Ponal Pogattum Poda
From Palum Pazhamum · 1961
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
- Details
- Palum Pazhamum1961
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| ………………….. | ... |
| Male | |
| { Ponaal pogatum poda } (2) | { If it goes, let it go, my friend } (repeated 2 times) |
| Indha boomiyil nilaiyaai | In this world permanently |
| Vaazhnthavar yaaradaa | Who has ever lived, my friend? |
| Male | |
| Ponaal pogatum poda | If it goes, let it go, my friend |
| Indha boomiyil nilaiyaai | In this world permanently |
| Vaazhnthavar yaaradaa | Who has ever lived, my friend? |
| Male | |
| Ponaal pogatum poda | If it goes, let it go, my friend |
| Male | |
| …………………… | ... |
| Male | |
| Vanthadhu | That we arrived here, |
| Theriyum povathu engae | we know; but where we are going, |
| Vaasal namakae theriyaadhu | the exit door is unknown to us. |
| Male | |
| Vanthavarellam | If everyone who came here |
| Thangi vittal indha | stayed permanently, on this |
| Mannil namakae idamethu | earth, where would be place for us? |
| Male | |
| Vaazhkai | Life |
| Enbathu viyabaram | is a business transaction; |
| Varum jananam | the birth that comes |
| Enbathu varavaagum | is a credit/income, |
| Adhil maranam enbathu selavaagum | and in it, death is an expense/debit. |
| Male | |
| { Ponaal pogatum poda } (4) | { If it goes, let it go, my friend } (repeated 4 times) |
| Male | |
| Iraval thanthavan | The One who gave us life on loan |
| Ketkindran adhai | is asking for it back; |
| Illaiyendral avan viduvana | if we refuse, will He leave it be? |
| Male | |
| Uravai solli | By speaking of relationships |
| Azhuvathanaalae uyirai | and weeping, will He give back |
| Meendum tharuvana | our life once again? |
| Male | |
| Kookuralaalae | By crying out aloud, |
| Kidaikaathu idhu | this cannot be retrieved; |
| Courtuku ponaal | if taken to a court of law, |
| Jeikaathu andha | it cannot be won; and once inside |
| Kottaiyil nuzhainthaal | that fortress [death], |
| Thirumbaathu | there is no turning back. |
| Male | |
| { Ponaal pogatum poda } (2) | { If it goes, let it go, my friend } (repeated 2 times) |
| Indha boomiyil nilaiyaai | In this world permanently |
| Vaazhnthavar yaaradaa | Who has ever lived, my friend? |
| Male | |
| Ponaal pogatum poda | If it goes, let it go, my friend |
| Male | |
| ……………… | ... |
| Male | |
| Elumbukum | For bones |
| Sathaikum maruthuvam | and flesh, I found medicine; |
| Kanden idharkoru | did I ever find a cure |
| Marunthai kandena | for this [mortality]? |
| Male | |
| Irunthaal | If I had, |
| Avalai thannanthaniyae | would I leave her all alone |
| Eriyum nerupil viduvena | in the burning fire? |
| Male | |
| Namakum | Above us, |
| Melae oruvanada | there is One, my friend; |
| Avan naalum therintha | He is a supreme leader who knows all time; |
| Thalaivanada dhinam | He is an artist playing a drama every day, my friend! |
| Naadagam aadum kalaignanada | { If it goes, let it go, my friend } (repeated 2 times) |
| Male | |
| { Ponaal pogatum poda } (2) | In this world permanently |
| Indha boomiyil nilaiyaai | Who has ever lived, my friend? |
| Vaazhnthavar yaaradaa | { If it goes, let it go, my friend } (repeated 3 times) |
| Male | |
| { Ponaal pogatum poda } (3) | ... |
| Male | |
| ………………………… | |
.............................
...
{ போனால்
போகட்டும் போடா } (2)
இந்த பூமியில் நிலையாய்
வாழ்ந்தவர் யாரடா
{ If it goes, let it go, my friend } (repeated 2 times)
In this world permanently
Who has ever lived, my friend?
போனால்
போகட்டும் போடா
இந்த பூமியில் நிலையாய்
வாழ்ந்தவர் யாரடா
If it goes, let it go, my friend
In this world permanently
Who has ever lived, my friend?
போனால்
போகட்டும் போடா
If it goes, let it go, my friend
.............................
...
வந்தது தெரியும்
போவது எங்கே வாசல்
நமக்கே தெரியாது
That we arrived here,
we know; but where we are going,
the exit door is unknown to us.
வந்தவரெல்லாம்
தங்கிவிட்டால் இந்த
மண்ணில் நமக்கே
இடமேது
If everyone who came here
stayed permanently, on this
earth, where would be place for us?
வாழ்க்கை என்பது
வியாபாரம் வரும் ஜனனம்
என்பது வரவாகும் அதில்
மரணம் என்பது செலவாகும்
Life
is a business transaction;
the birth that comes
is a credit/income,
and in it, death is an expense/debit.
{ போனால்
போகட்டும் போடா } (4)
{ If it goes, let it go, my friend } (repeated 4 times)
இரவல் தந்தவன்
கேட்கின்றான் அதை இல்லை
என்றால் அவன் விடுவானா
The One who gave us life on loan
is asking for it back;
if we refuse, will He leave it be?
உறவைச் சொல்லி
அழுவதனாலே உயிரை
மீண்டும் தருவானா
By speaking of relationships
and weeping, will He give back
our life once again?
கூக்குரலாலே
கிடைக்காது இது
கோர்ட்டுக்கு போனால்
ஜெய்க்காது அந்தக்
கோட்டையில் நுழைந்தால்
திரும்பாது
By crying out aloud,
this cannot be retrieved;
if taken to a court of law,
it cannot be won; and once inside
that fortress [death],
there is no turning back.
{ போனால்
போகட்டும் போடா } (2)
இந்த பூமியில் நிலையாய்
வாழ்ந்தவர் யாரடா
{ If it goes, let it go, my friend } (repeated 2 times)
In this world permanently
Who has ever lived, my friend?
போனால்
போகட்டும் போடா
If it goes, let it go, my friend
.............................
...
எலும்புக்கும்
சதைக்கும் மருத்துவம்
கண்டேன் இதற்கொரு
மருந்தைக் கண்டேனா
For bones
and flesh, I found medicine;
did I ever find a cure
for this [mortality]?
இருந்தால்
அவளைத் தன்னந்தனியே
எரியும் நெருப்பில் விடுவேனா
If I had,
would I leave her all alone
in the burning fire?
நமக்கும் மேலே
ஒருவனடா அவன் நாலும்
தெரிந்த தலைவனடா
தினம் நாடகமாடும்
கலைஞனடா
Above us,
there is One, my friend;
He is a supreme leader who knows all time;
He is an artist playing a drama every day, my friend!
{ If it goes, let it go, my friend } (repeated 2 times)
{ போனால்
போகட்டும் போடா } (2)
இந்த பூமியில் நிலையாய்
வாழ்ந்தவர் யாரடா
In this world permanently
Who has ever lived, my friend?
{ If it goes, let it go, my friend } (repeated 3 times)
{ போனால்
போகட்டும் போடா } (3)
...
.............................
…………………..
...
{ Ponaal pogatum poda } (2)
{ If it goes, let it go, my friend } (repeated 2 times)
Indha boomiyil nilaiyaai
In this world permanently
Vaazhnthavar yaaradaa
Who has ever lived, my friend?
Ponaal pogatum poda
If it goes, let it go, my friend
Indha boomiyil nilaiyaai
In this world permanently
Vaazhnthavar yaaradaa
Who has ever lived, my friend?
Ponaal pogatum poda
If it goes, let it go, my friend
……………………
...
Vanthadhu
That we arrived here,
Theriyum povathu engae
we know; but where we are going,
Vaasal namakae theriyaadhu
the exit door is unknown to us.
Vanthavarellam
If everyone who came here
Thangi vittal indha
stayed permanently, on this
Mannil namakae idamethu
earth, where would be place for us?
Vaazhkai
Life
Enbathu viyabaram
is a business transaction;
Varum jananam
the birth that comes
Enbathu varavaagum
is a credit/income,
Adhil maranam enbathu selavaagum
and in it, death is an expense/debit.
{ Ponaal pogatum poda } (4)
{ If it goes, let it go, my friend } (repeated 4 times)
Iraval thanthavan
The One who gave us life on loan
Ketkindran adhai
is asking for it back;
Illaiyendral avan viduvana
if we refuse, will He leave it be?
Uravai solli
By speaking of relationships
Azhuvathanaalae uyirai
and weeping, will He give back
Meendum tharuvana
our life once again?
Kookuralaalae
By crying out aloud,
Kidaikaathu idhu
this cannot be retrieved;
Courtuku ponaal
if taken to a court of law,
Jeikaathu andha
it cannot be won; and once inside
Kottaiyil nuzhainthaal
that fortress [death],
Thirumbaathu
there is no turning back.
{ Ponaal pogatum poda } (2)
{ If it goes, let it go, my friend } (repeated 2 times)
Indha boomiyil nilaiyaai
In this world permanently
Vaazhnthavar yaaradaa
Who has ever lived, my friend?
Ponaal pogatum poda
If it goes, let it go, my friend
………………
...
Elumbukum
For bones
Sathaikum maruthuvam
and flesh, I found medicine;
Kanden idharkoru
did I ever find a cure
Marunthai kandena
for this [mortality]?
Irunthaal
If I had,
Avalai thannanthaniyae
would I leave her all alone
Eriyum nerupil viduvena
in the burning fire?
Namakum
Above us,
Melae oruvanada
there is One, my friend;
Avan naalum therintha
He is a supreme leader who knows all time;
Thalaivanada dhinam
He is an artist playing a drama every day, my friend!
Naadagam aadum kalaignanada
{ If it goes, let it go, my friend } (repeated 2 times)
{ Ponaal pogatum poda } (2)
In this world permanently
Indha boomiyil nilaiyaai
Who has ever lived, my friend?
Vaazhnthavar yaaradaa
{ If it goes, let it go, my friend } (repeated 3 times)
{ Ponaal pogatum poda } (3)
...
…………………………
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Ponaal Pogattum Poda from the 1961 film Paalum Pazhamum is a classic philosophical song composed by Viswanathan-Ramamoorthy, sung by T. M. Soundararajan, and written by Kannadasan. The song explores deep themes of mortality, impermanence, and detachment following the grief of loss. The protagonist comes to terms with the reality that life is transient and human existence is merely borrowed time. Kannadasan uses brilliant metaphors, comparing life to a business ledger where birth is credit and death is debit, and death to an unappealable sentence that no court or fortress can defy. Ultimately, the song calls for acceptance of the divine master's cosmic play, offering solace in times of profound loss.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (உருவகம்)
“Vaazhkai Enbathu viyabaram Varum jananam Enbathu varavaagum Adhil maranam enbathu selavaagum”
Life is explicitly compared to a business transaction where birth is income/credit and death is expense/debit.
Rhetorical Question (வினா நவிற்சி)
“Indha boomiyil nilaiyaai Vaazhnthavar yaaradaa”
The speaker asks who has lived permanently on earth, highlighting the unquestionable truth that no one is immortal.
Metaphor (உருவகம்)
“dhinam Naadagam aadum kalaignanada”
God/Destiny is personified as an artist playing a daily theatrical drama.
Second-Letter Rhyme / Edhukai (எதுகை)
“Iraval thanthavan ... Uravai solli”
The second letter in adjacent lines rhymes ('Iraval' / 'Uravai').
Did you know?
Trivia
Although listed as unknown in the prompt context, the music was composed by the legendary duo Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy and sung by T. M. Soundararajan for actor Sivaji Ganesan. Kannadasan wrote these lyrics during a deeply reflective phase of his life, and the song remains one of the most famous philosophical anthems in Tamil cinema history.
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