Manadhaara Oru
From Pattaliyin Vetri · 1960
- Lyricist
- Ka. Mu. Sheriff
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- S. Rajeswara Rao
- Details
- Pattaliyin Vetri1960
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Manathaara oru pizhaiyum | Without committing a single mistake willingly |
| Vaazhvilae seiyyaamal | In your entire life, |
| Gunakkedaar kootturuvaal | Yet, due to associating with bad-natured people, |
| Kodum pazhiyai kondavanae | O one who has borne severe blame! |
| Male | |
| Panai maraththin keezhirunthu | Even if sitting under a palm tree, |
| Paalai kudiththaalum | And drinking pure milk, |
| Paarppavargal kankalukku | In the eyes of those who watch, |
| Paalaai therinthidumo | Will it ever appear as milk? |
| Male | |
| Iniyaenum unmaiyithai | At least from now on, this truth, |
| Ellalavum maravaamal | Without forgetting even to the slightest degree, |
| Nallorgal natpai | The friendship of noble people, |
| Naaduvathu kadamaiyadaa | Seeking it is a duty, my friend! |
| Nallorgal natpai | The friendship of noble people, |
| Naaduvathu un kadamaiyadaa…. | Seeking it is your duty! |
மனதார ஒரு பிழையும்
வாழ்விலே செய்யாமல்
குணக்கேடர் கூட்டுறவால்
கொடும் பழியைக் கொண்டவனே
Without committing a single mistake willingly
In your entire life,
Yet, due to associating with bad-natured people,
O one who has borne severe blame!
பனை மரத்தின் கீழிருந்து
பாலைக் குடித்தாலும்
பார்ப்பவர்கள் கண்களுக்கு
பாலாய் தெரிந்திடுமோ
Even if sitting under a palm tree,
And drinking pure milk,
In the eyes of those who watch,
Will it ever appear as milk?
இனியேனும் உண்மையிதை
எள்ளளவும் மறவாமல்
நல்லோர்கள் நட்பை
நாடுவது கடமையடா......
நல்லோர்கள் நட்பை
நாடுவது உன் கடமையடா......
At least from now on, this truth,
Without forgetting even to the slightest degree,
The friendship of noble people,
Seeking it is a duty, my friend!
The friendship of noble people,
Seeking it is your duty!
Manathaara oru pizhaiyum
Without committing a single mistake willingly
Vaazhvilae seiyyaamal
In your entire life,
Gunakkedaar kootturuvaal
Yet, due to associating with bad-natured people,
Kodum pazhiyai kondavanae
O one who has borne severe blame!
Panai maraththin keezhirunthu
Even if sitting under a palm tree,
Paalai kudiththaalum
And drinking pure milk,
Paarppavargal kankalukku
In the eyes of those who watch,
Paalaai therinthidumo
Will it ever appear as milk?
Iniyaenum unmaiyithai
At least from now on, this truth,
Ellalavum maravaamal
Without forgetting even to the slightest degree,
Nallorgal natpai
The friendship of noble people,
Naaduvathu kadamaiyadaa
Seeking it is a duty, my friend!
Nallorgal natpai
The friendship of noble people,
Naaduvathu un kadamaiyadaa….
Seeking it is your duty!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This moralistic song from Pattaliyin Vetri highlights the vital impact of association on a person's reputation. Even if an individual lives an innocent life without committing any wrongdoing intentionally, keeping company with corrupt or wicked individuals inevitably brings unjust infamy upon them. To illustrate this, the lyricist uses a famous traditional Tamil metaphor: if someone drinks innocent milk while sitting beneath a palm tree, onlookers will automatically assume they are drinking toddy (palm wine). The song concludes with a strong moral lesson warning the listener to remember this truth and actively seek the friendship of righteous people as a primary life duty.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Proverbial Metaphor (பழமொழி உவமை)
“Panai maraththin keezhirunthu Paalai kudiththaalum Paarppavargal kankalukku Paalaai therinthidumo”
Uses the traditional Tamil adage ('Panai marathadiyil paal kudiththaalum kallu enbaargal') to convey that being in suspicious company or context causes good actions to be misinterpreted.
Initial Alliteration (மோனை - Monai)
“Nallorgal natpai Naaduvathu kadamaiyadaa”
Repetition of the 'Na' sound across adjacent words in the line for rhythmic harmony.
Rhetorical Question (வினா நவிற்சி)
“Paalaai therinthidumo”
The line asks whether drinking milk under a palm tree will look like milk to onlookers, expecting an emphatic 'no' to drive home the moral truth.
Did you know?
Trivia
The lyrics by Ka. Mu. Sheriff draw heavily from traditional ethical Tamil literature and proverbs. Pattaliyin Vetri (1960), starring M. G. Ramachandran in a guest appearance alongside T. S. Balaiah, features several such songs advocating social morality, hard work, and righteous living.
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