- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Movie name
- Punitha Anthoniyar
- Movie release year
- 1976
- Lyrics added on
- 25 Apr 2026
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This classic devotional song from the movie 'Punitha Anthoniyar' (1976) portrays St. Anthony preaching to the fish of the ocean. When the people of Rimini refused to listen to his sermons, St. Anthony turned to the sea, where the fishes miraculously gathered and raised their heads out of the water to hear the divine word. Through lyricist Kannadasan's profound verses, the saint contrasts the innocent, humble nature of simple aquatic creatures with humans who possess six senses yet fail to comprehend divine truth. The lyrics praise God as the ultimate Creator and Shepherd of the universe who created the vast oceans as a sanctuary for sea life and sustains every creature from tiny fish to humans. St. Anthony urges both marine life and human beings to acknowledge Lord Jesus as the ruler of the earth, emphasizing that God's justice and truth remain unshakeable throughout the ages.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Kadal ennum veedu katti”
The ocean is metaphorically represented as a sanctuary/home constructed by God ('Kadal ennum veedu katti') to protect marine life.
Simile (Uwamai)
“Udambukku kattupattu / Ullae oru aavi iruppadhu pol”
Compares the way truth governs the physical earth to the way the soul is bound inside the physical body ('Udambukku kattupattu / Ullae oru aavi iruppadhu pol').
Edhukai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Thulli varum meengalae / Sollum mozhi kaettpeerae”
Consonance of the second letter 'll' across lines ('Thulli' and 'Sollum').
Monnai (Initial Alliteration)
“Kattravarukku deva sabai / Kaalamenum oozhiyilum / Kalangaadha needhi sabai”
Alliteration of the initial letter sound 'K' across consecutive lines.
Did you know?
Trivia
This song dramatizes one of the most famous legends of St. Anthony of Padua (known in Tamil as Punitha Anthoniyar). According to Catholic tradition, when the heretics of Rimini ridiculed his preaching, St. Anthony went to the mouth of the river bank and began preaching to the fish instead, who gathered in large numbers to listen. The film features legendary singer T. M. Soundararajan singing under M. S. Vishwanathan's composition, with lyrics written by the renowned Hindu poet Kannadasan.
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