Manamae Nee Eesan
From Ashok Kumar · 1941
- Lyricist
- Udumalai Narayanakavi
- Music director
- Alandur Sivasubramaniyam
- Details
- Ashok Kumar1941
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Manamae nee eesan naamathai | O mind, praise the name of the Supreme Lord. |
| Manamae nee eesan naamathai | O mind, praise the name of the Supreme Lord. |
| Manamae nee eesan naamathai | O mind, praise the name of the Supreme Lord. |
| Vaazhthuvaai dhinam vaazhthuvaai | Praise it, praise it every single day. |
| Manamae nee eesan naamathai | O mind, praise the name of the Supreme Lord. |
| Vaazhthuvaai dhinam vaazhthuvaai… | Praise it, praise it every single day... |
| Aa…aa… aa…aa…aa… | Aa... aa... aa... aa... aa... |
| Male | |
| Kanavenum vaazhvil kalangi vaadaadhae | Do not falter and wither in this life that is like a fleeting dream. |
| Kanavenum vaazhvil kalangi vaadaadhae | Do not falter and wither in this life that is like a fleeting dream. |
| Kanavenum vaazhvil kalangi vaadaadhae | Do not falter and wither in this life that is like a fleeting dream. |
| Kaadhalai maadharai pugazhndhu paadaadhae | Do not sing praises of worldly love and physical beauty of women. |
| Kaadhalai maadharai pugazhndhu paadaadhae | Do not sing praises of worldly love and physical beauty of women. |
| Kaama moga madha vairigal vasamaai | Falling under the control of internal enemies like lust, delusion, and pride, |
| Karma vinai soozhulaga vaadhanaiyil | In the agonizing torment of a world bound by karmic actions, |
| Kaama moga madha vairigal vasamaai | Falling under the control of internal enemies like lust, delusion, and pride, |
| Karma vinai soozhulaga vaadhanaiyil | In the agonizing torment of a world bound by karmic actions, |
| Thadu maarum manamodu thuyaruraamal | Without grieving with a faltering and wavering mind, |
| Nirandharamum magizhndhu parasugam peravum | To remain eternally joyful and attain supreme spiritual bliss, |
| Male | |
| Manamae nee eesan naamathai | O mind, praise the name of the Supreme Lord. |
| Vaazhthuvaai dhinam vaazhthuvaai… | Praise it, praise it every single day... |
| Male | |
| Vilangum thooya sarjana sangam | Cherish the shining, pure fellowship of the virtuous. |
| Vilangum thooya sarjana sangam | Cherish the shining, pure fellowship of the virtuous. |
| Viduthae koodaadhae dhushtar prasangam | Relinquish and avoid the company and discourses of the wicked. |
| Vilakkil veezhum pazhamendru mayangum | Deluded into mistaking a burning lamp flame for a ripe fruit, |
| Vilakkil veezhum pazhamendru mayangum | Deluded into mistaking a burning lamp flame for a ripe fruit, |
| Vittilaagaadhae sanjala mengum | Do not become like a moth drawn into it, suffering restlessness everywhere. |
| Male | |
| Manamae nee eesan naamathai | O mind, praise the name of the Supreme Lord. |
| Vaazhthuvaai dhinam | Praise it every day, |
| Vaazhthuvaai…aa…aa…aa… | Praise it... aa... aa... aa... |
| Aa…aa…aa… | Aa... aa... aa... |
| Aa… aa… aa… | Aa... aa... aa... |
மனமே நீ ஈசன் நாமத்தை
மனமே நீ ஈசன் நாமத்தை
மனமே நீ ஈசன் நாமத்தை
வாழ்த்துவாய் தினம் வாழ்த்துவாய்
மனமே நீ ஈசன் நாமத்தை
வாழ்த்துவாய் தினம் வாழ்த்துவாய்...
ஆ...ஆ... ஆ...ஆ...ஆ...
O mind, praise the name of the Supreme Lord.
O mind, praise the name of the Supreme Lord.
O mind, praise the name of the Supreme Lord.
Praise it, praise it every single day.
O mind, praise the name of the Supreme Lord.
Praise it, praise it every single day...
Aa... aa... aa... aa... aa...
கனவெனும் வாழ்வில் கலங்கி வாடாதே
கனவெனும் வாழ்வில் கலங்கி வாடாதே
கனவெனும் வாழ்வில் கலங்கி வாடாதே
காதலை மாதரைப் புகழ்ந்து பாடாதே
காதலை மாதரைப் புகழ்ந்து பாடாதே
காம மோஹ மத வைரிகள் வசமாய்
கர்மவினை சூழுலக வாதனையில்
காம மோஹ மத வைரிகள் வசமாய்
கர்மவினை சூழுலக வாதனையில்
தடு மாறும் மனமோடு துயருராமல்
நிரந்தரமும் மகிழ்ந்து பரசுகம் பெறவும்
Do not falter and wither in this life that is like a fleeting dream.
Do not falter and wither in this life that is like a fleeting dream.
Do not falter and wither in this life that is like a fleeting dream.
Do not sing praises of worldly love and physical beauty of women.
Do not sing praises of worldly love and physical beauty of women.
Falling under the control of internal enemies like lust, delusion, and pride,
In the agonizing torment of a world bound by karmic actions,
Falling under the control of internal enemies like lust, delusion, and pride,
In the agonizing torment of a world bound by karmic actions,
Without grieving with a faltering and wavering mind,
To remain eternally joyful and attain supreme spiritual bliss,
மனமே நீ ஈசன் நாமத்தை
வாழ்த்துவாய் தினம் வாழ்த்துவாய்
O mind, praise the name of the Supreme Lord.
Praise it, praise it every single day...
விளங்கும் தூய ஸர்ஜன சங்கம்
விளங்கும் தூய ஸர்ஜன சங்கம்
விடுத்தே கூடாதே துஷ்டர் பிரசங்கம்
விளக்கில் வீழும் பழமென்று மயங்கும்
விளக்கில் வீழும் பழமென்று மயங்கும்
விட்டிலாகாதே சஞ்சல மெங்கும்
Cherish the shining, pure fellowship of the virtuous.
Cherish the shining, pure fellowship of the virtuous.
Relinquish and avoid the company and discourses of the wicked.
Deluded into mistaking a burning lamp flame for a ripe fruit,
Deluded into mistaking a burning lamp flame for a ripe fruit,
Do not become like a moth drawn into it, suffering restlessness everywhere.
மனமே நீ ஈசன் நாமத்தை
வாழ்த்துவாய் தினம்
வாழ்த்துவாய்...ஆ...ஆ...ஆ...
ஆ...ஆ...ஆ.......
ஆ...ஆ...ஆ.......
O mind, praise the name of the Supreme Lord.
Praise it every day,
Praise it... aa... aa... aa...
Aa... aa... aa...
Aa... aa... aa...
Manamae nee eesan naamathai
O mind, praise the name of the Supreme Lord.
Manamae nee eesan naamathai
O mind, praise the name of the Supreme Lord.
Manamae nee eesan naamathai
O mind, praise the name of the Supreme Lord.
Vaazhthuvaai dhinam vaazhthuvaai
Praise it, praise it every single day.
Manamae nee eesan naamathai
O mind, praise the name of the Supreme Lord.
Vaazhthuvaai dhinam vaazhthuvaai…
Praise it, praise it every single day...
Aa…aa… aa…aa…aa…
Aa... aa... aa... aa... aa...
Kanavenum vaazhvil kalangi vaadaadhae
Do not falter and wither in this life that is like a fleeting dream.
Kanavenum vaazhvil kalangi vaadaadhae
Do not falter and wither in this life that is like a fleeting dream.
Kanavenum vaazhvil kalangi vaadaadhae
Do not falter and wither in this life that is like a fleeting dream.
Kaadhalai maadharai pugazhndhu paadaadhae
Do not sing praises of worldly love and physical beauty of women.
Kaadhalai maadharai pugazhndhu paadaadhae
Do not sing praises of worldly love and physical beauty of women.
Kaama moga madha vairigal vasamaai
Falling under the control of internal enemies like lust, delusion, and pride,
Karma vinai soozhulaga vaadhanaiyil
In the agonizing torment of a world bound by karmic actions,
Kaama moga madha vairigal vasamaai
Falling under the control of internal enemies like lust, delusion, and pride,
Karma vinai soozhulaga vaadhanaiyil
In the agonizing torment of a world bound by karmic actions,
Thadu maarum manamodu thuyaruraamal
Without grieving with a faltering and wavering mind,
Nirandharamum magizhndhu parasugam peravum
To remain eternally joyful and attain supreme spiritual bliss,
Manamae nee eesan naamathai
O mind, praise the name of the Supreme Lord.
Vaazhthuvaai dhinam vaazhthuvaai…
Praise it, praise it every single day...
Vilangum thooya sarjana sangam
Cherish the shining, pure fellowship of the virtuous.
Vilangum thooya sarjana sangam
Cherish the shining, pure fellowship of the virtuous.
Viduthae koodaadhae dhushtar prasangam
Relinquish and avoid the company and discourses of the wicked.
Vilakkil veezhum pazhamendru mayangum
Deluded into mistaking a burning lamp flame for a ripe fruit,
Vilakkil veezhum pazhamendru mayangum
Deluded into mistaking a burning lamp flame for a ripe fruit,
Vittilaagaadhae sanjala mengum
Do not become like a moth drawn into it, suffering restlessness everywhere.
Manamae nee eesan naamathai
O mind, praise the name of the Supreme Lord.
Vaazhthuvaai dhinam
Praise it every day,
Vaazhthuvaai…aa…aa…aa…
Praise it... aa... aa... aa...
Aa…aa…aa…
Aa... aa... aa...
Aa… aa… aa…
Aa... aa... aa...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Manamae Nee Eesan Naamathai is a classic philosophical and devotional song from the 1941 film Ashok Kumar, sung by legendary vocalist M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar with lyrics by Udumalai Narayana Kavi. The song is a direct address to one's own mind, exhorting it to chant the name of God (Eesan) continuously to transcend earthly suffering and attain eternal bliss (parasugam). It warns against being ensnared by transient worldly temptations, bodily lust, and karmic bonds, which only lead to anguish. To drive the lesson home, the lyricist uses vivid allegories: warning the mind not to be like a moth that mistakes a burning flame for a sweet fruit and flies into its destruction. It advocates seeking 'sarjana sangam' (company of the righteous) while shunning 'dhushtar prasangam' (discourse with the evil), steering the soul away from delusion towards divine liberation.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamaikani / Rupakam)
“Kanavenum vaazhvil kalangi vaadaadhae”
Life is equated to a fleeting dream (Kanavenum vaazhvil) to highlight its impermanent nature.
Extended Allegory / Metaphor
“Vilakkil veezhum pazhamendru mayangum / Vittilaagaadhae sanjala mengum”
The human soul attracted to worldly temptation is compared to a moth (vittil) mistaking a burning lamp flame for a ripe fruit.
Moonaai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)
“Kaama moga madha vairigal vasamaai / Karma vinai soozhulaga vaadhanaiyil”
Repetition of the initial letter sounds ('Ka') across lines creating a harmonious rhythmic structure.
Emonaai / Refrain
“Manamae nee eesan naamathai”
The line 'Manamae nee eesan naamathai' acts as a recurring refrain that anchors the philosophical motif of the song.
Did you know?
Trivia
Sung by M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar (MKT), the first major superstar of Tamil cinema, this song showcases his high-pitched Carnatic vocal style that mesmerized audiences in the 1940s. Written by Udumalai Narayana Kavi, a poet renowned for introducing rationalist and philosophical thoughts into film music, the song remains one of the iconic early gems of Tamil cinema history.
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