- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- M. S. Rajeswari
- Music director
- T. K. Ramamoorthy
- Movie name
- Sakthi Leelai
- Movie release year
- 1972
- Lyrics added on
- 17 Feb 2024
Lyrics & meaning
♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Unnai vellalaam
Thannai vendravan yavanum unnai vellalam
Mannanayinum kavithai mannanayinum
Avan maadu meikum siruvanidam panivathundu
Thannai vendravan yavanum unnai vellalam
Ezhuthu enbathu unaku evan koduthathu
Arivu enbathu unaku yaar koduthathu
Ezhuthu enbathu unaku evan koduthathu
Arivu enbathu unaku yaar koduthathu
Kalviyale valarnthu varum nyanamum undu
Esan karunaiyale piranthu varum kavithaiyum undu
Thannai vendravan yavanum unnai vellalam
Sollenum udalukul porulennum uyirai
Thogupathu kaviyagum
Porul illaiyendral
Verum soll mattum irunthal
Porul illaiyendral
Verum soll mattum irunthal
Iranthavan udalagum
Iranthavan udalagum
Kaikanda sirpi kallilum kooda
Kadavulai seigindran
Antha kalaiyarinthavan kadavulai kooda
Kallai Ninaigindran
Kallena kidapathu sollagum
Athil kadavulai vadipathu porulagum
Sollum porulum inainthu vanthalthan
Suvaiulla kavithai uruvagum
Suvaiulla kavithai uruvagum
Sollenum udalukul porulennum uyirai
Thogupathu kaviyagum
Porul illaiyendral
Verum soll mattum irunthal
Iranthavan udalagum
Iranthavan udalagum
Boomiyai padaithavan iraivan
Athil veliyai pottavan manithan
Boomiyai padaithavan iraivan
Athil veliyai pottavan manithan
Valathai padaithavan iraivan
Athai kuvithu kondan oru manithan
Idhu aathikakaarargal vazhiya
Idhil aandavan meethinil pazhiya
Idhu aathikakaarargal vazhiya
Idhil aandavan meethinil pazhiya
Boomiyai padaithavan iraivan
Saathikum manithan poruppu
Yetra thazhvuku manithan poruppu
Saathikum manithan poruppu
Yetra thazhvuku manithan poruppu
Idhil kadavulin pangu karupu
Indru kanalpol eriyuthu neruppu
Antha nerupin niramthan sivappu
Idhai kettathum unaken thigaipu
Ariyudaiya manithargalum
Aganthai ennum thereri
Aathikam seiyum neram
Anbudaiya nangaiyarum
Agamudaiya naayaganai
Adimai pol ennum neram
Karaiyudaiya nenjinarum
Thiranudaiya kavingaergalai
Kaalal udhaikum neram
Kadal perugi mazhai perugi
Kaatru puyalaga varum
Kaliyugam mudiyum neram
Tharuma neri poithathena
Thaayarkulam vaaduvathu
Thaalathu pongum neram
Thadiyudaiya moodargalum
Padaiyudaiya thalaivargalum
Thalai thooki nirkum neram
Tharumavinai poiyaagi
Kaalaneri thavaragi
Karunai paripogum neram
Kannanavan sonnapadi
Kannethiril vanthuvidum
Kaliyugam mudiyum neram
Kaliyugam mudiyum neram
You can be conquered
Anyone who has conquered himself can conquer you
Be it a king, or a king of poetry
He has had to bow before a cowherd boy
Anyone who has conquered himself can conquer you
Who gave you the gift of writing?
Who gave you the gift of wisdom?
Who gave you the gift of writing?
Who gave you the gift of wisdom?
There is wisdom that grows through learning
And there is poetry born of God's grace
Anyone who has conquered himself can conquer you
Into the body of a word, placing the soul of meaning,
Bringing them together is true poetry
If there is no meaning,
If only empty words remain,
If there is no meaning,
If only empty words remain,
It is just a dead man's body
It is just a dead man's body
A skilled sculptor, even from a stone,
Shapes a god
Yet one who truly understands art, even in God,
Sees the stone beneath
What lies like raw stone is the word
Sculpting God out of it is the meaning
Only when word and meaning unite
Does delightful poetry come to life
Does delightful poetry come to life
Into the body of a word, placing the soul of meaning,
Bringing them together is true poetry
If there is no meaning,
If only empty words remain,
It is just a dead man's body
It is just a dead man's body
God created the earth
But man built the fences
God created the earth
But man built the fences
God created all the wealth
Yet one man hoarded it for himself
Is this the doing of oppressors?
Why put the blame on God for this?
Is this the doing of oppressors?
Why put the blame on God for this?
God created the earth
Man is responsible for caste
Man is responsible for inequality
Man is responsible for caste
Man is responsible for inequality
God's name is unfairly blackened in this
Today a fire burns like glowing embers
And red is the color of that fire
Why are you stunned to hear this?
When even men of knowledge,
Riding the chariot of arrogance,
Oppress and dominate others;
When even loving women,
Look upon their own husbands,
And treat them like slaves;
When people with wicked hearts,
Cast gifted poets down,
And kick them underfoot;
When the oceans rise and heavy rains pour,
And winds turn into a raging storm,
It is time for the Kali Yuga (the dark age) to end!
Seeing righteousness fail,
As mothers wither in grief,
Their lullabies brimming with sorrow;
When club-wielding fools,
And commanders with armies,
Stand arrogant with heads held high;
When good deeds lose their value,
When the moral order goes astray,
And all compassion is stripped away;
Just as Lord Krishna foretold,
It will unfold right before our eyes:
The time when the Kali Yuga (the dark age) ends!
The time when the Kali Yuga (the dark age) ends!
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This song presents a profound philosophical critique addressed to a scholar or ruler who is blinded by arrogance. The lyrics emphasize that true mastery begins with self-control, noting that even great kings bow to divine simplicity (represented by Krishna, the cowherd boy). It defines true poetry as a living synthesis where words form the body and deep meaning serves as the soul, warning that words without true essence are merely dead corpses.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Uruvagam (Metaphor)
“Sollenum udalukul porulennum uyirai”
Compares the 'word' to a body (udal) and 'meaning' to the soul (uyir), emphasizing that poetry without meaning is merely a corpse.
Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Boomiyai padaithavan iraivan / Valathai padaithavan iraivan”
Matching second consonants across lines ('Boomiyai' / 'Valathai') to build rhythm and structure in Tamil poetry.
Anaphora / Refrain
“Thannai vendravan yavanum unnai vellalam”
Repetition of key lines throughout the song to reinforce the central theme of self-mastery and spiritual humility.
Did you know?
Trivia
This track features in the 1972 Tamil mythological film Sakthi Leelai, directed by T. R. Ramanna. Penned by legendary lyricist Kannadasan and set to music by T. K. Ramamoorthy, the song integrates classical literary philosophy regarding Kali Yuga and divine justice into a film song context.
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