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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Sikkadha Meenum

From Kalaivanan · 1959

Lyricist
A. Maruthakasi
Singers
T. M. Soundararajan, Trichy Loganathan, P. Susheela
Music director
Pendyala Nageswara Rao
Details
Kalaivanan1959

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Sithaadai kattugira singaari valaiyilIn the net of the stylish beauty wearing a silk dress,
Thedi vandhu vizhadha meenyedhu ulagilIs there any fish in the world that won't seek and fall into it?
Female :Ho o o oFemale : Ho o o o
Vithara pechu veenaaga yenghaWhy waste time with grand talk?
Velaiyai olungha paarungha neenghaDo your job properly.
Chorus
Sikkadha meenum vandhu sikka venumThe uncaught fish must come and get caught,
Valaiyil sikka venumIt must get caught in the net.
Deivam namakku thunai nikka venumGod must stand by as our support,
Thunai nikka venumMust stand by as support.
Chorus
Sikkadha meenum vandhu sikka venumThe uncaught fish must come and get caught,
Valaiyil sikka venumIt must get caught in the net.
Deivam namakku thunai nikka venumGod must stand by as our support,
Thunai nikka venumMust stand by as support.
Female
Annam pol en odam oiyyaramaghaveLike a swan, my boat gently,
Asaindhaadi pogudheMoves and sways along.
Annam pol en odam oiyyaramaghaveLike a swan, my boat gently,
Asaindhaadi pogudheMoves and sways along.
Female
Singhara thendral themaanghu paadudheThe beautiful breeze sings a melody,
Sillendru alaigal kaithaalam podudheThe cool waves clap their hands in rhythm.
Ennadha ennam en manasu ennudheWhat thoughts my heart is pondering,
Ennai ariyamalae inba valai pinnudhaeWithout my knowledge, a net of bliss is being woven.
Female
Annam pol ahaaLike a swan, aha!
Annam pol ho hoLike a swan, ho ho!
Annam pol en odam oiyyaramaghaveLike a swan, my boat gently,
Asaindhaadi pogudheMoves and sways along.
Female
Ha..aa..aaa…ha…aaa..Ha..aa..aaa…ha…aaa..
Male
Pengalum kandu aasai kollumA beauty that even women would admire,
Perazhagulla pennaeO woman of immense beauty!
Unadhu per enna …oor ennaWhat is your name and what is your town?
Female
Gangai karaiyin meenavan thalaivanThe fisherman chief on the banks of the Ganges,
Anbu selvi parimalagandhiBeloved daughter Parimalagandhi,
Naanaiyaa…naanaiyaaIs it me, sir... is it me?
Male
Asthinapuriyin arasan ennaiThe king of Hastinapur, who brought me,
Akkarai serthaen aavalai neeyumAcross the river; will you fulfill my desire,
Theerppaaya… theerppaayaWill you fulfill it... will you fulfill it?
Female :Arai nodikullae akkarai serppaenFemale : I will take you across to the other shore within half a second,
Padaginil yeri paavaiyen samarthaiStep into the boat and witness this girl's skill,
Paaraiyaaa …neeyum paaraiyaaSee for yourself, sir... see for yourself!
Male
Ho o o odam thallum oiyyariHo o o, stylish beauty steering the boat,
Naan urugurenae aasai meeriI am melting with overflowing desire,
Paadum kuyilae aadum mayilaeO singing cuckoo, dancing peacock,
Vaadurenae naan unnaaleI am pining because of you.
Odam thallum oiyaariStylish beauty steering the boat,
Naan urugurenae aasai meeriI am melting with overflowing desire,
Paadum kuyilae aadum mayilaeO singing cuckoo, dancing peacock,
Vaadurenae naan unnaaleI am pining because of you.
Odam thallum oiyaariStylish beauty steering the boat,
Naan urugurenae aasai meeriI am melting with overflowing desire.
Female
Nattai aalum rajaa hoiO King who rules the country, hoi,
Nattai aalum rajaaO King who rules the country,
Idhu kattil vaazhum rojaaThis is a rose that lives on a bed,
Pattai maari pogalaamaShould you stray off path and go away?
Saettai neeyum seiyalaamaShould you play pranks like this?
Nattai aalum rajaaO King who rules the country,
Idhu kattil vaazhum rojaaThis is a rose that lives on a bed,
Idhu kattil vaazhum rojaaThis is a rose that lives on a bed.
Male
Saettai seidhu pattai maariPlaying pranks and straying off path,
Sella seidhadhu yaarammaWho made me do that, dear girl?
Un eetti kangalai kelammaAsk your spear-like eyes, dear girl!
Female :Yeikka venaam yedho pesiFemale : Do not delude me talking like this,
Ezhai naanum veru saadhiI am poor and of a different caste.
Nattai aalum rajaaO King who rules the country,
Idhu kattil vaazhum rojaaThis is a rose that lives on a bed,
Idhu kattil vaazhum rojaaThis is a rose that lives on a bed.
Male
Saadhi samaya baedhamae unmaiWhat place do caste and religious differences have,
Kaadhal munnae yedhammaIn front of true love, my dear?
Female :Kaadhal kondaal podhuma naamFemale : Is it enough just to feel love?
Needhi marappadhu gnyayamaaIs it fair for us to forget justice and morality?
En saadhi sanathaar thandhai thaayaarMy kinsmen, my father, and mother,
Sammadham venama sollunghaIs their consent not required? Tell me!
Nattai aalum rajaaO King who rules the country,
Idhu kattil vaazhum rojaaThis is a rose that lives on a bed,
Idhu kattil vaazhum rojaaThis is a rose that lives on a bed.
Male
Un pennai manam seiyaTo marry your daughter,
Unai kori vandhenI have come seeking you,
Sammadham tharavenum sembhavada rajaaYou must grant consent, King of the reddish garment!
Un pennai manam seiyaTo marry your daughter,
Unai kori vandhenI have come seeking you,
Sammadham tharavenum sembhavada rajaaYou must grant consent, King of the reddish garment!
Male
Samamdham tharuvadhil thadaiyedhum illaiThere is no obstacle in giving consent,
Thayavodu ketkkanum ezhai en sollaiBut kindly hear this poor man's words.
En magalain vayittrilae pirakkindra pillaiIf the child born from my daughter's womb,
Innaattai arasaalum urimai thandhaaleIs granted the right to rule this country...
Chorus
Sikkadha meenum vandhu sikkiyaachuThe fish that wouldn't get caught has finally been caught,
Valaiyil sikkiyaachuCaught in the net,
Deivam namakku thunai nikkalaachuGod has come to stand by us as support,
Thunai nikkalaachuStand by as support.
Sikkadha meenum vandhu sikkiyaachuThe fish that wouldn't get caught has finally been caught,
Valaiyil sikkiyaachuCaught in the net,
Deivam namakku thunai nikkalaachuGod has come to stand by us as support,
Thunai nikkalaachuStand by as support.

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This classic musical dialogue song depicts the mythological encounter between King Shantanu of Hastinapur and Satyavati (Parimalagandhi), the daughter of the fisherman chief Dasaraja. As the king crosses the river Ganges in her boat, he is enchanted by her grace and beauty, leading to a romantic discourse where caste, royalty, and affection are debated. Shantanu asks for her hand in marriage, prompting the fisherman chief to place the historic condition that the son born to Satyavati must inherit the throne of Hastinapur.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Simile (Uvamai)

Annam pol en odam oiyyaramaghave

Compares the smooth movement of the boat to the graceful gliding of a swan.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Un eetti kangalai kelamma

Compares the sharp, piercing gaze of the maiden to lethal spears.

Alliteration (Monai)

Sikkadha meenum vandhu sikka venum

Repetition of the initial 'S' sound creating a rhythmic musicality.

Rhyme (Edhugai)

Singhara thendral themaanghu paadudhe / Sillendru alaigal kaithaalam podudhe

Assonance and rhyming end-syllables between consecutive lines.

Did you know?

Trivia

This song dramatizes the iconic Mahabharata episode of King Shantanu meeting Satyavati at the ferry across the Ganges. Composed by Pendyala Nageswara Rao with lyrics by A. Maruthakasi, it uses traditional folk and classical operatic styles to portray the dialogue and negotiations that set the stage for the epic Mahabharata conflict.

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