- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- A. L. Raghavan, S. V. Ponnusami, L. R. Eswari
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Movie name
- Sorgam
- Movie release year
- 1970
- Lyrics added on
- 15 Dec 2019
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This satirical philosophical song from 'Sorgam' (1970), penned by Kannadasan, uses the allegory of an unevolved monkey to critique human greed, dishonesty, and moral stagnation despite societal progress. Kannadasan weaves classic moral principles into the lyric—invoking the Gandhian ethos of seeing, speaking, and hearing no evil—to remind people that material wealth is transient and sins carry inescapable consequences. The song draws inspiration from Saint Pattinathar's ascetic philosophy, urging people to achieve self-realization ('Unnai Arindhaal'). Ultimately, it delivers a powerful message that heaven ('Sorgam') is not a distant realm, but a state of peace achieved through righteous living, ethical conduct, and self-awareness.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Allegory / Metaphor
“Kurangu maaravillai sir”
Uses the monkey ('Kurangu') as a metaphor for human moral backwardness and primal greed.
Anaphora / Parallel Structure
“Un nalla kangal theemai kaana vendaam”
Repetition of 'Un nalla...' across consecutive lines to systematically address sensory purity (eyes, tongue, ears).
Ethukai (Second Letter Assonance)
“Kottiya laabam kooda varaadhu / Kattiya paavam aalai vidaadhu”
Matching second letter 'tt' in 'Kottiya' and 'Kattiya' across paired lines.
Alliteration (Monaai)
“Uthamarendraal sorgam irukku / Unnai arindhaal pakkam irukku”
Repetition of the 'U' sound at the start of words for poetic flow.
Keep listening
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