Thunba Nedun
From Rathna Manjari · 1961
- Lyricist
- Puratchi Dasan
- Singer
- P. Leela
- Music director
- Rajan Nagendra
- Details
- Rathna Manjari1961
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Thunba nedungadal adiyil | At the bottom of the deep ocean of sorrow, |
| Naan moozhgi thinarinenae | I was drowning and suffocating. |
| Panbudanae angu vandha anballavoo | Were you not the loving soul who arrived with grace? |
| Yemanudanae poraadi | By battling against Lord Yama (Death), |
| En manjal kayir thannai | My sacred yellow thread of marriage, |
| Uyir kolla seidhitta thaaiyallavoo | Were you not the mother who brought life back to it? |
| Female | |
| Andru thondriya karunai | The compassion that manifested on that day, |
| Indru engu ponadhamma | Where has it gone today, O Mother? |
| Nitham thozhudhu nindru | Standing and worshipping you daily, |
| Poojithu vandha thanmai | The devout reverence I offered to you, |
| Female | |
| Poi enavae vazhi maari | Has it strayed away as if it were a lie, |
| Pugainthathuvo paar amma | And gone up in smoke? Look, O Mother! |
| Paedhai en murai kettu | Hearing the desperate plea of this simple girl, |
| Kaatharul amma | Protect and bless me, O Mother! |
| Kaappaatru amma | Save me, O Mother! |
| Paartharul amma….. | Look upon me with grace, O Mother... |
துன்ப நெடுங்கடலடியில்
நான் மூழ்கி திணறினேனே
பண்புடனே அங்கு வந்த அன்பல்லவோ
எமனுடனே போராடி என் மஞ்சள் கயிர் தன்னை
உயிர் கொள்ளச் செய்திட்ட தாயல்லவோ....
At the bottom of the deep ocean of sorrow,
I was drowning and suffocating.
Were you not the loving soul who arrived with grace?
By battling against Lord Yama (Death),
My sacred yellow thread of marriage,
Were you not the mother who brought life back to it?
அன்று தோன்றிய கருணை
இன்று எங்கு போனதம்மா
நித்தம் தொழுது நின்று
பூஜித்து வந்த தன்மை
The compassion that manifested on that day,
Where has it gone today, O Mother?
Standing and worshipping you daily,
The devout reverence I offered to you,
பொய் எனவே வழி மாறி
புகைந்ததுவோ பார் அம்மா
பேதை என் முறை கேட்டு
காத்தருள் அம்மா காப்பாற்று அம்மா
பார்த்தருள் அம்மா..........
Has it strayed away as if it were a lie,
And gone up in smoke? Look, O Mother!
Hearing the desperate plea of this simple girl,
Protect and bless me, O Mother!
Save me, O Mother!
Look upon me with grace, O Mother...
Thunba nedungadal adiyil
At the bottom of the deep ocean of sorrow,
Naan moozhgi thinarinenae
I was drowning and suffocating.
Panbudanae angu vandha anballavoo
Were you not the loving soul who arrived with grace?
Yemanudanae poraadi
By battling against Lord Yama (Death),
En manjal kayir thannai
My sacred yellow thread of marriage,
Uyir kolla seidhitta thaaiyallavoo
Were you not the mother who brought life back to it?
Andru thondriya karunai
The compassion that manifested on that day,
Indru engu ponadhamma
Where has it gone today, O Mother?
Nitham thozhudhu nindru
Standing and worshipping you daily,
Poojithu vandha thanmai
The devout reverence I offered to you,
Poi enavae vazhi maari
Has it strayed away as if it were a lie,
Pugainthathuvo paar amma
And gone up in smoke? Look, O Mother!
Paedhai en murai kettu
Hearing the desperate plea of this simple girl,
Kaatharul amma
Protect and bless me, O Mother!
Kaappaatru amma
Save me, O Mother!
Paartharul amma…..
Look upon me with grace, O Mother...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This poignant devotional song expresses the deep distress and heart-wrenching plea of a helpless woman towards a divine mother figure. She nostalgically recalls how the mother figure previously saved her husband from the clutches of Death (Yama), thereby protecting her sacred marital bond (represented by the 'manjal kayir').\n\nIn her current state of misery, she questions where that former compassion has vanished. Despite her continuous, pure devotion and daily prayers, she feels her plight is turning to ashes. Ultimately, she surrenders entirely, begging the merciful mother to hear her humble cries and grant her protection once more.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Thunba nedungadal adiyil”
Sorrow is vividly metaphorized as a vast, deep ocean ('Thunba nedungadal') in which the speaker is drowning.
Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyming)
“Andru thondriya karunai / Indru engu ponadhamma”
The second letter 'n' matches in 'Andru' and 'Indru', creating a rhythmic lyrical contrast between past grace and present misery.
Anaphora / Refrain
“Kaatharul amma / Kaappaatru amma / Paartharul amma…..”
Repetition of 'amma' at the end of consecutive lines creates a rhythmic, musical plea that amplifies emotional urgency.
Did you know?
Trivia
The film 'Rathna Manjari' (1961) was a notable multilingual release with music composed by the iconic duo Rajan-Nagendra. Singer P. Leela's emotive voice brought out the sorrowful and prayerful tone of Puratchi Dasan's lyrics exceptionally well.
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