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Sathi Leelavathi album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Oru Thaaram

From Sathi Leelavathi · 1995

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
Ben Surender
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Sathi Leelavathi
Movie release year
1995
Lyrics added on
8 Feb 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Oru thaaram thalaiyil vechu
Maru thaaram pakkam vecha
Sivanae sivanae sivanae
Oru podhum maravaadhunnai
Theru oram paadum indha
Maganae maganae maganae
Kan kondu paarum aiyaa
Varam ondru thaarum aiyaa
Eesaa sarvaesaa enai aalum magaraasaa
Aiyaa nee paathaa en kaiyaal aagaadhaa
Oru thaaram thalaiyil vechu
Maru thaaram pakkam vecha
Sivanae sivanae sivanae
Aatril oru kaalai vaithaan
Saetril oru kaalai vaithaan
Sivanae sivanae sivanae
Koozhukkum aasai pattaan
Meesaikkum aasai pattaan
Maganae maganae maganae
Parandhodi vaarum aiyaa
Paavathai theerum aiyaa
Eesaa sarvaesaa enai aalum magaraasaa
Aiyaa nee paathaa en kaiyaal aagaadhaa
Oru thaaram thalaiyil vechu
Maru thaaram pakkam vecha
Sivanae sivanae sivanae
Kaikkullae kaniyum undu
Kaayai yaen thaedi ponaan
Sivanae sivanae sivanae
Padithaalum buthi vallae
Puriyaadha makku pullae
Maganae maganae maganae
Thalaivaa un arulai koottu
Thelivaana vazhiyai kaattu
Eesaa sarvaesaa enai aalum magaraasaa
Aiyaa nee paathaa en kaiyaal aagaadhaa
Oru thaaram thalaiyil vechu
Maru thaaram pakkam vecha
Sivanae sivanae sivanae
Oru podhum maravaadhunnai
Theru oram paadum indha
Maganae maganae maganae
With one wife resting on your head,
and another wife sitting by your side,
O Shiva, O Shiva, O Shiva!
Never once forgetting you,
singing here on the street corner,
is this son, this son, your son!
Cast your kind eyes upon me, my Lord,
grant me a boon, my Lord!
O Lord, God of the universe, King who rules my life!
My Lord, if you look upon me, is there anything I cannot do?
With one wife resting on your head,
and another wife sitting by your side,
O Shiva, O Shiva, O Shiva!
He stepped with one foot into the river,
and put the other foot into the mud,
O Shiva, O Shiva, O Shiva!
He wanted to drink his porridge,
yet keep his mustache spotless too,
O son, O son, this foolish son!
Come flying quickly, my Lord,
wipe away this trouble, my Lord!
O Lord, God of the universe, King who rules my life!
My Lord, if you look upon me, is there anything I cannot do?
With one wife resting on your head,
and another wife sitting by your side,
O Shiva, O Shiva, O Shiva!
When there is a sweet ripe fruit right in his hand,
why did he go searching for an unripe one?
O Shiva, O Shiva, O Shiva!
Despite his education, he gained no wisdom,
a clueless fool who understands nothing,
O son, O son, this foolish son!
O Master, shower us with your grace,
and show us a clear path ahead!
O Lord, God of the universe, King who rules my life!
My Lord, if you look upon me, is there anything I cannot do?
With one wife resting on your head,
and another wife sitting by your side,
O Shiva, O Shiva, O Shiva!
Never once forgetting you,
singing here on the street corner,
is this son, this son, your son!
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

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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