- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Movie name
- Justice Gopinath
- Movie release year
- 1978
- Lyrics added on
- 9 Apr 2026
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
Naana sonnen theerppu from Justice Gopinath (1978) portrays the inner conflict and solemn duty of an upright judge (played by Sivaji Ganesan). The song highlights how a judge does not deliver judgments out of personal bias or malice, but merely acts as an instrument of the written law. He likens himself to a parrot repeating the statutory code and pleads his innocence before God for the harsh outcomes of his verdicts.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvam)
“Naan sonnadhai sollum kilippillai”
The speaker compares himself to a 'kilippillai' (parrot) that only repeats what it has been taught, illustrating his lack of personal agency in legal judgments.
Allusion (Purana/Historical Reference)
“Chozhan maganai thaeril kondrathu... Sibiyin sadhaiyai paravaikkendrathu”
Refers to the ancient Tamil rulers Manu Needhi Cholan (who ran over his own son to deliver justice to a cow) and King Sibi (who carved his own flesh for a dove) as benchmarks of uncompromising justice.
Contrast / Antithesis
“Pithalai endrae thangathai solvadhu... Iththarai meedhu sathiyamaanadhu Deivathin saatchiyappaa”
Contrasts fallible human judgment ('Pithalai endrae thangathai solvadhu') with infallible divine justice ('Deivathin saatchiyappaa').
Did you know?
Trivia
In the film Justice Gopinath, Sivaji Ganesan delivers a powerful performance as a high-principled judge forced to uphold law even when personal ties are tested. The song, composed by M. S. Vishwanathan and rendered by T. M. Soundarajan, stands out as one of Tamil cinema's definitive philosophical songs on law, duty, and divine justice.
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