Manithan Enbavan
From Sumai Thangi · 1962
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- P. B. Sreenivas
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Details
- Sumai Thangi1962
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| { Manithan | { Man |
| Enbavan deivam | He who is called, a divine being |
| Aagalam } (3) | Can become } (3) |
| Male | |
| Vaari vaari | Generously giving |
| Vazhangum bothu | When bestowing upon others |
| Vallal aagalam | A great philanthropist one can become |
| Male | |
| Vaazhai polae | Like the banana tree |
| Thannai thanthu | Giving itself completely |
| Thiyagi aagalam | A self-sacrificing soul one can become |
| Urudhiyodu mezhugu | With steadfastness, like a candle/wax |
| Polae oliyai veesalam | One can spread light to all |
| Male | |
| Manithan | Man |
| Enbavan deivam | He who is called, a divine being |
| Aagalam deivam | Can become, a divine being |
| Aagalam | Can become |
| Male | |
| { Oorukendru | { For the sake of the public |
| Vaazhntha nenjam | The heart that lived for others |
| Silaigal aagalam | Can become statues in memory |
| Uravukendru virindha | Blossomed for relations |
| Ullam malargal aagalam } (2) | The heart can become soft flowers } (2) |
| Male | |
| Yarukendru | No matter for whom |
| Azhudha pothum | When weeping with empathy for others |
| Thalaivan aagalam | One can become a true leader |
| Manam manam adhu | A mind, that pure mind |
| Kovil aagalam | Can become a holy temple |
| Male | |
| { Manithan | { Man |
| Enbavan deivam | He who is called, a divine being |
| Aagalaam } (3) | Can become } (3) |
| Male | |
| { Manam | { If there is goodwill/heart |
| Irunthaal paravai | Inside a small bird's |
| Kootil maangal vaazhalam | Nest, deer can dwell together |
| Vazhi irunthaal kadugukullae | If there is a way, inside a mustard seed |
| Malaiyai kaanalam } (2) | A vast mountain can be seen } (2) |
| Male | |
| Thuninthuvittal | If one stays courageous |
| Thalaiyil entha | Upon one's head, any |
| Sumayum thaangalam | Heavy burden can be borne |
| Gunam gunam adhu | Character, noble character itself |
| Kovil aagalam | Can become a holy temple |
| Male | |
| Manithan | Man |
| Enbavan deivam | He who is called, a divine being |
| Aagalaam | Can become |
| Male | |
| Vaari vaari | Generously giving |
| Vazhangum bothu | When bestowing upon others |
| Vallal aagalam | A great philanthropist one can become |
| Male | |
| Vaazhai polae | Like the banana tree |
| Thannai thanthu | Giving itself completely |
| Thiyagi aagalam | A self-sacrificing soul one can become |
| Urudhiyodu mezhugu | With steadfastness, like a candle/wax |
| Polae oliyai veesalaam | One can spread light to all |
| Male | |
| Manithan | Man |
| Enbavan deivam | He who is called, a divine being |
| Aagalaam deivam | Can become, a divine being |
| Aagalaam | Can become |
| Male | |
| ……………………………………………… | ……………………………………………… |
{ மனிதன்
என்பவன் தெய்வம்
ஆகலாம் } (3)
{ Man
He who is called, a divine being
Can become } (3)
வாரி வாரி
வழங்கும் போது
வள்ளல் ஆகலாம்
Generously giving
When bestowing upon others
A great philanthropist one can become
வாழை போலே
தன்னை தந்து தியாகி
ஆகலாம் உறுதியோடு
மெழுகு போலே ஒளியை
வீசலாம்
Like the banana tree
Giving itself completely
A self-sacrificing soul one can become
With steadfastness, like a candle/wax
One can spread light to all
மனிதன்
என்பவன் தெய்வம்
ஆகலாம் தெய்வம்
ஆகலாம்
Man
He who is called, a divine being
Can become, a divine being
Can become
{ ஊருக்கென்று
வாழ்ந்த நெஞ்சம் சிலைகள்
ஆகலாம் உறவுக்கென்று
விரிந்த உள்ளம் மலர்கள்
ஆகலாம் } (2)
{ For the sake of the public
The heart that lived for others
Can become statues in memory
Blossomed for relations
The heart can become soft flowers } (2)
யாருக்கென்று
அழுதபோதும் தலைவன்
ஆகலாம் மணம் மணம்
அது கோவில் ஆகலாம்
No matter for whom
When weeping with empathy for others
One can become a true leader
A mind, that pure mind
Can become a holy temple
{ மனிதன்
என்பவன் தெய்வம்
ஆகலாம் } (3)
{ Man
He who is called, a divine being
Can become } (3)
{ மனமிருந்தால்
பறவை கூட்டில் மான்கள்
வாழலாம் வழி இருந்தால்
கடுகுக்குள்ளே மலையை
காணலாம் } (2)
{ If there is goodwill/heart
Inside a small bird's
Nest, deer can dwell together
If there is a way, inside a mustard seed
A vast mountain can be seen } (2)
துணிந்துவிட்டால்
தலையில் எந்த சுமையும்
தாங்கலாம் குணம் குணம்
அது கோவில் ஆகலாம்
If one stays courageous
Upon one's head, any
Heavy burden can be borne
Character, noble character itself
Can become a holy temple
மனிதன்
என்பவன் தெய்வம்
ஆகலாம்
Man
He who is called, a divine being
Can become
வாரி வாரி
வழங்கும் போது
வள்ளல் ஆகலாம்
Generously giving
When bestowing upon others
A great philanthropist one can become
வாழை போலே
தன்னை தந்து தியாகி
ஆகலாம் உறுதியோடு
மெழுகு போலே ஒளியை
வீசலாம்
Like the banana tree
Giving itself completely
A self-sacrificing soul one can become
With steadfastness, like a candle/wax
One can spread light to all
மனிதன்
என்பவன் தெய்வம்
ஆகலாம் தெய்வம்
ஆகலாம்
Man
He who is called, a divine being
Can become, a divine being
Can become
.......................
………………………………………………
{ Manithan
{ Man
Enbavan deivam
He who is called, a divine being
Aagalam } (3)
Can become } (3)
Vaari vaari
Generously giving
Vazhangum bothu
When bestowing upon others
Vallal aagalam
A great philanthropist one can become
Vaazhai polae
Like the banana tree
Thannai thanthu
Giving itself completely
Thiyagi aagalam
A self-sacrificing soul one can become
Urudhiyodu mezhugu
With steadfastness, like a candle/wax
Polae oliyai veesalam
One can spread light to all
Manithan
Man
Enbavan deivam
He who is called, a divine being
Aagalam deivam
Can become, a divine being
Aagalam
Can become
{ Oorukendru
{ For the sake of the public
Vaazhntha nenjam
The heart that lived for others
Silaigal aagalam
Can become statues in memory
Uravukendru virindha
Blossomed for relations
Ullam malargal aagalam } (2)
The heart can become soft flowers } (2)
Yarukendru
No matter for whom
Azhudha pothum
When weeping with empathy for others
Thalaivan aagalam
One can become a true leader
Manam manam adhu
A mind, that pure mind
Kovil aagalam
Can become a holy temple
{ Manithan
{ Man
Enbavan deivam
He who is called, a divine being
Aagalaam } (3)
Can become } (3)
{ Manam
{ If there is goodwill/heart
Irunthaal paravai
Inside a small bird's
Kootil maangal vaazhalam
Nest, deer can dwell together
Vazhi irunthaal kadugukullae
If there is a way, inside a mustard seed
Malaiyai kaanalam } (2)
A vast mountain can be seen } (2)
Thuninthuvittal
If one stays courageous
Thalaiyil entha
Upon one's head, any
Sumayum thaangalam
Heavy burden can be borne
Gunam gunam adhu
Character, noble character itself
Kovil aagalam
Can become a holy temple
Manithan
Man
Enbavan deivam
He who is called, a divine being
Aagalaam
Can become
Vaari vaari
Generously giving
Vazhangum bothu
When bestowing upon others
Vallal aagalam
A great philanthropist one can become
Vaazhai polae
Like the banana tree
Thannai thanthu
Giving itself completely
Thiyagi aagalam
A self-sacrificing soul one can become
Urudhiyodu mezhugu
With steadfastness, like a candle/wax
Polae oliyai veesalaam
One can spread light to all
Manithan
Man
Enbavan deivam
He who is called, a divine being
Aagalaam deivam
Can become, a divine being
Aagalaam
Can become
………………………………………………
………………………………………………
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Manithan Enbavan Deivam Aagalam from Sumai Thangi (1962) is an iconic philosophical song written by Kannadasan, composed by Viswanathan-Ramamoorthy, and sung by P. B. Sreenivas. The central thesis of the song is that divinity is not an abstract concept confined to idols, but an attainable human quality realized through selflessness, charity, empathy, and moral integrity.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Uvamai Ani)
“Vaazhai polae Thannai thanthu / Urudhiyodu mezhugu Polae oliyai veesalam”
Compares human sacrifice to a plantain tree that yields every part of itself for others, and to wax that burns itself to spread light.
Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navitchi Ani)
“Paravai Kootil maangal vaazhalam / Vazhi irunthaal kadugukullae Malaiyai kaanalam”
Uses poetic exaggeration—a deer living in a bird's nest or seeing a mountain inside a mustard seed—to illustrate how an open mind and determination make the impossible possible.
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Gunam gunam adhu Kovil aagalam”
Equates noble character and a pure human mind directly to a temple.
Alliteration (Monai)
“Vaari vaari Vazhangum bothu Vallal aagalam”
Repetition of initial consonant sound 'V' across consecutive words for rhythmic appeal.
Did you know?
Trivia
Sumai Thangi (1962) was directed by C. V. Sridhar and starred Gemini Ganesan. Though listed as unknown in the prompt, the film's immortal music was composed by Viswanathan-Ramamoorthy and rendered by P. B. Sreenivas. Kannadasan's lyrics in this song remain one of Tamil cinema's most cited moral guidelines.
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