Pottane Oru Podu
From Sathyam – 1976 Film · 1976
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Details
- Sathyam – 1976 Film1976
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Pottane oru podu | He delivered a heavy blow, |
| Avan kaetaane oru kelvi | He asked a burning question, |
| En poopol manadhai mullaal keeri | Tearing my flower-like heart with a thorn, |
| Punnaai aaki venneer ootri | Turning it into a wound and pouring boiling water over it, |
| Pottane oru podu | He delivered a heavy blow. |
| Male | |
| Pottane oru podu | He delivered a heavy blow, |
| Avan kaetaane oru kelvi | He asked a burning question, |
| En poopol manadhai mullaal keeri | Tearing my flower-like heart with a thorn, |
| Punnaai aaki venneer ootri | Turning it into a wound and pouring boiling water over it, |
| Pottane oru podu | He delivered a heavy blow. |
| Male | |
| Ennadi yamma magamaayi.. | Oh Goddess Magamayi, what is this? |
| Naan enna kandaen un maganaagi | What did I gain by being born as your son? |
| Ennadi yamma magamaayi.. | Oh Goddess Magamayi, what is this? |
| Naan enna kandaen un maganaagi | What did I gain by being born as your son? |
| Kaladi aayiram thangiduven | I can endure a thousand kicks beneath feet, |
| Intha solladi thanga mudiyalaiyeee… | But I cannot bear this single word of accusation! |
| Male | |
| Pottane oru podu | He delivered a heavy blow, |
| Avan kaetaane oru kelvi | He asked a burning question. |
| Male | |
| Sonnathil nirpathu sathiyame | Standing by one's word is truth, |
| Adhil nindru jayipathu sathiyame | Winning while upholding that truth is true righteousness, |
| Sonnathil thotravan naan alla | I am not one who has failed in his word, |
| Naan thottru vittaal nee thaaiyalla | If I fail, you are no true divine mother to me. |
| Male | |
| En poopol manadhai mullaal keeri | Tearing my flower-like heart with a thorn, |
| Punnaai aaki venneer ootri | Turning it into a wound and pouring boiling water over it, |
| Pottane oru podu | He delivered a heavy blow. |
| Male | |
| Kaadhalai pirithaen sathiyathil | I sacrificed my love in the name of truth, |
| Uyar kadaimaiyai seithaen sathiyathil | I fulfilled my highest duty in the name of truth, |
| Vedhanai valarthen sathiyathil | I nurtured deep pain in the name of truth, |
| Adhan vidivum mudivum unnidathil | Its relief and resolution now lie with you. |
| Male | |
| Pottane oru podu | He delivered a heavy blow, |
| Avan kaetaane oru kelvi | He asked a burning question. |
| Male | |
| Aayiram kangal unakkundu | You possess a thousand eyes, |
| Adi adhile thirakkatum ondrirandu | Let at least one or two of them open now! |
| Thaayaai irunthaal uyir kondu va | If you are truly a mother, bring back life, |
| Ingu sathiyam vella vazhi kondu vaa | Pave a way for truth to prevail here! |
| Male | |
| En poopol manadhai mullaal keeri | Tearing my flower-like heart with a thorn, |
| Punnaai aaki venneer ootri | Turning it into a wound and pouring boiling water over it, |
| Pottane oru podu | He delivered a heavy blow. |
போட்டானே ஒரு போடு
கேட்டானே ஒரு கேள்வி
பூப்போல் நெஞ்சை முள்ளால் கீறி
புண்ணாய் ஆக்கி வெந்நீர் ஊற்றி
போட்டானே ஒரு போடு.......
He delivered a heavy blow,
He asked a burning question,
Tearing my flower-like heart with a thorn,
Turning it into a wound and pouring boiling water over it,
He delivered a heavy blow.
போட்டானே ஒரு போடு
கேட்டானே ஒரு கேள்வி
பூப்போல் நெஞ்சை முள்ளால் கீறி
புண்ணாய் ஆக்கி வெந்நீர் ஊற்றி
போட்டானே ஒரு போடு.......
He delivered a heavy blow,
He asked a burning question,
Tearing my flower-like heart with a thorn,
Turning it into a wound and pouring boiling water over it,
He delivered a heavy blow.
என்னடியம்மா மகமாயி
நான் என்னத்தை கண்டேன் உன் மகனாகி
என்னடியம்மா மகமாயி
நான் என்னத்தை கண்டேன் உன் மகனாகி
கல்லடி ஆயிரம் தாங்கிடுவேன்
இந்த சொல்லடி தாங்கிட முடியலியே
Oh Goddess Magamayi, what is this?
What did I gain by being born as your son?
Oh Goddess Magamayi, what is this?
What did I gain by being born as your son?
I can endure a thousand kicks beneath feet,
But I cannot bear this single word of accusation!
போட்டானே ஒரு போடு
கேட்டானே ஒரு கேள்வி
He delivered a heavy blow,
He asked a burning question.
சொன்னதில் நிற்பது சத்தியமே
அதில் நின்று ஜெயிப்பது சத்தியமே
சொன்னதில் நிற்பது சத்தியமே
அதில் நின்று ஜெயிப்பது சத்தியமே
Standing by one's word is truth,
Winning while upholding that truth is true righteousness,
I am not one who has failed in his word,
If I fail, you are no true divine mother to me.
சொல்லடி தோற்றவன் நானல்ல
நான் தோற்று விட்டால் நீ தாயல்ல....!
Tearing my flower-like heart with a thorn,
Turning it into a wound and pouring boiling water over it,
He delivered a heavy blow.
என் பூப்போல் நெஞ்சை முள்ளால் கீறி
புண்ணாய் ஆக்கி வெந்நீர் ஊற்றி
போட்டானே ஒரு போடு......
I sacrificed my love in the name of truth,
I fulfilled my highest duty in the name of truth,
I nurtured deep pain in the name of truth,
Its relief and resolution now lie with you.
காதலை பிரித்தேன் சத்தியத்தில்
உயர் கடமையைச் செய்தேன் சத்தியத்தில்
வேதனை வளர்த்தேன் சத்தியத்தில்
அதன் பிரிவும் முடிவும் உன்னிடத்தில்
He delivered a heavy blow,
He asked a burning question.
போட்டானே ஒரு போடு
கேட்டானே ஒரு கேள்வி
You possess a thousand eyes,
Let at least one or two of them open now!
If you are truly a mother, bring back life,
Pave a way for truth to prevail here!
ஆயிரம் கண்கள் உனக்குண்டு
அடி அதிலே திறக்கட்டும் ஒன்றிரண்டு
தாயாய் இருந்தால் உயிர் கொண்டுவா
இங்கு சத்தியம் வெல்ல வழி கொண்டு வா
Tearing my flower-like heart with a thorn,
Turning it into a wound and pouring boiling water over it,
He delivered a heavy blow.
என் பூப்போல் நெஞ்சை முள்ளால் கீறி
புண்ணாய் ஆக்கி வெந்நீர் ஊற்றி
போட்டானே ஒரு போடு......
Pottane oru podu
He delivered a heavy blow,
Avan kaetaane oru kelvi
He asked a burning question,
En poopol manadhai mullaal keeri
Tearing my flower-like heart with a thorn,
Punnaai aaki venneer ootri
Turning it into a wound and pouring boiling water over it,
Pottane oru podu
He delivered a heavy blow.
Pottane oru podu
He delivered a heavy blow,
Avan kaetaane oru kelvi
He asked a burning question,
En poopol manadhai mullaal keeri
Tearing my flower-like heart with a thorn,
Punnaai aaki venneer ootri
Turning it into a wound and pouring boiling water over it,
Pottane oru podu
He delivered a heavy blow.
Ennadi yamma magamaayi..
Oh Goddess Magamayi, what is this?
Naan enna kandaen un maganaagi
What did I gain by being born as your son?
Ennadi yamma magamaayi..
Oh Goddess Magamayi, what is this?
Naan enna kandaen un maganaagi
What did I gain by being born as your son?
Kaladi aayiram thangiduven
I can endure a thousand kicks beneath feet,
Intha solladi thanga mudiyalaiyeee…
But I cannot bear this single word of accusation!
Pottane oru podu
He delivered a heavy blow,
Avan kaetaane oru kelvi
He asked a burning question.
Sonnathil nirpathu sathiyame
Standing by one's word is truth,
Adhil nindru jayipathu sathiyame
Winning while upholding that truth is true righteousness,
Sonnathil thotravan naan alla
I am not one who has failed in his word,
Naan thottru vittaal nee thaaiyalla
If I fail, you are no true divine mother to me.
En poopol manadhai mullaal keeri
Tearing my flower-like heart with a thorn,
Punnaai aaki venneer ootri
Turning it into a wound and pouring boiling water over it,
Pottane oru podu
He delivered a heavy blow.
Kaadhalai pirithaen sathiyathil
I sacrificed my love in the name of truth,
Uyar kadaimaiyai seithaen sathiyathil
I fulfilled my highest duty in the name of truth,
Vedhanai valarthen sathiyathil
I nurtured deep pain in the name of truth,
Adhan vidivum mudivum unnidathil
Its relief and resolution now lie with you.
Pottane oru podu
He delivered a heavy blow,
Avan kaetaane oru kelvi
He asked a burning question.
Aayiram kangal unakkundu
You possess a thousand eyes,
Adi adhile thirakkatum ondrirandu
Let at least one or two of them open now!
Thaayaai irunthaal uyir kondu va
If you are truly a mother, bring back life,
Ingu sathiyam vella vazhi kondu vaa
Pave a way for truth to prevail here!
En poopol manadhai mullaal keeri
Tearing my flower-like heart with a thorn,
Punnaai aaki venneer ootri
Turning it into a wound and pouring boiling water over it,
Pottane oru podu
He delivered a heavy blow.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Pottane Oru Podu from the 1976 film Sathyam is a powerful, emotionally charged song expressing grief, betrayal, and a desperate cry for divine justice. The protagonist feels devastated by a harsh word/question from a loved one, describing the pain as tearing a flower-soft heart with a thorn and scalding the wound with hot water. He addresses Goddess Magamayi, stating that while he can endure physical torture, he cannot bear an allegation that questions his honor and commitment to truth. Having sacrificed his personal happiness and love to uphold duty and righteousness (sathiyam), he finds himself standing defeated. He passionately challenges the Goddess—asking her to open her thousand eyes, restore life, and ensure that truth triumphs over injustice.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Uvamai)
“En poopol manadhai mullaal keeri”
Compares the delicacy and vulnerability of the heart to a soft flower ('poopol manadhai').
Metaphor & Visceral Imagery (Uruvagam)
“Punnaai aaki venneer ootri”
Paints a vivid picture of emotional distress by comparing accusations to tearing a wound with thorns and pouring boiling water on it.
Apostrophe / Divine Address
“Ennadi yamma magamaayi.. Naan enna kandaen un maganaagi”
Directly confronts and calls upon Goddess Magamayi to question destiny and demand justice.
Anaphora / Epistrophe (Repetition for Emphasis)
“Kaadhalai pirithaen sathiyathil / Uyar kadaimaiyai seithaen sathiyathil”
Repeats the phrase 'sathiyathil' across consecutive lines to emphasize that every painful sacrifice was made for the sake of truth.
Did you know?
Trivia
Sathyam (1976) stars Sivaji Ganesan and Kamal Haasan in a intense family drama centered around ethics, truth, and duty. Sung with dramatic fervor by T. M. Soundararajan and set to K. V. Mahadevan's vibrant musical score, Kannadasan's lyrics perfectly amplify Sivaji Ganesan's iconic theatrical acting style.
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