Othayadi Padhayile
From Snegithiye · 2000
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Music director
- Vidyasagar
- Details
- Snegithiye2000
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Othaiyadi paadhayilae | On the narrow single-person track, |
| Othaiyilae poravalae | Oh girl who is walking all alone, |
| Karadi vandhu vazhi maraicha | If a bear suddenly comes and blocks your path, |
| Kaatukullae enna seiva | What will you do inside the dense forest? |
| Female | |
| Sikki mukki kalleduththu | Taking flintstones into my hands, |
| Seekarama paththa vechuu | Quickly striking them to light a spark, |
| Nerupethi verupethi | Setting a fire and agitating the wild beast, |
| Karadiyai suttu thappi poven…nn… | I will scare away the bear and make my escape! |
| Female | |
| Othaiyadi paadhayilae | On the narrow single-person track, |
| Othaiyilae poravalae | Oh girl who is walking all alone, |
| Karadi vandhu vazhi maraicha | If a bear suddenly comes and blocks your path, |
| Kaatukullae enna seiva | What will you do inside the dense forest? |
| Female | |
| Paatimasollum paadam | The lessons taught by grandmother |
| Paadhiyil marandhae pogum | Might be forgotten midway through life, |
| Vazhkaiyin paadam | But the profound lessons taught by life, |
| Mattum marakkadhae | Do not ever forget them! |
| Female | |
| Sathuramai muttai illai | An egg is never square-shaped, |
| Sandoshamae vaazhkai illai | Life is never composed purely of happiness, |
| Thunbaththilum gnyanam undu marakaadhae | There is wisdom gained even through suffering, do not forget. |
| Dhairiyamae nam soththu | Courage is our true wealth, |
| Mathadhelaam pam maaththu | Everything else is just superficial trickery. |
| Payanam po payanam po | Keep traveling on your journey, keep traveling, |
| Pallam medu rendum paarthu.. ohoo…oooyee | Mindful of both the low dips and high peaks... ohoo...oooyee. |
| Female | |
| Othaiyadi paadhayilae | On the narrow single-person track, |
| Othaiyilae poravalae | Oh girl who is walking all alone, |
| Karadi vandhu vazhi maraicha | If a bear suddenly comes and blocks your path, |
| Kaatukullae enna seiva | What will you do inside the dense forest? |
| Female | |
| Araiadi neelam naaku | A tongue that is merely half a foot long |
| Aaradi aalai kollum | Can destroy a six-foot-tall human being. |
| Aanavam kondu veenaai yesathae | Do not hurl angry words in vain out of arrogance! |
| Female | |
| Ezhutharivo ilai podum | Bookish education merely lays out the banana leaf, |
| Anubavamae soru podum | But practical life experience is what actually serves the food! |
| Thangatha sumandhaalum | Even if a vehicle carries heavy gold, |
| Petrolil dhaan vandi odum…mmm | The vehicle will run only on petrol... mmm. |
| Female | |
| Othaiyadi paadhayilae | On the narrow single-person track, |
| Othaiyilae poravalae | Oh girl who is walking all alone, |
| Karadi vandhu vazhi maraicha | If a bear suddenly comes and blocks your path, |
| Kaatukullae enna seiva | What will you do inside the dense forest? |
| Female | |
| Sikki mukki kalleduththu | Taking flintstones into my hands, |
| Seekarama paththa vechuu | Quickly striking them to light a spark, |
| Nerupethi verupethi | Setting a fire and agitating the wild beast, |
| Karadiyai suttu thappi poven…nn… | I will scare away the bear and make my escape! |
ஒத்தையடி
பாதையிலே ஒத்தையிலே
போறவளே கரடி வந்து வழி
மறைச்சா காட்டுக்குள்ளே
என்ன செய்வ
On the narrow single-person track,
Oh girl who is walking all alone,
If a bear suddenly comes and blocks your path,
What will you do inside the dense forest?
சிக்கி முக்கி கல்
எடுத்து சீக்கிரமா பத்த
வெச்சு நெருப்பேத்தி
வெறுப்பேத்தி கரடியை
சுட்டு தப்பி போவேன்
Taking flintstones into my hands,
Quickly striking them to light a spark,
Setting a fire and agitating the wild beast,
I will scare away the bear and make my escape!
ஒத்தையடி
பாதையிலே ஒத்தையிலே
போறவளே கரடி வந்து வழி
மறைச்சா காட்டுக்குள்ளே
என்ன செய்வ
On the narrow single-person track,
Oh girl who is walking all alone,
If a bear suddenly comes and blocks your path,
What will you do inside the dense forest?
பாட்டிமா சொல்லும்
பாடம் பாதியில் மறந்தே
போகும் வாழ்க்கையின்
பாடம் மட்டும் மறக்காதே
The lessons taught by grandmother
Might be forgotten midway through life,
But the profound lessons taught by life,
Do not ever forget them!
சதுரமாய் முட்டை
இல்லை சந்தோஷமே
வாழ்க்கை இல்லை
துன்பத்திலும் ஞானம் உண்டு
மறக்காதே தைரியமே நம்
சொத்து மத்ததெல்லாம் பம்
மாத்து பயணம் போ பயணம்
போ பள்ளம் மேடு ரெண்டும்
பார்த்து ஓஹோ ஓயே
An egg is never square-shaped,
Life is never composed purely of happiness,
There is wisdom gained even through suffering, do not forget.
Courage is our true wealth,
Everything else is just superficial trickery.
Keep traveling on your journey, keep traveling,
Mindful of both the low dips and high peaks... ohoo...oooyee.
ஒத்தையடி
பாதையிலே ஒத்தையிலே
போறவளே கரடி வந்து வழி
மறைச்சா காட்டுக்குள்ளே
என்ன செய்வ
On the narrow single-person track,
Oh girl who is walking all alone,
If a bear suddenly comes and blocks your path,
What will you do inside the dense forest?
அரைஅடி நீளம்
நாக்கு ஆறடி ஆளை
கொல்லும் ஆணவம்
கொண்டு வீணாய்
ஏசாதே
A tongue that is merely half a foot long
Can destroy a six-foot-tall human being.
Do not hurl angry words in vain out of arrogance!
எழுத்தறிவோ இல்லை
போதும் அனுபவமே சோறு
போடும் தங்கத்த சுமந்தாலும்
பெட்ரோலில் தான் வண்டி
ஓடும் ம்ம்ம்
Bookish education merely lays out the banana leaf,
But practical life experience is what actually serves the food!
Even if a vehicle carries heavy gold,
The vehicle will run only on petrol... mmm.
ஒத்தையடி
பாதையிலே ஒத்தையிலே
போறவளே கரடி வந்து வழி
மறைச்சா காட்டுக்குள்ளே
என்ன செய்வ
On the narrow single-person track,
Oh girl who is walking all alone,
If a bear suddenly comes and blocks your path,
What will you do inside the dense forest?
சிக்கி முக்கி கல்
எடுத்து சீக்கிரமா பத்த
வெச்சு நெருப்பேத்தி
வெறுப்பேத்தி கரடியை
சுட்டு தப்பி போவேன்
Taking flintstones into my hands,
Quickly striking them to light a spark,
Setting a fire and agitating the wild beast,
I will scare away the bear and make my escape!
Othaiyadi paadhayilae
On the narrow single-person track,
Othaiyilae poravalae
Oh girl who is walking all alone,
Karadi vandhu vazhi maraicha
If a bear suddenly comes and blocks your path,
Kaatukullae enna seiva
What will you do inside the dense forest?
Sikki mukki kalleduththu
Taking flintstones into my hands,
Seekarama paththa vechuu
Quickly striking them to light a spark,
Nerupethi verupethi
Setting a fire and agitating the wild beast,
Karadiyai suttu thappi poven…nn…
I will scare away the bear and make my escape!
Othaiyadi paadhayilae
On the narrow single-person track,
Othaiyilae poravalae
Oh girl who is walking all alone,
Karadi vandhu vazhi maraicha
If a bear suddenly comes and blocks your path,
Kaatukullae enna seiva
What will you do inside the dense forest?
Paatimasollum paadam
The lessons taught by grandmother
Paadhiyil marandhae pogum
Might be forgotten midway through life,
Vazhkaiyin paadam
But the profound lessons taught by life,
Mattum marakkadhae
Do not ever forget them!
Sathuramai muttai illai
An egg is never square-shaped,
Sandoshamae vaazhkai illai
Life is never composed purely of happiness,
Thunbaththilum gnyanam undu marakaadhae
There is wisdom gained even through suffering, do not forget.
Dhairiyamae nam soththu
Courage is our true wealth,
Mathadhelaam pam maaththu
Everything else is just superficial trickery.
Payanam po payanam po
Keep traveling on your journey, keep traveling,
Pallam medu rendum paarthu.. ohoo…oooyee
Mindful of both the low dips and high peaks... ohoo...oooyee.
Othaiyadi paadhayilae
On the narrow single-person track,
Othaiyilae poravalae
Oh girl who is walking all alone,
Karadi vandhu vazhi maraicha
If a bear suddenly comes and blocks your path,
Kaatukullae enna seiva
What will you do inside the dense forest?
Araiadi neelam naaku
A tongue that is merely half a foot long
Aaradi aalai kollum
Can destroy a six-foot-tall human being.
Aanavam kondu veenaai yesathae
Do not hurl angry words in vain out of arrogance!
Ezhutharivo ilai podum
Bookish education merely lays out the banana leaf,
Anubavamae soru podum
But practical life experience is what actually serves the food!
Thangatha sumandhaalum
Even if a vehicle carries heavy gold,
Petrolil dhaan vandi odum…mmm
The vehicle will run only on petrol... mmm.
Othaiyadi paadhayilae
On the narrow single-person track,
Othaiyilae poravalae
Oh girl who is walking all alone,
Karadi vandhu vazhi maraicha
If a bear suddenly comes and blocks your path,
Kaatukullae enna seiva
What will you do inside the dense forest?
Sikki mukki kalleduththu
Taking flintstones into my hands,
Seekarama paththa vechuu
Quickly striking them to light a spark,
Nerupethi verupethi
Setting a fire and agitating the wild beast,
Karadiyai suttu thappi poven…nn…
I will scare away the bear and make my escape!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Othaiyadi Paadhayilae from the movie Snegithiye (2000) is a vibrant and witty song that weaves practical life wisdom into playful riddle-like exchanges. The narrative setup depicts a traveler encountering real or metaphorical wild beasts on a narrow forest path, symbolic of life's unpredictable hurdles and dangerous situations. Rather than succumbing to fear, the response emphasizes quick wit, bravery, and presence of mind as the keys to survival. Lyricist Vairamuthu uses vivid folk imagery to convey timeless moral lessons. He contrasts theoretical bookish knowledge with real-world experience, reminding listeners that adversity builds true wisdom, words spoken in arrogance can be destructive, and inner courage is humanity's most valuable asset on the journey through life's ups and downs.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)
“Paatimasollum paadam / Paadhiyil marandhae pogum”
Repetition of the initial sound 'Pa' across consecutive phrases.
Ethugai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Araiadi neelam naaku / Aaradi aalai kollum”
Rhyming of the second consonant 'ra' in 'Araiadi' and 'Aaradi'.
Metaphor
“Ezhutharivo ilai podum / Anubavamae soru podum”
Bookish knowledge is metaphorically compared to laying out a leaf, while real experience is compared to serving the actual meal.
Did you know?
Trivia
Snegithiye (2000) was a unique female-centric thriller directed by Priyadarshan, featuring music composed by Vidyasagar. The song is sung by K. S. Chithra and Radhika, featuring playful lyrics written by Vairamuthu that blend folklore riddle structures with modern philosophical truths.
Keep listening