- Lyricist
- Clown Sundaram
- Singers
- Seerkazhi Govindarajan, N. S. Krishnan
- Music director
- G. Ramanathan
- Movie name
- Chakravarthi Thirumagal
- Movie release year
- 1957
- Lyrics added on
- 28 Feb 2022
Lyrics & meaning
♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Seer mevu guru padham
Sindhaiyodu vaaikkinum
Siram meedhu vaithu potri
Jagamellaam mecha jayakodi parakka vidum
Veera prathaaban naane sari
Sangathu pulavar palar
Thangathodu porpathakkam
Vangathu ponnaadai parisalithaar
Enakku ingillai eedena solli kilithaar
Intha singathuku munne oadi
Pangapatta paaraatheerar
Seerezhuthu paadi vaaren naane
Atharku oarezhuthu bathil solli paaren
Yaanaiyai pidithu yaanaiyai pidithu
Oru paanaikkul adaithu vaikka
Aathira padubavar pol allavaa
Yaanaiyai pidithu
Oru paanaikkul adaithu vaikka
Aathira padubavar pol allavaa
Umathaaramba kavi solluthe pulavaa
Veettin poonai kutti kaattil oadi
Puliyai pidithu thinna
Purappatta kathai pol allavaa
Tharpugazhchi paadugiraaye pulavaa
Boothaanam kannigathanam
Sornathaanam annadanam
Kothaanam undu parpala dhaanangal
Itharku melaana dhaanam irunthaal sollungal
Kelvikku bathilai kondaa
Udaichi eriven rendaa
Unnai jeyichi kattuven mundaa
Appuram parakka viduven sendaa
Jayakodi jayakodi parakkuthu jayakodi
Solren..
Ethanai dhaanam thanthaalum
Entha logam pugazhnthaalum
Dhaanathil siranthathu nithaananthaan
Nithaananthaan
Ethanai dhaanam thanthaalum
Entha logam pugazhnthaalum
Dhaanathil siranthathu nithaananthaan
Nidhaanathanai izhanthavarku eenandhaan
Sollittaan
Kovilai katti vaippathu ethanaale
Kovilai katti vaippathu ethanaale
Sirpa velaikku perumai undu athanaale
Paarthukkada sarithaan
Anna sathiram iruppathu ethanaale
Anna sathiram iruppathu ethanaale
Pala thinnai thoongi pasangal iruppathaale
Eppadi
Paradhesiyaai thirivathu ethanaale
Paradhesiyaai thirivathu ethanaale
Male :Mmmm.. avan pathu veettu sari.. venaam
Avan pathu veettu sothu rusi kandathaale
Thambi inga gavani
Kaarirul soozhuvathu evvidathile
Thambi kaarirul soozhuvathu evvidathile
Male :Katrarivillaatha moodar nenjagathile
Anne Katrarivillaatha moodar nenjagathile
Sollipittiye
Pugaiyum neruppilaamal erivathethu
Male :Pugaiyum neruppillaama atheppadi eriyum
Male :Naan sollattumaa sollu
Pugaiyum neruppilaamal erivathethu
Pasithu vaadum makkal vayiru athu
Haan sarithaan sarithaan
Ulagathile bayangaramaana aayutham ethu
Male :Kathi.. illa.. kodaari.. illa.. eetti.. mmhhmm
Kadappaarai.. illai.. athuvumillaiyaa
Appuram bayangaramaana aayutham agni thiraavamo
Athu aayutham illaiye
Ada theriya maatenguthe.. neeye sollappaa
Ulagathile bayangaramaana aayutham ethu
Nilai kettu pona nayavanjagarin
Naakku thaan athu aahaa aahaa
Nilaikettu pona nayavanjagarin naakku thaan athu..
Devotedly holding the auspicious feet of my Guru,
keeping them deep within my thoughts,
placing them on my head and praising them,
flying the flag of victory for all the world to admire,
I am the valiant master of verse! That's right!
Many poets of the Sangam (ancient Tamil literary tradition)
awarded me gold and golden medals,
and presented me with fine Bengal shawls woven with gold!
Declaring none could rival me, they made it known!
Running before this lion,
those boastful cowards were utterly disgraced!
Here I come singing lines of flawless poetry,
let us see you give even a single-letter reply!
Catching an elephant, catching an elephant,
and trying to squeeze it inside a small pot—
aren't you like someone frantically trying to do that?
Catching an elephant,
and trying to lock it inside a pot—
aren't you like someone frantically trying to do that?
That is what your opening poem sounds like, O poet!
Like a pet kitten running off into the forest
to hunt down and eat a tiger,
isn't your boastful story just like that?
You sing your own praises so loudly, O poet!
Gifting land, giving away a bride in marriage,
gifting gold, donating food to the needy,
gifting cows—there are so many kinds of charities!
If there is any charity greater than these, tell me!
Bring out the answer to my question!
I will shatter you in two!
I will defeat you and show you, you fool!
And then I will wave my victory banner!
The victory flag, the victory flag flies high!
I will tell you...
No matter how many gifts you give in charity,
no matter which world sings your praise,
the greatest charity of all is patience and calm composure!
Patience and calm composure, indeed!
No matter how many gifts you give in charity,
no matter which world sings your praise,
the greatest charity of all is patience!
Those who lose their patience earn only disgrace!
He answered it!
Why do people build temples?
Why do people build temples?
To bring glory to sculptural art, that is why!
Look at that! That is right!
Why do free food shelters exist?
Why do free food shelters exist?
Because there are so many lazy idlers sleeping on porches!
How about that!
Why do people wander around like vagabonds?
Why do people wander around like vagabonds?
Hmm... because from ten houses... alright, never mind that...
Because he got a taste of free meals from ten different homes!
Little brother, listen to this!
Where does pitch darkness gather?
Little brother, where does pitch darkness gather?
Inside the hearts of uneducated fools!
Brother, inside the hearts of uneducated fools!
You said it right!
What burns without smoke or fire?
Without smoke or fire? How can anything burn like that?
Shall I tell you? Go ahead, tell me!
What burns without smoke or fire?
It is the stomach of starving people!
Ah, that is true, so true!
What is the most dangerous weapon in the world?
A knife? No. An axe? No. A spear? Mmh-mmh.
A crowbar? No. Not that either?
Then could that terrible weapon be acid?
That is not really a weapon!
Ah, I just cannot guess it... you tell me!
What is the most dangerous weapon in the world?
It is the tongue of a corrupt,
treacherous deceiver! Aha, aha!
It is indeed the tongue of a corrupt and treacherous deceiver!
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Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This song is a classic musical and philosophical debate (Vaadhu/Tharka Paattu) from the 1957 Tamil film 'Chakravarthi Thirumagal'. It opens with a pompous, arrogant court poet boasting about his poetic genius, accomplishments, and high honors received from various kingdoms. He challenges the simple, wise commoner with riddle-like questions, comparing him to a kitten trying to hunt a tiger.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyming)
“Seer mevu guru padham / Sindhaiyodu vaaikkinum / Siram meedhu vaithu potri”
Matching second consonants across lines, such as 'Seer' / 'Sindhai' / 'Siram' in the opening verses.
Metaphor & Allegory (Uvamaani / Urubagam)
“Veettin poonai kutti kaattil oadi puliyai pidithu thinna”
Comparing catching an elephant in a small pot or a kitten hunting a tiger to arrogant and foolish overconfidence.
Wordplay / Pun (Sleshhai / Yaappu)
“Dhaanathil siranthathu nithaananthaan”
Clever play on the word 'Dhaanam' (charity/donation) shifting to 'Nidhanam' (patience/composure) as the supreme virtue.
Did you know?
Trivia
This iconic comedic-philosophical duel features Legendary Singer Seerkazhi Govindarajan providing the majestic classical vocals for the arrogant scholar, while the legendary comedian N.S. Krishnan (NSK) delivers sharp social satire, wisdom, and wit in his distinct conversational singing style.
Keep listening
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