Maanum Odi Varalaam
From Navarathinam · 1977
- Lyricist
- Muthulingam
- Singer
- K. J. Yesudas
- Music director
- Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan
- Details
- Navarathinam1977
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Maanum odi varalaam | A deer may come running, |
| Maanadhiyum odi varalaam | A great river may come running, |
| Mangai thaniyae varalaama | Should a young woman come alone? |
| Than maanam marandhu odi varalaamaa | Should she run forgetting her honor? |
| Than maanam marandhu odi varalaamaa | Should she run forgetting her honor? |
| Male | |
| Paadhaiyil engumae poi varalaam | One can travel anywhere on a pathway, |
| Bodhiyin naduvae varalaamaa | Should one walk in the midst of intoxication? |
| Nalla paadhaiyil engumae poi varalaam | One can travel anywhere on a good pathway, |
| Kudi bodhiyin naduvae varalaamaa | Should one walk in the midst of alcoholic intoxication? |
| Porumaiyiai oru ganam vittu vidalaam | One can give up patience for a single moment, |
| Penmaiyin thanmaiyai vidalaamaa | Should one give up the nature of womanhood? |
| Porumaiyiai oru ganam vittu vidalaam | One can give up patience for a single moment, |
| Uyar penmaiyin thanmaiyai vidalaamaa | Should one give up the noble nature of womanhood? |
| Male | |
| Maanum odi varalaam | A deer may come running, |
| Maanadhiyum odi varalaam | A great river may come running, |
| Mangai thaniyae varalaama | Should a young woman come alone? |
| Than maanam marandhu odi varalaamaa | Should she run forgetting her honor? |
| Male | |
| Naalum therindhaal nanmaiyundu | Knowing all four virtues brings good fortune, |
| Naanathaai marandhaal theemaiyundu | Forgetting modesty brings evil, |
| Naalum therindhaal nanmaiyundu | Knowing all four virtues brings good fortune, |
| Yaarum naanathaai marandhaal theemaiyundu | If anyone forgets modesty, it brings evil, |
| Mannaiyae verutha mannarundu | There are kings who renounced the land, |
| Indha mannaiyae verutha mannarundu | There are kings who renounced this land, |
| Pennaiyae verutha munivarundo | Are there sages who renounced women? |
| Kumari pennaiyae verutha munivarundo | Are there sages who renounced young women? |
| Male | |
| Maanum odi varalaam | A deer may come running, |
| Maanadhiyum odi varalaam | A great river may come running, |
| Mangai thaniyae varalaama | Should a young woman come alone? |
| Than maanam marandhu odi varalaamaa | Should she run forgetting her honor? |
| Than maanam marandhu odi varalaamaa | Should she run forgetting her honor? |
மானும் ஓடி வரலாம்
மாநதியும் ஓடி வரலாம்
மங்கை தனியே வரலாமா
தன் மானம் மறந்து ஓடி வரலாமா
தன் மானம் மறந்து ஓடி வரலாமா
A deer may come running,
A great river may come running,
Should a young woman come alone?
Should she run forgetting her honor?
Should she run forgetting her honor?
பாதையில் எங்குமே போய் வரலாம்
போதையின் நடுவே வரலாமா
நல்ல பாதையில் எங்குமே போய் வரலாம்
குடி போதையின் நடுவே வரலாமா
பொறுமையை ஒரு கணம் விட்டு விடலாம்
பெண்மையின் தன்மையை விடலாமா
பொறுமையை ஒரு கணம் விட்டு விடலாம்
உயர் பெண்மையின் தன்மையை விடலாமா
One can travel anywhere on a pathway,
Should one walk in the midst of intoxication?
One can travel anywhere on a good pathway,
Should one walk in the midst of alcoholic intoxication?
One can give up patience for a single moment,
Should one give up the nature of womanhood?
One can give up patience for a single moment,
Should one give up the noble nature of womanhood?
மானும் ஓடி வரலாம்
மாநதியும் ஓடி வரலாம்
மங்கை தனியே வரலாமா
தன் மானம் மறந்து ஓடி வரலாமா
A deer may come running,
A great river may come running,
Should a young woman come alone?
Should she run forgetting her honor?
நாலும் தெரிந்தால் நன்மையுண்டு
நாணத்தை மறந்தால் தீமையுண்டு
நாலும் தெரிந்தால் நன்மையுண்டு
யாரும் நாணத்தை மறந்தால் தீமையுண்டு
மண்ணையே வெறுத்த மன்னருண்டு
இந்த மண்ணையே வெறுத்த மன்னருண்டு
பெண்ணையே வெறுத்த முனிவருண்டு
குமரி பெண்ணையே வெறுத்த முனிவருண்டு
Knowing all four virtues brings good fortune,
Forgetting modesty brings evil,
Knowing all four virtues brings good fortune,
If anyone forgets modesty, it brings evil,
There are kings who renounced the land,
There are kings who renounced this land,
Are there sages who renounced women?
Are there sages who renounced young women?
மானும் ஓடி வரலாம்
மாநதியும் ஓடி வரலாம்
மங்கை தனியே வரலாமா
தன் மானம் மறந்து ஓடி வரலாமா
தன் மானம் மறந்து ஓடி வரலாமா
A deer may come running,
A great river may come running,
Should a young woman come alone?
Should she run forgetting her honor?
Should she run forgetting her honor?
Maanum odi varalaam
A deer may come running,
Maanadhiyum odi varalaam
A great river may come running,
Mangai thaniyae varalaama
Should a young woman come alone?
Than maanam marandhu odi varalaamaa
Should she run forgetting her honor?
Than maanam marandhu odi varalaamaa
Should she run forgetting her honor?
Paadhaiyil engumae poi varalaam
One can travel anywhere on a pathway,
Bodhiyin naduvae varalaamaa
Should one walk in the midst of intoxication?
Nalla paadhaiyil engumae poi varalaam
One can travel anywhere on a good pathway,
Kudi bodhiyin naduvae varalaamaa
Should one walk in the midst of alcoholic intoxication?
Porumaiyiai oru ganam vittu vidalaam
One can give up patience for a single moment,
Penmaiyin thanmaiyai vidalaamaa
Should one give up the nature of womanhood?
Porumaiyiai oru ganam vittu vidalaam
One can give up patience for a single moment,
Uyar penmaiyin thanmaiyai vidalaamaa
Should one give up the noble nature of womanhood?
Maanum odi varalaam
A deer may come running,
Maanadhiyum odi varalaam
A great river may come running,
Mangai thaniyae varalaama
Should a young woman come alone?
Than maanam marandhu odi varalaamaa
Should she run forgetting her honor?
Naalum therindhaal nanmaiyundu
Knowing all four virtues brings good fortune,
Naanathaai marandhaal theemaiyundu
Forgetting modesty brings evil,
Naalum therindhaal nanmaiyundu
Knowing all four virtues brings good fortune,
Yaarum naanathaai marandhaal theemaiyundu
If anyone forgets modesty, it brings evil,
Mannaiyae verutha mannarundu
There are kings who renounced the land,
Indha mannaiyae verutha mannarundu
There are kings who renounced this land,
Pennaiyae verutha munivarundo
Are there sages who renounced women?
Kumari pennaiyae verutha munivarundo
Are there sages who renounced young women?
Maanum odi varalaam
A deer may come running,
Maanadhiyum odi varalaam
A great river may come running,
Mangai thaniyae varalaama
Should a young woman come alone?
Than maanam marandhu odi varalaamaa
Should she run forgetting her honor?
Than maanam marandhu odi varalaamaa
Should she run forgetting her honor?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song from the movie Navarathinam delivers a moralistic reflection on social conduct, virtue, and womanhood. Through rhetorical questions, the lyrics contrast the free, uninhibited movement of animals and rivers with the dignity, restraint, and modesty expected of a noble individual, particularly focusing on the self-respect of women.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monai (Initial Alliteration)
“Maanum odi varalaam / Maanadhiyum odi varalaam / Mangai thaniyae varalaama”
Repetition of the initial consonant sound 'M' across line openings ('Maanum', 'Maanadhiyum', 'Mangai').
Wordplay / Pun
“Maanum odi varalaam... Than maanam marandhu odi varalaamaa”
Clever juxtaposition of 'Maan' (Deer) and 'Maanam' (Honor/Self-respect) to highlight moral dignity.
Etukai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Mannaiyae verutha mannarundu / Pennaiyae verutha munivarundo”
Rhyming of the second letter 'nn' in 'Mannaiyae' (land) and 'Pennaiyae' (woman).
Rhetorical Question
“Kumari pennaiyae verutha munivarundo”
Asking questions not to get an answer, but to assert moral advice regarding conduct.
Did you know?
Trivia
Navarathinam (1977) stars M. G. Ramachandran in the lead role and is famous for featuring nine leading actresses representing the nine gems (Navarathinam).
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