Naanum Manithan
From Naanum Manithan Thaan · 1964
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- G. K. Venkatesh
- Details
- Naanum Manithan Thaan1964
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Naanum manithan thaanada | I am a human being too, my friend. |
| En naadi narambinai kelada | Ask my pulse and my nerves. |
| Maanam nirainthavan naanada | I am a man filled with honor and self-respect. |
| En maadha deivathin thaayada | I am born of the mother who is a divine deity. |
| Male | |
| Naanum manithan thaanada | I am a human being too, my friend. |
| En naadi narambinai kelada | Ask my pulse and my nerves. |
| Maanam nirainthavan naanada | I am a man filled with honor and self-respect. |
| En maadha deivathin thaayada | I am born of the mother who is a divine deity. |
| Male | |
| Naanum manithan thaanada | I am a human being too, my friend. |
| Male | |
| Poonai vayatril punugu varum | Civet scent comes from a cat's belly. |
| Nalla poovum saetrinil poothu varum | A good flower blooms out of the mud. |
| Seerum kadalinil sangu varum | A conch shell comes from the roaring ocean. |
| Seerum kadalinil sangu varum | A conch shell comes from the roaring ocean. |
| Oru sippiyin vayittril muthu varum | A pearl comes out of an oyster's womb. |
| Male | |
| Vasar padiyum kal thaane | The doorstep threshold is made of stone. |
| Naam vanangum silaiyum kal thaane | The idol we worship is also made of stone. |
| Kallinil baedham illaiyada | There is no inherent discrimination in stone, my friend. |
| Kallinil baedham illaiyada | There is no inherent discrimination in stone, my friend. |
| Adhu kangalil maarum kaatchiyada | It is merely a perception that changes in human eyes. |
| Kangalil maarum kaatchiyada | A perception that changes in human eyes. |
| Male | |
| Naanum manithan thaanada | I am a human being too, my friend. |
| Male | |
| Irakkam migunthavan mel piravi | One who possesses great compassion is of noble birth. |
| Adhu illathozhindhavan keel piravi | One who lacks compassion is of low birth. |
| Pirappin ragasiyam idhuvallavaa | Is this not the secret behind true birth? |
| Pirappin ragasiyam idhuvallavaa | Is this not the secret behind true birth? |
| Idhu paesum deivathin porul allava | Is this not the true meaning of the speaking God? |
| Male | |
| Naanum manithan thaanada | I am a human being too, my friend. |
| En naadi narambinai kelada | Ask my pulse and my nerves. |
| Maanam nirainthavan naanada | I am a man filled with honor and self-respect. |
| En maadha deivathin thaayada | I am born of the mother who is a divine deity. |
| Male | |
| Naanum manithan thaanada | I am a human being too, my friend. |
நானும் மனிதன் தானடா
என் நாடி நரம்பினைக் கேளடா
மானம் நிறைந்தவன் நானடா
என் மாதா தெய்வத்தின் தாயடா
I am a human being too, my friend.
Ask my pulse and my nerves.
I am a man filled with honor and self-respect.
I am born of the mother who is a divine deity.
நானும் மனிதன் தானடா
என் நாடி நரம்பினைக் கேளடா
மானம் நிறைந்தவன் நானடா
என் மாதா தெய்வத்தின் தாயடா
I am a human being too, my friend.
Ask my pulse and my nerves.
I am a man filled with honor and self-respect.
I am born of the mother who is a divine deity.
நானும் மனிதன் தானடா
I am a human being too, my friend.
பூனை வயிற்றில் புனுகு வரும்
நல்ல பூவும் சேற்றினில் பூத்து வரும்
சீறும் கடலினில் சங்கு வரும்
சீறும் கடலினில் சங்கு வரும்
ஒரு சிப்பியின் வயிற்றில் முத்து வரும்
Civet scent comes from a cat's belly.
A good flower blooms out of the mud.
A conch shell comes from the roaring ocean.
A conch shell comes from the roaring ocean.
A pearl comes out of an oyster's womb.
வாசற் படியும் கல்தானே
நாம் வணங்கும் சிலையும் கல்தானே
கல்லினில் பேதம் இல்லையடா
கல்லினில் பேதம் இல்லையடா
அது கண்களில் மாறும் காட்சியடா
கண்களில் மாறும் காட்சியடா
The doorstep threshold is made of stone.
The idol we worship is also made of stone.
There is no inherent discrimination in stone, my friend.
There is no inherent discrimination in stone, my friend.
It is merely a perception that changes in human eyes.
A perception that changes in human eyes.
நானும் மனிதன் தானடா
I am a human being too, my friend.
இரக்கம் மிகுந்தவன் மேல் பிறவி
அது இல்லாதொழிந்தவன் கீழ் பிறவி
பிறப்பின் ரகசியம் இதுவல்லவா
பிறப்பின் ரகசியம் இதுவல்லவா
இது பேசும் தெய்வத்தின் பொருளல்லவா
One who possesses great compassion is of noble birth.
One who lacks compassion is of low birth.
Is this not the secret behind true birth?
Is this not the secret behind true birth?
Is this not the true meaning of the speaking God?
நானும் மனிதன் தானடா
என் நாடி நரம்பினைக் கேளடா
மானம் நிறைந்தவன் நானடா
என் மாதா தெய்வத்தின் தாயடா
I am a human being too, my friend.
Ask my pulse and my nerves.
I am a man filled with honor and self-respect.
I am born of the mother who is a divine deity.
நானும் மனிதன் தானடா
I am a human being too, my friend.
Naanum manithan thaanada
I am a human being too, my friend.
En naadi narambinai kelada
Ask my pulse and my nerves.
Maanam nirainthavan naanada
I am a man filled with honor and self-respect.
En maadha deivathin thaayada
I am born of the mother who is a divine deity.
Naanum manithan thaanada
I am a human being too, my friend.
En naadi narambinai kelada
Ask my pulse and my nerves.
Maanam nirainthavan naanada
I am a man filled with honor and self-respect.
En maadha deivathin thaayada
I am born of the mother who is a divine deity.
Naanum manithan thaanada
I am a human being too, my friend.
Poonai vayatril punugu varum
Civet scent comes from a cat's belly.
Nalla poovum saetrinil poothu varum
A good flower blooms out of the mud.
Seerum kadalinil sangu varum
A conch shell comes from the roaring ocean.
Seerum kadalinil sangu varum
A conch shell comes from the roaring ocean.
Oru sippiyin vayittril muthu varum
A pearl comes out of an oyster's womb.
Vasar padiyum kal thaane
The doorstep threshold is made of stone.
Naam vanangum silaiyum kal thaane
The idol we worship is also made of stone.
Kallinil baedham illaiyada
There is no inherent discrimination in stone, my friend.
Kallinil baedham illaiyada
There is no inherent discrimination in stone, my friend.
Adhu kangalil maarum kaatchiyada
It is merely a perception that changes in human eyes.
Kangalil maarum kaatchiyada
A perception that changes in human eyes.
Naanum manithan thaanada
I am a human being too, my friend.
Irakkam migunthavan mel piravi
One who possesses great compassion is of noble birth.
Adhu illathozhindhavan keel piravi
One who lacks compassion is of low birth.
Pirappin ragasiyam idhuvallavaa
Is this not the secret behind true birth?
Pirappin ragasiyam idhuvallavaa
Is this not the secret behind true birth?
Idhu paesum deivathin porul allava
Is this not the true meaning of the speaking God?
Naanum manithan thaanada
I am a human being too, my friend.
En naadi narambinai kelada
Ask my pulse and my nerves.
Maanam nirainthavan naanada
I am a man filled with honor and self-respect.
En maadha deivathin thaayada
I am born of the mother who is a divine deity.
Naanum manithan thaanada
I am a human being too, my friend.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
The song 'Naanum Manithan Thaan' is a powerful philosophical composition that champions human dignity, equality, and anti-casteism. Through poignant analogies drawn from nature, Kannadasan highlights that noble things often originate from humble or unlikely sources—civets from cats, lotuses from mud, conches from roaring seas, and pearls from oysters. Therefore, a person's birth or background does not define their true value. The lyricist further illustrates equality by comparing a doorstep stone to a sacred temple idol, emphasizing that both are made of the exact same substance and the distinction lies entirely in human perception. Ultimately, the song redefines high and low birth based purely on character: anyone with compassion is truly of high lineage, whereas anyone lacking empathy is of low lineage.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Analogy / Metaphor (உவமை)
“Nalla poovum saetrinil poothu varum”
Uses nature examples (mud/flower, oyster/pearl, cat/civet) to argue that greatness can arise from humble origins regardless of lineage.
Contrast / Anthesis (முரண்)
“Irakkam migunthavan mel piravi / Adhu illathozhindhavan keel piravi”
Contrasts the doorstep stone ('vasar padi') with the worshiped idol ('vanangum silai'), and high birth ('mel piravi') with low birth ('keel piravi') to challenge societal prejudices.
Monai / Initial Alliteration (மோனை)
“Kallinil baedham illaiyada / Adhu kangalil maarum kaatchiyada”
Repetition of initial consonants or vowels across words, such as 'Kallinil' and 'Kangalil' or 'Naanum' and 'Naadi'.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song is from the 1964 movie 'Naanum Manithan Thaan' starring S. S. Rajendran. The music was composed by G. K. Venkatesh, under whom the legendary composer Ilaiyaraaja worked as an assistant during his early career. Lyricist Kannadasan used this song to convey strong egalitarian and rationalist ideals that resonated with contemporary social reform movements in Tamil Nadu.
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