Naan Oru Koyil
From Nellikani · 1981
- Lyricist
- Pulamaipithan
- Music director
- Shankar Ganesh
- Details
- Nellikani1981
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Naan oru koyil nee oru dheivam | I am a temple, you are the deity |
| Unnai thedi naan vanthaen | Searching for you, I came |
| Unnil ennai naan kandaen | Within you, I found myself |
| Unnaal ingu vaazhgindraen | Because of you, I live here |
| Male | |
| Naan oru koyil nee oru dheivam | I am a temple, you are the deity |
| Unnai thedi naan vanthaen | Searching for you, I came |
| Unnil ennai naan kandaen | Within you, I found myself |
| Unnaal ingu vaazhgindraen | Because of you, I live here |
| Male | |
| Annai enna thanthai enna | What matters mother, what matters father |
| Unnai kanda pinnaalae | After seeing you? |
| Uyarvenna thaazhvumenna | What is high or low status |
| Unthan anbil munnaalae | Before your love? |
| Male | |
| Kadal neerum vattripogum | Even the ocean water will dry up |
| Namathanbu vattraathu | But our love will never dry |
| Oru jodi jenmam | A pair of births |
| Engal natpukku poraathu | Will not be enough for our friendship |
| Male | |
| Unnil ennai naan kandaen | Within you, I found myself |
| Unnaal ing vaazhgindraen | Because of you, I live here |
| Male | |
| Naan oru koyil nee oru dheivam | I am a temple, you are the deity |
| Unnai thedi naan vanthaen | Searching for you, I came |
| Unnil ennai naan kandaen | Within you, I found myself |
| Unnaal ingu vaazhgindraen | Because of you, I live here |
| Male | |
| Sorkkam neril vanthaalkooda | Even if heaven itself comes in person |
| Unnai vittu povaeno | Would I ever leave you? |
| Unakkendru ennai thanthaen | I gave myself up for you |
| Enakkendru vaazhveno | Would I live for myself? |
| Male | |
| Veshamendru nee thanthaalum | Even if you offer me poison |
| Amthaaga maaraatho | Won't it turn into nectar? |
| Vizhi moodi thoongumpothum | Even when I close my eyes and sleep |
| Un vannam thondraatho | Won't your form appear? |
| Male | |
| Unnil ennai naan kandaen | Within you, I found myself |
| Unnaal ingu vaazhgindraen | Because of you, I live here |
| Male | |
| Naan oru koyil nee oru dheivam | I am a temple, you are the deity |
| Unnai thedi naan vanthaen | Searching for you, I came |
| Unnil ennai naan kandaen | Within you, I found myself |
| Unnaal ingu vaazhgindraen | Because of you, I live here |
| Male | |
| Gangai vedan thannai raman | Raman considered Guhan, the hunter of Ganges |
| Thozhan endr kondaanae | As his true friend |
| Karnan konda thozhamaikkaaga | For the sake of friendship, Karna |
| Aavi thannai thanthaanae | Gave up his very life |
| Male | |
| Kavi vendhan kamban vanthu | Won't Kamban, the king of poets, come |
| Namai paada maattaano | And sing about us? |
| Kadhaiyalla unmaiyendru | Won't history show that |
| Varalaaru kaattaano…. | This is not a story, but the truth? |
| Male | |
| Unnil ennai naan kandaen | Within you, I found myself |
| Unnaal ingu vaazhgindraen…. | Because of you, I live here... |
| Male | |
| Naan oru koyil nee oru dheivam | I am a temple, you are the deity |
| Unnai thedi naan vanthaen | Searching for you, I came |
| Unnil ennai naan kandaen | Within you, I found myself |
| Unnaal ingu vaazhgindraen….. | Because of you, I live here... |
| Male | |
| Unnil ennai naan kandaen | Within you, I found myself |
| Unnaal ingu vaazhgindraen….. | Because of you, I live here... |
நான் ஒரு கோயில் நீ ஒரு தெய்வம்
உன்னைத் தேடி நான் வந்தேன்
உன்னில் என்னை நான் கண்டேன்
உன்னால் இங்கு வாழ்கின்றேன்.......
I am a temple, you are the deity
Searching for you, I came
Within you, I found myself
Because of you, I live here
நான் ஒரு கோயில் நீ ஒரு தெய்வம்
உன்னைத் தேடி நான் வந்தேன்
உன்னில் என்னை நான் கண்டேன்
உன்னால் இங்கு வாழ்கின்றேன்.......
I am a temple, you are the deity
Searching for you, I came
Within you, I found myself
Because of you, I live here
அன்னை என்ன தந்தை என்ன
உன்னைக் கண்ட பின்னாலே
உயர்வென்ன தாழ்வுமென்ன
உந்தன் அன்பின் முன்னாலே
What matters mother, what matters father
After seeing you?
What is high or low status
Before your love?
கடல் நீரும் வற்றிப்போகும்
நமதன்பு வற்றாது........
ஒரு கோடி ஜென்மம்
எங்கள் நட்புக்குப் போறாது.......
Even the ocean water will dry up
But our love will never dry
A pair of births
Will not be enough for our friendship
உன்னில் என்னை நான் கண்டேன்
உன்னால் இங்கு வாழ்கின்றேன்.......
Within you, I found myself
Because of you, I live here
நான் ஒரு கோயில் நீ ஒரு தெய்வம்
உன்னைத் தேடி நான் வந்தேன்
உன்னில் என்னை நான் கண்டேன்
உன்னால் இங்கு வாழ்கின்றேன்.......
I am a temple, you are the deity
Searching for you, I came
Within you, I found myself
Because of you, I live here
சொர்க்கம் நேரில் வந்தால் கூட
உன்னை விட்டுப் போவேனோ
உனக்கென்று என்னைத் தந்தேன்
எனக்கென்று வாழ்வேனோ
Even if heaven itself comes in person
Would I ever leave you?
I gave myself up for you
Would I live for myself?
விஷமென்று நீ தந்தாலும்
அமுதாக மாறாதோ
விழி மூடி தூங்கும் போதும்
உன் வண்ணம் தோன்றாதோ......
Even if you offer me poison
Won't it turn into nectar?
Even when I close my eyes and sleep
Won't your form appear?
உன்னில் என்னை நான் கண்டேன்
உன்னால் இங்கு வாழ்கின்றேன்.......
Within you, I found myself
Because of you, I live here
நான் ஒரு கோயில் நீ ஒரு தெய்வம்
உன்னைத் தேடி நான் வந்தேன்
உன்னில் என்னை நான் கண்டேன்
உன்னால் இங்கு வாழ்கின்றேன்.......
I am a temple, you are the deity
Searching for you, I came
Within you, I found myself
Because of you, I live here
கங்கை வேடன் தன்னை இராமன்
தோழன் என்று கொண்டானே
கர்ணன் கொண்ட தோழமைக்காக
ஆவி தன்னைத் தந்தானே
Raman considered Guhan, the hunter of Ganges
As his true friend
For the sake of friendship, Karna
Gave up his very life
கவி வேந்தன் கம்பன் வந்து
நமைப் பாட மாட்டானோ
கதையல்ல உண்மையென்று
வரலாறு காட்டானோ......
Won't Kamban, the king of poets, come
And sing about us?
Won't history show that
This is not a story, but the truth?
உன்னில் என்னை நான் கண்டேன்
உன்னால் இங்கு வாழ்கின்றேன்.......
Within you, I found myself
Because of you, I live here...
நான் ஒரு கோயில் நீ ஒரு தெய்வம்
உன்னைத் தேடி நான் வந்தேன்
உன்னில் என்னை நான் கண்டேன்
உன்னால் இங்கு வாழ்கின்றேன்.......
I am a temple, you are the deity
Searching for you, I came
Within you, I found myself
Because of you, I live here...
உன்னில் என்னை நான் கண்டேன்
உன்னால் இங்கு வாழ்கின்றேன்.......
Within you, I found myself
Because of you, I live here...
Naan oru koyil nee oru dheivam
I am a temple, you are the deity
Unnai thedi naan vanthaen
Searching for you, I came
Unnil ennai naan kandaen
Within you, I found myself
Unnaal ingu vaazhgindraen
Because of you, I live here
Naan oru koyil nee oru dheivam
I am a temple, you are the deity
Unnai thedi naan vanthaen
Searching for you, I came
Unnil ennai naan kandaen
Within you, I found myself
Unnaal ingu vaazhgindraen
Because of you, I live here
Annai enna thanthai enna
What matters mother, what matters father
Unnai kanda pinnaalae
After seeing you?
Uyarvenna thaazhvumenna
What is high or low status
Unthan anbil munnaalae
Before your love?
Kadal neerum vattripogum
Even the ocean water will dry up
Namathanbu vattraathu
But our love will never dry
Oru jodi jenmam
A pair of births
Engal natpukku poraathu
Will not be enough for our friendship
Unnil ennai naan kandaen
Within you, I found myself
Unnaal ing vaazhgindraen
Because of you, I live here
Naan oru koyil nee oru dheivam
I am a temple, you are the deity
Unnai thedi naan vanthaen
Searching for you, I came
Unnil ennai naan kandaen
Within you, I found myself
Unnaal ingu vaazhgindraen
Because of you, I live here
Sorkkam neril vanthaalkooda
Even if heaven itself comes in person
Unnai vittu povaeno
Would I ever leave you?
Unakkendru ennai thanthaen
I gave myself up for you
Enakkendru vaazhveno
Would I live for myself?
Veshamendru nee thanthaalum
Even if you offer me poison
Amthaaga maaraatho
Won't it turn into nectar?
Vizhi moodi thoongumpothum
Even when I close my eyes and sleep
Un vannam thondraatho
Won't your form appear?
Unnil ennai naan kandaen
Within you, I found myself
Unnaal ingu vaazhgindraen
Because of you, I live here
Naan oru koyil nee oru dheivam
I am a temple, you are the deity
Unnai thedi naan vanthaen
Searching for you, I came
Unnil ennai naan kandaen
Within you, I found myself
Unnaal ingu vaazhgindraen
Because of you, I live here
Gangai vedan thannai raman
Raman considered Guhan, the hunter of Ganges
Thozhan endr kondaanae
As his true friend
Karnan konda thozhamaikkaaga
For the sake of friendship, Karna
Aavi thannai thanthaanae
Gave up his very life
Kavi vendhan kamban vanthu
Won't Kamban, the king of poets, come
Namai paada maattaano
And sing about us?
Kadhaiyalla unmaiyendru
Won't history show that
Varalaaru kaattaano….
This is not a story, but the truth?
Unnil ennai naan kandaen
Within you, I found myself
Unnaal ingu vaazhgindraen….
Because of you, I live here...
Naan oru koyil nee oru dheivam
I am a temple, you are the deity
Unnai thedi naan vanthaen
Searching for you, I came
Unnil ennai naan kandaen
Within you, I found myself
Unnaal ingu vaazhgindraen…..
Because of you, I live here...
Unnil ennai naan kandaen
Within you, I found myself
Unnaal ingu vaazhgindraen…..
Because of you, I live here...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Naan Oru Koyil Nee Oru Dheivam' from Nellikani (1981) is a celebrated Tamil song depicting immortal friendship and spiritual brotherhood. The lyrics metaphorically equate one friend to a temple and the other to the deity residing within, expressing that true love transcends family bonds, societal status, and earthly lifespan. To illustrate the eternal nature of their affection, the lyricist invokes famous mythological examples of pure friendship—Lord Rama accepting Guhan the hunter as his brother, and Karna sacrificing his life out of loyalty to his friend. The song affirms that such selfless devotion will echo through history as an undeniable truth rather than mere fiction.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamai)
“Naan oru koyil nee oru dheivam”
Compares the self to a physical temple ('koyil') and the friend to the residing god ('dheivam'), elevating friendship to a divine status.
Ethirhai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Unnil ennai naan kandaen / Unnaal ingu vaazhgindraen”
The second letter 'n' (ன/ண்) rhymes across consecutive lines, creating melodic coherence in Tamil poetic tradition.
Allusion (Ilakkiya Kurippu)
“Gangai vedan thannai raman thozhan endr kondaanae / Karnan konda thozhamaikkaaga aavi thannai thanthaanae”
References classical epics—Ramayana (Rama befriending Guha) and Mahabharata (Karna's supreme sacrifice)—to give epic weight to friendship.
Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navortchi)
“Veshamendru nee thanthaalum Amthaaga maaraatho”
Exaggerates the purity of trust by stating that even poison given by a friend would turn into divine nectar ('amutham').
Did you know?
Trivia
Penned by legendary lyricist Pulamaipithan and set to tune by Shankar-Ganesh, this song is widely considered one of Tamil cinema's most soulful anthems celebrating male friendship. SPB and Malaysia Vasudevan's vocal dynamic mirrored the deep camaraderie depicted on screen.
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