Neethi devan Mayangukindran
From Neethi Devan Mayakkam · 1982
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Details
- Neethi Devan Mayakkam1982
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Neethi devan mayangugindraan | The God of Justice is swooning in confusion, |
| Kelungal iraivanidam | Go ask God about it, |
| Nizhalaagavum nijamaagavum | From human beings who constantly change |
| Nidham maaridum manithanidam | Between shadow and reality every day. |
| Female | |
| Neethi devan mayangugindraan | The God of Justice is swooning in confusion, |
| Kelungal iraivanidam | Go ask God about it, |
| Nizhalaagavum nijamaagavum | From human beings who constantly change |
| Nidham maaridum manithanidam | Between shadow and reality every day. |
| Female | |
| Neethi devan mayangugindraan | The God of Justice is swooning in confusion, |
| Kelungal iraivanidam | Go ask God about it. |
| Female | |
| Gandhi sonna antha kaalam | That era envisioned by Mahatma Gandhi |
| Naattil innum thondravillaiyae | Has still not dawned upon this nation. |
| Kanni pengal maanaththodu | No words or actions have been put in place |
| Vaazhum vannam pesavillaiyae | To ensure young women live with honor and dignity. |
| Female | |
| Sattam veru dharmam veru | Law is one thing and moral righteousness is another, |
| Endravaaru iyangugindrathae | That is how the world functions today. |
| Sariyaanathu sila velaiyil | What is inherently right, in certain moments, |
| Vidhiyaavathae paavamandro | Becomes a victim of circumstance—is that not a sin? |
| Female | |
| Neethi devan mayangugindraan | The God of Justice is swooning in confusion, |
| Kelungal iraivanidam | Go ask God about it. |
| Female | |
| Maanamendra ondraipattri | About the single concept of female honor, |
| Nooru noolgal pesugindrathae | A hundred books speak at length. |
| Maanam ketta aangal pattri | But about men who have lost their moral dignity, |
| Entha noolum pesavillaiyae | No book has ever written a word. |
| Female | |
| Kaavalattra naattil innum | In a country that lacks true protection, |
| Aadai katta thevai ennavo | What is even the point of wearing clothes? |
| Sila oomaigal sila paavigal | A few voiceless victims and a few sinners, |
| Avar vaazhvathae paavamandro | Is it not a tragedy that they even exist? |
| Female | |
| Neethi devan mayangugindraan | The God of Justice is swooning in confusion, |
| Kelungal iraivanidam | Go ask God about it, |
| Nizhalaagavum nijamaagavum | From human beings who constantly change |
| Nidham maaridum manithanidam | Between shadow and reality every day. |
| Female | |
| Neethi devan mayangugindraan | The God of Justice is swooning in confusion, |
| Kelungal iraivanidam | Go ask God about it. |
நீதி தேவன் மயங்குகின்றான்
கேளுங்கள் இறைவனிடம்
நிழலாகவும் நிஜமாகவும்
நிதம் மாறிடும் மனிதனிடம்....
The God of Justice is swooning in confusion,
Go ask God about it,
From human beings who constantly change
Between shadow and reality every day.
நீதி தேவன் மயங்குகின்றான்
கேளுங்கள் இறைவனிடம்
நிழலாகவும் நிஜமாகவும்
நிதம் மாறிடும் மனிதனிடம்....
The God of Justice is swooning in confusion,
Go ask God about it,
From human beings who constantly change
Between shadow and reality every day.
நீதி தேவன் மயங்குகின்றான்
கேளுங்கள் இறைவனிடம்
The God of Justice is swooning in confusion,
Go ask God about it.
காந்தி சொன்ன அந்தக் காலம்
நாட்டில் இன்னும் தோன்றவில்லையே
கன்னிப் பெண்கள் மானத்தோடு
வாழும் வண்ணம் பேசவில்லையே
That era envisioned by Mahatma Gandhi
Has still not dawned upon this nation.
No words or actions have been put in place
To ensure young women live with honor and dignity.
சட்டம் வேறு தர்மம் வேறு
என்றவாறு இயங்குகின்றதே
சரியானது சில வேளையில்
விதியாவதே பாவமன்றோ...
Law is one thing and moral righteousness is another,
That is how the world functions today.
What is inherently right, in certain moments,
Becomes a victim of circumstance—is that not a sin?
நீதி தேவன் மயங்குகின்றான்
கேளுங்கள் இறைவனிடம்
The God of Justice is swooning in confusion,
Go ask God about it.
மானமென்ற ஒன்றைப் பற்றி
நூறு நூல்கள் பேசுகின்றதே
மானம் கெட்ட ஆண்கள் பற்றி
எந்த நூலும் பேசவில்லையே
About the single concept of female honor,
A hundred books speak at length.
But about men who have lost their moral dignity,
No book has ever written a word.
காவலற்ற நாட்டில் இன்னும்
ஆடைக் கட்ட தேவை என்னவோ
சில ஊமைகள் சில பாவிகள்
அவர் வாழ்வதே பாவமன்றோ...
In a country that lacks true protection,
What is even the point of wearing clothes?
A few voiceless victims and a few sinners,
Is it not a tragedy that they even exist?
நீதி தேவன் மயங்குகின்றான்
கேளுங்கள் இறைவனிடம்
நிழலாகவும் நிஜமாகவும்
நிதம் மாறிடும் மனிதனிடம்....
The God of Justice is swooning in confusion,
Go ask God about it,
From human beings who constantly change
Between shadow and reality every day.
நீதி தேவன் மயங்குகின்றான்
கேளுங்கள் இறைவனிடம்
The God of Justice is swooning in confusion,
Go ask God about it.
Neethi devan mayangugindraan
The God of Justice is swooning in confusion,
Kelungal iraivanidam
Go ask God about it,
Nizhalaagavum nijamaagavum
From human beings who constantly change
Nidham maaridum manithanidam
Between shadow and reality every day.
Neethi devan mayangugindraan
The God of Justice is swooning in confusion,
Kelungal iraivanidam
Go ask God about it,
Nizhalaagavum nijamaagavum
From human beings who constantly change
Nidham maaridum manithanidam
Between shadow and reality every day.
Neethi devan mayangugindraan
The God of Justice is swooning in confusion,
Kelungal iraivanidam
Go ask God about it.
Gandhi sonna antha kaalam
That era envisioned by Mahatma Gandhi
Naattil innum thondravillaiyae
Has still not dawned upon this nation.
Kanni pengal maanaththodu
No words or actions have been put in place
Vaazhum vannam pesavillaiyae
To ensure young women live with honor and dignity.
Sattam veru dharmam veru
Law is one thing and moral righteousness is another,
Endravaaru iyangugindrathae
That is how the world functions today.
Sariyaanathu sila velaiyil
What is inherently right, in certain moments,
Vidhiyaavathae paavamandro
Becomes a victim of circumstance—is that not a sin?
Neethi devan mayangugindraan
The God of Justice is swooning in confusion,
Kelungal iraivanidam
Go ask God about it.
Maanamendra ondraipattri
About the single concept of female honor,
Nooru noolgal pesugindrathae
A hundred books speak at length.
Maanam ketta aangal pattri
But about men who have lost their moral dignity,
Entha noolum pesavillaiyae
No book has ever written a word.
Kaavalattra naattil innum
In a country that lacks true protection,
Aadai katta thevai ennavo
What is even the point of wearing clothes?
Sila oomaigal sila paavigal
A few voiceless victims and a few sinners,
Avar vaazhvathae paavamandro
Is it not a tragedy that they even exist?
Neethi devan mayangugindraan
The God of Justice is swooning in confusion,
Kelungal iraivanidam
Go ask God about it,
Nizhalaagavum nijamaagavum
From human beings who constantly change
Nidham maaridum manithanidam
Between shadow and reality every day.
Neethi devan mayangugindraan
The God of Justice is swooning in confusion,
Kelungal iraivanidam
Go ask God about it.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Neethi Devan Mayangugindraan is a deeply philosophical and socially critical song written by Kannadasan for the film Neethi Devan Mayakkam (1982), featuring music by K. V. Mahadevan and rendered by P. Susheela. The song explores the painful conflict between statutory legal justice (sattam) and natural moral righteousness (dharmam). It mourns how human duplicity—fluctuating between illusion and truth—renders conventional justice blind and helpless.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monaai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)
“Nizhalaagavum nijamaagavum”
Repetition of the initial sound 'Ni' in 'Nizhalaagavum' and 'nijamaagavum' creates rhythmic flow.
Edugai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Sattam veru dharmam veru”
The second consonant sound 'tt' rhymes in 'Sattam' and 'Endravaaru' (syntactic parallelism across the couplet lines 15-16).
Contrast / Paradox
“Nizhalaagavum nijamaagavum”
Juxtaposes human deception using contrasting concepts of 'shadow' (Nizhalaagavum) and 'truth/reality' (nijamaagavum).
Rhetorical Question
“Vidhiyaavathae paavamandro”
Uses dramatic rhetorical inquiry ('Vidhiyaavathae paavamandro') to challenge the audience about the flaws of fate and legalistic justice.
Did you know?
Trivia
Written by Kannadasan, this song serves as the central thematic pillar of the 1982 court-drama film Neethi Devan Mayakkam. Kannadasan frequently used his poetry to critique social hypocrisy regarding women's chastity versus male moral accountability, a motif prominent in this track.
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