Sorkkathile Mudivanathu
From Lalitha · 1976
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, Vani Jairam
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Details
- Lalitha1976
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Sorkkaththilae mudivaanathu | Marriage is decided in heaven |
| Sonthaththilae nilaiyaanathu | It becomes permanent in true kinship |
| Sorkkaththilae mudivaanathu | Marriage is decided in heaven |
| Sonthaththilae nilaiyaanathu | It becomes permanent in true kinship |
| Male | |
| Vaazh naalellaam valamaanathu | Life becomes prosperous all through the days |
| Ivar vaazhvuththaan vaazhvenbathu | Their life alone is called a true life |
| Male | |
| Sorkkaththilae mudivaanathu | Marriage is decided in heaven |
| Sonthaththilae nilaiyaanathu | It becomes permanent in true kinship |
| Female | |
| Deepaththil ondru karpooram ondru | One is like the lamp, one is like the camphor |
| Erigindrathingae ondraaga nindru | Burning here standing together as one |
| Ellaamum koyil ellaamum deepam | Everything is a temple, everything is a light |
| Erigindra deepam silar kanda laabam | A burning light is a blessing earned by some |
| Eriyaatha deepam silar seitha paavam | An unlit lamp is the result of sins done by some |
| Female | |
| Naayagan naayagi paavam kaanbathu | Seeing the emotional bond between hero and heroine |
| Kovilil kaangindra kaatchi | Is a divine sight seen inside a temple |
| Naan athai kandaen | I witnessed that sight |
| Verethai solvaen | What else can I say? |
| Thadugindrathae mana saatchi | My conscience holds me back |
| Male | |
| Sorkkaththilae mudivaanathu | Marriage is decided in heaven |
| Sonthaththilae nilaiyaanathu | It becomes permanent in true kinship |
| Male | |
| Veettukku veedu thaagangal undu | Every home has its own inner yearnings |
| Vaazhgindra vaazhvil raagangal undu | In the life we live, there are melodic ragas |
| Aanantha raagam paadungal indru | Sing the song of joy today |
| Aayiram kaalam vaazhungal endru | Wishing that you live for a thousand years |
| Aayiram kaalam vaazhungal endru | Wishing that you live for a thousand years |
| Male | |
| Iruvarin kangalai santhikka vaippathu | Making two pairs of eyes meet each other |
| Iraivanin naadaaga leelai | Is God's divine theatrical play |
| Idaiyinil varugindra | Whatever comes in between |
| Nanmaiyum dheemaiyum | Both the good and the bad |
| Manithargal seigindra velai | Is the handiwork created by human beings |
| Female | |
| Thaer kondu vanthaen | I brought the chariot |
| Silai mattum illai | But the idol is missing |
| Seer thantha veettil thunai mattum illai | In the house that provided dowry, the companion is missing |
| Male :Uravukku endrum vayathaavathillai | Male: Relationships never grow old with time |
| Urimaikku endrum pirivenbathillai | Rightful affection never faces separation |
| Male | |
| Vaanaththu chandhiran angirunthaalthaan | Only because the celestial moon exists in the sky |
| Iththanai kaaviyam undu | Do so many great epics exist |
| Female :Vaazhgindra vaazhvinil anbirunthaalthaan | Female: Only if there is true love in the life being lived |
| Velli vizhaakkalum undu | Do silver jubilees come to pass |
சொர்க்கத்திலே முடிவானது
சொந்தத்திலே நிலையானது
சொர்க்கத்திலே முடிவானது
சொந்தத்திலே நிலையானது
Marriage is decided in heaven
It becomes permanent in true kinship
Marriage is decided in heaven
It becomes permanent in true kinship
வாழ் நாளெல்லாம் வளமானது
இவர் வாழ்வுத்தான் வாழ்வென்பது
Life becomes prosperous all through the days
Their life alone is called a true life
சொர்க்கத்திலே முடிவானது
சொந்தத்திலே நிலையானது
Marriage is decided in heaven
It becomes permanent in true kinship
தீபத்தில் ஒன்று கற்பூரம் ஒன்று
எரிகின்றதிங்கே ஒன்றாக நின்று
எல்லாமும் கோயில் எல்லாமும் தீபம்
எரிகின்ற தீபம் சிலர் கண்ட லாபம்
எரியாத தீபம் சிலர் செய்த பாவம்
One is like the lamp, one is like the camphor
Burning here standing together as one
Everything is a temple, everything is a light
A burning light is a blessing earned by some
An unlit lamp is the result of sins done by some
நாயகன் நாயகி பாவம் காண்பது
கோவிலில் காண்கின்ற காட்சி
நான் அதை கண்டேன்
வேறெதை சொல்வேன்
தடுக்கின்றதே மன சாட்சி
Seeing the emotional bond between hero and heroine
Is a divine sight seen inside a temple
I witnessed that sight
What else can I say?
My conscience holds me back
சொர்க்கத்திலே முடிவானது
சொந்தத்திலே நிலையானது
Marriage is decided in heaven
It becomes permanent in true kinship
வீட்டுக்கு வீடு தாகங்கள் உண்டு
வாழ்கின்ற வாழ்வில் ராகங்கள் உண்டு
ஆனந்த இராகம் பாடுங்கள் இன்று
ஆயிரம் காலம் வாழுங்கள் என்று
ஆயிரம் காலம் வாழுங்கள் என்று
Every home has its own inner yearnings
In the life we live, there are melodic ragas
Sing the song of joy today
Wishing that you live for a thousand years
Wishing that you live for a thousand years
இருவரின் கண்களை சந்திக்க வைப்பது
இறைவனின் நாடக லீலை
இடையினில் வருகின்ற
நன்மையையும் தீமையும்
மனிதர்கள் செய்கின்ற வேலை
Making two pairs of eyes meet each other
Is God's divine theatrical play
Whatever comes in between
Both the good and the bad
Is the handiwork created by human beings
தேர் கொண்டு வந்தேன்
சிலை மட்டும் இல்லை
சீர் தந்த வீட்டில் துணை மட்டும் இல்லை
ஆண் : உறவுக்கு என்றும் வயதாவதில்லை
உரிமைக்கு என்றும் பிரிவென்பதில்லை
I brought the chariot
But the idol is missing
In the house that provided dowry, the companion is missing
Male: Relationships never grow old with time
Rightful affection never faces separation
வானத்து சந்திரன் அங்கிருந்தால்தான்
இத்தனை காவியம் உண்டு
வாழ்கின்ற வாழ்வினில் அன்பிருந்தால்தான்
வெள்ளி விழாக்களும் உண்டு
Only because the celestial moon exists in the sky
Do so many great epics exist
Female: Only if there is true love in the life being lived
Do silver jubilees come to pass
சொர்க்கத்திலே முடிவானது
சொந்தத்திலே நிலையானது
வாழ் நாளெல்லாம் வளமானது
இவர் வாழ்வுத்தான் வாழ்வென்பது
Sorkkaththilae mudivaanathu
Marriage is decided in heaven
Sonthaththilae nilaiyaanathu
It becomes permanent in true kinship
Sorkkaththilae mudivaanathu
Marriage is decided in heaven
Sonthaththilae nilaiyaanathu
It becomes permanent in true kinship
Vaazh naalellaam valamaanathu
Life becomes prosperous all through the days
Ivar vaazhvuththaan vaazhvenbathu
Their life alone is called a true life
Sorkkaththilae mudivaanathu
Marriage is decided in heaven
Sonthaththilae nilaiyaanathu
It becomes permanent in true kinship
Deepaththil ondru karpooram ondru
One is like the lamp, one is like the camphor
Erigindrathingae ondraaga nindru
Burning here standing together as one
Ellaamum koyil ellaamum deepam
Everything is a temple, everything is a light
Erigindra deepam silar kanda laabam
A burning light is a blessing earned by some
Eriyaatha deepam silar seitha paavam
An unlit lamp is the result of sins done by some
Naayagan naayagi paavam kaanbathu
Seeing the emotional bond between hero and heroine
Kovilil kaangindra kaatchi
Is a divine sight seen inside a temple
Naan athai kandaen
I witnessed that sight
Verethai solvaen
What else can I say?
Thadugindrathae mana saatchi
My conscience holds me back
Sorkkaththilae mudivaanathu
Marriage is decided in heaven
Sonthaththilae nilaiyaanathu
It becomes permanent in true kinship
Veettukku veedu thaagangal undu
Every home has its own inner yearnings
Vaazhgindra vaazhvil raagangal undu
In the life we live, there are melodic ragas
Aanantha raagam paadungal indru
Sing the song of joy today
Aayiram kaalam vaazhungal endru
Wishing that you live for a thousand years
Aayiram kaalam vaazhungal endru
Wishing that you live for a thousand years
Iruvarin kangalai santhikka vaippathu
Making two pairs of eyes meet each other
Iraivanin naadaaga leelai
Is God's divine theatrical play
Idaiyinil varugindra
Whatever comes in between
Nanmaiyum dheemaiyum
Both the good and the bad
Manithargal seigindra velai
Is the handiwork created by human beings
Thaer kondu vanthaen
I brought the chariot
Silai mattum illai
But the idol is missing
Seer thantha veettil thunai mattum illai
In the house that provided dowry, the companion is missing
Male :Uravukku endrum vayathaavathillai
Male: Relationships never grow old with time
Urimaikku endrum pirivenbathillai
Rightful affection never faces separation
Vaanaththu chandhiran angirunthaalthaan
Only because the celestial moon exists in the sky
Iththanai kaaviyam undu
Do so many great epics exist
Female :Vaazhgindra vaazhvinil anbirunthaalthaan
Female: Only if there is true love in the life being lived
Velli vizhaakkalum undu
Do silver jubilees come to pass
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Sorkkaththilae Mudivaanathu is an iconic philosophical song from the 1976 Tamil film Lalitha, composed by M. S. Viswanathan and written by Kannadasan. The lyrics reflect on the divine nature of marriage, stating that marital unions are pre-ordained in heaven, comparing a couple to a lamp and camphor burning together in complete harmony. It explores the duality of joy and suffering, explaining that while God orchestrates the meeting of two hearts, human actions dictate whether life becomes a temple or a place of sorrow. The song concludes on a hopeful note about the timeless quality of true love, emphasizing that genuine affection sustains relationships over decades, making silver jubilees possible.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Edhukai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Sorkkaththilae mudivaanathu / Sonthaththilae nilaiyaanathu”
The second letters of 'Sorkkaththilae' and 'Sonthaththilae' match ('r' and 'n' consonant harmony in traditional Tamil prosody).
Metaphor
“Deepaththil ondru karpooram ondru”
Compares the couple to lamp and camphor, symbolizing pure unity and sacrificial devotion.
Analogy
“Vaanaththu chandhiran angirunthaalthaan iththanai kaaviyam undu”
Compares the role of the moon in inspiring poetry to the role of love in achieving a silver jubilee in marriage.
Did you know?
Trivia
The phrase 'Sorkkaththilae Mudivaanathu' (Decided in Heaven) penned by Kannadasan became a deeply ingrained idiom in Tamil culture regarding marriage and destiny. The song features a classic vocal duet by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and Vani Jairam.
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