Nalveenai Naatham
From Bharathan · 1992
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Nalveenai naadham en ullam ketkum | My heart listens to the music of the sweet veena. |
| Pollaadha sogam ennodu pogum | This terrible sorrow will perish along with me. |
| Nallorin vaazhthu poiyaaga aachae | The blessings of the good people turned out to be false. |
| Pollorin needhi meiyaagi pochae | The justice of the evil people turned out to be true. |
| Neerindri vaazhgindra neeraambal ingae | Here is a water lily living without water. |
| Verodu naam kanda inbangal engae | Where are the joys that we experienced together from the root? |
| Pan paadum vaanampaadigal andru | Back then, they were skylarks singing musical tunes. |
| Paadaadha vaanampaadi indru | Today, it is a skylark that does not sing. |
| Male | |
| Azhagae amudhae | Oh sweet beauty, oh divine nectar! |
| Poonthendral thaalaattum poonjolaiyae | Oh flower garden lulled to sleep by the gentle breeze! |
| Kannaae kaniyae | Oh apple of my eye, oh sweet fruit! |
| Kannodu kavi paadum ponnoonjalae | Oh golden swing that sings poetry with the eyes! |
| Vaazhkkaiyae pudhiraanadhu | Life itself has become a mystery. |
| Idhu yen endru nee solvaaiyo | Will you tell me why this has happened? |
| Naalumae thuyaraanadhae | Every single day has turned into grief. |
| Pazhi paavangal sumaiyaanadhae | Blame and sins have become a heavy burden. |
| Male | |
| Azhagae amudhae | Oh sweet beauty, oh divine nectar! |
| Poonthendral thaalaattum poonjolaiyae | Oh flower garden lulled to sleep by the gentle breeze! |
| Kannaae kaniyae | Oh apple of my eye, oh sweet fruit! |
| Kannodu kavi paadum ponnoonjalae | Oh golden swing that sings poetry with the eyes! |
நல் வீணை நாதம் என்னுள்ளம் கேட்கும்
பொல்லாத சோகம் என்னோடு போகும்
நல்லோரின் வாழ்த்து பொய்யாக ஆச்சே
பொல்லோரின் நீதி மெய்யாகி போச்சே
நீரின்றி வாழ்கின்ற நீராம்பல் இங்கே
வேரொடு நாம் கண்ட இன்பங்கள் எங்கே
பண்பாடும் வானம்பாடிகள் அன்று
பாடாத வானம்பாடி இன்று
My heart listens to the music of the sweet veena.
This terrible sorrow will perish along with me.
The blessings of the good people turned out to be false.
The justice of the evil people turned out to be true.
Here is a water lily living without water.
Where are the joys that we experienced together from the root?
Back then, they were skylarks singing musical tunes.
Today, it is a skylark that does not sing.
அழகே அமுதே
பூந்தென்றல் தாலாட்டும் பூஞ்சோலையே
கண்ணே கனியே
கண்ணோடு கவி பாடும் பொன்னூஞ்சலே..
வாழ்க்கையே புதிரானதே
இது ஏனென்று நீ சொல்வாயோ
நாளுமே...... துயரானதே
பழி பாவங்கள் சுமையானதே
Oh sweet beauty, oh divine nectar!
Oh flower garden lulled to sleep by the gentle breeze!
Oh apple of my eye, oh sweet fruit!
Oh golden swing that sings poetry with the eyes!
Life itself has become a mystery.
Will you tell me why this has happened?
Every single day has turned into grief.
Blame and sins have become a heavy burden.
அழகே அமுதே
பூந்தென்றல் தாலாட்டும் பூஞ்சோலையே
கண்ணே கனியே
கண்ணோடு கவி பாடும் பொன்னூஞ்சலே
Oh sweet beauty, oh divine nectar!
Oh flower garden lulled to sleep by the gentle breeze!
Oh apple of my eye, oh sweet fruit!
Oh golden swing that sings poetry with the eyes!
Nalveenai naadham en ullam ketkum
My heart listens to the music of the sweet veena.
Pollaadha sogam ennodu pogum
This terrible sorrow will perish along with me.
Nallorin vaazhthu poiyaaga aachae
The blessings of the good people turned out to be false.
Pollorin needhi meiyaagi pochae
The justice of the evil people turned out to be true.
Neerindri vaazhgindra neeraambal ingae
Here is a water lily living without water.
Verodu naam kanda inbangal engae
Where are the joys that we experienced together from the root?
Pan paadum vaanampaadigal andru
Back then, they were skylarks singing musical tunes.
Paadaadha vaanampaadi indru
Today, it is a skylark that does not sing.
Azhagae amudhae
Oh sweet beauty, oh divine nectar!
Poonthendral thaalaattum poonjolaiyae
Oh flower garden lulled to sleep by the gentle breeze!
Kannaae kaniyae
Oh apple of my eye, oh sweet fruit!
Kannodu kavi paadum ponnoonjalae
Oh golden swing that sings poetry with the eyes!
Vaazhkkaiyae pudhiraanadhu
Life itself has become a mystery.
Idhu yen endru nee solvaaiyo
Will you tell me why this has happened?
Naalumae thuyaraanadhae
Every single day has turned into grief.
Pazhi paavangal sumaiyaanadhae
Blame and sins have become a heavy burden.
Azhagae amudhae
Oh sweet beauty, oh divine nectar!
Poonthendral thaalaattum poonjolaiyae
Oh flower garden lulled to sleep by the gentle breeze!
Kannaae kaniyae
Oh apple of my eye, oh sweet fruit!
Kannodu kavi paadum ponnoonjalae
Oh golden swing that sings poetry with the eyes!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song from the film Bharathan expresses deep existential grief, sense of betrayal, and disillusionment with the moral order of the world. The narrator laments how the blessings of good people have failed while injustice seems to reign, likening themselves to a water lily surviving paradoxically without water. The song contrasts nostalgic happiness of the past with present silence and suffering. Through affectionate yet tragic invocations ('Azhagae amudhae'), the lyrics question the painful mysteries of life, where innocent souls are forced to carry the heavy burdens of blame and sorrow.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor
“Neerindri vaazhgindra neeraambal ingae”
The speaker compares their tragic state of survival amidst grief to a 'neeraambal' (water lily) surviving without water.
Contrast / Anthesis (Muran)
“Nallorin vaazhthu poiyaaga aachae / Pollorin needhi meiyaagi pochae”
Contrasting 'Nallorin' (good people) and 'Pollorin' (evil people) to highlight the unfairness of life.
Temporal Contrast
“Pan paadum vaanampaadigal andru / Paadaadha vaanampaadi indru”
Contrasts the singing skylark of yesterday ('andru') with the silent skylark of today ('indru') to convey lost joy.
Endearment / Epithet
“Azhagae amudhae ... Kannaae kaniyae”
Use of poetic terms of affection ('Azhagae amudhae', 'Kannaae kaniyae') to heighten the emotional warmth amidst tragedy.
Did you know?
Trivia
Bharathan (1992) features music composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, starring Vijayakanth and Bhanupriya. The lyrics written by Ponnaiyan capture themes of innocence framed by tragedy, characteristic of Ilaiyaraaja's emotive melodious tracks of that era.
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