Ulagam Aayiram Sollattume
From Arunodhayam · 1971
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Details
- Arunodhayam1971
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Ulagam aayiram sollattumae… | Let the world say a thousand things... |
| Unakku nee thaan needhipathi… | You are your own judge... |
| Manidhan edhaiyo pesattumae… | Let man speak whatever he wants... |
| Manasa paathukka nalla padi | Take good care of your conscience. |
| Un manasa paathukka nalla padi | Take good care of your conscience. |
| Male | |
| Ulagam aayiram sollattumae… | Let the world say a thousand things... |
| Unakku nee thaan needhipathi… | You are your own judge... |
| Manidhan edhaiyo pesattumae… | Let man speak whatever he wants... |
| Manasa paathukka nalla padi | Take good care of your conscience. |
| Un manasa paathukka nalla padi | Take good care of your conscience. |
| Male | |
| Ulagam aayiram sollattumae | Let the world say a thousand things. |
| Male | |
| Kadhai katta oruvan pirandhu vittaal | If a person is born just to fabricate stories, |
| Kannagi vaazhvilum kalangam undu | Even Kannagi's virtuous life would be stained. |
| Kaappaatra sila paer irundhu vittaal | If there are a few people around to protect, |
| Kalvargal vaazhvilum nyaayam undu | Even in the lives of thieves, there is justice. |
| Courtukku thaevai sila saatchi | A court of law needs witnesses, |
| Gunathukku thaevai manasaatchi | A good character needs a conscience. |
| Un gunathukku thaevai manasaatchi | Your character needs a conscience. |
| Male | |
| Ulagam aayiram sollattumae | Let the world say a thousand things. |
| Male | |
| Mayilai paarthu karadi enbaan | Looking at a peacock, he will call it a bear. |
| Maanai paarthu vaengai enbaan | Looking at a deer, he will call it a tiger. |
| Kuyilap paartthu aandhai enbaan | Looking at a cuckoo, he will call it an owl. |
| Adhaiyum sila paer unmai enbaan | And some people will even accept that as truth. |
| Yaanaiyai paartha kurudanai pol | Like the blind men who tried to describe an elephant, |
| Ennai paartthaal enna seiven | What can I do if they look at me like that? |
| Silar ennai paarthaal enna seiven | What can I do if some people look at me like that? |
| Male | |
| Ulagam aayiram sollattumae | Let the world say a thousand things. |
| Male | |
| Kadalil vizhundha nanbanukku | To a friend who fell into the ocean, |
| Kai koduthaen avan karai yaera | I gave my hand so he could reach the shore. |
| Karaikku avanum vandhu vittaan | He safely made it back to the shore, |
| Kadalil naan thaan vizhundhu vitten | While it is I who ended up falling into the sea. |
| Solli azhudhaal theerndhu vidum | If I weep and talk about it, the grief might end, |
| Sollat thaanae vaarthai illai | But there are simply no words to speak of it. |
| Adhai sollat thaanae vaarthai illai | Indeed, there are no words to speak of it. |
| Male | |
| Ulagam aayiram sollattumae… | Let the world say a thousand things... |
| Unakku nee thaan needhipathi… | You are your own judge... |
| Manidhan edhaiyo pesattumae… | Let man speak whatever he wants... |
| Manasa paathukka nalla padi | Take good care of your conscience. |
| Un manasa paathukka nalla padi | Take good care of your conscience. |
| Male | |
| Ulagam aayiram sollattumae | Let the world say a thousand things. |
உலகம் ஆயிரம் சொல்லட்டுமே...
உனக்கு நீ தான் நீதிபதி...
மனிதன் எதையோ பேசட்டுமே...
மனச பாத்துக்க நல்லபடி
உன் மனச பாத்துக்க நல்லபடி
Let the world say a thousand things...
You are your own judge...
Let man speak whatever he wants...
Take good care of your conscience.
Take good care of your conscience.
உலகம் ஆயிரம் சொல்லட்டுமே...
உனக்கு நீ தான் நீதிபதி...
மனிதன் எதையோ பேசட்டுமே...
மனச பாத்துக்க நல்லபடி
உன் மனச பாத்துக்க நல்லபடி
Let the world say a thousand things...
You are your own judge...
Let man speak whatever he wants...
Take good care of your conscience.
Take good care of your conscience.
உலகம் ஆயிரம் சொல்லட்டுமே...
Let the world say a thousand things.
கதை கட்ட ஒருவன் பிறந்து விட்டால்
கண்ணகி வாழ்விலும் களங்கம் உண்டு
காப்பாற்ற சில பேர் இருந்து விட்டால்
கள்வர்கள் வாழ்விலும் நியாயம் உண்டு
கோர்ட்டுக்குத் தேவை சில சாட்சி
குணத்துக்குத் தேவை மனசாட்சி
உன் குணத்துக்குத் தேவை மனசாட்சி
If a person is born just to fabricate stories,
Even Kannagi's virtuous life would be stained.
If there are a few people around to protect,
Even in the lives of thieves, there is justice.
A court of law needs witnesses,
A good character needs a conscience.
Your character needs a conscience.
உலகம் ஆயிரம் சொல்லட்டுமே
Let the world say a thousand things.
மயிலைப் பார்த்து கரடி என்பான்
மானைப் பார்த்து வேங்கை என்பான்
குயிலைப் பார்த்து ஆந்தை என்பான்
அதையும் சில பேர் உண்மை என்பான்
யானையைப் பார்த்த குருடனைப் போல்
என்னைப் பார்த்தால் என்ன செய்வேன்
சிலர் என்னைப் பார்த்தால் என்ன செய்வேன்
Looking at a peacock, he will call it a bear.
Looking at a deer, he will call it a tiger.
Looking at a cuckoo, he will call it an owl.
And some people will even accept that as truth.
Like the blind men who tried to describe an elephant,
What can I do if they look at me like that?
What can I do if some people look at me like that?
உலகம் ஆயிரம் சொல்லட்டுமே
Let the world say a thousand things.
கடலில் விழுந்த நண்பனுக்கு
கை கொடுத்தேன் அவன் கரை ஏற
கரைக்கு அவனும் வந்து விட்டான்
கடலில் நான் தான் விழுந்து விட்டேன்
சொல்லி அழுதால் தீர்ந்து விடும்
சொல்லத் தானே வார்த்தை இல்லை
அதை சொல்லத் தானே வார்த்தை இல்லை
To a friend who fell into the ocean,
I gave my hand so he could reach the shore.
He safely made it back to the shore,
While it is I who ended up falling into the sea.
If I weep and talk about it, the grief might end,
But there are simply no words to speak of it.
Indeed, there are no words to speak of it.
உலகம் ஆயிரம் சொல்லட்டுமே...
உனக்கு நீ தான் நீதிபதி...
மனிதன் எதையோ பேசட்டுமே...
மனச பாத்துக்க நல்லபடி
உன் மனச பாத்துக்க நல்லபடி
Let the world say a thousand things...
You are your own judge...
Let man speak whatever he wants...
Take good care of your conscience.
Take good care of your conscience.
உலகம் ஆயிரம் சொல்லட்டுமே...
Let the world say a thousand things.
Ulagam aayiram sollattumae…
Let the world say a thousand things...
Unakku nee thaan needhipathi…
You are your own judge...
Manidhan edhaiyo pesattumae…
Let man speak whatever he wants...
Manasa paathukka nalla padi
Take good care of your conscience.
Un manasa paathukka nalla padi
Take good care of your conscience.
Ulagam aayiram sollattumae…
Let the world say a thousand things...
Unakku nee thaan needhipathi…
You are your own judge...
Manidhan edhaiyo pesattumae…
Let man speak whatever he wants...
Manasa paathukka nalla padi
Take good care of your conscience.
Un manasa paathukka nalla padi
Take good care of your conscience.
Ulagam aayiram sollattumae
Let the world say a thousand things.
Kadhai katta oruvan pirandhu vittaal
If a person is born just to fabricate stories,
Kannagi vaazhvilum kalangam undu
Even Kannagi's virtuous life would be stained.
Kaappaatra sila paer irundhu vittaal
If there are a few people around to protect,
Kalvargal vaazhvilum nyaayam undu
Even in the lives of thieves, there is justice.
Courtukku thaevai sila saatchi
A court of law needs witnesses,
Gunathukku thaevai manasaatchi
A good character needs a conscience.
Un gunathukku thaevai manasaatchi
Your character needs a conscience.
Ulagam aayiram sollattumae
Let the world say a thousand things.
Mayilai paarthu karadi enbaan
Looking at a peacock, he will call it a bear.
Maanai paarthu vaengai enbaan
Looking at a deer, he will call it a tiger.
Kuyilap paartthu aandhai enbaan
Looking at a cuckoo, he will call it an owl.
Adhaiyum sila paer unmai enbaan
And some people will even accept that as truth.
Yaanaiyai paartha kurudanai pol
Like the blind men who tried to describe an elephant,
Ennai paartthaal enna seiven
What can I do if they look at me like that?
Silar ennai paarthaal enna seiven
What can I do if some people look at me like that?
Ulagam aayiram sollattumae
Let the world say a thousand things.
Kadalil vizhundha nanbanukku
To a friend who fell into the ocean,
Kai koduthaen avan karai yaera
I gave my hand so he could reach the shore.
Karaikku avanum vandhu vittaan
He safely made it back to the shore,
Kadalil naan thaan vizhundhu vitten
While it is I who ended up falling into the sea.
Solli azhudhaal theerndhu vidum
If I weep and talk about it, the grief might end,
Sollat thaanae vaarthai illai
But there are simply no words to speak of it.
Adhai sollat thaanae vaarthai illai
Indeed, there are no words to speak of it.
Ulagam aayiram sollattumae…
Let the world say a thousand things...
Unakku nee thaan needhipathi…
You are your own judge...
Manidhan edhaiyo pesattumae…
Let man speak whatever he wants...
Manasa paathukka nalla padi
Take good care of your conscience.
Un manasa paathukka nalla padi
Take good care of your conscience.
Ulagam aayiram sollattumae
Let the world say a thousand things.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This classic philosophical song from 'Arunodhayam' emphasizes the supremacy of one's own conscience over public opinion and false rumors. The lyricist Kannadasan reflects on the irony of human nature—how people easily spread slander, mistake virtues for vices, and blindly accept lies just like blind men describing an elephant based on partial perception. He advises that regardless of societal judgment, one must remain true to oneself, as conscience is the ultimate judge. The song also touches upon deep personal betrayal, using the vivid imagery of saving a drowning friend only to be pushed into the sea oneself. Despite the pain and helplessness of being misunderstood, the narrator finds solace in inner purity and self-reliance rather than seeking vindication from a fickle world.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Allusion (புராண/இலக்கியக் குறிப்பு)
“Kannagi vaazhvilum kalangam undu”
Refers to Kannagi, the epitome of chastity from the Tamil epic Silappatikaram, illustrating that rumors can tarnish even the purest character.
Simile & Parable (உவமை)
“Yaanaiyai paartha kurudanai pol”
Uses the famous ancient parable of the blind men and the elephant to highlight how ignorant people make flawed, partial judgments.
Rhyme / Monai & Edhukai (எதுகை / மோனை)
“Courtukku thaevai sila saatchi / Gunathukku thaevai manasaatchi”
Pairing 'Courtukku' (court) and 'Gunathukku' (character), as well as 'saatchi' (witness) and 'manasaatchi' (conscience) to contrast legal judgment with moral conscience.
Irony & Metaphor (முரண் / உருவகம்)
“Karaikku avanum vandhu vittaan / Kadalil naan thaan vizhundhu vitten”
Illustrates the irony of selflessness where helping a friend reach the shore results in the benefactor drowning in the ocean instead.
Did you know?
Trivia
This iconic song from 'Arunodhayam' (1971) stars Sivaji Ganesan and was composed by K. V. Mahadevan with lyrics by the legendary Kaviarasu Kannadasan, sung passionately by T. M. Soundararajan (TMS). It remains one of Tamil cinema's most famous philosophical anthems about conscience and moral fortitude.
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