Karppathilirunthu
From Sigappu Thali · 1988
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singer
- Malaysia Vasudevan
- Music director
- Shankar Ganesh
- Details
- Sigappu Thali1988
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Karbaththilirunthu kaadu varaikkum | From the womb to the graveyard, |
| Kasirunthaathaan kaariyam nadakkum | Only if you have money, work gets done. |
| Karbaththilirunthu kaadu varaikkum | From the womb to the graveyard, |
| Kasirunthaathaan kaariyam nadakkum | Only if you have money, work gets done. |
| Male | |
| Unnidam kaasu illaavittaal | If you do not have money with you, |
| Uravu onnum sellaathu | No relationship holds any value. |
| Unnidam kaasu illaavittaal | If you do not have money with you, |
| Uravu onnum sellaathu | No relationship holds any value. |
| Male | |
| Soru pottu valarththa naayum kooda | Even a dog raised by feeding it food, |
| Pogum pothu sollaathu | Will not inform you when it leaves. |
| Soru pottu valarththa naayum kooda | Even a dog raised by feeding it food, |
| Pogum pothu sollaathu | Will not inform you when it leaves. |
| Male | |
| Karunai nandri enbathellaam | Concepts like mercy and gratitude, |
| Kadhaiyila mattum vaazhnthirukkum | Exist only in fictional stories. |
| Sillarai konjam veesi erinjaa | If you toss a few small coins, |
| Kallarai kooda vaai thirakkum | Even a grave will open its mouth. |
| Male | |
| Karbaththilirunthu kaadu varaikkum | From the womb to the graveyard, |
| Kasirunthaathaan kaariyam nadakkum | Only if you have money, work gets done. |
| Karbaththilirunthu kaadu varaikkum | From the womb to the graveyard, |
| Kasirunthaathaan kaariyam nadakkum…. | Only if you have money, work gets done.... |
கர்ப்பத்திலிருந்து காடு வரைக்கும்
காசிருந்தாதான் காரியம் நடக்கும்
கர்ப்பத்திலிருந்து காடு வரைக்கும்
காசிருந்தாதான் காரியம் நடக்கும்
From the womb to the graveyard,
Only if you have money, work gets done.
From the womb to the graveyard,
Only if you have money, work gets done.
உன்னிடம் காசு இல்லாவிட்டால்
உறவு ஒண்ணும் செல்லாது
உன்னிடம் காசு இல்லாவிட்டால்
உறவு ஒண்ணும் செல்லாது
If you do not have money with you,
No relationship holds any value.
If you do not have money with you,
No relationship holds any value.
சோறு போட்டு வளர்த்த நாயும் கூட
போகும் போது சொல்லாது
சோறு போட்டு வளர்த்த நாயும் கூட
போகும் போது சொல்லாது
Even a dog raised by feeding it food,
Will not inform you when it leaves.
Even a dog raised by feeding it food,
Will not inform you when it leaves.
கருணை நன்றி என்பதெல்லாம்
கதையில மட்டும் வாழ்ந்திருக்கும்
சில்லறை கொஞ்சம் வீசி எரிஞ்சா
கல்லறை கூட வாய் திறக்கும்
Concepts like mercy and gratitude,
Exist only in fictional stories.
If you toss a few small coins,
Even a grave will open its mouth.
கர்ப்பத்திலிருந்து காடு வரைக்கும்
காசிருந்தாதான் காரியம் நடக்கும்
கர்ப்பத்திலிருந்து காடு வரைக்கும்
காசிருந்தாதான் காரியம் நடக்கும்....
From the womb to the graveyard,
Only if you have money, work gets done.
From the womb to the graveyard,
Only if you have money, work gets done....
Karbaththilirunthu kaadu varaikkum
From the womb to the graveyard,
Kasirunthaathaan kaariyam nadakkum
Only if you have money, work gets done.
Karbaththilirunthu kaadu varaikkum
From the womb to the graveyard,
Kasirunthaathaan kaariyam nadakkum
Only if you have money, work gets done.
Unnidam kaasu illaavittaal
If you do not have money with you,
Uravu onnum sellaathu
No relationship holds any value.
Unnidam kaasu illaavittaal
If you do not have money with you,
Uravu onnum sellaathu
No relationship holds any value.
Soru pottu valarththa naayum kooda
Even a dog raised by feeding it food,
Pogum pothu sollaathu
Will not inform you when it leaves.
Soru pottu valarththa naayum kooda
Even a dog raised by feeding it food,
Pogum pothu sollaathu
Will not inform you when it leaves.
Karunai nandri enbathellaam
Concepts like mercy and gratitude,
Kadhaiyila mattum vaazhnthirukkum
Exist only in fictional stories.
Sillarai konjam veesi erinjaa
If you toss a few small coins,
Kallarai kooda vaai thirakkum
Even a grave will open its mouth.
Karbaththilirunthu kaadu varaikkum
From the womb to the graveyard,
Kasirunthaathaan kaariyam nadakkum
Only if you have money, work gets done.
Karbaththilirunthu kaadu varaikkum
From the womb to the graveyard,
Kasirunthaathaan kaariyam nadakkum….
Only if you have money, work gets done....
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This cynical philosophical song highlights the supreme influence of money in human society from birth to death ('from the womb to the grave'). It emphasizes that without financial power, social bonds and familial relationships lose their value entirely. The song conveys a harsh realistic message that virtues like compassion and gratitude exist only in stories, while wealth can bend reality to the extent of symbolically making even a grave open its mouth.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Moonaai (Initial Alliteration)
“Karbaththilirunthu kaadu varaikkum”
Repetition of the initial 'Ka' sound in 'Karbaththilirunthu' and 'kaadu' creates a rhythmic cadence.
Edukka (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Sillarai konjam veesi erinjaa / Kallarai kooda vaai thirakkum”
Matching of the second consonant sound 'lla' in 'Sillarai' and 'Kallarai'.
Hyperbole (Exaggeration)
“Sillarai konjam veesi erinjaa / Kallarai kooda vaai thirakkum”
Exaggerating the power of money by claiming that even a grave will open its mouth if coins are thrown.
Did you know?
Trivia
Written by poet Vairamuthu for the 1988 Tamil drama 'Sigappu Thali', this track reflects the classic trope of background philosophical songs popular in 1980s Tamil cinema that critique materialism and social pretense.
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