Sathva Guna Bodhan
From Ashok Kumar · 1941
- Lyricist
- Udumalai Narayanakavi
- Music director
- Alandur Sivasubramaniyam
- Details
- Ashok Kumar1941
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Sathva guna bodhan sathva guna bodhan | The teacher of pure virtues, the teacher of pure virtues, |
| Sathva guna bodhan saranamirukka | When the refuge of the teacher of pure virtues is with us, |
| Sathva guna bodhan | The teacher of pure virtues, |
| Sithamum veenae kalanguvadhaeno | Why does the mind get needlessly agitated? |
| Sathva guna bodhan | The teacher of pure virtues, |
| Sithamum veenae kalanguvadhaeno | Why does the mind get needlessly agitated? |
| Male | |
| Kallinul thaeraikkum…aa…aa… | Even for the toad inside a stone... aa... aa... |
| Kallinul thaeraikkum karuppai uyirkkum | For the toad inside a stone and the life in the womb, |
| Kallinul thaeraikkum karuppai uyirkkum | For the toad inside a stone and the life in the womb, |
| Kallinul thaeraikkum karuppai uyirkkum | For the toad inside a stone and the life in the womb, |
| Pullunavae thandhu pottrum nam naadhan | Our Lord provides food and cherishes all life, |
| Male | |
| Sathva guna bodhan | The teacher of pure virtues, |
| Sithamum veenae kalanguvadhaeno | Why does the mind get needlessly agitated? |
| Sathva guna bodhan | The teacher of pure virtues, |
| Male | |
| {Magaedhiraa… oru kaikkol kodu | {Mahendra... give me a walking stick, |
| Adhuthaan nee enakku seiyakkoodiya udhavi | That is the only help you can do for me now. |
| Male | |
| Sengolai pidikka vaendiya kai | The hand that was meant to wield the royal scepter, |
| Verungolai pidippadhaa | Is it now destined to hold a mere walking stick? |
| Male | |
| Idhu thaan vidhiyn vilaiyaattu | This indeed is the cruel play of fate. |
| Uva gupthar andru sonnadhin | What monk Upagupta said back then, |
| Unmaiyai indru thaan unarndhaen | I have realized its absolute truth only today. |
| Magaendhiraa veenil kalangaadhae} (Dialogue) | Mahendra, do not grieve in vain.} |
| Male | |
| Kannizhandhaalenna…aa…aa…aa…aa… | So what if sight is lost... aa... aa... |
| Kannizhandhaalenna kadavutkum yenna | So what if sight is lost? Has God lost His vision too? |
| Kannizhandhaalenna kadavutkum yenna | So what if sight is lost? Has God lost His vision too? |
| Kannizhandhaalenna kadavutkum yenna | So what if sight is lost? Has God lost His vision too? |
| Kannillaiyo nammaik kaakkum dhayaalan | Does the merciful protector who guards us not have eyes? |
| Sathva guna bodhan | The teacher of pure virtues, |
| Kannillaiyo nammaik kaakkum dhayaalan | Does the merciful protector who guards us not have eyes? |
| Male | |
| Sathva guna bodhan | The teacher of pure virtues, |
| Sathva guna bodhan | The teacher of pure virtues, |
| Sathva guna bodhan | The teacher of pure virtues. |
ஸத்வ குண போதன் ஸத்வ குண போதன்
ஸத்வ குண போதன் சரணமிருக்க
ஸத்வ குண போதன்
சித்தமும் வீணே கலங்குவதேனோ
ஸத்வ குண போதன்
சித்தமும் வீணே கலங்குவதேனோ
The teacher of pure virtues, the teacher of pure virtues,
When the refuge of the teacher of pure virtues is with us,
The teacher of pure virtues,
Why does the mind get needlessly agitated?
The teacher of pure virtues,
Why does the mind get needlessly agitated?
கல்லினுள் தேரைக்கும்...ஆ...ஆ...
கல்லினுள் தேரைக்கும் கருப்பை உயிர்க்கும்
கல்லினுள் தேரைக்கும் கருப்பை உயிர்க்கும்
கல்லினுள் தேரைக்கும் கருப்பை உயிர்க்கும்
புல்லுணவே தந்து போற்றும் நம் நாதன்
Even for the toad inside a stone... aa... aa...
For the toad inside a stone and the life in the womb,
For the toad inside a stone and the life in the womb,
For the toad inside a stone and the life in the womb,
Our Lord provides food and cherishes all life,
ஸத்வ குண போதன்
சித்தமும் வீணே கலங்குவதேனோ
ஸத்வ குண போதன்
The teacher of pure virtues,
Why does the mind get needlessly agitated?
The teacher of pure virtues,
{மகேந்திரா......ஒரு கைக்கோல் கொடு
அதுதான் நீ எனக்கு செய்யக்கூடிய உதவி
{Mahendra... give me a walking stick,
That is the only help you can do for me now.
செங்கோலைப் பிடிக்க வேண்டிய கை
வெறுங்கோலைப் பிடிப்பதா
The hand that was meant to wield the royal scepter,
Is it now destined to hold a mere walking stick?
இது தான் விதியின் விளையாட்டு
உவ குப்தர் அன்று சொன்னதின்
உண்மையை இன்று தான் உணர்ந்தேன்
மகேந்திரா வீணில் கலங்காதே} (வசனம்)
This indeed is the cruel play of fate.
What monk Upagupta said back then,
I have realized its absolute truth only today.
Mahendra, do not grieve in vain.}
கண்ணிழந்தாலென்ன...ஆ...ஆ...ஆ...ஆ...
கண்ணிழந்தாலென்ன கடவுட்கும் என்ன
கண்ணிழந்தாலென்ன கடவுட்கும் என்ன
கண்ணிழந்தாலென்ன கடவுட்கும் என்ன
கண்ணில்லையோ நம்மைக் காக்கும் தயாளன்
ஸத்வ குண போதன்
கண்ணில்லையோ நம்மைக் காக்கும் தயாளன்
So what if sight is lost... aa... aa...
So what if sight is lost? Has God lost His vision too?
So what if sight is lost? Has God lost His vision too?
So what if sight is lost? Has God lost His vision too?
Does the merciful protector who guards us not have eyes?
The teacher of pure virtues,
Does the merciful protector who guards us not have eyes?
ஸத்வ குண போதன்
ஸத்வ குண போதன்
ஸத்வ குண போதன்
The teacher of pure virtues,
The teacher of pure virtues,
The teacher of pure virtues.
Sathva guna bodhan sathva guna bodhan
The teacher of pure virtues, the teacher of pure virtues,
Sathva guna bodhan saranamirukka
When the refuge of the teacher of pure virtues is with us,
Sathva guna bodhan
The teacher of pure virtues,
Sithamum veenae kalanguvadhaeno
Why does the mind get needlessly agitated?
Sathva guna bodhan
The teacher of pure virtues,
Sithamum veenae kalanguvadhaeno
Why does the mind get needlessly agitated?
Kallinul thaeraikkum…aa…aa…
Even for the toad inside a stone... aa... aa...
Kallinul thaeraikkum karuppai uyirkkum
For the toad inside a stone and the life in the womb,
Kallinul thaeraikkum karuppai uyirkkum
For the toad inside a stone and the life in the womb,
Kallinul thaeraikkum karuppai uyirkkum
For the toad inside a stone and the life in the womb,
Pullunavae thandhu pottrum nam naadhan
Our Lord provides food and cherishes all life,
Sathva guna bodhan
The teacher of pure virtues,
Sithamum veenae kalanguvadhaeno
Why does the mind get needlessly agitated?
Sathva guna bodhan
The teacher of pure virtues,
{Magaedhiraa… oru kaikkol kodu
{Mahendra... give me a walking stick,
Adhuthaan nee enakku seiyakkoodiya udhavi
That is the only help you can do for me now.
Sengolai pidikka vaendiya kai
The hand that was meant to wield the royal scepter,
Verungolai pidippadhaa
Is it now destined to hold a mere walking stick?
Idhu thaan vidhiyn vilaiyaattu
This indeed is the cruel play of fate.
Uva gupthar andru sonnadhin
What monk Upagupta said back then,
Unmaiyai indru thaan unarndhaen
I have realized its absolute truth only today.
Magaendhiraa veenil kalangaadhae} (Dialogue)
Mahendra, do not grieve in vain.}
Kannizhandhaalenna…aa…aa…aa…aa…
So what if sight is lost... aa... aa...
Kannizhandhaalenna kadavutkum yenna
So what if sight is lost? Has God lost His vision too?
Kannizhandhaalenna kadavutkum yenna
So what if sight is lost? Has God lost His vision too?
Kannizhandhaalenna kadavutkum yenna
So what if sight is lost? Has God lost His vision too?
Kannillaiyo nammaik kaakkum dhayaalan
Does the merciful protector who guards us not have eyes?
Sathva guna bodhan
The teacher of pure virtues,
Kannillaiyo nammaik kaakkum dhayaalan
Does the merciful protector who guards us not have eyes?
Sathva guna bodhan
The teacher of pure virtues,
Sathva guna bodhan
The teacher of pure virtues,
Sathva guna bodhan
The teacher of pure virtues.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This classic musical sequence from 'Ashok Kumar' (1941) depicts Prince Kunala accepting his tragic loss of vision with profound spiritual resignation and faith. Blinded due to royal court intrigue, Kunala refuses to let despair overwhelm his mind. He reminds his companion that the Divine Lord who provides food for a toad trapped inside a rock and sustains a fetus in the womb will certainly look after them as well. In the poignant central dialogue, Kunala reflects on his drastic change of fortune—the hand destined to hold a royal scepter must now hold a blind man's walking stick. Realizing the truths spoken earlier by the Buddhist monk Upagupta, he finds inner peace, reasoning that even if his physical eyes are gone, the merciful divine protector who guards all beings remains all-seeing.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Antithesis / Contrast (Muran)
“Sengolai pidikka vaendiya kai / Verungolai pidippadhaa”
Contrasting 'Sengol' (the royal scepter of power) with 'Verungol' (a plain walking stick of a helpless blind man) to vividly highlight the dramatic downfall caused by fate.
Rhetorical Question (Vinaa Aani)
“Kannillaiyo nammaik kaakkum dhayaalan”
Uses dramatic rhetorical questions to assert that God remains vigilant and divine grace is ever-present despite physical loss.
Traditional Metaphor / Imagery (Uvamaani)
“Kallinul thaeraikkum karuppai uyirkkum / Pullunavae thandhu pottrum nam naadhan”
Employs the ancient Tamil devotional motif of God feeding the toad inside a rock ('Kallinul Thaerai') to represent divine providence and omnipresent protection.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Ashok Kumar' (1941) was a landmark Tamil film starring the celebrated Carnatic singer and superstar M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar (MKT) alongside Chittor V. Nagaiah. Based on the Buddhist legend of Prince Kunala from Ashoka's empire, MKT's emotive performance and soulful vocal renditions contributed greatly to the film's massive box-office success.
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