga vaazhaathu
When clouds in the sky
pour down rain,
the sky asks for nothing in return.
A heart that protects
its motherland
never lives for itself.
It never lives for itself.
Hey warrior!
Warrior of selfless action!
Warrior of duty!
Warrior of selfless action!
Oh... oo... ah... ohooo
Do not break down in defeat.
Do not lose your head in victory.
Just because stones will be thrown at it,
a tree never stops bearing fruit.
Do not be swayed by garlands of praise.
Do not be shaken by mountains in your way.
Just because harsh words are thrown at you,
victory will not slip away.
O wind, O wind, you
never sleep.
O warrior of selfless action,
you never rest.
O life, O life,
you never truly end.
In this life, the truth
never loses.
If you want to hold your ground,
you must keep on running.
If you want peace in your life,
you must keep on singing.
When clouds in the sky
pour down rain,
the sky asks for nothing in return.
A heart that protects
its motherland
never lives for itself.
It never lives for itself.
It never lives for itself.
O wind, O wind, you
never sleep.
O warrior of selfless action,
you never rest.
O life, O life,
you never truly end.
In this life, the truth
never loses.
If cowards forgive,
it is no big thing, no big thing.
If warriors forgive,
it becomes history, history!
O wind, O wind, you
never sleep.
O warrior of selfless action,
you never rest.
O life, O life,
you never truly end.
In this life, the truth
never loses.
The one who conquers
gold and land
is a warrior of duty.
The one who one day sees that gold
as nothing more than dust
is a warrior of selfless action,
a warrior of selfless action!
When clouds in the sky
pour down rain,
the sky asks for nothing in return.
A heart that protects
its motherland
never lives for itself.
It never lives for itself.
It never lives for itself.
Female
Male
Chorus
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Chorus
Chorus
Male
Female
Chorus
Chorus
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Chorus
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Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

The song 'Karma Veerane' from Kochadaiiyaan is a powerful philosophical hymn celebrating selfless action, resilience, and duty. Lyricist Vairamuthu draws parallels between a true warrior and nature—like the rain cloud that gives freely without expectation or the wind that never stops moving. The song urges one to remain unfazed by both defeat and victory, to treat obstacles like stones cast at a fruit-bearing tree, and to understand that true nobility lies in forgiveness and detachment from worldly wealth.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor / Analogy (Uvamaani)

“Aagaya megangal pozhiyum pothu aagayam kelaadhu”

Compares a selfless warrior protecting the nation to sky clouds pouring rain without asking for return, as well as comparing obstacles to stones thrown at a fruit-yielding tree.

Contrast / Antithesis (Muran)

“Tholvigalaalae thuvandu vidaathae / Vetrigalaalae veri kollathae”

Contrasts defeat with victory ('Tholvigalaalae' vs 'Vetrigalaalae') and garlands of praise with mountains of trouble ('Maalaigalai' vs 'Malaigalai').

Amoni / Rhyme (Monai and Ethirai)

“Maalaigalai kandu mayangaathae / Malaigalai kandu kalangaathae”

Uses wordplay between 'Maalaigalai' (garlands) and 'Malaigalai' (mountains) to create rhythmic resonance.

Personification

“Kaatrae kaatrae nee thunguvathae illai”

Addresses the wind ('Kaatrae') and life ('Vaazhvae') directly as tireless living entities.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Kochadaiiyaan' (2014), directed by Soundarya Rajinikanth and starring Rajinikanth, was India's first photorealistic 3D motion capture film. The score and soundtrack were composed by A. R. Rahman with lyrics penned by Vairamuthu. The song 'Karma Veerane' draws heavily from Bhagavad Gita principles regarding 'Karma Yoga'—performing one's duty without attachment to outcomes.

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