Thathuvathil Naan
From Thiru Neelakandar · 1972
- Lyricist
- Panchu Arunachalam
- Singer
- K. M. Mani Rajan
- Music director
- C. N. Pandurangan
- Details
- Thiru Neelakandar1972
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Vilaiyaattukaaranukku | To the playful person, |
| Sivan endru per vaiththu | naming him Shiva, |
| Vilaiyaada sonnavar yaaro…. | who was it that told him to play? |
| Vilaiyaada sonnavar yaaro…. | Who was it that told him to play? |
| Male | |
| Thaththuvaththil naan orr sanniyaasi | In philosophy, I am an ascetic, |
| En sakthi varai naan orr samsaari | As far as my strength allows, I am a family man. |
| Thaththuvaththil naan orr sanniyaasi | In philosophy, I am an ascetic, |
| En sakthi varai naan orr samsaari | As far as my strength allows, I am a family man. |
| Baktharukku naan orr parathesi | To the devotees, I am a homeless wanderer, |
| Antha paramanukku naan orr ubanyaasi | To the Supreme Being, I am a preacher. |
| Male | |
| Thaththuvaththil naan orr sanniyaasi | In philosophy, I am an ascetic, |
| En sakthi varai naan orr samsaari | As far as my strength allows, I am a family man. |
| Male | |
| Neerukkul kallum undu | There is stone inside water, |
| Kallukkul neerum undu | There is also water inside stone. |
| Neerukkul kallum undu | There is stone inside water, |
| Kallukkul neerum undu | There is also water inside stone. |
| Paarvaikku theriyaathu | Invisible to human sight, |
| Bhoomikkul naanum undu | I exist inside the earth, |
| Enakkullum bhoomiyundu | The earth exists inside me as well, |
| Kelvikku puriyaathu…. | Incomprehensible to mere questions... |
| Male | |
| Thaththuvaththil naan orr sanniyaasi | In philosophy, I am an ascetic, |
| En sakthi varai naan orr samsaari | As far as my strength allows, I am a family man. |
| Male | |
| Uravinil thaai thagappan | In human relationships, mother and father |
| Oru thulithaan tharuvaar | give only a single drop. |
| Uravinil thaai thagappan | In human relationships, mother and father |
| Oru thulithaan tharuvaar | give only a single drop. |
| Valarppathu en paadu | Fostering and raising life is my task. |
| Valarntha piragu silar | After growing up, some people, |
| Mamathaiyinaa ennai | out of sheer pride and arrogance, |
| Marappathu panpaadu marappathu panpaadu | forgetting me becomes their culture, forgetting me becomes their culture. |
| Male | |
| Thaththuvaththil naan orr sanniyaasi | In philosophy, I am an ascetic, |
| En sakthi varai naan orr samsaari | As far as my strength allows, I am a family man. |
| Male | |
| Maranthavar mattum alla | Not only those who forgot, |
| Ninaiththavarum kooda | even those who remembered, |
| Maranthavar mattum alla | Not only those who forgot, |
| Ninaiththavarum kooda | even those who remembered, |
| Maraivathu kankoodu | their disappearance is evident right before our eyes. |
| En madiyil vizhuntha pinbu iruvaraiyum | Once they fall into my lap, both of them, |
| Samamaai anaippathu en veedu | embracing them equally is my sanctuary, |
| Anaippathu en veedu | embracing them is my sanctuary. |
| Male | |
| Thaththuvaththil naan orr sanniyaasi | In philosophy, I am an ascetic, |
| En sakthi varai naan orr samsaari | As far as my strength allows, I am a family man. |
| Thaththuvaththil naan orr sanniyaasi | In philosophy, I am an ascetic, |
| En sakthi varai naan orr samsaari | As far as my strength allows, I am a family man. |
விளையாட்டுக்காரனுக்கு
சிவன் என்று பேர் வைத்து
விளையாடச் சொன்னவர் யாரோ.........
விளையாடச் சொன்னவர் யாரோ.........
To the playful person,
naming him Shiva,
who was it that told him to play?
Who was it that told him to play?
தத்துவத்தில் நான் ஓர் சந்நியாசி
என் சக்தி வரை நான் ஓர் சம்சாரி
தத்துவத்தில் நான் ஓர் சந்நியாசி
என் சக்தி வரை நான் ஓர் சம்சாரி
பக்தருக்கு நான் ஓர் பரதேசி
அந்த பரமனுக்கு நான் ஓர் உபன்யாசி
In philosophy, I am an ascetic,
As far as my strength allows, I am a family man.
In philosophy, I am an ascetic,
As far as my strength allows, I am a family man.
To the devotees, I am a homeless wanderer,
To the Supreme Being, I am a preacher.
தத்துவத்தில் நான் ஓர் சந்நியாசி
என் சக்தி வரை நான் ஓர் சம்சாரி
In philosophy, I am an ascetic,
As far as my strength allows, I am a family man.
நீருக்குள் கல்லும் உண்டு
கல்லுக்குள் நீரும் உண்டு
நீருக்குள் கல்லும் உண்டு
கல்லுக்குள் நீரும் உண்டு
பார்வைக்கு தெரியாது.......
பூமிக்குள் நானும் உண்டு
எனக்குள்ளும் பூமியுண்டு
கேள்விக்கு புரியாது........
There is stone inside water,
There is also water inside stone.
There is stone inside water,
There is also water inside stone.
Invisible to human sight,
I exist inside the earth,
The earth exists inside me as well,
Incomprehensible to mere questions...
தத்துவத்தில் நான் ஓர் சந்நியாசி
என் சக்தி வரை நான் ஓர் சம்சாரி
In philosophy, I am an ascetic,
As far as my strength allows, I am a family man.
உறவினில் தாய் தகப்பன்
ஒரு துளிதான் தருவார்
உறவினில் தாய் தகப்பன்
ஒரு துளிதான் தருவார்
வளர்ப்பது என் பாடு.......
வளர்ந்த பிறகு சிலர்
மமதையினால் என்னை
மறப்பது பண்பாடு மறப்பது பண்பாடு
In human relationships, mother and father
give only a single drop.
In human relationships, mother and father
give only a single drop.
Fostering and raising life is my task.
After growing up, some people,
out of sheer pride and arrogance,
forgetting me becomes their culture, forgetting me becomes their culture.
தத்துவத்தில் நான் ஓர் சந்நியாசி
என் சக்தி வரை நான் ஓர் சம்சாரி
In philosophy, I am an ascetic,
As far as my strength allows, I am a family man.
மறந்தவர் மட்டும் அல்ல
நினைத்தவரும் கூட
மறந்தவர் மட்டும் அல்ல
நினைத்தவரும் கூட
மறைவது கண்கூடு.....
என் மடியில் விழுந்த பின்பு இருவரையும்
சமமாய் அணைப்பது என் வீடு
அணைப்பது என் வீடு
Not only those who forgot,
even those who remembered,
Not only those who forgot,
even those who remembered,
their disappearance is evident right before our eyes.
Once they fall into my lap, both of them,
embracing them equally is my sanctuary,
embracing them is my sanctuary.
தத்துவத்தில் நான் ஓர் சந்நியாசி
என் சக்தி வரை நான் ஓர் சம்சாரி
தத்துவத்தில் நான் ஓர் சந்நியாசி
என் சக்தி வரை நான் ஓர் சம்சாரி
In philosophy, I am an ascetic,
As far as my strength allows, I am a family man.
In philosophy, I am an ascetic,
As far as my strength allows, I am a family man.
Vilaiyaattukaaranukku
To the playful person,
Sivan endru per vaiththu
naming him Shiva,
Vilaiyaada sonnavar yaaro….
who was it that told him to play?
Vilaiyaada sonnavar yaaro….
Who was it that told him to play?
Thaththuvaththil naan orr sanniyaasi
In philosophy, I am an ascetic,
En sakthi varai naan orr samsaari
As far as my strength allows, I am a family man.
Thaththuvaththil naan orr sanniyaasi
In philosophy, I am an ascetic,
En sakthi varai naan orr samsaari
As far as my strength allows, I am a family man.
Baktharukku naan orr parathesi
To the devotees, I am a homeless wanderer,
Antha paramanukku naan orr ubanyaasi
To the Supreme Being, I am a preacher.
Thaththuvaththil naan orr sanniyaasi
In philosophy, I am an ascetic,
En sakthi varai naan orr samsaari
As far as my strength allows, I am a family man.
Neerukkul kallum undu
There is stone inside water,
Kallukkul neerum undu
There is also water inside stone.
Neerukkul kallum undu
There is stone inside water,
Kallukkul neerum undu
There is also water inside stone.
Paarvaikku theriyaathu
Invisible to human sight,
Bhoomikkul naanum undu
I exist inside the earth,
Enakkullum bhoomiyundu
The earth exists inside me as well,
Kelvikku puriyaathu….
Incomprehensible to mere questions...
Thaththuvaththil naan orr sanniyaasi
In philosophy, I am an ascetic,
En sakthi varai naan orr samsaari
As far as my strength allows, I am a family man.
Uravinil thaai thagappan
In human relationships, mother and father
Oru thulithaan tharuvaar
give only a single drop.
Uravinil thaai thagappan
In human relationships, mother and father
Oru thulithaan tharuvaar
give only a single drop.
Valarppathu en paadu
Fostering and raising life is my task.
Valarntha piragu silar
After growing up, some people,
Mamathaiyinaa ennai
out of sheer pride and arrogance,
Marappathu panpaadu marappathu panpaadu
forgetting me becomes their culture, forgetting me becomes their culture.
Thaththuvaththil naan orr sanniyaasi
In philosophy, I am an ascetic,
En sakthi varai naan orr samsaari
As far as my strength allows, I am a family man.
Maranthavar mattum alla
Not only those who forgot,
Ninaiththavarum kooda
even those who remembered,
Maranthavar mattum alla
Not only those who forgot,
Ninaiththavarum kooda
even those who remembered,
Maraivathu kankoodu
their disappearance is evident right before our eyes.
En madiyil vizhuntha pinbu iruvaraiyum
Once they fall into my lap, both of them,
Samamaai anaippathu en veedu
embracing them equally is my sanctuary,
Anaippathu en veedu
embracing them is my sanctuary.
Thaththuvaththil naan orr sanniyaasi
In philosophy, I am an ascetic,
En sakthi varai naan orr samsaari
As far as my strength allows, I am a family man.
Thaththuvaththil naan orr sanniyaasi
In philosophy, I am an ascetic,
En sakthi varai naan orr samsaari
As far as my strength allows, I am a family man.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This deeply philosophical song explores the dual nature of human existence, spiritual detachment, and the cycle of life and death. The speaker reflects on being philosophically detached like an ascetic (sanniyaasi) while simultaneously managing worldly responsibilities as a householder (samsaari). The verses highlight nature's hidden mysteries—such as water within stone and the interconnectedness of creation—to show how life originates from a tiny spark provided by parents, but is ultimately sustained by a higher cosmic force.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Paradox / Antithesis
“Thaththuvaththil naan orr sanniyaasi / En sakthi varai naan orr samsaari”
Contrasts two opposing concepts: being a detached ascetic theoretically, but living as a householder practically.
Chiasmus / Inversion
“Neerukkul kallum undu / Kallukkul neerum undu”
Reverses the words 'water' and 'stone' to emphasize the divine, paradoxical unity of nature.
Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Maranthavar mattum alla / Ninaiththavarum kooda”
The second consonant 'ra' matches across lines ('Maranthavar' and 'Ninaiththavar' - 'ra' sound pattern).
Did you know?
Trivia
The song comes from 'Thiru Neelakandar' (1972), a devotional film centered around the life of Thiruneelakanta Nayanar. Lyricist Panchu Arunachalam skillfully uses wordplay with 'Sakthi'—referring to both personal capacity/energy and the divine feminine power, Parvati.
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