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Elan Kandru album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Paal Kudikkum Pillai Idhu

From Elan Kandru · 1985

Lyricist
Kanmani Subbu
Singer
Ilayaraja
Music director
Gangai Amaran
Movie name
Elan Kandru
Movie release year
1985
Lyrics added on
27 Nov 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Paal kudikkum pillai idhu vel pidikkum
Paal kudikkum pillai idhu vel pidikkum
Nanmai nadakkum konjam naal pidikkum
Ilangandru naalaikku kalaiyedukkum
Andru inam kandu edhirigal thalaiyedukkum
Paal kudikkum pillai idhu vel pidikkum
Paal kudikkum pillai idhu vel pidikkum
Thaai ivalo azhuthazhuthu kadharivittaal
Than thaaipaalai tharaiyellaam sithara vittaal
Irukindra pillai adhuvum theriyavillai
Kanavan illai endra kadhaiyai ival ariyavillai
Soozhchiyinaal dharmam endrum azhiyaathu
Ada sooriyanai poththi vaikka mudiyaathu
Thanthaiyinai vanjaganae eriththuvittaan
Thayidaththil kandrai avan piriththuvittaan
Kaala dhevan indru mattum sirippai vittaan
Ivan kodumikku oru thedhi indru kuriththuvittaan
Soozhchiyinaal dharmam endrum azhiyaathu
Ada sooriyanai poththi vaikka mudiyaathu
Paal kudikkum pillai idhu vel pidikkum
Paal kudikkum pillai idhu vel pidikkum
…………….
Pulikandru nari kugaiyil valarnthathammaa
Athan pujam kandu malaikooda malaiththathamma
Kaalamennum sakkarangal urundathammaa
Antha ilang kandru kaalaiyena thirandathammaa
Soozhchiyinaal dharmam endrum azhiyaathu
Ada sooriyanai poththi vaikka mudiyaathu
Paal kudikkum pillai idhu vel pidikkum
Paal kudikkum pillai idhu vel pidikkum
Nanmai nadakkum konjam naal pidikkum
Ilangandru naalaikku kalaiyedukkum
Andru inam kandu edhirigal thalaiyedukkum
………………
This little child drinking milk will wield a spear.
This little child drinking milk will wield a spear.
Good things will happen, it will just take some time.
Tomorrow, this young calf will weed out the evil.
It will spot the enemies and strike off their heads.
This little child drinking milk will wield a spear.
This little child drinking milk will wield a spear.
The mother wept and wailed in deep agony,
Spilling her breast milk all over the ground.
She does not even notice the child right beside her,
Nor does she know the truth that her husband is gone.
Righteousness will never be destroyed by deceit,
For no one can cover and hide the sun!
The treacherous villain burned the father to ashes,
And tore the young calf away from its mother.
The Lord of Time only smiled for now,
Having already set a date to end his cruelty.
Righteousness will never be destroyed by deceit,
For no one can cover and hide the sun!
This little child drinking milk will wield a spear.
This little child drinking milk will wield a spear.
...
A tiger cub grew up inside a fox's cave,
And seeing its mighty shoulders, even the mountains stood amazed!
As the wheels of time rolled on,
That tender calf grew into a powerful bull!
Righteousness will never be destroyed by deceit,
For no one can cover and hide the sun!
This little child drinking milk will wield a spear.
This little child drinking milk will wield a spear.
Good things will happen, it will just take some time.
Tomorrow, this young calf will weed out the evil.
It will spot the enemies and strike off their heads.
...
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

The song 'Paal kudikkum pillai idhu vel pidikkum' serves as an expressive narrative foretelling the rise of an innocent infant into a powerful savior of justice. Despite being born into tragic circumstances where his father is killed through evil schemes and his mother is overcome by grief, the child is destined to overcome all odds. The lyrics emphasize that deceit can never permanently triumph over righteousness, just as the sun cannot be hidden under a cloth. As time rolls on, the young child grows up like a tiger cub raised in adversity, maturing into a formidable force. The song reassures that evil has a fixed expiration date, and the hero will inevitably return to eliminate villains, restore justice, and reclaim his rightful path.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamai / Metaphor)

“Pulikandru nari kugaiyil valarnthathammaa”

The line compares the young hero to a tiger cub ('Pulikandru') growing up in adversity ('Nari kugaiyil') and a young calf turning into a strong bull ('Kaalaiyena').

Asooriyanai / Sun Metaphor

“Ada sooriyanai poththi vaikka mudiyaathu”

Comparing truth/righteousness to the sun, illustrating that villainy ('Soozhchi') cannot permanently hide or suppress truth.

Edhukai (Second Letter Assonance/Rhyme)

“Thaai ivalo azhuthazhuthu kadharivittaal / Than thaaipaalai tharaiyellaam sithara vittaal”

The second letters of 'Thaai' and 'Than' rhyme across adjacent lines ('aa').

Personification

“Kaala dhevan indru mattum sirippai vittaan”

Time is personified as a deity ('Kaala dhevan') who smiles temporarily and assigns a date of doom for evil.

Did you know?

Trivia

The lyricist Kanmani Subbu is the son of the legendary Tamil writer, lyricist, and director Kothamangalam Subbu (author of the classic novel 'Thillana Mohanambal'). Kanmani Subbu is renowned for his rhythmic and classical Tamil lyrical structures in Tamil cinema.

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