Nadhiyinil Vellam
From Thenum Paalum · 1971
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Details
- Thenum Paalum1971
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Nadhiyinil vellam karaiyinil neruppu | Flood in the river, fire on the bank, |
| Irandukkum naduvae iraivanin sirippu | Between the two lies the laughter of God. |
| Yaenintha sirippu | Why this laughter? |
| Male | |
| Nadhiyinil vellam karaiyinil neruppu | Flood in the river, fire on the bank, |
| Irandukkum naduvae iraivanin sirippu | Between the two lies the laughter of God. |
| Yaenintha sirippu | Why this laughter? |
| Male | |
| Oru paathai potta naayagan | The hero (God) who created a path, |
| Adhai veli pottu moodinaan | Fenced it around and closed it off. |
| Manam velithaandi ponathu | The heart/mind crossed beyond that fence, |
| Adhai thaali vanthu kettathu | And the sacred marriage thread came to bind it. |
| Male | |
| Oru paathai potta naayagan | The hero (God) who created a path, |
| Adhai veli pottu moodinaan | Fenced it around and closed it off. |
| Manam velithaandi ponathu | The heart/mind crossed beyond that fence, |
| Adhai thaali vanthu kettathu | And the sacred marriage thread came to bind it. |
| Male | |
| Thaenukkul vizhunthu thigaiththathu erumbu | The ant fell into honey and was trapped in bewilderment, |
| Idhayaththin pinaippu iraivanin sirippu | The bond of hearts brings God's laughter. |
| Male | |
| Nadhiyinil vellam karaiyinil neruppu | Flood in the river, fire on the bank, |
| Irandukkum naduvae iraivanin sirippu | Between the two lies the laughter of God. |
| Yaenintha sirippu | Why this laughter? |
| Male | |
| Oru needhi koondil nindrathu | One form of justice stood in the witness box, |
| Oru needhi saatchi sonnathu | Another form of justice testified as a witness, |
| Oru needhi deivam aanathu | Another form of justice became divine/a deity, |
| Idhil dharmam engu ponathu | In all this, where did true righteousness go? |
| Male | |
| Oru needhi koondil nindrathu | One form of justice stood in the witness box, |
| Oru needhi saatchi sonnathu | Another form of justice testified as a witness, |
| Oru needhi deivam aanathu | Another form of justice became divine/a deity, |
| Idhil dharmam engu ponathu | In all this, where did true righteousness go? |
| Male | |
| Oru pakkam iruttu oru pakkam velicham | Darkness on one side, light on the other, |
| Oru pakkam vazhakku iraivanin sirippu | A dispute/court case on one side, and God's laughter. |
| Male | |
| Nadhiyinil vellam karaiyinil neruppu | Flood in the river, fire on the bank, |
| Irandukkum naduvae iraivanin sirippu | Between the two lies the laughter of God. |
| Yaenintha sirippu….. | Why this laughter? |
நதியினில் வெள்ளம் கரையினில் நெருப்பு
இரண்டுக்கும் நடுவே இறைவனின் சிரிப்பு
ஏனிந்த சிரிப்பு....
Flood in the river, fire on the bank,
Between the two lies the laughter of God.
Why this laughter?
நதியினில் வெள்ளம் கரையினில் நெருப்பு
இரண்டுக்கும் நடுவே இறைவனின் சிரிப்பு
ஏனிந்த சிரிப்பு....
Flood in the river, fire on the bank,
Between the two lies the laughter of God.
Why this laughter?
ஒரு பாதை போட்ட நாயகன்
அதை வேலிப் போட்டு மூடினான்
மனம் வேலி தாண்டி போனது
அதை தாலி வந்து கேட்டது...
The hero (God) who created a path,
Fenced it around and closed it off.
The heart/mind crossed beyond that fence,
And the sacred marriage thread came to bind it.
ஒரு பாதை போட்ட நாயகன்
அதை வேலிப் போட்டு முடினான்
மனம் வேலி தாண்டி போனது
அதை தாலி வந்து கேட்டது...
The hero (God) who created a path,
Fenced it around and closed it off.
The heart/mind crossed beyond that fence,
And the sacred marriage thread came to bind it.
தேனுக்குள் விழுந்து திகைத்தது எறும்பு
இதயத்தின் பிணைப்பு இறைவனின் சிரிப்பு...
The ant fell into honey and was trapped in bewilderment,
The bond of hearts brings God's laughter.
நதியினில் வெள்ளம் கரையினில் நெருப்பு
இரண்டுக்கும் நடுவே இறைவனின் சிரிப்பு
ஏனிந்த சிரிப்பு....
Flood in the river, fire on the bank,
Between the two lies the laughter of God.
Why this laughter?
ஒரு நீதி கூண்டில் நின்றது
ஒரு நீதி சாட்சி சொன்னது
ஒரு நீதி தெய்வம் ஆனது
இதில் தர்மம் எங்கு போனது
One form of justice stood in the witness box,
Another form of justice testified as a witness,
Another form of justice became divine/a deity,
In all this, where did true righteousness go?
ஒரு நீதி கூண்டில் நின்றது
ஒரு நீதி சாட்சி சொன்னது
ஒரு நீதி தெய்வம் ஆனது
இதில் தர்மம் எங்கு போனது
One form of justice stood in the witness box,
Another form of justice testified as a witness,
Another form of justice became divine/a deity,
In all this, where did true righteousness go?
ஒரு பக்கம் இருட்டு ஒரு பக்கம் வெளிச்சம்
ஒரு பக்கம் வழக்கு இறைவனின் சிரிப்பு...
Darkness on one side, light on the other,
A dispute/court case on one side, and God's laughter.
நதியினில் வெள்ளம் கரையினில் நெருப்பு
இரண்டுக்கும் நடுவே இறைவனின் சிரிப்பு
ஏனிந்த சிரிப்பு....
Flood in the river, fire on the bank,
Between the two lies the laughter of God.
Why this laughter?
Nadhiyinil vellam karaiyinil neruppu
Flood in the river, fire on the bank,
Irandukkum naduvae iraivanin sirippu
Between the two lies the laughter of God.
Yaenintha sirippu
Why this laughter?
Nadhiyinil vellam karaiyinil neruppu
Flood in the river, fire on the bank,
Irandukkum naduvae iraivanin sirippu
Between the two lies the laughter of God.
Yaenintha sirippu
Why this laughter?
Oru paathai potta naayagan
The hero (God) who created a path,
Adhai veli pottu moodinaan
Fenced it around and closed it off.
Manam velithaandi ponathu
The heart/mind crossed beyond that fence,
Adhai thaali vanthu kettathu
And the sacred marriage thread came to bind it.
Oru paathai potta naayagan
The hero (God) who created a path,
Adhai veli pottu moodinaan
Fenced it around and closed it off.
Manam velithaandi ponathu
The heart/mind crossed beyond that fence,
Adhai thaali vanthu kettathu
And the sacred marriage thread came to bind it.
Thaenukkul vizhunthu thigaiththathu erumbu
The ant fell into honey and was trapped in bewilderment,
Idhayaththin pinaippu iraivanin sirippu
The bond of hearts brings God's laughter.
Nadhiyinil vellam karaiyinil neruppu
Flood in the river, fire on the bank,
Irandukkum naduvae iraivanin sirippu
Between the two lies the laughter of God.
Yaenintha sirippu
Why this laughter?
Oru needhi koondil nindrathu
One form of justice stood in the witness box,
Oru needhi saatchi sonnathu
Another form of justice testified as a witness,
Oru needhi deivam aanathu
Another form of justice became divine/a deity,
Idhil dharmam engu ponathu
In all this, where did true righteousness go?
Oru needhi koondil nindrathu
One form of justice stood in the witness box,
Oru needhi saatchi sonnathu
Another form of justice testified as a witness,
Oru needhi deivam aanathu
Another form of justice became divine/a deity,
Idhil dharmam engu ponathu
In all this, where did true righteousness go?
Oru pakkam iruttu oru pakkam velicham
Darkness on one side, light on the other,
Oru pakkam vazhakku iraivanin sirippu
A dispute/court case on one side, and God's laughter.
Nadhiyinil vellam karaiyinil neruppu
Flood in the river, fire on the bank,
Irandukkum naduvae iraivanin sirippu
Between the two lies the laughter of God.
Yaenintha sirippu…..
Why this laughter?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song from 'Thenum Paalum' (1971) expresses deep philosophical angst regarding human suffering, social morality, and divine irony. Kannadasan uses contrasting metaphors—such as water overflowing in a river juxtaposed against fire burning on its banks—to represent the dual pressures of internal emotion and external societal conflict. Humans find themselves trapped in complex situations of desire, duty, and marital bonds, while God seemingly watches and laughs at their helplessness. The lyrics also critique human systems of justice, where subjective truths clash in courtrooms while real righteousness gets lost, leaving man stranded in a world split between darkness and light under the enigmatic gaze of the Divine.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Antithesis / Contrast (Muran)
“Nadhiyinil vellam karaiyinil neruppu”
Pitting opposing natural forces like water (vellam) and fire (neruppu), or light (velicham) and dark (iruttu) together to depict existential turmoil.
Metaphor (Uruvagaim)
“Thaenukkul vizhunthu thigaiththathu erumbu”
Comparing an individual overwhelmed by sweet desire and societal entanglement to an ant trapped inside honey.
Anaphora (Repetition for Emphasis)
“Oru needhi koondil nindrathu”
Repeating 'Oru needhi' at the start of consecutive lines to highlight conflicting interpretations of justice and morality.
Did you know?
Trivia
Featuring legendary actor Sivaji Ganesan, 'Thenum Paalum' was directed by P. Madhavan. Kannadasan's lyrics in this song serve as a powerful commentary on human helplessness against divine fate, sung with immense emotional depth by T. M. Soundararajan and composed by M. S. Viswanathan.
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