Naan Oru Kadhanayagi
From Moondru Mudichu · 1976
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- L. R. Eswari, P. Susheela
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Details
- Moondru Mudichu1976
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Naan oru kadhaanaayagi | I am a heroine |
| Naan oru kadhaanaayagi | I am a heroine |
| Oru vazhiyinil | In one way |
| Naan orr sakunthalai | I am a Shakuntala |
| Oru vagaiyinil | In another way |
| Naan orr agaligai | I am an Ahalya |
| Oru vazhiyinil | In one way |
| Naan orr sakunthalai | I am a Shakuntala |
| Oru vagaiyinil | In another way |
| Naan orr agaligai | I am an Ahalya |
| Naan mullil vizhuntha | I am a silk saree |
| Pattu saelai | that fell upon thorns |
| Mullaai nindravar yaar | Who was the one that stood as the thorn? |
| Female | |
| Maenagai vandhadhum | When Menaka arrived |
| Munivanai kandadhum | and saw the sage |
| Mogam kondadhum thavar illai | falling in desire was no fault |
| Maenagai vandhadhum | When Menaka arrived |
| Munivanai kandadhum | and saw the sage |
| Mogam kondadhum thavar illai | falling in desire was no fault |
| Male | |
| {Mellidayaal | {When the slender-waisted woman |
| Oru pillai pettradhum | bore a child, |
| Munivan veruththadhu | the sage despising her |
| Murai illai} (2) | was not right} (2) |
| Male | |
| Oorukku sonnaal | If told to the town, |
| Ooraar sirippaar | the townspeople will laugh; |
| Unakkae sonnen vidhiyillai | I told only you, fate offers no alternative |
| Naan unakkae sonnaen vidhiyillai | I told only you, fate offers no alternative |
| Female | |
| Aval oru kadhaanaayagi | She is a heroine |
| Aval oru kadhaanaayagi | She is a heroine |
| Oru vazhiyinil | In one way |
| Aval oru sakunthalai | She is a Shakuntala |
| Oru vagaiyinil | In another way |
| Aval oru agaligai | She is an Ahalya |
| Oru vazhiyinil | In one way |
| Aval oru sakunthalai | She is a Shakuntala |
| Oru vagaiyinil | In another way |
| Aval oru agaligai | She is an Ahalya |
| Aval mullil vizhuntha | She is a silk saree |
| Pattu saelai | that fell upon thorns |
| Mullaai nindravar yaar | Who was the one that stood as the thorn? |
| Female | |
| Aaththiraththaalum | Out of anger/passion |
| Avasaraththaalum | and out of haste, |
| Angoru kanni thaayaanaal | a virgin became a mother there |
| Aaththiraththaalum | Out of anger/passion |
| Avasaraththaalum | and out of haste, |
| Angoru kanni thaayaanaal | a virgin became a mother there |
| Female | |
| Aaththira kaaranai | To reform |
| Thiruththida oruthi | a hot-tempered man, |
| Saathira padiyae thaayaanaal | a woman became a mother according to scripture |
| Aaththira kaaranai | To reform |
| Thiruththida oruthi | a hot-tempered man, |
| Saathira padiyae thaayaanaal | a woman became a mother according to scripture |
| Female | |
| Thaayaagaadha | To all women |
| Pengalukkellaam | who could not become mothers, |
| Thaaimai tharuvadhu unnarulo | is granting motherhood your divine grace? |
| Thaaymai tharuvadhu unnarulo | Is granting motherhood your divine grace? |
| Aval oru kadhaanaayagi | She is a heroine |
| Female | |
| Mmmm..naan oru kadhaanaayagi | Mmmm.. I am a heroine |
| Oru vazhiyinil | In one way |
| Naan orr sakunthalai | I am a Shakuntala |
| Oru vagaiyinil | In another way |
| Naan orr agaligai | I am an Ahalya |
| Naan mullil vizhuntha | I am a silk saree |
| Pattu saelai | that fell upon thorns |
| Mullaai nindravar yaar | Who was the one that stood as the thorn? |
நான் ஒரு கதாநாயகி
நான் ஒரு கதாநாயகி
ஒரு வழியினில்
நான் ஓர் சகுந்தலை
ஒரு வகையினில்
நான் ஓர் அகழிகை
ஒரு வழியினில்
நான் ஓர் சகுந்தலை
ஒரு வகையினில்
நான் ஓர் அகழிகை
நான் முள்ளில் விழுந்த
பட்டு சேலை
முள்ளாய் நின்றவர் யார்
I am a heroine
I am a heroine
In one way
I am a Shakuntala
In another way
I am an Ahalya
In one way
I am a Shakuntala
In another way
I am an Ahalya
I am a silk saree
that fell upon thorns
Who was the one that stood as the thorn?
மேனகை வந்ததும்
முனிவனை கண்டதும்
மோகம் கொண்டதும் தவறு இல்லை
மேனகை வந்ததும்
முனிவனை கண்டதும்
மோகம் கொண்டதும் தவறு இல்லை
When Menaka arrived
and saw the sage
falling in desire was no fault
When Menaka arrived
and saw the sage
falling in desire was no fault
{மெல்லிடையால்
ஒரு பிள்ளை பெற்றதும்
முனிவன் வெறுத்ததும்
முறை இல்லை} (2)
{When the slender-waisted woman
bore a child,
the sage despising her
was not right} (2)
ஊருக்கு சொன்னால்
ஊரார் சிரிப்பார்
உனக்கே சொன்னேன் விதியில்லை
நான் உனக்கே சொன்னேன்
விதியில்லை
If told to the town,
the townspeople will laugh;
I told only you, fate offers no alternative
I told only you, fate offers no alternative
அவள் ஒரு கதாநாயகி
அவள் ஒரு கதாநாயகி
ஒரு வழியினில்
அவள் ஒரு சகுந்தலை
ஒரு வகையினில்
அவள் ஒரு அகழிகை
ஒரு வழியினில்
அவள் ஒரு சகுந்தலை
ஒரு வகையினில்
அவள் ஒரு அகழிகை
அவள் முள்ளில் விழுந்த
பட்டு சேலை
முள்ளாய் நின்றவர் யார்
She is a heroine
She is a heroine
In one way
She is a Shakuntala
In another way
She is an Ahalya
In one way
She is a Shakuntala
In another way
She is an Ahalya
She is a silk saree
that fell upon thorns
Who was the one that stood as the thorn?
ஆத்திரத்தாலும்
அவசரத்தாலும்
அங்கொரு கன்னி தாயானால்
ஆத்திரத்தாலும்
அவசரத்தாலும்
அங்கொரு கன்னி தாயானால்
Out of anger/passion
and out of haste,
a virgin became a mother there
Out of anger/passion
and out of haste,
a virgin became a mother there
ஆத்திரகாரனை
திருத்திட ஒருத்தி
சாத்திர படியே தாயானால்
ஆத்திர காரனை
திருத்திட ஒருத்தி
சாத்திர படியே தாயானால்
To reform
a hot-tempered man,
a woman became a mother according to scripture
To reform
a hot-tempered man,
a woman became a mother according to scripture
தாயாகாத
பெண்களுக்கெல்லாம்
தாய்மை தருவது உன்னருளோ
தாய்மை தருவது உன்னருளோ
அவள் ஒரு கதாநாயகி
To all women
who could not become mothers,
is granting motherhood your divine grace?
Is granting motherhood your divine grace?
She is a heroine
ம்ம்..நான் ஒரு கதாநாயகி
ஒரு வழியினில்
நான் ஓர் சகுந்தலை
ஒரு வகையினில்
நான் ஓர் அகழிகை
நான் முள்ளில் விழுந்த
பட்டு சேலை
முள்ளாய் நின்றவர் யார்
Mmmm.. I am a heroine
In one way
I am a Shakuntala
In another way
I am an Ahalya
I am a silk saree
that fell upon thorns
Who was the one that stood as the thorn?
Naan oru kadhaanaayagi
I am a heroine
Naan oru kadhaanaayagi
I am a heroine
Oru vazhiyinil
In one way
Naan orr sakunthalai
I am a Shakuntala
Oru vagaiyinil
In another way
Naan orr agaligai
I am an Ahalya
Oru vazhiyinil
In one way
Naan orr sakunthalai
I am a Shakuntala
Oru vagaiyinil
In another way
Naan orr agaligai
I am an Ahalya
Naan mullil vizhuntha
I am a silk saree
Pattu saelai
that fell upon thorns
Mullaai nindravar yaar
Who was the one that stood as the thorn?
Maenagai vandhadhum
When Menaka arrived
Munivanai kandadhum
and saw the sage
Mogam kondadhum thavar illai
falling in desire was no fault
Maenagai vandhadhum
When Menaka arrived
Munivanai kandadhum
and saw the sage
Mogam kondadhum thavar illai
falling in desire was no fault
{Mellidayaal
{When the slender-waisted woman
Oru pillai pettradhum
bore a child,
Munivan veruththadhu
the sage despising her
Murai illai} (2)
was not right} (2)
Oorukku sonnaal
If told to the town,
Ooraar sirippaar
the townspeople will laugh;
Unakkae sonnen vidhiyillai
I told only you, fate offers no alternative
Naan unakkae sonnaen vidhiyillai
I told only you, fate offers no alternative
Aval oru kadhaanaayagi
She is a heroine
Aval oru kadhaanaayagi
She is a heroine
Oru vazhiyinil
In one way
Aval oru sakunthalai
She is a Shakuntala
Oru vagaiyinil
In another way
Aval oru agaligai
She is an Ahalya
Oru vazhiyinil
In one way
Aval oru sakunthalai
She is a Shakuntala
Oru vagaiyinil
In another way
Aval oru agaligai
She is an Ahalya
Aval mullil vizhuntha
She is a silk saree
Pattu saelai
that fell upon thorns
Mullaai nindravar yaar
Who was the one that stood as the thorn?
Aaththiraththaalum
Out of anger/passion
Avasaraththaalum
and out of haste,
Angoru kanni thaayaanaal
a virgin became a mother there
Aaththiraththaalum
Out of anger/passion
Avasaraththaalum
and out of haste,
Angoru kanni thaayaanaal
a virgin became a mother there
Aaththira kaaranai
To reform
Thiruththida oruthi
a hot-tempered man,
Saathira padiyae thaayaanaal
a woman became a mother according to scripture
Aaththira kaaranai
To reform
Thiruththida oruthi
a hot-tempered man,
Saathira padiyae thaayaanaal
a woman became a mother according to scripture
Thaayaagaadha
To all women
Pengalukkellaam
who could not become mothers,
Thaaimai tharuvadhu unnarulo
is granting motherhood your divine grace?
Thaaymai tharuvadhu unnarulo
Is granting motherhood your divine grace?
Aval oru kadhaanaayagi
She is a heroine
Mmmm..naan oru kadhaanaayagi
Mmmm.. I am a heroine
Oru vazhiyinil
In one way
Naan orr sakunthalai
I am a Shakuntala
Oru vagaiyinil
In another way
Naan orr agaligai
I am an Ahalya
Naan mullil vizhuntha
I am a silk saree
Pattu saelai
that fell upon thorns
Mullaai nindravar yaar
Who was the one that stood as the thorn?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
In this song from K. Balachander's 'Moondru Mudichu' (1976), lyricist Kannadasan utilizes deep mythological metaphors to capture the protagonist's dramatic, tragic situation. The protagonist compares herself to two iconic figures from Hindu mythology: Shakuntala (who was abandoned after giving birth) and Ahalya (who suffered due to deceit). She describes herself as a delicate silk saree that fell onto sharp thorns, questioning who created those thorns in her life. The song explores themes of forced duty, tragic destiny, and societal hypocrisy. Through poetic dialogue between two voices (or perspectives), it underscores how a young woman is thrust into complex roles of motherhood and marriage due to circumstances, rash behavior of others, and divine twist of fate.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Mythological Allusion (Purana Uvamai)
“Naan orr sakunthalai / Naan orr agaligai”
Compares the protagonist's suffering directly to mythological heroines Shakuntala (abandoned by Viswamitra/Dushyanta) and Ahalya (victim of circumstance).
Extended Metaphor (Uvamai)
“Naan mullil vizhuntha pattu saelai”
Compares a helpless woman to a soft, delicate silk saree that gets snagged on sharp thorns, symbolizing vulnerability.
Rhetorical Question (Vinaa Ani)
“Mullaai nindravar yaar”
Asks who played the role of the thorn in her life, pointing blame at the antagonist/fate.
Alliteration (Monai)
“Aaththiraththaalum / Avasaraththaalum”
Repetition of initial consonants like 'Aa' creating rhythmic poetic flow.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Moondru Mudichu' (1976) was directed by K. Balachander and featured a famous love triangle/revenge dynamic between Sridevi, Rajinikanth, and Kamal Haasan. The music was composed by M. S. Viswanathan with lyrics by Kannadasan. This song showcases a unique narrative style where the internal dilemma of Sridevi's character is voiced through classical mythological comparisons.
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