Oorukku Uzhaithaal
From Dharma Devathai · 1986
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- K. J. Yesudas
- Music director
- Raveendran
- Details
- Dharma Devathai1986
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Oorukku uzhaithaal… | She worked for her town... |
| Satta ozhungu adhai kaathaal… | She safeguarded law and order... |
| Male | |
| Kaaval thuraikkae | To the police department, |
| Ival ganniyam saerthaal | She brought dignity and honor. |
| Dharma dhevadhai | Goddess of Righteousness, |
| Ival dharma dhevadhai | She is the Goddess of Righteousness. |
| Male | |
| Kaaval nilaiyam ellaam | Every police station, |
| Kovil yena kanda magal | Was a temple to this beloved daughter. |
| Angu dheivathai kaanaamal | Not finding God (justice) there, |
| Kann kalangi pogindraal | She walks away with tearful eyes. |
| Male | |
| Veliyae payirgalai | When she saw the fence itself, |
| Meivadhu kandaal | Grazing upon the crops, |
| Vendhaal nondhaal | She burned and grieved within, |
| Veliyeri vandhaal | And stepped out of the system. |
| Male | |
| Needhi vazhi nindra magal | The daughter who stood on the path of justice, |
| Veedhi vazhi purappattaal | Has now set out onto the streets. |
| Paadhi vazhi varugaiyilae | While coming halfway on her journey, |
| Pagaivaridam agappattaal | She was caught by her enemies. |
| Male | |
| Puliyai saaippadharkku | To bring down a mighty tiger, |
| Poonaigal vandhadhammaa | Puny cats have arrived, oh dear! |
| Vilakkai anaippadharkku | To extinguish a bright lamp, |
| Vittilgal vandhadhammaa | Moths have swarmed, oh dear! |
| Dharumathin vaazhvu thanai | The life of righteousness, |
| Soodhu kavvum | May be engulfed by deceit, |
| Marupadiyum dharumam vellum | But righteousness will prevail again! |
| Nyaayangal saavadhai | Seeing justice dying, |
| Needhi nilai kulaindhu povadhai | And morality crumbling away, |
| Poruppaalo.. maattaalo …dharma dhevadhai… | Will the Goddess of Righteousness tolerate it... or not? |
ஊருக்கு உழைத்தாள்...
சட்ட ஒழுங்கு அதை காத்தாள்...
She worked for her town...
She safeguarded law and order...
காவல் துறைக்கே
இவள் கண்ணியம் சேர்த்தாள்
தர்ம தேவதை
இவள் தர்ம தேவதை
To the police department,
She brought dignity and honor.
Goddess of Righteousness,
She is the Goddess of Righteousness.
காவல் நிலையம் எல்லாம்
கோவில் என கண்ட மகள்
அங்கு தெய்வத்தைக் காணாமல்
கண் கலங்கிப் போகின்றாள்
Every police station,
Was a temple to this beloved daughter.
Not finding God (justice) there,
She walks away with tearful eyes.
வேலியே பயிர்களை
மேய்வது கண்டாள்
வெந்தாள் நொந்தாள்
வெளியேறி வந்தாள்
When she saw the fence itself,
Grazing upon the crops,
She burned and grieved within,
And stepped out of the system.
நீதி வழி நின்ற மகள்
வீதி வழி புறப்பட்டாள்
பாதி வழி வருகையிலே
பகைவரிடம் அகப்பட்டாள்
The daughter who stood on the path of justice,
Has now set out onto the streets.
While coming halfway on her journey,
She was caught by her enemies.
புலியை சாய்ப்பதற்கு
பூனைகள் வந்ததம்மா
விளக்கை அணைப்பதற்கு
விட்டில்கள் வந்ததம்மா
தருமத்தின் வாழ்வுதனை
சூது கவ்வும்
மறுபடியும் தருமம் வெல்லும்
ஞாயங்கள் சாவதை
நீதி நிலை குலைந்து போவதை
பொறுப்பாளோ..... மாட்டாளோ.... தர்ம தேவதை...
To bring down a mighty tiger,
Puny cats have arrived, oh dear!
To extinguish a bright lamp,
Moths have swarmed, oh dear!
The life of righteousness,
May be engulfed by deceit,
But righteousness will prevail again!
Seeing justice dying,
And morality crumbling away,
Will the Goddess of Righteousness tolerate it... or not?
Oorukku uzhaithaal…
She worked for her town...
Satta ozhungu adhai kaathaal…
She safeguarded law and order...
Kaaval thuraikkae
To the police department,
Ival ganniyam saerthaal
She brought dignity and honor.
Dharma dhevadhai
Goddess of Righteousness,
Ival dharma dhevadhai
She is the Goddess of Righteousness.
Kaaval nilaiyam ellaam
Every police station,
Kovil yena kanda magal
Was a temple to this beloved daughter.
Angu dheivathai kaanaamal
Not finding God (justice) there,
Kann kalangi pogindraal
She walks away with tearful eyes.
Veliyae payirgalai
When she saw the fence itself,
Meivadhu kandaal
Grazing upon the crops,
Vendhaal nondhaal
She burned and grieved within,
Veliyeri vandhaal
And stepped out of the system.
Needhi vazhi nindra magal
The daughter who stood on the path of justice,
Veedhi vazhi purappattaal
Has now set out onto the streets.
Paadhi vazhi varugaiyilae
While coming halfway on her journey,
Pagaivaridam agappattaal
She was caught by her enemies.
Puliyai saaippadharkku
To bring down a mighty tiger,
Poonaigal vandhadhammaa
Puny cats have arrived, oh dear!
Vilakkai anaippadharkku
To extinguish a bright lamp,
Vittilgal vandhadhammaa
Moths have swarmed, oh dear!
Dharumathin vaazhvu thanai
The life of righteousness,
Soodhu kavvum
May be engulfed by deceit,
Marupadiyum dharumam vellum
But righteousness will prevail again!
Nyaayangal saavadhai
Seeing justice dying,
Needhi nilai kulaindhu povadhai
And morality crumbling away,
Poruppaalo.. maattaalo …dharma dhevadhai…
Will the Goddess of Righteousness tolerate it... or not?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song acts as a narrative theme defining the idealist struggle of the female protagonist in 'Dharma Devathai'. She is portrayed as a devoted guardian of law who considers the police department as sacred as a temple. However, when she witnesses systemic corruption—metaphorically expressed as the protective fence consuming the very crop it was meant to guard—she experiences deep heartbreak and abandons the compromised system to seek justice independently on the streets.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Ethugai (Second Letter Rhyming)
“Needhi vazhi nindra magal / Veedhi vazhi purappattaal”
The second consonant 'dhi' (தி) rhymes across both lines ('Needhi' and 'Veedhi'), creating a strong rhythmic Tamil poetic match.
Iyaipu (End Rhyme)
“Poonaigal vandhadhammaa / Vittilgal vandhadhammaa”
Both lines end with the identical word 'vandhadhammaa', establishing end rhyme.
Metaphor & Proverbial Allusion
“Veliyae payirgalai / Meivadhu kandaal”
Refers to the famous Tamil proverb 'Veliye payirai meindhal' (If the fence eats the crop), metaphorically describing corrupt protectors who destroy what they are meant to guard.
Metaphor / Irony
“Puliyai saaippadharkku / Poonaigal vandhadhammaa”
Uses the metaphor of weak cats coming to take down a tiger to mock the villain's foolish attempt to destroy a strong, righteous hero.
Allusion
“Dharumathin vaazhvu thanai / Soodhu kavvum / Marupadiyum dharumam vellum”
Direct allusion to Mahakavi Subramania Bharati's famous lines from Panchali Sabatham, emphasizing that evil may temporarily cloud justice, but righteousness ultimate triumphs.
Did you know?
Trivia
The film 'Dharma Devathai' (1986) stars Vijayakanth and Radhika, with music composed by Raveendran and lyrics by Vaali. Radhika plays an upright police officer who turns into a vigilante when the corrupt legal system fails her, fitting the song's central characterization of a 'Dharma Devathai' (Goddess of Justice).
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