Mounathil Vilayaadum
From Nool Veli · 1979
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- Dr. Balamuralikrishna
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Details
- Nool Veli1979
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Mounathil vilayaadum | Playing in silence, |
| Manasatchiyae | Oh conscience! |
| Mounathil vilayaadum | Playing in silence, |
| Manasatchiyae | Oh conscience! |
| Aayiram ninaivaagi | Becoming a thousand memories, |
| Aanandha kanavaagi | Becoming a blissful dream, |
| Aayiram ninaivaagi | Becoming a thousand memories, |
| Aanandha kanavaagi | Becoming a blissful dream, |
| Kaariyam thavaraanal | If an endeavor fails, |
| Kanngalil neeraagi | Turning into tears in the eyes, |
| Male | |
| Mounathil vilayaadum | Playing in silence, |
| Manasatchiyae | Oh conscience! |
| Manasatchiyae | Oh conscience! |
| Male | |
| Ragasiya surangam nee | You are a secret tunnel, |
| Naadaga arangam nee | You are a dramatic stage, |
| Ragasiya surangam nee | You are a secret tunnel, |
| Naadaga arangam nee | You are a dramatic stage, |
| Sodhanai kalamallava | Aren't you a field of testing? |
| Nenjae thunbathin thaayallavaa | Oh heart, aren't you the mother of sorrow? |
| Male | |
| Oru kanam thavaraagi | Going wrong for a single moment, |
| Palayugam thudipaayae | You suffer for eras together, |
| Oomaiyin paribhaashai | The silent language of a mute person, |
| Kanngalil vadippaayae | You shed through the eyes, |
| Oomaiyin paribhaashai | The silent language of a mute person, |
| Kanngalil vadippaayae | You shed through the eyes, |
| Male | |
| Mounathil vilayaadum | Playing in silence, |
| Manasatchiyae | Oh conscience! |
| Aayiram ninaivaagi | Becoming a thousand memories, |
| Aanandha kanavaagi | Becoming a blissful dream, |
| Kaariyam thavaraanal | If an endeavor fails, |
| Kanngalil neeraagi | Turning into tears in the eyes, |
| Male | |
| Mounathil vilayaadum | Playing in silence, |
| Manasatchiyae | Oh conscience! |
| Manasatchiyae | Oh conscience! |
| Male | |
| Unnmaikku oru saatchi | One witness for the truth, |
| Poi solla pala saatchi | Many witnesses to tell lies, |
| Unnmaikku oru saatchi | One witness for the truth, |
| Poi solla pala saatchi | Many witnesses to tell lies, |
| Yaarukkum neeyallavaa | Belonging to everyone, aren't you? |
| Nenjae manithanin nizhalallavaa | Oh heart, aren't you a human's shadow? |
| Male | |
| Aasaiyil kallagi | Turning to stone in desire, |
| Achaththil mezhugaagi | Turning to wax in fear, |
| Yaar mugam paarthaalum | Whomever's face you look at, |
| Aiyaththil thavippaai nee | You suffer in doubt, |
| Yaar mugam paarthaalum | Whomever's face you look at, |
| Aiyaththil thavippaai nee | You suffer in doubt, |
| Male | |
| Mounathil vilayaadum | Playing in silence, |
| Manasatchiyae | Oh conscience! |
| Aayiram ninaivaagi | Becoming a thousand memories, |
| Aanandha kanavaagi | Becoming a blissful dream, |
| Kaariyam thavaraanal | If an endeavor fails, |
| Kanngalil neeraagi | Turning into tears in the eyes, |
| Male | |
| Mounathil vilayaadum | Playing in silence, |
| Manasatchiyae | Oh conscience! |
| Manasatchiyae | Oh conscience! |
மௌனத்தில் விளையாடும்
மனசாட்சியே
மௌனத்தில் விளையாடும்
மனசாட்சியே
ஆயிரம் நினைவாகி
ஆனந்தக் கனவாகி
ஆயிரம் நினைவாகி
ஆனந்தக் கனவாகி
காரியம் தவறானால்
கண்களில் நீராகி
Playing in silence,
Oh conscience!
Playing in silence,
Oh conscience!
Becoming a thousand memories,
Becoming a blissful dream,
Becoming a thousand memories,
Becoming a blissful dream,
If an endeavor fails,
Turning into tears in the eyes,
மௌனத்தில் விளையாடும்
மனசாட்சியே மனசாட்சியே
Playing in silence,
Oh conscience!
Oh conscience!
ரகசியச் சுரங்கம் நீ
நாடக அரங்கம் நீ
ரகசியச் சுரங்கம் நீ
நாடக அரங்கம் நீ
சோதனைக் களம் அல்லவா
நெஞ்சே துன்பத்தின் தாய் அல்லவா
You are a secret tunnel,
You are a dramatic stage,
You are a secret tunnel,
You are a dramatic stage,
Aren't you a field of testing?
Oh heart, aren't you the mother of sorrow?
ஒரு கணம் தவறாகி
பல யுகம் துடிப்பாயே
ஊமையின் பரிபாஷை
கண்களில் வடிப்பாயே
ஊமையின் பரிபாஷை
கண்களில் வடிப்பாயே
Going wrong for a single moment,
You suffer for eras together,
The silent language of a mute person,
You shed through the eyes,
The silent language of a mute person,
You shed through the eyes,
மௌனத்தில் விளையாடும்
மனசாட்சியே
ஆயிரம் நினைவாகி
ஆனந்தக் கனவாகி
காரியம் தவறானால்
கண்களில் நீராகி
Playing in silence,
Oh conscience!
Becoming a thousand memories,
Becoming a blissful dream,
If an endeavor fails,
Turning into tears in the eyes,
உண்மைக்கு ஒரு சாட்சி
பொய் சொல்ல பலசாட்சி
உண்மைக்கு ஒரு சாட்சி
பொய் சொல்ல பலசாட்சி
யாருக்கும் நீயல்லவா
நெஞ்சே மனிதனின் நிழல் அல்லவா
Playing in silence,
Oh conscience!
Oh conscience!
ஆசையில் கல்லாகி
அச்சத்தில் மெழுகாகி
யார் முகம் பார்த்தாலும்
ஐயத்தில் தவிப்பாய் நீ
யார் முகம் பார்த்தாலும்
ஐயத்தில் தவிப்பாய் நீ
One witness for the truth,
Many witnesses to tell lies,
One witness for the truth,
Many witnesses to tell lies,
Belonging to everyone, aren't you?
Oh heart, aren't you a human's shadow?
மௌனத்தில் விளையாடும்
மனசாட்சியே
ஆயிரம் நினைவாகி
ஆனந்தக் கனவாகி
காரியம் தவறானால்
கண்களில் நீராகி
Turning to stone in desire,
Turning to wax in fear,
Whomever's face you look at,
You suffer in doubt,
Whomever's face you look at,
You suffer in doubt,
மௌனத்தில் விளையாடும்
மனசாட்சியே மனசாட்சியே
Playing in silence,
Oh conscience!
Becoming a thousand memories,
Becoming a blissful dream,
If an endeavor fails,
Turning into tears in the eyes,
Playing in silence,
Oh conscience!
Oh conscience!
Mounathil vilayaadum
Playing in silence,
Manasatchiyae
Oh conscience!
Mounathil vilayaadum
Playing in silence,
Manasatchiyae
Oh conscience!
Aayiram ninaivaagi
Becoming a thousand memories,
Aanandha kanavaagi
Becoming a blissful dream,
Aayiram ninaivaagi
Becoming a thousand memories,
Aanandha kanavaagi
Becoming a blissful dream,
Kaariyam thavaraanal
If an endeavor fails,
Kanngalil neeraagi
Turning into tears in the eyes,
Mounathil vilayaadum
Playing in silence,
Manasatchiyae
Oh conscience!
Manasatchiyae
Oh conscience!
Ragasiya surangam nee
You are a secret tunnel,
Naadaga arangam nee
You are a dramatic stage,
Ragasiya surangam nee
You are a secret tunnel,
Naadaga arangam nee
You are a dramatic stage,
Sodhanai kalamallava
Aren't you a field of testing?
Nenjae thunbathin thaayallavaa
Oh heart, aren't you the mother of sorrow?
Oru kanam thavaraagi
Going wrong for a single moment,
Palayugam thudipaayae
You suffer for eras together,
Oomaiyin paribhaashai
The silent language of a mute person,
Kanngalil vadippaayae
You shed through the eyes,
Oomaiyin paribhaashai
The silent language of a mute person,
Kanngalil vadippaayae
You shed through the eyes,
Mounathil vilayaadum
Playing in silence,
Manasatchiyae
Oh conscience!
Aayiram ninaivaagi
Becoming a thousand memories,
Aanandha kanavaagi
Becoming a blissful dream,
Kaariyam thavaraanal
If an endeavor fails,
Kanngalil neeraagi
Turning into tears in the eyes,
Mounathil vilayaadum
Playing in silence,
Manasatchiyae
Oh conscience!
Manasatchiyae
Oh conscience!
Unnmaikku oru saatchi
One witness for the truth,
Poi solla pala saatchi
Many witnesses to tell lies,
Unnmaikku oru saatchi
One witness for the truth,
Poi solla pala saatchi
Many witnesses to tell lies,
Yaarukkum neeyallavaa
Belonging to everyone, aren't you?
Nenjae manithanin nizhalallavaa
Oh heart, aren't you a human's shadow?
Aasaiyil kallagi
Turning to stone in desire,
Achaththil mezhugaagi
Turning to wax in fear,
Yaar mugam paarthaalum
Whomever's face you look at,
Aiyaththil thavippaai nee
You suffer in doubt,
Yaar mugam paarthaalum
Whomever's face you look at,
Aiyaththil thavippaai nee
You suffer in doubt,
Mounathil vilayaadum
Playing in silence,
Manasatchiyae
Oh conscience!
Aayiram ninaivaagi
Becoming a thousand memories,
Aanandha kanavaagi
Becoming a blissful dream,
Kaariyam thavaraanal
If an endeavor fails,
Kanngalil neeraagi
Turning into tears in the eyes,
Mounathil vilayaadum
Playing in silence,
Manasatchiyae
Oh conscience!
Manasatchiyae
Oh conscience!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Mounathil Vilayaadum Manasatchiyae' from the movie Nool Veli (1979) is a profound philosophical meditation on the inner human conscience. Lyricist Kannadasan personifies the conscience as a silent, omnipresent watcher within the human mind that witnesses every thought, desire, and wrongdoing. While it brings joyful dreams and memories in times of peace, it transforms into an unrelenting judge and a source of sorrow when a person strays from moral rectitude. The song metaphorically characterizes the mind as a stage of drama, a secret tunnel, and a human's inescapable shadow. It contrasts the steadfast witness of inner truth with the falsity of external pretenses, depicting how guilt turns the heart into stone during moments of lust/desire, yet melts it like wax under the weight of fear and paranoia.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Personification
“Mounathil vilayaadum Manasatchiyae”
The abstract concept of conscience ('Manasatchi') is personified as an entity playing in silence and speaking through tears.
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Ragasiya surangam nee / Naadaga arangam nee”
The heart/conscience is directly compared to a secret tunnel ('ragasiya surangam') and a theater stage ('naadaga arangam').
Anthesis / Contrast
“Aasaiyil kallagi / Achaththil mezhugaagi”
Contrasts the hardening of the heart like stone ('kallagi') in desire with its softening like wax ('mezhugaagi') in fear.
Monai (Initial Rhyme/Alliteration)
“Aayiram ninaivaagi / Aanandha kanavaagi”
Repetition of the initial vowel sound 'Aa' in consecutive lines.
Oxymoron / Paradox
“Oomaiyin paribhaashai / Kanngalil vadippaayae”
Expresses the idea that the silent language of a mute person is expressed visually through tears in the eyes.
Did you know?
Trivia
Nool Veli (1979) was directed by K. Balachander and scored by M. S. Viswanathan. Sung by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, this song stands out as one of Kannadasan's classic philosophical compositions exploring psychological guilt, a recurring thematic element in K. Balachander's dramatic films.
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