Nallathor Veenai Seithe
From Ezhavathu Manithan · 1982
- Lyricist
- Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyaar
- Singer
- Rajkumar Bharathi
- Music director
- L. Vaidyanathan
- Details
- Ezhavathu Manithan1982
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Nallathor veenai seithae | Having fashioned a fine veena, |
| Adhai nalangeda puzhuthiyil erivathundo | Would anyone throw it in the dust to be ruined? |
| Solladi sivasakthi | Tell me, oh Mother Sivasakthi, |
| Enai sudarmigum arivudan padaiththuvittaai | You created me with a brilliantly radiant intellect. |
| Male | |
| Vallamai thaaraayo | Will you not grant me the strength |
| Intha maanilam payanura vaazhvatharkke | To live a life that benefits this vast world? |
| Vallamai thaaraayo | Will you not grant me the strength |
| Intha maanilam payanura vaazhvatharkke | To live a life that benefits this vast world? |
| Vallamai thaaraayo | Will you not grant me the strength, |
| Nila sumaiyena vaazhnthida puriguvaiyo | Or will you condemn me to live as a burden to the earth? |
| Male | |
| Nallathor veenai seithae | Having fashioned a fine veena, |
| Adhai nalangeda puzhuthiyil erivathundo | Would anyone throw it in the dust to be ruined? |
| Solladi sivasakthi | Tell me, oh Mother Sivasakthi, |
| Enai sudarmigum arivudan padaiththuvittaai | You created me with a brilliantly radiant intellect. |
| Male | |
| Visaiyuru panthinaipol | Like a ball propelled with great force, |
| Ullam vendiyapadi sellum udal kettaen | I requested a physical body that moves wherever the mind desires. |
| Visaiyuru panthinaipol | Like a ball propelled with great force, |
| Ullam vendiyapadi sellum udal kettaen | I requested a physical body that moves wherever the mind desires. |
| Nasaiyaru manag ketten | I asked for a pure mind free of blameworthy desires, |
| Niththam navamena sudar tharuum uyir kettaen | I asked for a life force that shines anew every single day. |
| Male | |
| Nallathor veenai seithae | Having fashioned a fine veena, |
| Adhai nalangeda puzhuthiyil erivathundo | Would anyone throw it in the dust to be ruined? |
| Solladi sivasakthi | Tell me, oh Mother Sivasakthi, |
| Enai sudarmigum arivudan padaiththuvittaai | You created me with a brilliantly radiant intellect. |
நல்லதோர் வீணை செய்தே
அதை நலங்கெடப் புழுதியில் எறிவதுண்டோ
சொல்லடி சிவசக்தி
எனைச் சுடர்மிகும் அறிவுடன் படைத்துவிட்டாய்
Having fashioned a fine veena,
Would anyone throw it in the dust to be ruined?
Tell me, oh Mother Sivasakthi,
You created me with a brilliantly radiant intellect.
வல்லமை தாராயோ
இந்த மாநிலம் பயனுற வாழ்வதற்கே
வல்லமை தாராயோ
இந்த மாநிலம் பயனுற வாழ்வதற்கே
சொல்லடி சிவசக்தி
நிலச் சுமையென வாழ்ந்திடப் புரிகுவையோ
Will you not grant me the strength
To live a life that benefits this vast world?
Will you not grant me the strength
To live a life that benefits this vast world?
Will you not grant me the strength,
Or will you condemn me to live as a burden to the earth?
நல்லதோர் வீணை செய்தே
அதை நலங்கெடப் புழுதியில் எறிவதுண்டோ
சொல்லடி சிவசக்தி
எனைச் சுடர்மிகும் அறிவுடன் படைத்துவிட்டாய்
Having fashioned a fine veena,
Would anyone throw it in the dust to be ruined?
Tell me, oh Mother Sivasakthi,
You created me with a brilliantly radiant intellect.
விசையுறு பந்தினைப்போல்
உள்ளம் வேண்டியபடி செல்லும் உடல் கேட்டேன்
விசையுறு பந்தினைப்போல்
உள்ளம் வேண்டியபடி செல்லும் உடல் கேட்டேன்
நசையறு மனங் கேட்டேன்
நித்தம் நவமெனச் சுடர் தரும் உயிர் கேட்டேன்
Like a ball propelled with great force,
I requested a physical body that moves wherever the mind desires.
Like a ball propelled with great force,
I requested a physical body that moves wherever the mind desires.
I asked for a pure mind free of blameworthy desires,
I asked for a life force that shines anew every single day.
நல்லதோர் வீணை செய்தே
அதை நலங்கெடப் புழுதியில் எறிவதுண்டோ
சொல்லடி சிவசக்தி
எனைச் சுடர்மிகும் அறிவுடன் படைத்துவிட்டாய்
Having fashioned a fine veena,
Would anyone throw it in the dust to be ruined?
Tell me, oh Mother Sivasakthi,
You created me with a brilliantly radiant intellect.
Nallathor veenai seithae
Having fashioned a fine veena,
Adhai nalangeda puzhuthiyil erivathundo
Would anyone throw it in the dust to be ruined?
Solladi sivasakthi
Tell me, oh Mother Sivasakthi,
Enai sudarmigum arivudan padaiththuvittaai
You created me with a brilliantly radiant intellect.
Vallamai thaaraayo
Will you not grant me the strength
Intha maanilam payanura vaazhvatharkke
To live a life that benefits this vast world?
Vallamai thaaraayo
Will you not grant me the strength
Intha maanilam payanura vaazhvatharkke
To live a life that benefits this vast world?
Vallamai thaaraayo
Will you not grant me the strength,
Nila sumaiyena vaazhnthida puriguvaiyo
Or will you condemn me to live as a burden to the earth?
Nallathor veenai seithae
Having fashioned a fine veena,
Adhai nalangeda puzhuthiyil erivathundo
Would anyone throw it in the dust to be ruined?
Solladi sivasakthi
Tell me, oh Mother Sivasakthi,
Enai sudarmigum arivudan padaiththuvittaai
You created me with a brilliantly radiant intellect.
Visaiyuru panthinaipol
Like a ball propelled with great force,
Ullam vendiyapadi sellum udal kettaen
I requested a physical body that moves wherever the mind desires.
Visaiyuru panthinaipol
Like a ball propelled with great force,
Ullam vendiyapadi sellum udal kettaen
I requested a physical body that moves wherever the mind desires.
Nasaiyaru manag ketten
I asked for a pure mind free of blameworthy desires,
Niththam navamena sudar tharuum uyir kettaen
I asked for a life force that shines anew every single day.
Nallathor veenai seithae
Having fashioned a fine veena,
Adhai nalangeda puzhuthiyil erivathundo
Would anyone throw it in the dust to be ruined?
Solladi sivasakthi
Tell me, oh Mother Sivasakthi,
Enai sudarmigum arivudan padaiththuvittaai
You created me with a brilliantly radiant intellect.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This immortal poem by Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyar is an impassioned plea to the Divine Mother, Sivasakthi. The poet argues that just as a master craftsman would never make a beautiful musical instrument like the veena only to discard it in dirt, God would not bestow human beings with high intellect and potential only to let them wither away uselessly. He demands the mental and physical vigor required to serve humanity and lead a purposeful life. Bharathiyar asks for a body as dynamic and responsive as a bouncing ball, a pure heart untainted by malice, and a spirit that renews itself with vibrant energy every single day. The poem reflects a powerful philosophy of action, vitality, and meaningful existence, rejecting passive survival and demanding divine empowerment to uplift the world.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Nallathor veenai seithae”
Comparing human life and intellect to a finely crafted veena ('Nallathor veenai').
Simile (Uvamai)
“Visaiyuru panthinaipol”
Comparing the desired speed and agility of the physical body to a ball thrown with force ('Visaiyuru panthinaipol').
Monai (Initial Assonance/Alliteration)
“Nallathor veenai seithae / Adhai nalangeda puzhuthiyil erivathundo”
Repetition of initial consonant sounds across adjacent words, such as 'Nallathor' and 'Nalangeda'.
Rhetorical Question
“Adhai nalangeda puzhuthiyil erivathundo”
Asking 'Erivathundo' (Would anyone throw it away?) and 'Puriguvaiyo' to challenge fate and demand purpose from the Divine.
Did you know?
Trivia
This poem is one of Subramanya Bharathiyar's most famous devotional and philosophical works. In the 1982 Tamil film 'Ezhavathu Manithan', directed by K. Hariharan, the music was composed by L. Vaidyanathan, and the songs were rendered by classical singer Rajkumar Bharathi (a direct great-grandson of Mahakavi Bharathiyar). The movie won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Tamil.
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