Ninaipathellaam Nadanthu Vitaal
From Nenjil Or Aalayam · 1962
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- P. B. Sreenivas
- Music director
- Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
- Details
- Nenjil Or Aalayam1962
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| {Ninaippathellaam nadanthuvittaal | If everything one wished for came true, |
| Deivam yethumillai… | There would be no God... |
| Nadanthathaiyae ninaiththirunthaal | If one keeps dwelling only on what has already happened, |
| Amaithi endrumillai…} (2) | There will never be peace... |
| Male | |
| Mudintha kadhai thodarvathillai | A finished story does not continue, |
| Iraivan yettinilae… | In God's book of fate... |
| Thodarntha kadhai mudivadhillai | An ongoing story never seems to end, |
| Manithan veettinilae… | In a human being's household... |
| Male | |
| Ninaippathellaam nadanthuvittaal | If everything one wished for came true, |
| Deivam yethumillai… | There would be no God... |
| Nadanthathaiyae ninaiththirunthaal | If one keeps dwelling only on what has already happened, |
| Amaithi endrumillai… | There will never be peace... |
| Male | |
| {Aayiram vaasal idhayam | The heart is a house with a thousand doors, |
| Athil aayiram ennangal udhayam | In it, a thousand thoughts arise. |
| Yaaro varuvaar yaaro iruppaar | Someone will come, someone will stay, |
| Varuvathum povathum theriyaathu..} (2) | One never knows who comes and goes.. |
| Male | |
| Oruvar mattum kudiyirunthal | If only one person resided in it, |
| Thunbam yethumillai.. | There would be no sorrow.. |
| Ondrirukka ondru vanthaal | When another enters while one is already there, |
| Endrum amaithiyillai… | There is never any peace… |
| Male | |
| Ninaippathellaam nadanthuvittaal | If everything one wished for came true, |
| Deivam yethumillai… | There would be no God... |
| Nadanthathaiyae ninaiththirunthaal | If one keeps dwelling only on what has already happened, |
| Amaithi endrumillai.. | There will never be peace.. |
| Male | |
| {Engae vazhkkai thodangum athu | Where life begins, |
| Engae evvitham mudiyum.. | Where and how it will end.. |
| Idhuthaan paathai.. idhuthaan payanam | "This is the path.. this is the journey," |
| Enbathu yaarukkum theriyaathu…} (2) | No one truly knows... |
| Male | |
| Paathaiyellaam maarivarum | All paths will shift and change, |
| Payanam mudinthuvidum.. | And the journey will eventually end.. |
| Maaruvathai purinthu kondaal | Once you understand that change is inevitable, |
| Mayakkam thelinthuvidum… | The mental confusion will clear away... |
| Male | |
| Ninaippathellaam nadanthuvittaal | If everything one wished for came true, |
| Deivam yethumillai… | There would be no God... |
| Nadanthathaiyae ninaiththirunthaal | If one keeps dwelling only on what has already happened, |
| Amaithi endrumillai.. | There will never be peace.. |
{ நினைப்பதெல்லாம்
நடந்து விட்டால் தெய்வம்
ஏதுமில்லை நடந்ததையே
நினைத்திருந்தால் அமைதி
என்றுமில்லை } (2)
If everything one wished for came true,
There would be no God...
If one keeps dwelling only on what has already happened,
There will never be peace...
முடிந்த கதை
தொடர்வதில்லை இறைவன்
ஏட்டினிலே தொடர்ந்த கதை
முடிவதில்லை மனிதன்
வீட்டினிலே
A finished story does not continue,
In God's book of fate...
An ongoing story never seems to end,
In a human being's household...
நினைப்பதெல்லாம்
நடந்து விட்டால் தெய்வம்
ஏதுமில்லை நடந்ததையே
நினைத்திருந்தால் அமைதி
என்றுமில்லை
If everything one wished for came true,
There would be no God...
If one keeps dwelling only on what has already happened,
There will never be peace...
{ ஆயிரம் வாசல்
இதயம் அதில் ஆயிரம்
எண்ணங்கள் உதயம்
யாரோ வருவார் யாரோ
இருப்பார் வருவதும்
போவதும் தெரியாது } (2)
The heart is a house with a thousand doors,
In it, a thousand thoughts arise.
Someone will come, someone will stay,
One never knows who comes and goes..
ஒருவர் மட்டும்
குடியிருந்தால் துன்பம்
ஏதுமில்லை ஒன்றிருக்க
ஒன்று வந்தால் என்றும்
அமைதியில்லை
If only one person resided in it,
There would be no sorrow..
When another enters while one is already there,
There is never any peace…
நினைப்பதெல்லாம்
நடந்து விட்டால் தெய்வம்
ஏதுமில்லை நடந்ததையே
நினைத்திருந்தால் அமைதி
என்றுமில்லை
If everything one wished for came true,
There would be no God...
If one keeps dwelling only on what has already happened,
There will never be peace..
{ எங்கே வாழ்க்கை
தொடங்கும் அது எங்கே
எவ்விதம் முடியும் இதுதான்
பாதை இது தான் பயணம்
என்பது யாருக்கும் தெரியாது } (2)
Where life begins,
Where and how it will end..
"This is the path.. this is the journey,"
No one truly knows...
பாதை எல்லாம்
மாறி வரும் பயணம்
முடிந்துவிடும் மாறுவதை
புரிந்துகொண்டால் மயக்கம்
தெளிந்துவிடும்
All paths will shift and change,
And the journey will eventually end..
Once you understand that change is inevitable,
The mental confusion will clear away...
நினைப்பதெல்லாம்
நடந்து விட்டால் தெய்வம்
ஏதுமில்லை நடந்ததையே
நினைத்திருந்தால் அமைதி
என்றுமில்லை
If everything one wished for came true,
There would be no God...
If one keeps dwelling only on what has already happened,
There will never be peace..
{Ninaippathellaam nadanthuvittaal
If everything one wished for came true,
Deivam yethumillai…
There would be no God...
Nadanthathaiyae ninaiththirunthaal
If one keeps dwelling only on what has already happened,
Amaithi endrumillai…} (2)
There will never be peace...
Mudintha kadhai thodarvathillai
A finished story does not continue,
Iraivan yettinilae…
In God's book of fate...
Thodarntha kadhai mudivadhillai
An ongoing story never seems to end,
Manithan veettinilae…
In a human being's household...
Ninaippathellaam nadanthuvittaal
If everything one wished for came true,
Deivam yethumillai…
There would be no God...
Nadanthathaiyae ninaiththirunthaal
If one keeps dwelling only on what has already happened,
Amaithi endrumillai…
There will never be peace...
{Aayiram vaasal idhayam
The heart is a house with a thousand doors,
Athil aayiram ennangal udhayam
In it, a thousand thoughts arise.
Yaaro varuvaar yaaro iruppaar
Someone will come, someone will stay,
Varuvathum povathum theriyaathu..} (2)
One never knows who comes and goes..
Oruvar mattum kudiyirunthal
If only one person resided in it,
Thunbam yethumillai..
There would be no sorrow..
Ondrirukka ondru vanthaal
When another enters while one is already there,
Endrum amaithiyillai…
There is never any peace…
Ninaippathellaam nadanthuvittaal
If everything one wished for came true,
Deivam yethumillai…
There would be no God...
Nadanthathaiyae ninaiththirunthaal
If one keeps dwelling only on what has already happened,
Amaithi endrumillai..
There will never be peace..
{Engae vazhkkai thodangum athu
Where life begins,
Engae evvitham mudiyum..
Where and how it will end..
Idhuthaan paathai.. idhuthaan payanam
"This is the path.. this is the journey,"
Enbathu yaarukkum theriyaathu…} (2)
No one truly knows...
Paathaiyellaam maarivarum
All paths will shift and change,
Payanam mudinthuvidum..
And the journey will eventually end..
Maaruvathai purinthu kondaal
Once you understand that change is inevitable,
Mayakkam thelinthuvidum…
The mental confusion will clear away...
Ninaippathellaam nadanthuvittaal
If everything one wished for came true,
Deivam yethumillai…
There would be no God...
Nadanthathaiyae ninaiththirunthaal
If one keeps dwelling only on what has already happened,
Amaithi endrumillai..
There will never be peace..
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Ninaippathellaam Nadanthuvittaal is a timeless philosophical masterwork written by Kannadasan for the 1962 film Nenjil Or Aalayam. The song explores the core themes of human desire, divine order, heartbreak, and acceptance of fate. Kannadasan notes that if human wishes were granted instantly, humanity would have no need for God; conversely, obsessing over past events deprives one of peace of mind. Life and human relationships are inherently chaotic and unpredictable, symbolized as a heart with a thousand doors where emotions and people continuously arrive and leave. In the latter half, the song delves into the uncertainty of human life—no one truly knows where life begins, how it will end, or which path it will take. The lyrical progression offers a solution to emotional suffering: realizing that change is the only constant in life frees a person from illusion and anguish, ultimately granting mental clarity and spiritual calm.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Muran (Antithesis)
“Mudintha kadhai thodarvathillai ... Thodarntha kadhai mudivadhillai”
Contrasts a completed story in God's book with an endless, unfinished story in a human household.
Metaphor
“Aayiram vaasal idhayam”
Compares the human mind/heart to a house with a thousand doors, allowing endless conflicting thoughts and people to enter and leave.
Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)
“Ninaippathellaam nadanthuvittaal / Nadanthathaiyae ninaiththirunthaal”
Repetition of the initial letter/sound 'N' across consecutive lines to establish rhythmic harmony.
Did you know?
Trivia
Though music director and singer were listed as unknown in the prompt, this iconic track was composed by the legendary duo Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy and rendered by P. B. Sreenivas. Directed by C. V. Sridhar, Nenjil Or Aalayam was shot entirely on a single hospital set in just 28 days and became a milestone in Tamil cinema.
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