Maranathai Eni
From Karnan · 1964
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- Seerkazhi Govindarajan
- Music director
- Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
- Details
- Karnan1964
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Maranathai enni kalangidum | Oh Vijaya, who trembles thinking of death... |
| Vijaiyaa… | Vijaya... |
| Maranathin thanmai solven… | I shall explain the true nature of death... |
| Maanidar aanmaa maranameidhaadhu… | The soul of human beings never dies... |
| Marupadi pirandhirukkum maeniyai kolvaai | You will only slay the body that will be reborn. |
| Maeniyai kolvaai | You will slay the body. |
| Veerathil adhuvum ondru | That too is a form of valor. |
| Nee vittu vittaalum avargalin maeni | Even if you spare them, their bodies |
| Vendhu thaan theerum or naal… aaaAa… | Will eventually burn to ashes one day... Ah... |
| Male | |
| Ennai arindhaai ellaa uyirum | You have known Me, and understood that |
| Enadhendrum arindhu kondaai | All living beings belong to Me. |
| Kannan manadhu kal manadhendro | Thinking Krishna's heart is made of stone, |
| Gaandeebam nazhuva vittaai | You let slip your bow Gandiva! |
| Gaandeebam nazhuva vittaai | You let slip your bow Gandiva! |
| Male | |
| Mannarum naanae | I am the kings, |
| Makkalum naanae | I am the common people too, |
| Maram chedi kodiyum naanae | I am the trees, plants, and vines as well. |
| Sonnavan kannan solbavan kannan… | The one who spoke is Krishna, the one who speaks is Krishna... |
| Thunindhu nil dharmam vaazha… aaa… | Stand resolute so righteousness may prevail... Ah... |
| Male | |
| Punniyam idhuvendru | If the world considers something |
| Ulagam sonnaal… | As a virtuous deed... |
| Andha punniyam kannanukkae | That virtue belongs only to Krishna. |
| Pottruvaar pottralum | Whether people praise, |
| Thoottruvaar thoottralum | Or whether people criticize, |
| Poghattum kannanukkae | Let it all go to Krishna alone. |
| Male | |
| Kannanae kaattinaan | Krishna is the one who revealed it, |
| Kannanae saattrinaan | Krishna is the one who declared it, |
| Kannanae kolai seigindraan | Krishna is the one who slays. |
| Gaandeebam ezhuga | Arise, Gandiva bow! |
| Nin kai vanmai ezhugha | Arise, strength of your hands! |
| Ikkalamelaam sivakka vaazhga… | May this battlefield turn red and victorious! |
| Aa…aa… aa… aaa….aa….aa…. | Ah... ah... ah... ah... ah... ah... |
| Male | |
| Parithraanaaya saadhoonaam | For the protection of the righteous, |
| Vinaasaaya chadhushkruthaam | For the destruction of the wicked, |
| Dharma samsthaapanaarthaaya | For the re-establishment of righteousness, |
| Sambhavaami yughae yughae… | I manifest Myself age after age. |
மரணத்தை எண்ணிக் கலங்கிடும்
விஜயா...
மரணத்தின் தன்மை சொல்வேன்...
மானிடர் ஆன்மா மரணமெய்தாது...
மறுபடி பிறந்திருக்கும் மேனியைக் கொல்வாய்
மேனியைக் கொல்வாய்
வீரத்தில் அதுவும் ஒன்று
நீ விட்டு விட்டாலும் அவர்களின் மேனி
வெந்துதான் தீரும் ஓர் நாள்.....ஆ....ஆ...
Oh Vijaya, who trembles thinking of death...
Vijaya...
I shall explain the true nature of death...
The soul of human beings never dies...
You will only slay the body that will be reborn.
You will slay the body.
That too is a form of valor.
Even if you spare them, their bodies
Will eventually burn to ashes one day... Ah...
என்னை அறிந்தாய் எல்லா உயிரும்
எனதென்றும் அறிந்து கொண்டாய்
கண்ணன் மனது கல் மனதென்றோ
காண்டீபம் நழுவ விட்டாய்
காண்டீபம் நழுவ விட்டாய்
You have known Me, and understood that
All living beings belong to Me.
Thinking Krishna's heart is made of stone,
You let slip your bow Gandiva!
You let slip your bow Gandiva!
மன்னரும் நானே
மக்களும் நானே...
மரம் செடி கொடியும் நானே
சொன்னவன் கண்ணன் சொல்பவன் கண்ணன்...
துணிந்து நில் தர்மம் வாழ.....ஆ...
I am the kings,
I am the common people too,
I am the trees, plants, and vines as well.
The one who spoke is Krishna, the one who speaks is Krishna...
Stand resolute so righteousness may prevail... Ah...
புண்ணியம் இதுவென்று
உலகம் சொன்னால்...
அந்தப் புண்ணியம் கண்ணனுக்கே
போற்றுவார் போற்றலும்
தூற்றுவார் தூற்றலும்
போகட்டும் கண்ணனுக்கே
If the world considers something
As a virtuous deed...
That virtue belongs only to Krishna.
Whether people praise,
Or whether people criticize,
Let it all go to Krishna alone.
கண்ணனே காட்டினான்
கண்ணனே சாற்றினான்
கண்ணனே கொலை செய்கின்றான்
காண்டீபம் எழுக
நின் கை வன்மை எழுக
இக்களமெலாம் சிவக்க வாழ்க...
ஆ...ஆ...ஆ...ஆ...ஆ...ஆ...
Krishna is the one who revealed it,
Krishna is the one who declared it,
Krishna is the one who slays.
Arise, Gandiva bow!
Arise, strength of your hands!
May this battlefield turn red and victorious!
Ah... ah... ah... ah... ah... ah...
பரித்ராணாய சாதூனாம்
விநாசாய சதுஷ்க்ருதாம்
தர்ம சம்ஸ்தாபனார்த்தாய
சம்பவாமி யுகே யுகே...
For the protection of the righteous,
For the destruction of the wicked,
For the re-establishment of righteousness,
I manifest Myself age after age.
Maranathai enni kalangidum
Oh Vijaya, who trembles thinking of death...
Vijaiyaa…
Vijaya...
Maranathin thanmai solven…
I shall explain the true nature of death...
Maanidar aanmaa maranameidhaadhu…
The soul of human beings never dies...
Marupadi pirandhirukkum maeniyai kolvaai
You will only slay the body that will be reborn.
Maeniyai kolvaai
You will slay the body.
Veerathil adhuvum ondru
That too is a form of valor.
Nee vittu vittaalum avargalin maeni
Even if you spare them, their bodies
Vendhu thaan theerum or naal… aaaAa…
Will eventually burn to ashes one day... Ah...
Ennai arindhaai ellaa uyirum
You have known Me, and understood that
Enadhendrum arindhu kondaai
All living beings belong to Me.
Kannan manadhu kal manadhendro
Thinking Krishna's heart is made of stone,
Gaandeebam nazhuva vittaai
You let slip your bow Gandiva!
Gaandeebam nazhuva vittaai
You let slip your bow Gandiva!
Mannarum naanae
I am the kings,
Makkalum naanae
I am the common people too,
Maram chedi kodiyum naanae
I am the trees, plants, and vines as well.
Sonnavan kannan solbavan kannan…
The one who spoke is Krishna, the one who speaks is Krishna...
Thunindhu nil dharmam vaazha… aaa…
Stand resolute so righteousness may prevail... Ah...
Punniyam idhuvendru
If the world considers something
Ulagam sonnaal…
As a virtuous deed...
Andha punniyam kannanukkae
That virtue belongs only to Krishna.
Pottruvaar pottralum
Whether people praise,
Thoottruvaar thoottralum
Or whether people criticize,
Poghattum kannanukkae
Let it all go to Krishna alone.
Kannanae kaattinaan
Krishna is the one who revealed it,
Kannanae saattrinaan
Krishna is the one who declared it,
Kannanae kolai seigindraan
Krishna is the one who slays.
Gaandeebam ezhuga
Arise, Gandiva bow!
Nin kai vanmai ezhugha
Arise, strength of your hands!
Ikkalamelaam sivakka vaazhga…
May this battlefield turn red and victorious!
Aa…aa… aa… aaa….aa….aa….
Ah... ah... ah... ah... ah... ah...
Parithraanaaya saadhoonaam
For the protection of the righteous,
Vinaasaaya chadhushkruthaam
For the destruction of the wicked,
Dharma samsthaapanaarthaaya
For the re-establishment of righteousness,
Sambhavaami yughae yughae…
I manifest Myself age after age.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This powerful monologue and song from Karnan (1964) captures the essence of Lord Krishna's philosophical discourse (Bhagavad Gita) to Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Krishna addresses Arjuna's reluctance to fight his own kin, reminding him that the human soul is eternal and immutable, while the body is merely a temporary vessel bound to perish. Krishna reveals his divine omnipresence—manifesting as kings, commoners, and nature alike—and urges Arjuna to relinquish his moral hesitation and pick up his bow, Gandiva.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Anaphora / Repetition
“Kannanae kaattinaan / Kannanae saattrinaan / Kannanae kolai seigindraan”
The repetition of 'Kannanae' at the start of consecutive lines emphasizes Krishna's ultimate cosmic agency in all actions.
Antithesis / Contrast
“Pottruvaar pottralum / Thoottruvaar thoottralum”
Pairing 'Pottruvaar' (those who praise) with 'Thoottruvaar' (those who revile) highlights equanimity and detachment from worldly judgment.
Monaai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)
“Mannarum naanae / Makkalum naanae / Maram chedi kodiyum naanae”
The repetition of the initial consonant sound 'Ma' creates rhythmic musicality across lines.
Did you know?
Trivia
This iconic track from Karnan (1964) features lyrics by the legendary poet Kannadasan, who simplified complex Sanskrit philosophical concepts from the Bhagavad Gita into accessible Tamil poetry. Sung powerfully by Sirkazhi Govindarajan, the sequence culminates in the famous Sanskrit shloka 'Parithraanaaya Saadhoonaam'.
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