Thoongatha Niyayangale
From Pannaipurathu Pandavargal · 1982
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- Ilayaraja
- Music director
- Gangai Amaran
- Details
- Pannaipurathu Pandavargal1982
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Thoongaatha niyaayangalae | Oh unslumbering justice! |
| Umakkeno indru meelaatha thookkangalae | Why have you fallen today into an endless sleep? |
| Dharmangal ellaam ingu oomaiyaagi ponatho | Has all righteousness turned mute here? |
| Male | |
| Thoongaatha niyaayangalae | Oh unslumbering justice! |
| Umakkeno indru meelaatha thookkangalae | Why have you fallen today into an endless sleep? |
| Male | |
| Sonthangal panthangal endrenni nee unnai | Thinking of relatives and bonds as everything, you |
| Siraiyaakki kondaayae silaiyaagi nindraayae | Imprisoned yourself and stood turned into a statue. |
| Oorengum ullorgal uravennum ennangal | The thoughts that everyone in town is kin to you, |
| Neeyaenum kondaayaa yaenendru kettaayaa | Did you ever possess them, or did you ask why? |
| Male | |
| Dharmaththin kangal munnae | Before the eyes of justice, |
| Thaai enna pillai enna | What is a mother, and what is a child? |
| Nee keladaa varum badhil | You ask, my friend; for the answer that comes, |
| Innum oru mounam enna | Why still this silence? |
| Male | |
| Thoongaatha niyaayangalae | Oh unslumbering justice! |
| Umakkeno indru meelaatha thookkangalae | Why have you fallen today into an endless sleep? |
| Dharmangal ellaam ingu oomaiyaagi ponatho | Has all righteousness turned mute here? |
| Male | |
| Naanennum agangaaram adhu seiyyum adhigaaram | The arrogance called 'I' and the authority it exerts, |
| Eppothum maaratho innalgal theeraatho | Will it never change? Will afflictions never end? |
| Than veedu than pendu than pillai endrennum | Thinking always of one's own house, wife, and child, |
| Suyalaaba nokkaththil palar vaazhvu yaekkaththil | Driven by self-interest while many lives remain in longing. |
| Male | |
| Nee seiyum theemai | The evil that you commit, |
| Unnai nizhalaaga serum unmai | Will follow you like a shadow—that is the truth. |
| Poiyalladaa tamil marai | It is no lie, my friend; the Tamil scripture |
| Sollum idhu saththiyamandro | Tells this truth, doesn't it? |
| Male | |
| Thoongaatha niyaayangalae | Oh unslumbering justice! |
| Umakkeno indru meelaatha thookkangalae | Why have you fallen today into an endless sleep? |
| Dharmangal ellaam ingu oomaiyaagi ponatho | Has all righteousness turned mute here? |
| Male | |
| Thoongaatha niyaayangalae….. | Oh unslumbering justice... |
தூங்காத நியாயங்களே
உமக்கேனோ இன்று மீளாத தூக்கங்களே
தர்மங்கள் எல்லாம் இங்கு ஊமையாகி போனதோ
Oh unslumbering justice!
Why have you fallen today into an endless sleep?
Has all righteousness turned mute here?
தூங்காத நியாயங்களே
உமக்கேனோ இன்று மீளாத தூக்கங்களே.....
Oh unslumbering justice!
Why have you fallen today into an endless sleep?
சொந்தங்கள் பந்தங்கள் என்றெண்ணி நீ உன்னை
சிறையாக்கி கொண்டாயே சிலையாகி நின்றாயே
ஊரெங்கும் உள்ளோர்கள் உறவென்னும் எண்ணங்கள்
நீயேனும் கொண்டாயா ஏனென்று கேட்டாயா
Thinking of relatives and bonds as everything, you
Imprisoned yourself and stood turned into a statue.
The thoughts that everyone in town is kin to you,
Did you ever possess them, or did you ask why?
தர்மத்தின் கண்கள் முன்னே
தாய் என்ன பிள்ளை என்ன
நீ கேளடா வரும் பதில்
இன்னும் ஒரு மௌனம் என்ன
Before the eyes of justice,
What is a mother, and what is a child?
You ask, my friend; for the answer that comes,
Why still this silence?
தூங்காத நியாயங்களே
உமக்கேனோ இன்று மீளாத தூக்கங்களே
தர்மங்கள் எல்லாம் இங்கு ஊமையாகி போனதோ
Oh unslumbering justice!
Why have you fallen today into an endless sleep?
Has all righteousness turned mute here?
நானென்னும் அகங்காரம் அது செய்யும் அதிகாரம்
எப்போதும் மாறாதோ இன்னல்கள் தீராதோ
தன் வீடு தன் பெண்டு தன் பிள்ளை என்றெண்ணும்
சுயலாப நோக்கத்தில் பலர் வாழ்வு ஏக்கத்தில்
The arrogance called 'I' and the authority it exerts,
Will it never change? Will afflictions never end?
Thinking always of one's own house, wife, and child,
Driven by self-interest while many lives remain in longing.
நீ செய்யும் தீமை உன்னை
நிழலாக சேரும் உண்மை
பொய்யல்லடா தமிழ் மறை
சொல்லும் இது சத்தியமன்றோ
The evil that you commit,
Will follow you like a shadow—that is the truth.
It is no lie, my friend; the Tamil scripture
Tells this truth, doesn't it?
ஆண்
: தூங்காத நியாயங்களே
உமக்கேனோ இன்று மீளாத தூக்கங்களே
தர்மங்கள் எல்லாம் இங்கு ஊமையாகி போனதோ
Oh unslumbering justice!
Why have you fallen today into an endless sleep?
Has all righteousness turned mute here?
தூங்காத நியாயங்களே....
Oh unslumbering justice...
Thoongaatha niyaayangalae
Oh unslumbering justice!
Umakkeno indru meelaatha thookkangalae
Why have you fallen today into an endless sleep?
Dharmangal ellaam ingu oomaiyaagi ponatho
Has all righteousness turned mute here?
Thoongaatha niyaayangalae
Oh unslumbering justice!
Umakkeno indru meelaatha thookkangalae
Why have you fallen today into an endless sleep?
Sonthangal panthangal endrenni nee unnai
Thinking of relatives and bonds as everything, you
Siraiyaakki kondaayae silaiyaagi nindraayae
Imprisoned yourself and stood turned into a statue.
Oorengum ullorgal uravennum ennangal
The thoughts that everyone in town is kin to you,
Neeyaenum kondaayaa yaenendru kettaayaa
Did you ever possess them, or did you ask why?
Dharmaththin kangal munnae
Before the eyes of justice,
Thaai enna pillai enna
What is a mother, and what is a child?
Nee keladaa varum badhil
You ask, my friend; for the answer that comes,
Innum oru mounam enna
Why still this silence?
Thoongaatha niyaayangalae
Oh unslumbering justice!
Umakkeno indru meelaatha thookkangalae
Why have you fallen today into an endless sleep?
Dharmangal ellaam ingu oomaiyaagi ponatho
Has all righteousness turned mute here?
Naanennum agangaaram adhu seiyyum adhigaaram
The arrogance called 'I' and the authority it exerts,
Eppothum maaratho innalgal theeraatho
Will it never change? Will afflictions never end?
Than veedu than pendu than pillai endrennum
Thinking always of one's own house, wife, and child,
Suyalaaba nokkaththil palar vaazhvu yaekkaththil
Driven by self-interest while many lives remain in longing.
Nee seiyum theemai
The evil that you commit,
Unnai nizhalaaga serum unmai
Will follow you like a shadow—that is the truth.
Poiyalladaa tamil marai
It is no lie, my friend; the Tamil scripture
Sollum idhu saththiyamandro
Tells this truth, doesn't it?
Thoongaatha niyaayangalae
Oh unslumbering justice!
Umakkeno indru meelaatha thookkangalae
Why have you fallen today into an endless sleep?
Dharmangal ellaam ingu oomaiyaagi ponatho
Has all righteousness turned mute here?
Thoongaatha niyaayangalae…..
Oh unslumbering justice...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This poignant philosophical track from 'Pannaipurathu Pandavargal' laments the tragic silence of justice, righteousness, and morality in a world plagued by selfishness, nepotism, and arrogance. The singer addresses justice directly as a guardian that ought to stay ever vigilant, questioning why it has succumbed to a deep, inescapable slumber while righteousness stands mute.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Personification
“Thoongaatha niyaayangalae”
Justice ('niyaayangal') and righteousness ('dharmangal') are personified as entities capable of sleeping, waking, and becoming mute.
Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Siraiyaakki kondaayae silaiyaagi nindraayae”
In Tamil poetry, Edhugai is the rhyming of the second letter of adjacent words or lines, seen here with 'Sirai' and 'Silai'.
Simile / Metaphor
“Unnai nizhalaaga serum unmai”
The consequence of one's misdeeds following them silently and inevitably is compared to a person's own shadow.
Rhetorical Question
“Dharmangal ellaam ingu oomaiyaagi ponatho”
The speaker asks whether all moral righteousness has become mute, highlighting moral outrage rather than seeking a literal answer.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Pannaipurathu Pandavargal' (1982) was directed by editor-director B. Lenin. Though Gangai Amaran composed the music for the film, his legendary elder brother Ilaiyaraaja sang this emotive track written by Kaviarasu Kannadasan.
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