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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Naadu Naadu

From Pulivaal · 2014

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
Madhu Balakrishnan
Music director
N. R. Raghunanthan
Details
Pulivaal2014

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Naadu naadu oru vettai kaaduCountry, country, a hunting forest
Naalum naalum nee vettai yaaduDay by day, go hunting
Thaanda vendum pala thadaigal nooruYou must cross a hundred obstacles
Yeru munneruClimb and move forward
Male
Podu podu mayil eraghae poduDrop gently like a peacock feather
Endra bodhu adhu podhuvadhillaiSaying so is not enough
Podu podu endru pottal podhumIf you strike hard and act, that is enough
Porril munneruAdvance in war
Male
Thedalae vazhkaiyaaIs life a search?
Un vazhkaiyae thedalaaaIs your life itself a search?
Vinnilum mannilumIn the sky and on earth
Vidai thedi thirigindraiiYou wander searching for answers
Male
Vaaimaiyum thotradhaeTruth has lost
Un valimaiyum thotradhaeYour strength too has lost
Vaaimaiyum valimaiyumTruth and strength
Ondru sernthae purappadu neeUnite them both and set forth
Male
Boomiyum vaanamumThe earth and the sky
Piranthathu mudhalaaiSince the time of creation
Pootiyae kedakkuthadaaLie locked up
Idhai purindhavan thelindhavanThe one who understands this, who is clear-headed
Thunindhavan adithaalIf the courageous one strikes
Pootukugal therikkumadaaThe locks will shatter
Male
Naadu naadu oru vettai kaaduCountry, country, a hunting forest
Naalum naalum nee vettai yaaduDay by day, go hunting
Thaanda vendum pala thadaigal nooruYou must cross a hundred obstacles
Yeru munneruClimb and move forward
Male
Podu podu mayil eraghae poduDrop gently like a peacock feather
Endra bodhu adhu podhuvadhillaiSaying so is not enough
Podu podu endru pottal podhumIf you strike hard and act, that is enough
Porril munneruAdvance in war
Male
Buththi ondrinaal vetri petravanOne who wins solely by intellect
Boomi aalavae mudiyadhuCannot rule the earth
Kaththi ondrinaal vetri petravanOne who wins solely by the sword
Kadhaiyum nimmadhi kaanaadhuHis story will not see peace
Male
Tharmam enbadhu thamadham aanaalIf righteousness gets delayed
Buththi mattumae podhadhuIntellect alone is not sufficient
Kaalam solgaiyil kaththi yenthinaalWhen time demands and you lift the sword
Kadavul ondrum solladhuGod will say nothing against it
Male
Thalaikku mel paravaiA bird above your head
Echcham ida koodumMay drop its droppings
Adhu thaanae un vidhiyaeThat in itself is your fate
Thalaikku melae koodu kattaamalWithout letting it build a nest on your head
Thaduppadhu un madhiyaePreventing it is your intellect
Male
Siru muyalaagha vidhi munbae thaanBefore fate, instead of being a small rabbit
Perum puliyaagha nee munneruAdvance like a mighty tiger
Male
Boomiyum vaanamumThe earth and the sky
Piranthathu mudhalaaiSince the time of creation
Pootiyae kedakkuthadaaLie locked up
Idhai purindhavan thelindhavanThe one who understands this, who is clear-headed
Thunindhavan adithaalIf the courageous one strikes
Pootukugal therikkumadaaThe locks will shatter
Male
Naadu naadu oru vettai kaaduCountry, country, a hunting forest
Naalum naalum nee vettai yaaduDay by day, go hunting
Thaanda vendum pala thadaigal nooruYou must cross a hundred obstacles
Yeru munneruClimb and move forward
Male
Podu podu mayil eraghae poduDrop gently like a peacock feather
Endra bodhu adhu podhuvadhillaiSaying so is not enough
Podu podu endru pottal podhumIf you strike hard and act, that is enough
Porril munneruAdvance in war
Male
Karadi kaiyilae manidhan sikkinaalIf a man gets caught in a bear's grip
Theeyai kaatinaal oodividumShowing fire will make it run away
Vidhiyin kaiyilae kudumi sikkinaalIf your hair gets caught in fate's grip
Mudiyo thalaiyoo vaangividumIt will snatch away hair or head
Male
Neenda inbamo neelum thunbamoProlonged joy or endless sorrow
Nichchaiyam oru naal mudi vunduSurely has an end one day
Aaru maadhangal iravu soozhalaamNight may surround for six months
Aanaal orr naal mudivunduBut one day it will end
Male
Thaanaaga ellam seriagum endraalIf you think everything will fix itself
Un vaazhkai veen kanavuYour life is a useless dream
Singathai thaandi aatrukkul veezhdhaalEscaping a lion and falling into the river
Mudhalaikku nee unavuYou become food for the crocodile
Male
Un vazhi ellam perum mul kaaduYour whole path is a thick thorn forest
Oru kaatrai pol nee paaindhoduRush and run like the wind
Male
Boomiyum vaanamumThe earth and the sky
Piranthathu mudhalaaiSince the time of creation
Pootiyae kedakkuthadaaLie locked up
Idhai purindhavan thelindhavanThe one who understands this, who is clear-headed
Thunindhavan adithaalIf the courageous one strikes
Pootukugal therikkumadaaThe locks will shatter
Male
Naadu naadu oru vettai kaaduCountry, country, a hunting forest
Naalum naalum nee vettai yaaduDay by day, go hunting
Thaanda vendum pala thadaigal nooruYou must cross a hundred obstacles
Yeru munneruClimb and move forward
Male
Podu podu mayil eraghae poduDrop gently like a peacock feather
Endra bodhu adhu podhuvadhillaiSaying so is not enough
Podu podu endru pottal podhumIf you strike hard and act, that is enough
Porril munneruAdvance in war

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song 'Naadu Naadu Oru Vettai Kaadu' from the 2014 movie Pulivaal is an energetic and philosophical track about resilience, struggle, and overcoming life's obstacles. Lyricist Vairamuthu compares the country/world to a dense hunting forest where every individual must actively fight and hunt to survive. It emphasizes that passive gentleness (represented by a peacock feather) is insufficient when facing harsh realities; real victory requires combining intellect (buththi), strength (valimai), and righteousness (tharmam). The lyrics warn against relying purely on fate or passive waiting, urging the listener to take charge and act decisively like a tiger rather than a helpless rabbit.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor

Naadu naadu oru vettai kaadu

Compares the world to a hunting forest ('Naadu naadu oru vettai kaadu') where life is a constant hunt for survival.

Monai (Initial Rhyme / Assonance)

Buththi ondrinaal vetri petravan / Boomi aalavae mudiyadhu

Repetition of initial consonants/vowels across words, such as 'Buththi' and 'Boomi' or 'Kaththi' and 'Kadhaiyum'.

Simile

Oru kaatrai pol nee paaindhodu

Uses 'kaatrai pol' (like the wind) to describe rushing through life's thorn forest swiftly.

Contrast / Antithesis

Siru muyalaagha vidhi munbae thaan / Perum puliyaagha nee munneru

Juxtaposes being a small rabbit ('siru muyal') with advancing as a mighty tiger ('perum puli').

Did you know?

Trivia

Pulivaal (2014) is a Tamil comedy-thriller film directed by G. Marimuthu, starring Vimal and Prasanna. The song's music was composed by N. R. Raghunanthan, with hard-hitting lyrics penned by veteran lyricist Vairamuthu.

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