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Bhagya Devathai album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Paavam Oridama

From Bhagya Devathai · 1959

Lyricist
Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass
Singer
Trichy Loganathan
Music director
Master Venu
Movie name
Bhagya Devathai
Movie release year
1959
Lyrics added on
4 Apr 2025

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Paavam oridamaa pazhiyum oridamaa
Pagavaanae idhu niyaayamaa
Paavam oridamaa pazhiyum oridamaa
Pagavaanae idhu niyaayamaa
Kobamindri gunamaaga vaazhnthaalum
Kodumaikku mudhaludamaa
Kuttramillaatha patchikke sirai
Koondae pugalidamaa…
Paavam oridamaa pazhiyum oridamaa
Pagavaanae idhu niyaayamaa
Iraivan kannilae thiraiyai pottu nee
Maraiyaththaan mudiyumaa
Varaiyai meeriyae vaazha ninaiththaalum
Vaiyagamthaan vidumaa
Paavam oridamaa pazhiyum oridamaa
Pagavaanae idhu niyaayamaa
Dharmamae thalai kaakkum endra mozhi
Thavaraaga pogumaa
Karma vedhanaikku kaimelae palan
Kidaikkaamal pogumaa
Paavam oridamaa pazhiyum oridamaa
Pagavaanae idhu niyaayamaa
Does the sin happen in one place and the blame fall on another?
O Lord, is this fair?
Does the sin happen in one place and the blame fall on another?
O Lord, is this fair?
Even if one lives with goodness and without anger,
does cruelty get the first place?
For an innocent bird,
is a prison cage its only shelter?
Does the sin happen in one place and the blame fall on another?
O Lord, is this fair?
Can you draw a veil over God's eyes
and truly remain hidden?
Even if you try to live crossing every limit,
will this world let you get away?
Does the sin happen in one place and the blame fall on another?
O Lord, is this fair?
The saying that righteousness will protect one's life,
can it ever prove false?
For the suffering caused by evil deeds, will instant justice
fail to reach you?
Does the sin happen in one place and the blame fall on another?
O Lord, is this fair?
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song is a poignant philosophical lament questioning divine justice and the cruel ironies of fate. The protagonist expresses deep anguish that one person commits a crime or sin while an innocent person ends up taking the blame and suffering the consequences. It uses metaphors like an innocent bird being trapped in a cage to illustrate how peaceful and righteous people often become victims of cruelty. Ultimately, the song serves as a moral warning to wrongdoers that no one can hide their actions from the divine eye. It questions whether ancient adages about virtue protecting the good will hold true, expressing faith that karma will eventually deliver swift justice to the guilty.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Monai (Initial Alliteration)

Kobamindri gunamaaga vaazhnthaalum / Kodumaikku mudhaludamaa

Repetition of the initial consonant/vowel sound across consecutive words or lines, such as 'Kobamindri' and 'Kodumaikku' (K- sound), or 'Kuttramillaatha' and 'Koondae' (K- sound).

Rhetorical Question (Vinaa Alangaaram)

Pagavaanae idhu niyaayamaa

Ending lines with questioning suffixes like '-aa' ('niyaayamaa', 'mudiyumaa', 'pogumaa') to express grief, protest injustice, and engage the listener philosophically rather than seeking a direct answer.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Kuttramillaatha patchikke sirai / Koondae pugalidamaa…

Comparing an innocent, harmless human being to a faultless bird ('kuttramillaatha patchi') locked inside a cage ('koondae sirai').

Did you know?

Trivia

'Bhagya Devathai' (1959) featured evocative philosophical compositions by Master Venu with lyrics penned by the legendary Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass. Sung with rich emotive depth by Trichy Loganathan, this track exemplifies the 1950s Tamil cinema trope of dramatic, morality-focused philosophical songs that questioned fate and social injustice.

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