Moondreluthil En
From Dheiva Thaai · 1964
- Lyricist
- Lyricist Not Known
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Details
- Dheiva Thaai1964
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Moondrezhuthil | In three letters |
| En moochirukum adhu | My breath resides; and even after my life |
| Mudindha pinnalum | Has come to an end |
| Pechirukum | My words and reputation will remain |
| Male | |
| Ullam endroru | There is a town called |
| Oor irukum andha | 'The Heart', and inside that |
| Oorukul enakoru per irukum | Town, I will have a name of my own |
| Male | |
| { Kadamai | { Duty |
| Adhu kadamai } (2) | That is duty } (2) |
| Male | |
| Andha moondrezhuthil | In those three letters |
| En moochirukum adhu | My breath resides; and even after my life |
| Mudindha pinnalum | Has come to an end |
| Pechirukum | My words and reputation will remain |
| Male | |
| Ullam endroru | There is a town called |
| Oor irukum andha | 'The Heart', and inside that |
| Oorukul enakoru per irukum | Town, I will have a name of my own |
| Male | |
| { Padhavi | { When position |
| Varumbothu panivu | And power come, humility |
| Vara vendum thunivum | Must arrive, and courage |
| Varavendum thozha | Must also come, my friend |
| Male | |
| Paadhai | Without straying |
| Thavaraamal | From the righteous path |
| Panbu kuraiyaamal | Without compromising good character |
| Pazhagi varavendum thozha } (2) | One must live and conduct oneself, my friend } (2) |
| Male | |
| Anbae un annai | Love is your mother |
| Arivae un thandhai | Wisdom is your father |
| Ulagae un kovil | The world is your temple |
| Ondrae un deivan | The Divine Unity is your God |
| Male | |
| Moondrezhuthil | In three letters |
| En moochirukum adhu | My breath resides; and even after my life |
| Mudindha pinnalum | Has come to an end |
| Pechirukum | My words and reputation will remain |
| Male | |
| Ullam endroru | There is a town called |
| Oor irukum andha | 'The Heart', and inside that |
| Oorukul enakoru per irukum | Town, I will have a name of my own |
| Male | |
| { Kadamai | { Duty |
| Adhu kadamai } (2) | That is duty } (2) |
| Male | |
| { Vaazhai malar | { Like a banana blossom |
| Polae boomi mugam | That hangs down looking at the earth |
| Paarkum kozhai gunam | Change that cowardly nature |
| Maatru thozha | Change it, my friend |
| Male | |
| Naalai uyir | Whether life departs tomorrow |
| Pogum indru ponaalum | Or leaves us today |
| Kolgai niraivetru thozha } (2) | Fulfill your noble principles, my friend } (2) |
| Male | |
| Anbae un annai | Love is your mother |
| Arivae un thandhai | Wisdom is your father |
| Ulagae un kovil | The world is your temple |
| Ondrae un deivan | The Divine Unity is your God |
| Male | |
| Moondrezhuthil | In three letters |
| En moochirukum adhu | My breath resides; and even after my life |
| Mudindha pinnalum | Has come to an end |
| Pechirukum | My words and reputation will remain |
| Male | |
| Ullam endroru | There is a town called |
| Oor irukum andha | 'The Heart', and inside that |
| Oorukul enakoru per irukum | Town, I will have a name of my own |
| Male | |
| { Kadamai | { Duty |
| Adhu kadamai } (2) | That is duty } (2) |
மூன்றெழுத்தில்
என் மூச்சிருக்கும் அது
முடிந்த பின்னாலும்
பேச்சிருக்கும்
In three letters
My breath resides; and even after my life
Has come to an end
My words and reputation will remain
உள்ளம் என்றொரு
ஊர் இருக்கும் அந்த
ஊருக்குள் எனக்கொரு
பேர் இருக்கும்
There is a town called
'The Heart', and inside that
Town, I will have a name of my own
கடமை அது
கடமை கடமை அது
கடமை
{ Duty
That is duty } (2)
அந்த மூன்றெழுத்தில்
என் மூச்சிருக்கும் அது
முடிந்த பின்னாலும்
பேச்சிருக்கும்
In those three letters
My breath resides; and even after my life
Has come to an end
My words and reputation will remain
உள்ளம் என்றொரு
ஊர் இருக்கும் அந்த
ஊருக்குள் எனக்கொரு
பேர் இருக்கும்
There is a town called
'The Heart', and inside that
Town, I will have a name of my own
{ பதவி வரும்போது
பணிவு வர வேண்டும்
துணிவும் வரவேண்டும்
தோழா
{ When position
And power come, humility
Must arrive, and courage
Must also come, my friend
பாதை தவறாமல்
பண்பு குறையாமல்
பழகி வரவேண்டும்
தோழா } (2)
Without straying
From the righteous path
Without compromising good character
One must live and conduct oneself, my friend } (2)
அன்பே உன்
அன்னை அறிவே உன்
தந்தை உலகே உன் கோவில்
ஒன்றே உன் தெய்வன்
Love is your mother
Wisdom is your father
The world is your temple
The Divine Unity is your God
மூன்றெழுத்தில்
என் மூச்சிருக்கும் அது
முடிந்த பின்னாலும்
பேச்சிருக்கும்
In three letters
My breath resides; and even after my life
Has come to an end
My words and reputation will remain
உள்ளம் என்றொரு
ஊர் இருக்கும் அந்த
ஊருக்குள் எனக்கொரு
பேர் இருக்கும்
There is a town called
'The Heart', and inside that
Town, I will have a name of my own
கடமை அது
கடமை கடமை அது
கடமை
{ Duty
That is duty } (2)
{ வாழை மலர்
போல பூமி முகம்
பார்க்கும் கோழை
குணம் மாற்று தோழா
{ Like a banana blossom
That hangs down looking at the earth
Change that cowardly nature
Change it, my friend
நாளை உயிர்
போகும் இன்று போனாலும்
கொள்கை நிறைவேற்று
தோழா } (2)
Whether life departs tomorrow
Or leaves us today
Fulfill your noble principles, my friend } (2)
அன்பே உன்
அன்னை அறிவே உன்
தந்தை உலகே உன் கோவில்
ஒன்றே உன் தெய்வன்
Love is your mother
Wisdom is your father
The world is your temple
The Divine Unity is your God
மூன்றெழுத்தில்
என் மூச்சிருக்கும் அது
முடிந்த பின்னாலும்
பேச்சிருக்கும்
In three letters
My breath resides; and even after my life
Has come to an end
My words and reputation will remain
உள்ளம் என்றொரு
ஊர் இருக்கும் அந்த
ஊருக்குள் எனக்கொரு
பேர் இருக்கும்
There is a town called
'The Heart', and inside that
Town, I will have a name of my own
கடமை அது
கடமை கடமை அது
கடமை
{ Duty
That is duty } (2)
Moondrezhuthil
In three letters
En moochirukum adhu
My breath resides; and even after my life
Mudindha pinnalum
Has come to an end
Pechirukum
My words and reputation will remain
Ullam endroru
There is a town called
Oor irukum andha
'The Heart', and inside that
Oorukul enakoru per irukum
Town, I will have a name of my own
{ Kadamai
{ Duty
Adhu kadamai } (2)
That is duty } (2)
Andha moondrezhuthil
In those three letters
En moochirukum adhu
My breath resides; and even after my life
Mudindha pinnalum
Has come to an end
Pechirukum
My words and reputation will remain
Ullam endroru
There is a town called
Oor irukum andha
'The Heart', and inside that
Oorukul enakoru per irukum
Town, I will have a name of my own
{ Padhavi
{ When position
Varumbothu panivu
And power come, humility
Vara vendum thunivum
Must arrive, and courage
Varavendum thozha
Must also come, my friend
Paadhai
Without straying
Thavaraamal
From the righteous path
Panbu kuraiyaamal
Without compromising good character
Pazhagi varavendum thozha } (2)
One must live and conduct oneself, my friend } (2)
Anbae un annai
Love is your mother
Arivae un thandhai
Wisdom is your father
Ulagae un kovil
The world is your temple
Ondrae un deivan
The Divine Unity is your God
Moondrezhuthil
In three letters
En moochirukum adhu
My breath resides; and even after my life
Mudindha pinnalum
Has come to an end
Pechirukum
My words and reputation will remain
Ullam endroru
There is a town called
Oor irukum andha
'The Heart', and inside that
Oorukul enakoru per irukum
Town, I will have a name of my own
{ Kadamai
{ Duty
Adhu kadamai } (2)
That is duty } (2)
{ Vaazhai malar
{ Like a banana blossom
Polae boomi mugam
That hangs down looking at the earth
Paarkum kozhai gunam
Change that cowardly nature
Maatru thozha
Change it, my friend
Naalai uyir
Whether life departs tomorrow
Pogum indru ponaalum
Or leaves us today
Kolgai niraivetru thozha } (2)
Fulfill your noble principles, my friend } (2)
Anbae un annai
Love is your mother
Arivae un thandhai
Wisdom is your father
Ulagae un kovil
The world is your temple
Ondrae un deivan
The Divine Unity is your God
Moondrezhuthil
In three letters
En moochirukum adhu
My breath resides; and even after my life
Mudindha pinnalum
Has come to an end
Pechirukum
My words and reputation will remain
Ullam endroru
There is a town called
Oor irukum andha
'The Heart', and inside that
Oorukul enakoru per irukum
Town, I will have a name of my own
{ Kadamai
{ Duty
Adhu kadamai } (2)
That is duty } (2)
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This iconic song from the 1964 Tamil movie 'Dheiva Thaai' serves as an inspiring anthem on duty, humility, and principled living. The phrase 'Moondrezhuthu' (three letters) primarily refers to 'Kadamai' (Duty in Tamil), emphasizing that a person's righteous duty defines their existence, ensuring their legacy lives on in people's hearts long after death. The lyrics offer moral guidance on handling success and power, urging the listener to remain humble yet courageous. It redefines spirituality and morality by declaring Love as mother, Wisdom as father, the World as a temple, and Unity/God as one. Rejecting cowardice—metaphorically described as bowing down like a plantain flower—the song inspires individuals to stand tall and fulfill their life's principles regardless of the fear of death.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Anbae un annai / Arivae un thandhai / Ulagae un kovil”
Human virtues and relationships are equated directly to family and places of worship: Love is mother, Wisdom is father, World is temple.
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Ullam endroru oor irukum andha oorukul enakoru per irukum”
The human heart is metaphorically conceptualized as an inhabited town where one's good reputation lives on.
Simile (Uvamai)
“Vaazhai malar polae boomi mugam paarkum kozhai gunam”
Cowardice that hangs its head low is explicitly compared to a plantain/banana flower ('Vaazhai malar') that points downward toward the earth.
Symbolism & Wordplay
“Moondrezhuthil en moochirukum”
The phrase 'Moondrezhuthu' (Three Letters) carries multiple symbolic layers in Tamil—referring explicitly to 'Kadamai' (க-ட-மை / Duty) and subtly to political figures like 'Anna' (அ-ண்-ணா) or 'M.G.R.' (எம்-ஜி-ஆர்).
Did you know?
Trivia
Although listed without credits in some archives, this classic song from 'Dheiva Thaai' (1964) was written by the legendary Kaviarasu Kannadasan, composed by Viswanathan-Ramamoorthy, and sung by T. M. Soundararajan for M. G. Ramachandran (MGR). The song's emphasis on 'three letters' became a major political and cultural hallmark associated with MGR's screen persona.
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