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Satharam album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Laabama Nashtama

From Satharam · 1956

Lyricist
A. Maruthakasi
Singer
Seerkazhi Govindarajan
Music director
G. Ramanathan
Movie name
Satharam
Movie release year
1956
Lyrics added on
28 Jan 2026

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Laabamaa nastama nainaa paiyaa
Laabamaa nastama
Raajangam namma kaiyil vandhaale
Naatil ulla janangalukku nammaale
Raajangam namma kaiyil vandhaale
Naatil ulla janangalukku nammaale
Laabamaa nastama nainaa paiyaa
Laabamaa nastama
Saalaiyile nikkum maram
Sarkaaru vecha maram
Aalu mela saanjadhunaa aabathu
Avan aaviyadhu poguminnu yugichu
Nalla verai killi marathai ellaam
Vetti thalli kaaya vechu
Vithuvida solliputten kaasukku
Viragu panjam theerum nammudaiya oorukku
Naina laabama nastama
Idhanaal laabama nastama
Pazham koduthu palan kodukkum
Pala maramum ponaa nizhal yedhu
Panamum yedhu laabam yedhu naina
Sathirangal iruppadhaale
Thanda sothu saamigale
Jaasthiyaagi pochu namba naatilae
Adhuga sanjarchu vendiyadhu kaattula
Adhanaal iththiname
Engumulla Sathirathai
Idichi thalla utharavu
Pottu vitten naerile
Ennai pola buthisaali
Yaaru indha oorile
Naina laabama nastama
Idhanaal laabama nastama
Iduchi thalla yegapatta
Selavu aagum podhu
Iruppadhellaam karainju
Pogum laabam yemi ledhu
Sambalamum vaangi kittu
Kimbalamum pethukittu
Sattathittam podum adhigaaringa
Thammai sandai pottu
Velai vittu naanunga
Ini sambalamum micham
Pala vambugalum micham
Namma janangalukku illaiyini sangadam
Manasil sandhosam thannalae pongidum
Naina laabama nastama
Idhanaal laabama nastama
Laabam okatti nastam nooru
Is it a profit or a loss, buddy?
Is it a profit or a loss?
If the government comes into our hands,
for the people of this country, because of us,
If the government comes into our hands,
for the people of this country, because of us,
Is it a profit or a loss, hey buddy?
Is it a profit or a loss?
The trees standing along the roadside,
the trees planted by the government,
if they fall on someone, it is dangerous!
Thinking someone might lose their life,
I had the roots dug out,
chopped down the trees, dried the wood,
and ordered it all sold for money!
The firewood shortage in our town will be solved!
Buddy, is it a profit or a loss?
From this, is it a profit or a loss?
Trees give us fruit and do so much good;
if they are gone, where is the shade?
Where is the money, where is the profit, buddy?
Because free rest-houses exist,
useless freeloaders pretending to be holy men
have multiplied across our country!
They belong in the forest to wander around!
Therefore, this very day,
to tear down every rest-house everywhere,
an order to demolish them
I issued myself directly!
A clever person like me,
who else is there in this town?
Buddy, is it a profit or a loss?
From this, is it a profit or a loss?
When tearing them all down
costs a huge sum of money,
everything we have will just melt away,
and there will be no profit at all!
Taking home their salaries,
and collecting bribes on the side,
those officials who lay down laws and rules—
I took them on, fought with them,
and threw them all out of their jobs!
Now we save on paying salaries,
and we are spared a lot of trouble!
Our people will face no more hardship,
and joy will naturally overflow in their hearts!
Buddy, is it a profit or a loss?
From this, is it a profit or a loss?
The profit is only one, but the losses are a hundred!
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song is a sharp political satire from the movie 'Satharam' (1956). The character singing boasts about his foolish and short-sighted governance decisions, foolishly believing he is a grand administrative genius. He cuts down roadside trees to solve firewood shortages and prevent falling branches, destroys public rest-houses (satharam) to drive away idle mendicants, and fires officials to save state funds on salaries and curb corruption. Through a call-and-response style, the narrator asks whether his actions yield profit or loss, while the realistic voice points out the disastrous consequences of each act (loss of shade, huge demolition costs, and governance breakdown). The song brilliantly concludes with the ironic reality: 'Profit is one, loss is a hundred!'

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Dramatic Irony / Satire (Nindha Stuthi)

“Ennai pola buthisaali / Yaaru indha oorile”

The speaker praises himself as a genius ('Ennai pola buthisaali'), while his actual actions are disastrous and short-sighted, highlighting comedic irony.

Alliteration (Monaai)

“Pazham koduthu palan kodukkum”

Repetition of the 'p' sound at the beginning of adjacent words ('Pazham', 'palan').

Rhyme / Internal Assonance (Edhugai & Iyaibu)

“Sambalamum vaangi kittu / Kimbalamum pethukittu”

Use of matching internal rhyming words like 'Sambalamum' (salary) and 'Kimbalamum' (bribe) to create rhythmic musicality.

Linguistic Code-Switching

“Laabam okatti nastam nooru”

Inclusion of Madras Tamil street slang ('nainaa paiyaa') along with Telugu loan words ('yemi ledhu', 'okatti') commonly used in historical Tamil folk dialogue.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Satharam' (1956) was scored by legendary composer G. Ramanathan and featured lyrics by A. Maruthakasi, who was renowned for crafting social critiques disguised as accessible folk songs. Seerkazhi Govindarajan's theatrical rendering elevates the comedic pomposity of the character.

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