Nallavar Vaakku
From Vakkuruthi · 1973
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- Shankar Ganesh
- Details
- Vakkuruthi1973
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Nallavar vaakku nalvaakku | The word of a good person is a good word, |
| Adhil sellum vaakku selvaakku | Among those, a word that holds weight brings influence and wealth. |
| Sonna sollai kaakkum ullam | The heart that keeps its given word, |
| Adhu deivam vaazhgindra illam… | That is the abode where God resides... |
| Male | |
| Nallavar vaakku nalvaakku | The word of a good person is a good word, |
| Adhil sellum vaakku selvaakku | Among those, a word that holds weight brings influence and wealth. |
| Sonna sollai kaakkum ullam | The heart that keeps its given word, |
| Adhu deivam vaazhgindra illam | That is the abode where God resides. |
| Male | |
| Kannan koduththa vaakkuruthi andru | The promise given by Lord Krishna back then, |
| Gowravar saenaiyai azhiththathadaa | Destroyed the army of the Kauravas, my friend! |
| Annal gandhiyin vaakkuruthi | The pledge of Mahatma Gandhi, |
| Nam adimai thalaiyai thagarththathadaa | Shattered the bonds of our slavery, my friend! |
| Male | |
| Kannan koduththa vaakkuruthi andru | The promise given by Lord Krishna back then, |
| Gowravar saenaiyai azhiththathadaa | Destroyed the army of the Kauravas, my friend! |
| Annal gandhiyin vaakkuruthi | The pledge of Mahatma Gandhi, |
| Nam adimai thalaiyai thagarththathadaa | Shattered the bonds of our slavery, my friend! |
| Male | |
| Makkalin thalaivan lenin andru | The word spoken back then by Lenin, the leader of the people, |
| Sonna vaakku paliththathada | Came true and bore fruit, my friend! |
| Madhangalin thalaivar sonnathellaam | All that the spiritual masters spoke, |
| Manakkann munnaal nadanthathadaa | Has unfolded right before our mind's eye, my friend! |
| Male | |
| Nallavar vaakku nalvaakku | The word of a good person is a good word, |
| Adhil sellum vaakku selvaakku | Among those, a word that holds weight brings influence and wealth. |
| Sonna sollai kaakkum ullam | The heart that keeps its given word, |
| Adhu deivam vaazhgindra illam | That is the abode where God resides. |
| Deivam vaazhgindra illam | The abode where God resides. |
| Male | |
| Nallavarkku edharkku kaiyezhuththu | Why does a good person need a written signature? |
| Avar sollum sollae pon ezhuthu | The word they speak is itself written in gold. |
| Theeyavar podum kaiyezhuththum | Even a written signature put by an evil person, |
| Nalam seiyyaathenbathu kurai karuththu | Is a flawed concept if it brings no good. |
| Male | |
| Budhan edhanai ezhuthi vaiththaan | What did Lord Buddha leave behind in writing? |
| Verum thaththubam thaanae solli vaiththaan | He merely spoke philosophy and teachings. |
| Sonnavan sollai nambi vidu | Trust the word of the honest speaker, |
| Adhu thozhvi adainthaal kettuvidu | If it fails, come ask me for an answer, |
| Padhil kettuvidu… | Ask me for an answer... |
| Male | |
| Nallavar vaakku nalvaakku | The word of a good person is a good word, |
| Adhil sellum vaakku selvaakku | Among those, a word that holds weight brings influence and wealth. |
| Sonna sollai kaakkum ullam | The heart that keeps its given word, |
| Adhu deivam vaazhgindra illam | That is the abode where God resides. |
| Deivam vaazhgindra illam… | The abode where God resides... |
| Adhu deivam vaazhgindra illam… | That is the abode where God resides... |
நல்லவர் வாக்கு நல்வாக்கு
அதில் செல்லும் வாக்கு செல்வாக்கு
சொன்ன சொல்லைக் காக்கும் உள்ளம்
அது தெய்வம் வாழ்கின்ற இல்லம்......
The word of a good person is a good word,
Among those, a word that holds weight brings influence and wealth.
The heart that keeps its given word,
That is the abode where God resides...
நல்லவர் வாக்கு நல்வாக்கு
அதில் செல்லும் வாக்கு செல்வாக்கு
சொன்ன சொல்லைக் காக்கும் உள்ளம்
அது தெய்வம் வாழ்கின்ற இல்லம்......
The word of a good person is a good word,
Among those, a word that holds weight brings influence and wealth.
The heart that keeps its given word,
That is the abode where God resides.
கண்ணன் கொடுத்த வாக்குறுதி அன்று
கௌரவர் சேனையை அழித்ததடா
அண்ணல் காந்தியின் வாக்குறுதி
நம் அடிமை தளையை தகர்த்ததடா
The promise given by Lord Krishna back then,
Destroyed the army of the Kauravas, my friend!
The pledge of Mahatma Gandhi,
Shattered the bonds of our slavery, my friend!
கண்ணன் கொடுத்த வாக்குறுதி அன்று
கௌரவர் சேனையை அழித்ததடா
அண்ணல் காந்தியின் வாக்குறுதி
நம் அடிமை தளையை தகர்த்ததடா
The promise given by Lord Krishna back then,
Destroyed the army of the Kauravas, my friend!
The pledge of Mahatma Gandhi,
Shattered the bonds of our slavery, my friend!
மக்களின் தலைவன் லெலின் அன்று
சொன்ன வாக்கு பலித்ததடா
மதங்களின் தலைவர் சொன்னதெல்லாம்
மனக்கண் முன்னால் நடந்ததடா.......
The word spoken back then by Lenin, the leader of the people,
Came true and bore fruit, my friend!
All that the spiritual masters spoke,
Has unfolded right before our mind's eye, my friend!
நல்லவர் வாக்கு நல்வாக்கு
அதில் செல்லும் வாக்கு செல்வாக்கு
சொன்ன சொல்லைக் காக்கும் உள்ளம்
அது தெய்வம் வாழ்கின்ற இல்லம்......
தெய்வம் வாழ்கின்ற இல்லம்.....
The word of a good person is a good word,
Among those, a word that holds weight brings influence and wealth.
The heart that keeps its given word,
That is the abode where God resides.
The abode where God resides.
நல்லவர்க்கு எதற்கு கையெழுத்து
அவர் சொல்லும் சொல்லே பொன் எழுத்து
தீயவர் போடும் கையெழுத்தும்
நலம் செய்யாதென்பது குறைக் கருத்து
Why does a good person need a written signature?
The word they speak is itself written in gold.
Even a written signature put by an evil person,
Is a flawed concept if it brings no good.
புத்தன் எதனை எழுதி வைத்தான்
வெறும் தத்துவம் தானே சொல்லி வைத்தான்
சொன்னவன் சொல்லை நம்பி விடு
அது தோல்வி அடைந்தால் கேட்டுவிடு
பதில் கேட்டுவிடு.........
What did Lord Buddha leave behind in writing?
He merely spoke philosophy and teachings.
Trust the word of the honest speaker,
If it fails, come ask me for an answer,
Ask me for an answer...
நல்லவர் வாக்கு நல்வாக்கு
அதில் செல்லும் வாக்கு செல்வாக்கு
சொன்ன சொல்லைக் காக்கும் உள்ளம்
அது தெய்வம் வாழ்கின்ற இல்லம்......
தெய்வம் வாழ்கின்ற இல்லம்.....
அது தெய்வம் வாழ்கின்ற இல்லம்......
The word of a good person is a good word,
Among those, a word that holds weight brings influence and wealth.
The heart that keeps its given word,
That is the abode where God resides.
The abode where God resides...
That is the abode where God resides...
Nallavar vaakku nalvaakku
The word of a good person is a good word,
Adhil sellum vaakku selvaakku
Among those, a word that holds weight brings influence and wealth.
Sonna sollai kaakkum ullam
The heart that keeps its given word,
Adhu deivam vaazhgindra illam…
That is the abode where God resides...
Nallavar vaakku nalvaakku
The word of a good person is a good word,
Adhil sellum vaakku selvaakku
Among those, a word that holds weight brings influence and wealth.
Sonna sollai kaakkum ullam
The heart that keeps its given word,
Adhu deivam vaazhgindra illam
That is the abode where God resides.
Kannan koduththa vaakkuruthi andru
The promise given by Lord Krishna back then,
Gowravar saenaiyai azhiththathadaa
Destroyed the army of the Kauravas, my friend!
Annal gandhiyin vaakkuruthi
The pledge of Mahatma Gandhi,
Nam adimai thalaiyai thagarththathadaa
Shattered the bonds of our slavery, my friend!
Kannan koduththa vaakkuruthi andru
The promise given by Lord Krishna back then,
Gowravar saenaiyai azhiththathadaa
Destroyed the army of the Kauravas, my friend!
Annal gandhiyin vaakkuruthi
The pledge of Mahatma Gandhi,
Nam adimai thalaiyai thagarththathadaa
Shattered the bonds of our slavery, my friend!
Makkalin thalaivan lenin andru
The word spoken back then by Lenin, the leader of the people,
Sonna vaakku paliththathada
Came true and bore fruit, my friend!
Madhangalin thalaivar sonnathellaam
All that the spiritual masters spoke,
Manakkann munnaal nadanthathadaa
Has unfolded right before our mind's eye, my friend!
Nallavar vaakku nalvaakku
The word of a good person is a good word,
Adhil sellum vaakku selvaakku
Among those, a word that holds weight brings influence and wealth.
Sonna sollai kaakkum ullam
The heart that keeps its given word,
Adhu deivam vaazhgindra illam
That is the abode where God resides.
Deivam vaazhgindra illam
The abode where God resides.
Nallavarkku edharkku kaiyezhuththu
Why does a good person need a written signature?
Avar sollum sollae pon ezhuthu
The word they speak is itself written in gold.
Theeyavar podum kaiyezhuththum
Even a written signature put by an evil person,
Nalam seiyyaathenbathu kurai karuththu
Is a flawed concept if it brings no good.
Budhan edhanai ezhuthi vaiththaan
What did Lord Buddha leave behind in writing?
Verum thaththubam thaanae solli vaiththaan
He merely spoke philosophy and teachings.
Sonnavan sollai nambi vidu
Trust the word of the honest speaker,
Adhu thozhvi adainthaal kettuvidu
If it fails, come ask me for an answer,
Padhil kettuvidu…
Ask me for an answer...
Nallavar vaakku nalvaakku
The word of a good person is a good word,
Adhil sellum vaakku selvaakku
Among those, a word that holds weight brings influence and wealth.
Sonna sollai kaakkum ullam
The heart that keeps its given word,
Adhu deivam vaazhgindra illam
That is the abode where God resides.
Deivam vaazhgindra illam…
The abode where God resides...
Adhu deivam vaazhgindra illam…
That is the abode where God resides...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This moral track from the movie 'Vakkuruthi' (1973), written by Kannadasan and sung by T. M. Soundararajan, celebrates the supreme sanctity, power, and integrity of keeping one's promise ('vaakkuruthi'). The lyricist proclaims that a person who keeps their word is a living shrine where divinity dwells, arguing that written contracts are superfluous for virtuous individuals whose spoken word carries the weight of gold. To illustrate the historical impact of a solemn word, Kannadasan weaves together examples across faith and politics—referencing Lord Krishna's vow in the Mahabharata, Mahatma Gandhi's pledge for India's freedom, Vladimir Lenin's promise to the working class, and Gautama Buddha's spoken philosophy. Through these parallels, the song delivers a timeless message that honesty and honor are the true foundation of human character.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monai (Initial Assonance / Alliteration)
“Nallavar vaakku nalvaakku”
Repetition of the initial letter 'Na' in 'Nallavar' and 'nalvaakku' creates a melodic opening rhythm.
Iyaibu (End Rhyme)
“Gowravar saenaiyai azhiththathadaa / Nam adimai thalaiyai thagarththathadaa”
The line endings rhyme with '-adaa' ('azhiththathadaa' / 'thagarththathadaa'), giving a friendly, conversational tone.
Yemakam / Wordplay
“Adhil sellum vaakku selvaakku”
Clever repetition of 'vaakku' paired with 'selvaakku' (influence/status), playing on word sound and meaning.
Metaphor
“Avar sollum sollae pon ezhuthu”
Comparing a virtuous spoken word to gold ('pon ezhuthu') and the human heart that keeps a promise to a temple where God lives.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song is notable for Kannadasan's eclectic synthesis of historical and spiritual icons—combining Hindu mythology (Krishna), Indian freedom struggle (Gandhi), global communism (Lenin), and Eastern philosophy (Buddha) in a single narrative to extol truthfulness.
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