Oru Naalil
From Pudhupettai · 2006
- Lyricist
- Na. Muthu Kumar
- Singer
- Yuvan Shankar Raja
- Music director
- Yuvan Shankar Raja
- Details
- Pudhupettai2006
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Oru naalil vaazhkkai ingae | In a single day, life here |
| Engum odi pogaathu… | Will not run away anywhere... |
| Maru naalum vanthu vittaal | When the next day comes along, |
| Thunbam theiyum thodaraathu | Sorrow will wear away and won't persist. |
| Eththanai kodi kanneer | How many millions of tears |
| Mann meedhu vizhunthirukkum | Must have fallen upon this earth! |
| Aththanai kanda pinnum | Even after witnessing all of that, |
| Boomi ingu poo pookkum | The earth here still blooms flowers. |
| Male | |
| Hoo hoo hooo | Hoo hoo hooo |
| Karu vaasal vittu vantha naal thottu | From the day one leaves the doorway of the womb, |
| Hoo hoo hooo | Hoo hoo hooo |
| Oru vaasal thediyae vilaiyaattu.. | Life is a game in search of an entry and exit.. |
| Hoo hoo hooo | Hoo hoo hooo |
| Kann thiranthu paarthaal pala koothu | If you open your eyes and look, there are many spectacles. |
| Hoo hoo ho…oo | Hoo hoo ho…oo |
| Kanmudi kondaal……. | If you close your eyes...... |
| Male | |
| Hoo hoo hoooooo | Hoo hoo hoooooo |
| Hoo hooo ooo hoo hoo hoo | Hoo hooo ooo hoo hoo hoo |
| Male | |
| Por kalathil piranthu vittom | We were born on a battlefield, |
| Vanthavai ponavai varutham illai | There is no regret for what came and what went. |
| Kaatinilae vaazhkindrom | We are living in a jungle, |
| Mutkalin vali ondrum maranam illai | The pain of thorns is not death. |
| Male | |
| Iruttinilae nee nadakkaiyilae | When you walk in the darkness, |
| Un nizhalum unnai vittu vilagividum | Even your shadow will abandon you. |
| Nee mattum thaan intha ulagathilae | You alone are in this world, |
| Unakku thunai endru vilangividum | It will become clear that you are your only companion. |
| Male | |
| Theeyoda pogum varaiyil .. | Until we merge into the fire.. |
| Theeraathu intha thanimai.. | This loneliness will never end.. |
| Karai varum naeram paarthu | Watching for the time when the shore appears, |
| Kappalil kaathiruppom | We shall wait upon the ship. |
| Erimalai vanthaal kooda | Even if a volcano erupts, |
| Yeri nindru por thoduppom | We will climb atop it and wage war. |
| Male | |
| Hoo hoo hooo | Hoo hoo hooo |
| Andha theiva ragasiyam purigirathae | That divine secret is now understood, |
| Hoo hoo hooo | Hoo hoo hooo |
| Ingu ethuvum nilai illai karaigirathae | Nothing here is permanent; everything dissolves. |
| Hoo hoo hooo | Hoo hoo hooo |
| Manam vetta veliyilae alaigirathae | The mind wanders in the open expanse, |
| Hoo hoo hooo | Hoo hoo hooo |
| Antha kadavulai kandaal ……. | If we ever see that God...... |
| Male | |
| Hoo hoo hoooooo | Hoo hoo hoooooo |
| Yeahhh ehh..ehhh ….ehh | Yeahhh ehh..ehhh ….ehh |
| Laara rara raaraa….rari rara…. | Laara rara raaraa….rari rara…. |
| Male | |
| Athu unakku ithu enakku | That is for you, this is for me, |
| Idhayangal podum thani kanakku | Hearts keep their own personal calculations. |
| Aval enakku ival unakku | She is for me, this one is for you, |
| Udalgalum podum puthir kanakku | Bodies too calculate puzzle-like accounts. |
| Male | |
| Unakkum illai ithu enakkum illai | It belongs neither to you nor to me, |
| Padaithavanae ingu eduthu kolvaan | The Creator Himself will take it back. |
| Nallavan yaar ada kettavan yaar | Who is good, hey, who is bad? |
| Kadaisiyil avanae mudivu seivaan | In the end, He alone will decide. |
| Male | |
| Pazhi podum ulagam ingae.. | The world casts blame here.. |
| Baliyaana uyirgal engae…. | Where are the souls that were sacrificed?.... |
| Ulagathin oram nindru | Standing at the edge of the world, |
| Aththanaiyum paarthiruppom.. | We shall watch everything happen.. |
| Nadappavai nadagam endru | Believing that whatever happens is a drama, |
| Naamum sernthu nadithiruppom | We too shall play along and act. |
| Male | |
| Hoo hoo hooo | Hoo hoo hooo |
| Pala muganggal vendum | Many faces/masks are required, |
| Sari maattikolvom…. | Alright, we shall wear them.... |
| Hoo hoo hooo | Hoo hoo hooo |
| Pala thiruppam theriyum | Many twists and turns will appear, |
| Athil thirumbi kolvom… | We shall turn along with them... |
| Hoo hoo hooo | Hoo hoo hooo |
| Kathai mudiyum pokkil athai | In the course where the story ends, |
| Mudithu kolvom…. | We shall finish it.... |
| Hoo hoo hooo | Hoo hoo hooo |
| Maru piravi venduma …. | Do we really need another rebirth?.... |
| Male | |
| Aahhhhhh | Aahhhhhh |
| Laaraa laaraa laaallaa laaralaa | Laaraa laaraa laaallaa laaralaa |
| Laaara…. lralaa ..yeahhh hey yeahhh | Laaara…. lralaa ..yeahhh hey yeahhh |
| Oooo…oo….ooo…..oo…….hoo ooo | Oooo…oo….ooo…..oo…….hoo ooo |
| Oooo…oo….ooo…..oo…….wow wowu wow | Oooo…oo….ooo…..oo…….wow wowu wow |
| Yeah ehh ehhh…………………. | Yeah ehh ehhh………………. |
ஒரு நாளில் வாழ்க்கை இங்கே
எங்கும் ஓடி போகாது....
மறு நாளும் வந்துவிட்டால்
துன்பம் தேயும் தொடராது
எத்தனை கோடி கண்ணீர்
மண் மீது விழுந்திருக்கும்.....
அத்தனை கண்ட பின்பும்
பூமி இங்கு பூ பூக்கும்
In a single day, life here
Will not run away anywhere...
When the next day comes along,
Sorrow will wear away and won't persist.
How many millions of tears
Must have fallen upon this earth!
Even after witnessing all of that,
The earth here still blooms flowers.
ஹோ ஒவ் வோவ்
கரு வாசல் விட்டு வந்த நாள் தொட்டு
ஹோ ஒவ் வோவ்
ஒரு வாசல் தேடியே விளையாட்டு....
ஹோ ஒவ் வோவ்
கண் திறந்து பார்த்தால் பல கூத்து
ஹோ ஒவ் வோவ்
கண் மூடிக்கொண்டால்....
Hoo hoo hooo
From the day one leaves the doorway of the womb,
Hoo hoo hooo
Life is a game in search of an entry and exit..
Hoo hoo hooo
If you open your eyes and look, there are many spectacles.
Hoo hoo ho…oo
If you close your eyes......
ஹோ ஹோ ஹோஓஓ.....
ஹோ ஹோ ஓஒ ஹோ ஹோ ஹோ
Hoo hoo hoooooo
Hoo hooo ooo hoo hoo hoo
போர்க்களத்தில் பிறந்து விட்டோம்
வந்தவை போனவை வருத்தம் இல்லை
காட்டினிலே வாழ்கின்றோம்
முட்களின் வலி ஒன்றும் மரணம் இல்லை
We were born on a battlefield,
There is no regret for what came and what went.
We are living in a jungle,
The pain of thorns is not death.
இருட்டினிலே நீ நடக்கையிலே
உன் நிழலும் உன்னை விட்டு விலகிவிடும்
நீ மட்டும்தான் இந்த உலகத்திலே
உனக்கு துணை என்று விளங்கிவிடும்
When you walk in the darkness,
Even your shadow will abandon you.
You alone are in this world,
It will become clear that you are your only companion.
தீயோடு போகும் வரையில்
தீராது இந்த தனிமை
கரை வரும் நேரம் பார்த்து
கப்பலில் காத்திருப்போம்
எரிமலை வந்தால் கூட
ஏறி நின்று போர் தொடுப்போம்
Until we merge into the fire..
This loneliness will never end..
Watching for the time when the shore appears,
We shall wait upon the ship.
Even if a volcano erupts,
We will climb atop it and wage war.
ஹோ ஒவ் வோவ்
அந்த தெய்வ ரகசியம் புரிகிறதே
ஹோ ஒவ் வோவ்
இங்கும் எதுவும் நிலையில்லை கரைகிறதே
ஹோ ஒவ் வோவ்
மனம் வெட்டவெளியிலே அலைகிறதே
ஹோ ஒவ் வோவ்
அந்த கடவுளை கண்டால்...
Hoo hoo hooo
That divine secret is now understood,
Hoo hoo hooo
Nothing here is permanent; everything dissolves.
Hoo hoo hooo
The mind wanders in the open expanse,
Hoo hoo hooo
If we ever see that God......
ஹோ ஹோ ஹோஓஓ.....
யெஹ் எஹ்...எஹ்....எஹ்
லாரா ரர ராரா.....ராரி ரர
Hoo hoo hoooooo
Yeahhh ehh..ehhh ….ehh
Laara rara raaraa….rari rara….
அது உனக்கு இது எனக்கு
இதயங்கள் போடும் தனி கணக்கு
அவள் எனக்கு இவள் உனக்கு
உடல்களும் போடும் புதிர் கணக்கு
That is for you, this is for me,
Hearts keep their own personal calculations.
She is for me, this one is for you,
Bodies too calculate puzzle-like accounts.
உனக்கும் இல்லை இது எனக்கும் இல்லை
படைத்தவனே இங்கு எடுத்துக்கொள்வான்
நல்லவன் யார் அட கெட்டவன் யார்
கடைசியில் அவனே முடிவு செய்வான்
It belongs neither to you nor to me,
The Creator Himself will take it back.
Who is good, hey, who is bad?
In the end, He alone will decide.
பழிபோடும் உலகம் இங்கே
பலியான உயிர்கள் எங்கே
உலகத்தின் ஓரம் நின்று
அத்தனையும் பார்த்திருப்போம்
நடப்பவை நாடகமென்று
நாமும் சேர்த்து நடித்திருப்போம்
The world casts blame here..
Where are the souls that were sacrificed?....
Standing at the edge of the world,
We shall watch everything happen..
Believing that whatever happens is a drama,
We too shall play along and act.
ஹோ ஒவ் வோவ்ஓஓ.....
பல முகங்கள் வேண்டும்
சரி மாட்டிக்கொள்வோம்
ஹோ ஒவ் வோவ்ஓஓ.....
பல திருப்பம் தெரியும்
அதில் திரும்பிக்கொள்வோம்
ஹோ ஒவ் வோவ்ஓஓ.....
கதை முடியும் போக்கில் அதை
முடித்துக்கொள்வோம்
ஹோ ஒவ் வோவ்ஓஓ.....
மறுபிறவி வேண்டுமா....
Hoo hoo hooo
Many faces/masks are required,
Alright, we shall wear them....
Hoo hoo hooo
Many twists and turns will appear,
We shall turn along with them...
Hoo hoo hooo
In the course where the story ends,
We shall finish it....
Hoo hoo hooo
Do we really need another rebirth?....
ஆஹ்ஹ
லாரா லாரா லாலல்ல லாரலா
லாரா லரலா யெஹ் ஹேய் யெஹ்
ஓஓ....ஓ...ஓஒ....ஓஒ...ஹோ ஓஒ.....
ஓஓ....ஓ...ஓஒ....ஓஒ....வாவ் வாவு வாவ்
யெஹ் எஹ் எஹ்......
Aahhhhhh
Laaraa laaraa laaallaa laaralaa
Laaara…. lralaa ..yeahhh hey yeahhh
Oooo…oo….ooo…..oo…….hoo ooo
Oooo…oo….ooo…..oo…….wow wowu wow
Yeah ehh ehhh……………….
Oru naalil vaazhkkai ingae
In a single day, life here
Engum odi pogaathu…
Will not run away anywhere...
Maru naalum vanthu vittaal
When the next day comes along,
Thunbam theiyum thodaraathu
Sorrow will wear away and won't persist.
Eththanai kodi kanneer
How many millions of tears
Mann meedhu vizhunthirukkum
Must have fallen upon this earth!
Aththanai kanda pinnum
Even after witnessing all of that,
Boomi ingu poo pookkum
The earth here still blooms flowers.
Hoo hoo hooo
Hoo hoo hooo
Karu vaasal vittu vantha naal thottu
From the day one leaves the doorway of the womb,
Hoo hoo hooo
Hoo hoo hooo
Oru vaasal thediyae vilaiyaattu..
Life is a game in search of an entry and exit..
Hoo hoo hooo
Hoo hoo hooo
Kann thiranthu paarthaal pala koothu
If you open your eyes and look, there are many spectacles.
Hoo hoo ho…oo
Hoo hoo ho…oo
Kanmudi kondaal…….
If you close your eyes......
Hoo hoo hoooooo
Hoo hoo hoooooo
Hoo hooo ooo hoo hoo hoo
Hoo hooo ooo hoo hoo hoo
Por kalathil piranthu vittom
We were born on a battlefield,
Vanthavai ponavai varutham illai
There is no regret for what came and what went.
Kaatinilae vaazhkindrom
We are living in a jungle,
Mutkalin vali ondrum maranam illai
The pain of thorns is not death.
Iruttinilae nee nadakkaiyilae
When you walk in the darkness,
Un nizhalum unnai vittu vilagividum
Even your shadow will abandon you.
Nee mattum thaan intha ulagathilae
You alone are in this world,
Unakku thunai endru vilangividum
It will become clear that you are your only companion.
Theeyoda pogum varaiyil ..
Until we merge into the fire..
Theeraathu intha thanimai..
This loneliness will never end..
Karai varum naeram paarthu
Watching for the time when the shore appears,
Kappalil kaathiruppom
We shall wait upon the ship.
Erimalai vanthaal kooda
Even if a volcano erupts,
Yeri nindru por thoduppom
We will climb atop it and wage war.
Hoo hoo hooo
Hoo hoo hooo
Andha theiva ragasiyam purigirathae
That divine secret is now understood,
Hoo hoo hooo
Hoo hoo hooo
Ingu ethuvum nilai illai karaigirathae
Nothing here is permanent; everything dissolves.
Hoo hoo hooo
Hoo hoo hooo
Manam vetta veliyilae alaigirathae
The mind wanders in the open expanse,
Hoo hoo hooo
Hoo hoo hooo
Antha kadavulai kandaal …….
If we ever see that God......
Hoo hoo hoooooo
Hoo hoo hoooooo
Yeahhh ehh..ehhh ….ehh
Yeahhh ehh..ehhh ….ehh
Laara rara raaraa….rari rara….
Laara rara raaraa….rari rara….
Athu unakku ithu enakku
That is for you, this is for me,
Idhayangal podum thani kanakku
Hearts keep their own personal calculations.
Aval enakku ival unakku
She is for me, this one is for you,
Udalgalum podum puthir kanakku
Bodies too calculate puzzle-like accounts.
Unakkum illai ithu enakkum illai
It belongs neither to you nor to me,
Padaithavanae ingu eduthu kolvaan
The Creator Himself will take it back.
Nallavan yaar ada kettavan yaar
Who is good, hey, who is bad?
Kadaisiyil avanae mudivu seivaan
In the end, He alone will decide.
Pazhi podum ulagam ingae..
The world casts blame here..
Baliyaana uyirgal engae….
Where are the souls that were sacrificed?....
Ulagathin oram nindru
Standing at the edge of the world,
Aththanaiyum paarthiruppom..
We shall watch everything happen..
Nadappavai nadagam endru
Believing that whatever happens is a drama,
Naamum sernthu nadithiruppom
We too shall play along and act.
Hoo hoo hooo
Hoo hoo hooo
Pala muganggal vendum
Many faces/masks are required,
Sari maattikolvom….
Alright, we shall wear them....
Hoo hoo hooo
Hoo hoo hooo
Pala thiruppam theriyum
Many twists and turns will appear,
Athil thirumbi kolvom…
We shall turn along with them...
Hoo hoo hooo
Hoo hoo hooo
Kathai mudiyum pokkil athai
In the course where the story ends,
Mudithu kolvom….
We shall finish it....
Hoo hoo hooo
Hoo hoo hooo
Maru piravi venduma ….
Do we really need another rebirth?....
Aahhhhhh
Aahhhhhh
Laaraa laaraa laaallaa laaralaa
Laaraa laaraa laaallaa laaralaa
Laaara…. lralaa ..yeahhh hey yeahhh
Laaara…. lralaa ..yeahhh hey yeahhh
Oooo…oo….ooo…..oo…….hoo ooo
Oooo…oo….ooo…..oo…….hoo ooo
Oooo…oo….ooo…..oo…….wow wowu wow
Oooo…oo….ooo…..oo…….wow wowu wow
Yeah ehh ehhh………………….
Yeah ehh ehhh……………….
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
"Oru Naalil" from the movie Pudhupettai (2006) is a deeply philosophical and existential anthem that explores the impermanence of life, human suffering, and the inevitability of destiny. Set against the backdrop of a gritty gangster drama directed by Selvaraghavan, the song presents the worldview of a protagonist navigating a cruel and unpredictable world. It frames human existence as a battlefield and a wilderness where pain is temporary, self-reliance is vital, and ultimate solitude is man's true companion. Na. Muthukumar's evocative lyrics convey that life is essentially a theatrical performance where people put on different masks to survive shifting circumstances. Morality is rendered subjective—who is good and who is evil will ultimately be judged only by the Creator. Accepting life's ephemerality, the song encourages a detached yet courageous acceptance of destiny, urging the listener to face life's volcanoes, play their part in the cosmic drama, and embrace peace without longing for another rebirth.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Ethugai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Eththanai kodi kanneer / Aththanai kanda pinnum”
Ethugai is a classical Tamil poetic device where the second letter of consecutive lines rhymes. Here, 'th' (த்) in 'Eththanai' and 'Aththanai' creates a strong rhythmic harmony.
Metaphor
“Por kalathil piranthu vittom / Kaatinilae vaazhkindrom”
Life is metaphorically compared to being born on a battlefield ('Por kalathil') and living in a jungle ('Kaatinilae'), symbolizing constant struggle, lawlessness, and survival instincts.
Personification
“Un nizhalum unnai vittu vilagividum”
The shadow is personified as a fickle companion that abandons a person when they enter darkness, poetically illustrating ultimate human loneliness.
Monai (First Letter Alliteration)
“Pazhi podum ulagam ingae / Baliyaana uyirgal engae”
Monai refers to the repetition of the initial sound or letter across lines. Here, 'Pa' in 'Pazhi' and 'Ba' in 'Baliyaana' form a euphonic phonetic pairing.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed and sung by Yuvan Shankar Raja, 'Oru Naalil' remains one of Tamil cinema's most iconic philosophical tracks. The background score and musical arrangement for Pudhupettai were recorded in Thailand using the Central Symphony Orchestra of Bangkok, making it one of the early Tamil films to feature live international orchestral recording. Na. Muthukumar's lyrics for this song are widely celebrated for capturing existential angst and stoic wisdom.
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