Oru Thaaram
From Sathi Leelavathi · 1995
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- Ben Surender
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Sathi Leelavathi1995
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Oru thaaram thalaiyil vechu | Placing one wife on his head, |
| Maru thaaram pakkam vecha | And placing another wife right by his side, |
| Sivanae sivanae sivanae | Oh Shiva, Shiva, Shiva! |
| Oru podhum maravaadhunnai | Never forgetting you at any time, |
| Theru oram paadum indha | This one singing at the edge of the street, |
| Maganae maganae maganae | Oh son, son, son! |
| Kan kondu paarum aiyaa | Look upon me with your gracious eyes, Lord, |
| Varam ondru thaarum aiyaa | Grant me a single boon, Lord! |
| Eesaa sarvaesaa enai aalum magaraasaa | Oh Ishvara, Supreme Lord, king ruling over me! |
| Aiyaa nee paathaa en kaiyaal aagaadhaa | Lord, if you glance at me, is there anything I cannot accomplish? |
| Male | |
| Oru thaaram thalaiyil vechu | Placing one wife on his head, |
| Maru thaaram pakkam vecha | And placing another wife right by his side, |
| Sivanae sivanae sivanae | Oh Shiva, Shiva, Shiva! |
| Male | |
| Aatril oru kaalai vaithaan | He kept one foot in the river, |
| Saetril oru kaalai vaithaan | And kept his other foot in the mud, |
| Sivanae sivanae sivanae | Oh Shiva, Shiva, Shiva! |
| Koozhukkum aasai pattaan | He desired to drink the porridge, |
| Meesaikkum aasai pattaan | Yet also worried about preserving his mustache, |
| Maganae maganae maganae | Oh son, son, son! |
| Parandhodi vaarum aiyaa | Come flying and running, Lord, |
| Paavathai theerum aiyaa | Absolve my sins, Lord! |
| Eesaa sarvaesaa enai aalum magaraasaa | Oh Ishvara, Supreme Lord, king ruling over me! |
| Aiyaa nee paathaa en kaiyaal aagaadhaa | Lord, if you glance at me, is there anything I cannot accomplish? |
| Male | |
| Oru thaaram thalaiyil vechu | Placing one wife on his head, |
| Maru thaaram pakkam vecha | And placing another wife right by his side, |
| Sivanae sivanae sivanae | Oh Shiva, Shiva, Shiva! |
| Male | |
| Kaikkullae kaniyum undu | He already has a ripe fruit right in his hand, |
| Kaayai yaen thaedi ponaan | Yet why did he go searching for an unripe fruit? |
| Sivanae sivanae sivanae | Oh Shiva, Shiva, Shiva! |
| Padithaalum buthi vallae | Despite being educated, he lacks basic wisdom, |
| Puriyaadha makku pullae | An incomprehensible, foolish boy, |
| Maganae maganae maganae | Oh son, son, son! |
| Thalaivaa un arulai koottu | Oh Leader, shower your abundant grace, |
| Thelivaana vazhiyai kaattu | Show us a clear and righteous path, |
| Eesaa sarvaesaa enai aalum magaraasaa | Oh Ishvara, Supreme Lord, king ruling over me! |
| Aiyaa nee paathaa en kaiyaal aagaadhaa | Lord, if you glance at me, is there anything I cannot accomplish? |
| Male | |
| Oru thaaram thalaiyil vechu | Placing one wife on his head, |
| Maru thaaram pakkam vecha | And placing another wife right by his side, |
| Sivanae sivanae sivanae | Oh Shiva, Shiva, Shiva! |
| Oru podhum maravaadhunnai | Never forgetting you at any time, |
| Theru oram paadum indha | This one singing at the edge of the street, |
| Maganae maganae maganae | Oh son, son, son! |
ஒரு தாரம் தலையில் வெச்சு
மறு தாரம் பக்கம் வெச்ச
சிவனே சிவனே சிவனே
ஒரு போதும் மறவாதுன்னை
தெரு ஓரம் பாடும் இந்த
மகனே மகனே மகனே
கண் கொண்டு பாரும் அய்யா
வரம் ஒன்று தாரும் அய்யா
ஈசா சர்வேசா எனை ஆளும் மகராசா
அய்யா நீ பாத்தா என் கையால் ஆகாதா
Placing one wife on his head,
And placing another wife right by his side,
Oh Shiva, Shiva, Shiva!
Never forgetting you at any time,
This one singing at the edge of the street,
Oh son, son, son!
Look upon me with your gracious eyes, Lord,
Grant me a single boon, Lord!
Oh Ishvara, Supreme Lord, king ruling over me!
Lord, if you glance at me, is there anything I cannot accomplish?
ஒரு தாரம் தலையில் வெச்சு
மறு தாரம் பக்கம் வெச்ச
சிவனே சிவனே சிவனே
Placing one wife on his head,
And placing another wife right by his side,
Oh Shiva, Shiva, Shiva!
ஆற்றில் ஒரு காலை வைத்தான்
சேற்றில் ஒரு காலை வைத்தான்
சிவனே சிவனே சிவனே
கூழுக்கும் ஆசைப் பட்டான்
மீசைக்கும் ஆசைப் பட்டான்
மகனே மகனே மகனே
பறந்தோடி வாரும் அய்யா
பாவத்தைத் தீரும் அய்யா
ஈசா சர்வேசா எனை ஆளும் மகராசா
அய்யா நீ பாத்தா என் கையால் ஆகாதா
He kept one foot in the river,
And kept his other foot in the mud,
Oh Shiva, Shiva, Shiva!
He desired to drink the porridge,
Yet also worried about preserving his mustache,
Oh son, son, son!
Come flying and running, Lord,
Absolve my sins, Lord!
Oh Ishvara, Supreme Lord, king ruling over me!
Lord, if you glance at me, is there anything I cannot accomplish?
ஒரு தாரம் தலையில் வெச்சு
மறு தாரம் பக்கம் வெச்ச
சிவனே சிவனே சிவனே
Placing one wife on his head,
And placing another wife right by his side,
Oh Shiva, Shiva, Shiva!
கைக்குள்ளே கனியும் உண்டு
காயை ஏன் தேடிப் போனான்
சிவனே சிவனே சிவனே
படித்தாலும் புத்தி வல்லே
புரியாத மக்குப் புள்ளே
மகனே மகனே மகனே
தலைவா உன் அருளைக் கூட்டு
தெளிவான வழியைக் காட்டு
ஈசா சர்வேசா எனை ஆளும் மகராசா
அய்யா நீ பாத்தா என் கையால் ஆகாதா
He already has a ripe fruit right in his hand,
Yet why did he go searching for an unripe fruit?
Oh Shiva, Shiva, Shiva!
Despite being educated, he lacks basic wisdom,
An incomprehensible, foolish boy,
Oh son, son, son!
Oh Leader, shower your abundant grace,
Show us a clear and righteous path,
Oh Ishvara, Supreme Lord, king ruling over me!
Lord, if you glance at me, is there anything I cannot accomplish?
ஒரு தாரம் தலையில் வெச்சு
மறு தாரம் பக்கம் வெச்ச
சிவனே சிவனே சிவனே
ஒரு போதும் மறவாதுன்னை
தெரு ஓரம் பாடும் இந்த
மகனே மகனே மகனே
Placing one wife on his head,
And placing another wife right by his side,
Oh Shiva, Shiva, Shiva!
Never forgetting you at any time,
This one singing at the edge of the street,
Oh son, son, son!
Oru thaaram thalaiyil vechu
Placing one wife on his head,
Maru thaaram pakkam vecha
And placing another wife right by his side,
Sivanae sivanae sivanae
Oh Shiva, Shiva, Shiva!
Oru podhum maravaadhunnai
Never forgetting you at any time,
Theru oram paadum indha
This one singing at the edge of the street,
Maganae maganae maganae
Oh son, son, son!
Kan kondu paarum aiyaa
Look upon me with your gracious eyes, Lord,
Varam ondru thaarum aiyaa
Grant me a single boon, Lord!
Eesaa sarvaesaa enai aalum magaraasaa
Oh Ishvara, Supreme Lord, king ruling over me!
Aiyaa nee paathaa en kaiyaal aagaadhaa
Lord, if you glance at me, is there anything I cannot accomplish?
Oru thaaram thalaiyil vechu
Placing one wife on his head,
Maru thaaram pakkam vecha
And placing another wife right by his side,
Sivanae sivanae sivanae
Oh Shiva, Shiva, Shiva!
Aatril oru kaalai vaithaan
He kept one foot in the river,
Saetril oru kaalai vaithaan
And kept his other foot in the mud,
Sivanae sivanae sivanae
Oh Shiva, Shiva, Shiva!
Koozhukkum aasai pattaan
He desired to drink the porridge,
Meesaikkum aasai pattaan
Yet also worried about preserving his mustache,
Maganae maganae maganae
Oh son, son, son!
Parandhodi vaarum aiyaa
Come flying and running, Lord,
Paavathai theerum aiyaa
Absolve my sins, Lord!
Eesaa sarvaesaa enai aalum magaraasaa
Oh Ishvara, Supreme Lord, king ruling over me!
Aiyaa nee paathaa en kaiyaal aagaadhaa
Lord, if you glance at me, is there anything I cannot accomplish?
Oru thaaram thalaiyil vechu
Placing one wife on his head,
Maru thaaram pakkam vecha
And placing another wife right by his side,
Sivanae sivanae sivanae
Oh Shiva, Shiva, Shiva!
Kaikkullae kaniyum undu
He already has a ripe fruit right in his hand,
Kaayai yaen thaedi ponaan
Yet why did he go searching for an unripe fruit?
Sivanae sivanae sivanae
Oh Shiva, Shiva, Shiva!
Padithaalum buthi vallae
Despite being educated, he lacks basic wisdom,
Puriyaadha makku pullae
An incomprehensible, foolish boy,
Maganae maganae maganae
Oh son, son, son!
Thalaivaa un arulai koottu
Oh Leader, shower your abundant grace,
Thelivaana vazhiyai kaattu
Show us a clear and righteous path,
Eesaa sarvaesaa enai aalum magaraasaa
Oh Ishvara, Supreme Lord, king ruling over me!
Aiyaa nee paathaa en kaiyaal aagaadhaa
Lord, if you glance at me, is there anything I cannot accomplish?
Oru thaaram thalaiyil vechu
Placing one wife on his head,
Maru thaaram pakkam vecha
And placing another wife right by his side,
Sivanae sivanae sivanae
Oh Shiva, Shiva, Shiva!
Oru podhum maravaadhunnai
Never forgetting you at any time,
Theru oram paadum indha
This one singing at the edge of the street,
Maganae maganae maganae
Oh son, son, son!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song from 'Sathi Leelavathi' uses the format of a traditional street performance and devotional prayer to Lord Shiva to poke satirical fun at a man caught in an extramarital affair. In Hindu mythology, Shiva holds the river goddess Ganga on his head and has Parvati by his side. Vaali cleverly contrasts this divine context with the foolish actions of a mortal man who tries to manage two women simultaneously, resulting in chaos and hypocrisy. The lyrics use popular Tamil proverbs and idioms—such as putting one foot in the river and one in the mud, or having a sweet ripe fruit in hand while searching for an unripe one—to highlight the man's greed and stupidity. Ultimately, it functions as both a lighthearted mockery of infidelity and a satirical plea to God to bestow common sense and guidance on such straying 'sons'.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor / Proverbial Imagery
“Aatril oru kaalai vaithaan / Saetril oru kaalai vaithaan”
Uses the famous Tamil proverb about putting one foot in a river and one in mud to symbolize double-mindedness and walking a dangerous, split path.
Metaphor
“Kaikkullae kaniyum undu / Kaayai yaen thaedi ponaan”
Compares a loving wife to a sweet ripe fruit ('kani') and an affair to an unripe fruit ('kaai'), questioning the foolishness of seeking outside when blessed at home.
Ethugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Koozhukkum aasai pattaan / Meesaikkum aasai pattaan”
The second letter consonant sound ('zh' / 's') creates a rhythmic rhyme scheme reflecting another traditional Tamil idiom about wanting pleasure without mess.
Iyaipu (End Rhyme / Repetition)
“Sivanae sivanae sivanae / Maganae maganae maganae”
Repetitive end-refrains anchor the song in traditional folk-devotional street singing style.
Did you know?
Trivia
Though listed with unknown credits in the query, this song was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja and sung by Kovai Kamala along with Kamal Haasan and M. S. Viswanathan for the comedy film 'Sathi Leelavathi' (1995). Written by Vaali, the lyrics directly mock the predicament of Ramesh Aravind's character in the film, who gets caught between his wife (Kalpana) and his mistress (Heera).
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