Naalu Kaalu Sir
From Sorgam · 1970
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- A. L. Raghavan, S. V. Ponnusami, L. R. Eswari
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Details
- Sorgam1970
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Naalu kaalu sir naduvilae | Four legs, sir, and in the middle, |
| Oru vaalu sir | There is a tail, sir! |
| Aadhi manushan jaadhi thaanae sir | Isn't it from the lineage of primitive man, sir? |
| Varusham pogudhu ulagam maarudhu | Years pass and the world changes, |
| Kurangu maaravillai sir | Yet the monkey hasn't changed, sir! |
| Female | |
| Un nalla kangal theemai kaana vendaam | Let your good eyes not see evil, |
| Un nalla naakku poiyai pesa vendaam | Let your good tongue not speak lies, |
| Un nalla kaadhu naasamaaga vendaam | Let your good ears not be ruined by poison, |
| Male | |
| Mathavan veedu sathiram alla | Another person's house is not a free shelter. |
| Makkalai paathu un buthiyai maathu | Look at the people and change your mindset, |
| Makkalai paathu un buthiyai maathu | Look at the people and change your mindset. |
| Female | |
| Naam unda soru jeeranikka vendum | The food we eat must be digested well, |
| Naam neenda kaalam mannil vaazha vendum | We ought to live on this earth for a long time, |
| Nee seidha paavam emmai saera vendaam | May the sins you committed not attach to us. |
| Male | |
| Kottiya laabam kooda varaadhu | The accumulated profits will not follow you after death, |
| Kattiya paavam aalai vidaadhu | The bound sins will never let a person go. |
| Kattiya paavam aalai vidaadhu | The bound sins will never let a person go. |
| Male | |
| Pattinathu saami sonna nyaanam | The spiritual wisdom spoken by Saint Pattinathar, |
| Un pathirathil padhivu seiya venum | Must be recorded inside your registry. |
| Nee kettadharkku vatti poda venum | You must pay interest for what you gained/heard. |
| Uthamarendraal sorgam irukku | If one is righteous, heaven truly exists, |
| Unnai arindhaal pakkam irukku | If you know yourself, heaven is right beside you. |
| Unnai arindhaal pakkam irukku | If you know yourself, heaven is right beside you. |
| Male | |
| {Maathru boodham | {Transforming nature / element, |
| Chorus :Aa…aa…aaa….aa… | Chorus: Aa…aa…aaa….aa… |
| Male :Nee maara vendum | Male: You must change, |
| Chorus :Aa…aa…aaa….aa..} (4) | Chorus: Aa…aa…aaa….aa..} (4) |
மற்றும் எல். ஆர். ஈஸ்வரி
Four legs, sir, and in the middle,
There is a tail, sir!
Isn't it from the lineage of primitive man, sir?
Years pass and the world changes,
Yet the monkey hasn't changed, sir!
நாலு காலு சார் நடுவிலே
ஒரு வாலு சார்
ஆதி மனுஷன் ஜாதி தானே சார்
வருஷம் போகுது உலகம் மாறுது
குரங்கு மாறவில்லை சார்
Let your good eyes not see evil,
Let your good tongue not speak lies,
Let your good ears not be ruined by poison,
நாலு காலு சார் நடுவிலே
ஒரு வாலு சார்
ஆதி மனுஷன் ஜாதி தானே சார்
வருஷம் போகுது உலகம் மாறுது
குரங்கு மாறவில்லை சார்
Another person's house is not a free shelter.
Look at the people and change your mindset,
Look at the people and change your mindset.
மாத்ரு பூதம்
நீ மாற வேண்டும்
மாத்ரு பூதம் மாற வேண்டும்
The food we eat must be digested well,
We ought to live on this earth for a long time,
May the sins you committed not attach to us.
உன் நல்ல கண்கள் தீமை காண வேண்டாம்
உன் நல்ல நாக்கு பொய்யை பேச வேண்டாம்
உன் நல்ல காது நாசமாக வேண்டாம்
The accumulated profits will not follow you after death,
The bound sins will never let a person go.
The bound sins will never let a person go.
மத்தவன் வீடு சத்திரமல்ல
மக்களை பாத்து உன் புத்தியை மாத்து
மக்களை பாத்து உன் புத்தியை மாத்து
The spiritual wisdom spoken by Saint Pattinathar,
Must be recorded inside your registry.
You must pay interest for what you gained/heard.
If one is righteous, heaven truly exists,
If you know yourself, heaven is right beside you.
If you know yourself, heaven is right beside you.
மாத்ரு பூதம்
நீ மாற வேண்டும்
மாத்ரு பூதம் மாற வேண்டும்
{Transforming nature / element,
Chorus: Aa…aa…aaa….aa…
Male: You must change,
Chorus: Aa…aa…aaa….aa..} (4)
நாலு காலு சார் நடுவிலே
ஒரு வாலு சார்
ஆதி மனுஷன் ஜாதி தானே சார்
வருஷம் போகுது உலகம் மாறுது
குரங்கு மாறவில்லை சார்
நாம் உண்ட சோறு ஜீரணிக்க வேண்டும்
நாம் நீண்ட காலம் மண்ணில் வாழ வேண்டும்
நீ செய்த பாவம் எம்மை சேர வேண்டாம்
கொட்டிய லாபம் கூட வராது
கட்டிய பாவம் ஆளை விடாது
கட்டிய பாவம் ஆளை விடாது
பட்டினத்து சாமி சொன்ன ஞானம்
உன் பத்திரத்தில் பதிவு செய்ய வேணும்
நீ கெட்டதற்கு வட்டி போட வேணும்
உத்தமரென்றால் சொர்க்கம் இருக்கு
உன்னை அறிந்தால் பக்கம் இருக்கு
உன்னை அறிந்தால் பக்கம் இருக்கு
{மாத்ரு பூதம்
குழு :
ஆ......ஆஅ......ஆஅ......ஆ.....
நீ மாற வேண்டும்
குழு :
ஆ......ஆஅ......ஆஅ......ஆ.....} (4)
Naalu kaalu sir naduvilae
Four legs, sir, and in the middle,
Oru vaalu sir
There is a tail, sir!
Aadhi manushan jaadhi thaanae sir
Isn't it from the lineage of primitive man, sir?
Varusham pogudhu ulagam maarudhu
Years pass and the world changes,
Kurangu maaravillai sir
Yet the monkey hasn't changed, sir!
Un nalla kangal theemai kaana vendaam
Let your good eyes not see evil,
Un nalla naakku poiyai pesa vendaam
Let your good tongue not speak lies,
Un nalla kaadhu naasamaaga vendaam
Let your good ears not be ruined by poison,
Mathavan veedu sathiram alla
Another person's house is not a free shelter.
Makkalai paathu un buthiyai maathu
Look at the people and change your mindset,
Makkalai paathu un buthiyai maathu
Look at the people and change your mindset.
Naam unda soru jeeranikka vendum
The food we eat must be digested well,
Naam neenda kaalam mannil vaazha vendum
We ought to live on this earth for a long time,
Nee seidha paavam emmai saera vendaam
May the sins you committed not attach to us.
Kottiya laabam kooda varaadhu
The accumulated profits will not follow you after death,
Kattiya paavam aalai vidaadhu
The bound sins will never let a person go.
Kattiya paavam aalai vidaadhu
The bound sins will never let a person go.
Pattinathu saami sonna nyaanam
The spiritual wisdom spoken by Saint Pattinathar,
Un pathirathil padhivu seiya venum
Must be recorded inside your registry.
Nee kettadharkku vatti poda venum
You must pay interest for what you gained/heard.
Uthamarendraal sorgam irukku
If one is righteous, heaven truly exists,
Unnai arindhaal pakkam irukku
If you know yourself, heaven is right beside you.
Unnai arindhaal pakkam irukku
If you know yourself, heaven is right beside you.
{Maathru boodham
{Transforming nature / element,
Chorus :Aa…aa…aaa….aa…
Chorus: Aa…aa…aaa….aa…
Male :Nee maara vendum
Male: You must change,
Chorus :Aa…aa…aaa….aa..} (4)
Chorus: Aa…aa…aaa….aa..} (4)
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
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.
Did you know?
Trivia
Although listed as Unknown in the context prompt, the music for 'Sorgam' (1970) was composed by M. S. Viswanathan, and this iconic philosophical track was performed by T. M. Soundararajan. The movie featured Sivaji Ganesan, K. Balaji, and K. R. Vijaya, and was famous for its rich Kannadasan lyrics that referenced Tamil saint-poet Pattinathar.
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