Sothanai Mel Sothanai
From Thanga Pathakkam · 1974
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Details
- Thanga Pathakkam1974
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Sodhanai mel sodhanai | Test after test, |
| Podhumada saami | Enough, O Lord! |
| Sodhanai mel sodhanai | Test after test, |
| Podhumada saami | Enough, O Lord! |
| Vedhanai dhaan vaazhkai endraal | If life is nothing but agony, |
| Thaangaadhu bhoomi | The earth itself cannot bear it. |
| Vedhanai dhaan vaazhkai endraal | If life is nothing but agony, |
| Thaangaadhu bhoomi | The earth itself cannot bear it. |
| Male | |
| Sodhanai mel sodhanai | Test after test, |
| Podhumada saami | Enough, O Lord! |
| Male | |
| {Sondham oru kai vilangu | Kinship is a handcuff on one hand, |
| Nee pottadhu | that you placed. |
| Adhil bandham oru kaal vilangu | And attachment is a shackle on the foot, |
| Naan pottadhu} (2) | that I placed on myself. (2) |
| Male | |
| Sodhanai mel sodhanai | Test after test, |
| Podhumada saami | Enough, O Lord! |
| Male | |
| {Adhaaram illai amma | There is no support or proof, my dear, |
| Aarudhal solla | to offer words of comfort. |
| Naan avadhaaram illai amma | I am no divine incarnation, my dear, |
| Thathauvam solla} (2) | to preach deep philosophy. (2) |
| Male | |
| Parigaram thedi ini | Seeking a remedy now, |
| Evvidam sella | where should I go? |
| Enakku adhigaramillai amma | I have no authority or right, my dear, |
| Vanagam sella | to go to the forest into exile. |
| Male | |
| Oru naalum naan idhu pol | Not a single day before this, |
| Azhudhavan alla | have I ever wept like this. |
| Andha thiru naalai magan koduthaan | My son gave me that fateful day; |
| Yaaridam solla | to whom can I vent this? |
| Male | |
| Sodhanai mel sodhanai | Test after test, |
| Podhumada saami | Enough, O Lord! |
| Vedhanai dhaan vaazhkai endraal | If life is nothing but agony, |
| Thaangaadhu bhoomi | The earth itself cannot bear it. |
| Sodhanai mel sodhanai | Test after test, |
| Podhumada saami | Enough, O Lord! |
| Female | |
| Mama kaanji pona | Uncle, the dried-up |
| Bhoomi ellaam | lands everywhere, |
| Vaththaadha nadhiyai paathu | look upon a perennial river |
| Aarudhal adaiyum | and find solace. |
| Andha nadhiyae kaanji poitaa | If that river itself dries up, |
| Thunbapadaravanga ellaam | all those who suffer |
| Avanga kavalaiyai | their grievances, |
| Deivathukku kitta murai iduvaanga | will appeal to God. |
| Anaa antha deivamae kalangi ninnaa | But if that very God stands distressed, |
| Andha deivathukku yaaraala | who among us |
| Aarudhal solla mudiyum…(Dialogue) | can offer solace to that God? (Dialogue) |
| Male | |
| {Thaan aadavillai amma | It is not the self playing games, my dear, |
| Sadhai aadudhu | it is the flesh and blood that dances; |
| Adhu thandhai endrum | it plays as a father |
| Pillai endrum vilaiyadhudhu} (2) | and plays as a son. (2) |
| Male | |
| Poovaaga vaithirundhen | I kept it like a delicate flower, |
| Manam enbadhu | what is called my heart. |
| Adhil poo naagam | In it, a poisonous cobra |
| Pugundhu kondu uravendradhu | entered and claimed to be a relation. |
| Male | |
| Adi thaangum ullamidhu | This heart can withstand physical blows, |
| Idi thaanguma | can it withstand thunderbolts? |
| Idi pola pillai vandhaal | If a son comes like a thunderbolt, |
| Madi thaangumaa | can a parent's lap bear it? |
| Male | |
| Sodhanai mel sodhanai | Test after test, |
| Podhumada saami | Enough, O Lord! |
| Vedhanai dhaan vaazhkai endraal | If life is nothing but agony, |
| Thaangaadhu bhoomi | The earth itself cannot bear it. |
| Sodhanai mel sodhanai | Test after test, |
| Podhumada saami | Enough, O Lord! |
சோதனை மேல் சோதனை
போதுமடா சாமி
சோதனை மேல் சோதனை
போதுமடா சாமி
வேதனை தான் வாழ்க்கை என்றால்
தாங்காது பூமி
வேதனை தான் வாழ்க்கை என்றால்
தாங்காது பூமி
Test after test,
Enough, O Lord!
Test after test,
Enough, O Lord!
If life is nothing but agony,
The earth itself cannot bear it.
If life is nothing but agony,
The earth itself cannot bear it.
சோதனை மேல் சோதனை
போதுமடா சாமி
Test after test,
Enough, O Lord!
{சொந்தம் ஒரு கை விலங்கு
நீ போட்டது
அதில் பந்தம் ஒரு கால் விலங்கு
நான் போட்டது} (2)
Kinship is a handcuff on one hand,
that you placed.
And attachment is a shackle on the foot,
that I placed on myself. (2)
சோதனை மேல் சோதனை
போதுமடா சாமி
Test after test,
Enough, O Lord!
{ஆதாரம் இல்லையம்மா
ஆறுதல் சொல்ல
நான் அவதாரம் இல்லையம்மா
தத்துவம் சொல்ல} (2)
There is no support or proof, my dear,
to offer words of comfort.
I am no divine incarnation, my dear,
to preach deep philosophy. (2)
பரிகாரம் தேடி இனி
எவ்விடம் செல்ல
எனக்கு அதிகாரம் இல்லையம்மா
வானகம் செல்ல
Seeking a remedy now,
where should I go?
I have no authority or right, my dear,
to go to the forest into exile.
ஒரு நாளும் நான்
இது போல் அழுதவனல்ல
அந்த திருநாளை மகன் கொடுத்தான்
யாரிடம் சொல்ல
Not a single day before this,
have I ever wept like this.
My son gave me that fateful day;
to whom can I vent this?
சோதனை மேல் சோதனை
போதுமடா சாமி
வேதனை தான் வாழ்க்கை என்றால்
தாங்காது பூமி
சோதனை மேல் சோதனை
போதுமடா சாமி
Test after test,
Enough, O Lord!
If life is nothing but agony,
The earth itself cannot bear it.
Test after test,
Enough, O Lord!
மாமா…
காஞ்சிப்போன பூமி எல்லாம்
வத்தாத நதியை பாத்து ஆறுதல் அடையும்
அந்த நதியே காஞ்சி போய்ட்டா...
துன்பப் படுறவங்க எல்லாம்
அந்த கவலையை
தெய்வத்துகிட்ட முறையிடுவாங்க
ஆனா தெய்வமே கலங்கி நின்னா...
அந்த தெய்வத்துக்கு
யாரால ஆறுதல் சொல்ல முடியும்.....
Uncle, the dried-up
lands everywhere,
look upon a perennial river
and find solace.
If that river itself dries up,
all those who suffer
their grievances,
will appeal to God.
But if that very God stands distressed,
who among us
can offer solace to that God? (Dialogue)
{நானாட வில்லையம்மா
சதையாடுது
அது தந்தை என்றும் பிள்ளை என்றும்
விளையாடுது} (2)
It is not the self playing games, my dear,
it is the flesh and blood that dances;
it plays as a father
and plays as a son. (2)
பூவாக வைத்திருந்தேன்
மனமென்பது
அதில் பூநாகம் புகுந்து கொண்டு
உறவென்றது
I kept it like a delicate flower,
what is called my heart.
In it, a poisonous cobra
entered and claimed to be a relation.
அடி தாங்கும் உள்ளம் இது
இடி தாங்குமா
இடி போல பிள்ளை வந்தால்
மடி தாங்குமா
This heart can withstand physical blows,
can it withstand thunderbolts?
If a son comes like a thunderbolt,
can a parent's lap bear it?
சோதனை மேல் சோதனை
போதுமடா சாமி
வேதனை தான் வாழ்க்கை என்றால்
தாங்காது பூமி
சோதனை மேல் சோதனை
போதுமடா சாமி
Test after test,
Enough, O Lord!
If life is nothing but agony,
The earth itself cannot bear it.
Test after test,
Enough, O Lord!
Sodhanai mel sodhanai
Test after test,
Podhumada saami
Enough, O Lord!
Sodhanai mel sodhanai
Test after test,
Podhumada saami
Enough, O Lord!
Vedhanai dhaan vaazhkai endraal
If life is nothing but agony,
Thaangaadhu bhoomi
The earth itself cannot bear it.
Vedhanai dhaan vaazhkai endraal
If life is nothing but agony,
Thaangaadhu bhoomi
The earth itself cannot bear it.
Sodhanai mel sodhanai
Test after test,
Podhumada saami
Enough, O Lord!
{Sondham oru kai vilangu
Kinship is a handcuff on one hand,
Nee pottadhu
that you placed.
Adhil bandham oru kaal vilangu
And attachment is a shackle on the foot,
Naan pottadhu} (2)
that I placed on myself. (2)
Sodhanai mel sodhanai
Test after test,
Podhumada saami
Enough, O Lord!
{Adhaaram illai amma
There is no support or proof, my dear,
Aarudhal solla
to offer words of comfort.
Naan avadhaaram illai amma
I am no divine incarnation, my dear,
Thathauvam solla} (2)
to preach deep philosophy. (2)
Parigaram thedi ini
Seeking a remedy now,
Evvidam sella
where should I go?
Enakku adhigaramillai amma
I have no authority or right, my dear,
Vanagam sella
to go to the forest into exile.
Oru naalum naan idhu pol
Not a single day before this,
Azhudhavan alla
have I ever wept like this.
Andha thiru naalai magan koduthaan
My son gave me that fateful day;
Yaaridam solla
to whom can I vent this?
Sodhanai mel sodhanai
Test after test,
Podhumada saami
Enough, O Lord!
Vedhanai dhaan vaazhkai endraal
If life is nothing but agony,
Thaangaadhu bhoomi
The earth itself cannot bear it.
Sodhanai mel sodhanai
Test after test,
Podhumada saami
Enough, O Lord!
Mama kaanji pona
Uncle, the dried-up
Bhoomi ellaam
lands everywhere,
Vaththaadha nadhiyai paathu
look upon a perennial river
Aarudhal adaiyum
and find solace.
Andha nadhiyae kaanji poitaa
If that river itself dries up,
Thunbapadaravanga ellaam
all those who suffer
Avanga kavalaiyai
their grievances,
Deivathukku kitta murai iduvaanga
will appeal to God.
Anaa antha deivamae kalangi ninnaa
But if that very God stands distressed,
Andha deivathukku yaaraala
who among us
Aarudhal solla mudiyum…(Dialogue)
can offer solace to that God? (Dialogue)
{Thaan aadavillai amma
It is not the self playing games, my dear,
Sadhai aadudhu
it is the flesh and blood that dances;
Adhu thandhai endrum
it plays as a father
Pillai endrum vilaiyadhudhu} (2)
and plays as a son. (2)
Poovaaga vaithirundhen
I kept it like a delicate flower,
Manam enbadhu
what is called my heart.
Adhil poo naagam
In it, a poisonous cobra
Pugundhu kondu uravendradhu
entered and claimed to be a relation.
Adi thaangum ullamidhu
This heart can withstand physical blows,
Idi thaanguma
can it withstand thunderbolts?
Idi pola pillai vandhaal
If a son comes like a thunderbolt,
Madi thaangumaa
can a parent's lap bear it?
Sodhanai mel sodhanai
Test after test,
Podhumada saami
Enough, O Lord!
Vedhanai dhaan vaazhkai endraal
If life is nothing but agony,
Thaangaadhu bhoomi
The earth itself cannot bear it.
Sodhanai mel sodhanai
Test after test,
Podhumada saami
Enough, O Lord!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This classic song expresses the intense agony of a strict, righteous father—a high-ranking police officer—who finds himself shattered by the rogue behavior and betrayal of his own son. The protagonist vents his sorrow to God and his wife, questioning why duty and blood bonds have trapped him in such inescapable suffering. The metaphor of handcuffs and shackles reflects his inability to break free from familial love despite his unyielding moral values. The spoken dialogue and deeply emotional lyrics emphasize that while a person can withstand physical hardship or public trials, emotional betrayal from one's own offspring hits like a divine thunderbolt. The song portrays the despair of an upright hero who is revered as a savior by others, yet finds himself completely helpless and broken in his personal life.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Edhugai (Second letter rhyming / Monorhyme)
“Sodhanai mel sodhanai / Vedhanai dhaan vaazhkai endraal”
Matching second consonant 'da' across lines like Sodhanai / Vedhanai.
Metaphor (Uruvagaimai)
“Sondham oru kai vilangu / Adhil bandham oru kaal vilangu”
Comparing family kinship and emotional attachment to physical handcuffs and foot shackles.
Contrast & Metaphor (Uruvagaimai / Urudhiani)
“Poovaaga vaithirundhen / Adhil poo naagam pugundhu kondu uravendradhu”
Comparing a pure heart to a flower and the corrupting son/relationship to a poisonous cobra entering that flower.
Wordplay / Synecdoche (Iratura Mozhidhal)
“Thaan aadavillai amma / Sadhai aadudhu”
'Sadhai' (flesh/blood) represents biological instinct and emotional weakness overriding rational control.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Thanga Pathakkam' (1974) is a iconic Tamil drama starring Sivaji Ganesan as Inspector S. P. Choudhury. The music was composed by M. S. Viswanathan with lyrics by Kannadasan and vocals by T. M. Soundararajan. The tragic emotional weight of this song became a benchmark for parental grief in Tamil cinema.
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