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Maattukara Velan album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Sathiyam Neeye

From Maattukara Velan · 1970

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
T. M. Soundararajan
Music director
K. V. Mahadevan
Movie name
Maattukara Velan
Movie release year
1970
Lyrics added on
27 Jul 2018

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Drio drio drio drio
Durrrrr…….rrr……
Sathiyam neeyae dharmathaayae
Kuzhandhai vadivae dheivamagalae..ae…
Sathiyam neeyae dharmathaayae
Kuzhandhai vadivae dheivamagalae…ae…
Kunguma kalaiyodu
Kulam kaakum pennai
Gunathil pasuvendru
Solvaargal kannae…ae…..
Kunguma kalaiyodu
Kulam kaakum pennai
Gunathil pasuvendru
Solvaargal kannae
Kaalayilae unn mugam
Paartha pinnae
Kaalayilae unn mugam
Paartha pinnae
Kadamai seivaal engal
Thamizhnaatu pennae
Drio drio drio drio
Durrrrr…….rrr……
Sathiyam neeyae dharmathaayae
Kuzhandhai vadivae dheivamagalae..ae…
Paal kodupaai adhu
Thaayaarai kaatum
Paasam vaipaai adhu
Seiyaaga thondrum
Paal kodupaai adhu
Thaayaarai kaatum
Paasam vaipaai adhu
Seiyaaga thondrum
Ammaavai amma
Endrazhaikindra sollum…ohooo
Ammaavai amma
Endrazhaikindra sollum
Anbaana thamizhuku
Nee thandhadhandro
Anbaana thamizhuku
Nee thandhadhandro
Sathiyam neeyae dharmathaayae
Kuzhandhai vadivae dheivamagalae..ae…
{Valarthavarae
Unnai marandhuvitaalum
Aduthavaridathil koduthuvitaalum} (2)
Valarndha idathai nee
Marakaadha selvam
Valarndha idathai nee
Marakaadha selvam
Vaaimattum irundhaal
Mozhi pesum dheivam
Drio drio drio drio
Durrrrr…….rrr……
Sathiyam neeyae dharmathaayae
Kuzhandhai vadivae dheivamagalae..ae…
{Thannaiyae kodupadhil
Vaazhaiku eedu
Samsaari vaazhvuku
Oru pasumaadu} (2)
Ponnaiyae thandhaalum
Unakedhu eedu
Ponnaiyae thandhaalum
Unakedhu eedu
Poopola veithunnai
Kaapadhen paadu
Poopola veithunnai
Kaapadhen paadu
Sathiyam neeyae dharmathaayae
Kuzhandhai vadivae dheivamagalae..ae…
Kuzhandhai vadivae dheivamagalae..ae…
Drio drio drio drio
Durrrr…..rrrr……
Trrio trrio trrio trrio
Dhurrrr... rrr...
You are truth itself, O mother of righteousness,
The very form of an innocent child, divine daughter... ah...
You are truth itself, O mother of righteousness,
The very form of an innocent child, divine daughter... ah...
With the auspicious glow of kumkum,
a woman who protects her family
is praised as gentle as a cow,
so they say, my dear... ah...
With the auspicious glow of kumkum,
a woman who protects her family
is praised as gentle as a cow,
so they say, my dear.
Only after looking upon your face
at the break of morning,
only after looking upon your face
at the break of morning,
does the woman of our Tamil land
begin her daily duties.
Trrio trrio trrio trrio
Dhurrrr... rrr...
You are truth itself, O mother of righteousness,
The very form of an innocent child, divine daughter... ah...
You provide milk, and that
reveals a mother's heart;
you shower affection, and that
makes you seem like a tender child.
You provide milk, and that
reveals a mother's heart;
you shower affection, and that
makes you seem like a tender child.
Calling a mother 'Amma'—
even that sacred word... oh...
Calling a mother 'Amma'—
even that sacred word,
isn't it your gift
to our sweet Tamil tongue?
Isn't it your gift
to our sweet Tamil tongue?
You are truth itself, O mother of righteousness,
The very form of an innocent child, divine daughter... ah...
Even if the ones who raised you
forget all about you,
and give you away to someone else,
you are a treasure who never forgets
the home where you grew up.
You are a treasure who never forgets
the home where you grew up.
If only you were blessed with speech,
you would be a living goddess who speaks.
Trrio trrio trrio trrio
Dhurrrr... rrr...
You are truth itself, O mother of righteousness,
The very form of an innocent child, divine daughter... ah...
In giving everything of itself,
only the plantain tree matches you;
for the life of a farming home,
a single cow is a blessing.
Even if weighed in pure gold,
what could ever equal you?
Even if weighed in pure gold,
what could ever equal you?
To tenderly protect you like a flower
is my lifelong duty.
To tenderly protect you like a flower
is my lifelong duty.
You are truth itself, O mother of righteousness,
The very form of an innocent child, divine daughter... ah...
The very form of an innocent child, divine daughter... ah...
Trrio trrio trrio trrio
Dhurrrr... rrr...
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song from the film 'Maattukara Velan' (1970) is an ode to the holy cow, highlighting her divine qualities, motherly love, and indispensable presence in agrarian Tamil society. Sung from the perspective of a cowherd (played by M. G. Ramachandran), the lyrics equate the cow to truth, righteousness, and a living deity in child form. The cow's gentle nature is held up as an ideal metaphor for virtuous women in Tamil culture, whose day begins auspiciously upon seeing the cow's face.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamaani / Uvameyam)

Gunathil pasuvendru

The song compares a virtuous Tamil woman's gentle disposition directly to that of a cow ('Gunathil pasuvendru solvaargal').

Simile (Uvamai)

Vaazhaiku eedu

The cow's selfless sacrifice of giving everything it has is compared to a plantain tree ('Vaazhaiku eedu'), which yields all its parts for human benefit.

Emona / Monai (Alliteration)

Kunguma kalaiyodu / Kulam kaakum pennai

Repetition of initial consonants or vowels across lines, such as 'Kunguma' and 'Kulam', or 'Thannaiyae' and 'Thandhaalum'.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Maattukara Velan' starring M. G. Ramachandran, Jayalalithaa, and Lakshmi was a massive blockbuster of 1970. The music for this song was composed by K. V. Mahadevan and sung famously by T. M. Soundararajan with lyrics penned by Kannadasan. The opening sounds ('Drio drio', 'Durrrr') are traditional calls used by Tamil cowherds to command and herd cattle.

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