Paayum Alai
From Kanniyin Kadhali · 1949
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- K. V. Janaki
- Music director
- S. M. Subbaiah Naidu
- Details
- Kanniyin Kadhali1949
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Paayum alaikadalae | O surging, wavy ocean! |
| Maaperum paadhagam seidhu vittaai | You have committed a grave sin! |
| Aayum gunamum illaa endhan | My noble and innocent... |
| Annanai neekki vittaai | ...brother, you have taken away! |
| Female | |
| Veenaiyum naadhamum pol | Like the lute and its sweet melody, |
| Ulagil maeviya vaazhnthirundhom | We lived harmoniously together in this world. |
| Nadhathai neekki vittaai | You have separated the music from the lute! |
| Ini mael nalloli yengvilangum | Where will divine sound resound anymore? |
| Female | |
| Kadalae nee perum theengizhaithaai | O sea, you have caused immense harm! |
| Annanai engoo maraithu vittaai | Where have you hidden my brother? |
| Eeramillaa nenjoo | Do you possess a heart devoid of mercy? |
| Kadalae ingunamillaayoo | O sea, do you lack all virtue? |
| Female | |
| Aadhithanai dhianmum vizhungiyum | Even after devouring the sun every single day, |
| Aarudhal pettrillaiyoo | Have you still found no solace? |
| Paedhai en sodharanai | Did you make my innocent brother... |
| Aakkinaiyoo iraiyaai | ...your helpless prey? |
| Female | |
| Annanai thandhu vidu allaal | Give me back my brother, or else... |
| En aayulai neekki vidu | ...end my life as well! |
| Penn pazhi polladhae | The retribution from a woman's curse is terrible, |
| Adhilum paedhai kanneer peridhae | And even greater is the power of an innocent girl's tears! |
பாயும் அலைக்கடலே
மாபெரும் பாதகம் செய்து விட்டாய்
ஆயும் குணமும் இல்லா எந்தன்
அண்ணனை நீக்கி விட்டாய்
O surging, wavy ocean!
You have committed a grave sin!
My noble and innocent...
...brother, you have taken away!
வீணையும் நாதமும் போல்
உலகில் மேவியே வாழ்ந்திருந்தோம்
நாதத்தை நீக்கிவிட்டாய்
இனிமேல் நல்லொலி ஏங்விளங்கும்
Like the lute and its sweet melody,
We lived harmoniously together in this world.
You have separated the music from the lute!
Where will divine sound resound anymore?
கடலே நீ பெரும் தீங்கிழைத்தாய்
அண்ணனை எங்கோ மறைத்து விட்டாய்
ஈரமில்லா நெஞ்சோ.......
கடலே இன்குணமில்லாயோ........
O sea, you have caused immense harm!
Where have you hidden my brother?
Do you possess a heart devoid of mercy?
O sea, do you lack all virtue?
ஆதித்தனைத் தினமும் விழுங்கியும்
ஆறுதல் பெற்றில்லையோ
பேதை என் சோதரனை
ஆக்கினையோ இரையாய்
Even after devouring the sun every single day,
Have you still found no solace?
Did you make my innocent brother...
...your helpless prey?
அண்ணனை தந்து விடு அல்லால்
என் ஆயுளை நீக்கி விடு
பெண் பழி பொல்லாதே
அதிலும் பேதை கண்ணீர் பெரிதே......
Give me back my brother, or else...
...end my life as well!
The retribution from a woman's curse is terrible,
And even greater is the power of an innocent girl's tears!
Paayum alaikadalae
O surging, wavy ocean!
Maaperum paadhagam seidhu vittaai
You have committed a grave sin!
Aayum gunamum illaa endhan
My noble and innocent...
Annanai neekki vittaai
...brother, you have taken away!
Veenaiyum naadhamum pol
Like the lute and its sweet melody,
Ulagil maeviya vaazhnthirundhom
We lived harmoniously together in this world.
Nadhathai neekki vittaai
You have separated the music from the lute!
Ini mael nalloli yengvilangum
Where will divine sound resound anymore?
Kadalae nee perum theengizhaithaai
O sea, you have caused immense harm!
Annanai engoo maraithu vittaai
Where have you hidden my brother?
Eeramillaa nenjoo
Do you possess a heart devoid of mercy?
Kadalae ingunamillaayoo
O sea, do you lack all virtue?
Aadhithanai dhianmum vizhungiyum
Even after devouring the sun every single day,
Aarudhal pettrillaiyoo
Have you still found no solace?
Paedhai en sodharanai
Did you make my innocent brother...
Aakkinaiyoo iraiyaai
...your helpless prey?
Annanai thandhu vidu allaal
Give me back my brother, or else...
En aayulai neekki vidu
...end my life as well!
Penn pazhi polladhae
The retribution from a woman's curse is terrible,
Adhilum paedhai kanneer peridhae
And even greater is the power of an innocent girl's tears!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
In this sorrowful lamentation, a distressed young woman addresses the surging sea, accusing it of committing a terrible sin by snatching away her beloved brother. She compares their inseparable bond to a Veena (lute) and its divine music, mourning that taking him away is like stripping the soul of sound from the instrument, leaving behind only silence. She confronts the ocean for its unfeeling nature, questioning if swallowing the sun daily is not enough to satisfy its appetite that it had to prey upon her innocent brother. Heartbroken, she demands her brother's return or her own death, warning the sea of the divine wrath brought on by a helpless woman's tears and curses.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Upamai)
“Veenaiyum naadhamum pol”
Compares the deep, harmonious bond between brother and sister to a Veena and its musical sound.
Personification
“Aadhithanai dhianmum vizhungiyum”
Addresses the ocean as a conscious, ruthless entity capable of feeling, eating the sun, and committing crime.
Metaphor
“Aadhithanai dhianmum vizhungiyum”
Depicts the setting sun being swallowed by the sea horizon as an endless appetite of the ocean.
Did you know?
Trivia
This song belongs to the 1949 movie 'Kanniyin Kadhali', which is a Tamil cinematic adaptation of William Shakespeare's famous play 'Twelfth Night'. It features early lyric work by the revered poet Kannadasan.
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