- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
- Movie name
- Aalayamani
- Movie release year
- 1962
- Lyrics added on
- 25 Apr 2017
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
Satti Suttathada from the movie Aalayamani (1962) is a celebrated philosophical song written by Kannadasan, set to music by the duo Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy and sung by T. M. Soundararajan. The song reflects on human flaws, ego, suffering, and spiritual rebirth. The metaphor of a burning pot illustrates how painful life experiences teach hard lessons, compelling a person to let go of destructive desires and ego.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Satti suttathada Kai vittathada”
The 'burning pot' (Satti suttathada) is a metaphor for painful life lessons and consequences of wrong deeds that force enlightenment.
Juxtaposition / Contrast
“Paadhi manadhil Deivam irundhu ... Meedhi manadhil mirugam Irundhu”
Contrasting the divine conscience and the animalistic urge existing simultaneously within a human mind.
Rhyme & Assonance (Edhukai / Monai)
“Satti suttathada / Kai vittathada / Buthi kettathada / Nenjai thottathada”
Use of matching second letters and rhythmic tailing sounds (suttathada / vittathada / kettathada / thottathada) creating a hypnotic, reflective cadence.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy and sung by T. M. Soundararajan, this song is considered one of lyricist Kannadasan's greatest philosophical masterworks, written during a period of personal reflection in his life.
Keep listening
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