Ullathil Nalla Ullam
From Karnan · 1964
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- Sirkazhi Govindarajan
- Music director
- Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
- Details
- Karnan1964
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| { Ullathil nalla ullam | A truly noble heart within a person |
| Urangaa thenbathu | Is said to never sleep or perish. |
| Vallavan vaguthadhada | It was ordained by the Almighty, |
| Karna varuvathai ethirkollada } (2) | O Karna, face courageously whatever comes your way! |
| Male | |
| { Thaaiku nee maganillai | You were not allowed to be a son to your mother, |
| Thambiku annanillai } (2) | Nor a recognized elder brother to your siblings. |
| Oor pazhi yetrayadaa | You bore the blame and insults of this world, |
| { Nanum un pazhi kondenadaa } (2) | And I too have taken a share of your blame. |
| Male | |
| Ullathil nalla ullam | A truly noble heart within a person |
| Urangaa thenbathu | Is said to never sleep or perish. |
| Vallavan vaguthadhada | It was ordained by the Almighty, |
| Karna varuvathai ethirkollada | O Karna, face courageously whatever comes your way! |
| Male | |
| Mannavar pani yerkum | Even Krishna, who receives the reverence of great kings, |
| Kannanum pani seiya | Has come to serve you now, |
| Unnadi panivanada karna | And bows at your feet, O Karna! |
| Mannithu arulvaayadaa | Forgive me and bestow your grace, |
| Karna mannithu arulvaayadaa | O Karna, forgive me and bestow your grace! |
| Male | |
| Sensottru kadan theerka | To repay the debt of the food you ate, |
| Seraatha idam sernthu | You joined the wrong company, |
| Vanjathil veezhnthaayada karna | And fell through deceit, O Karna! |
| Vanjagan kannanada | Krishna is indeed a deceitful trickster, |
| Karna vanjagan kannanada | O Karna, Krishna is indeed a deceitful trickster! |
| Male | |
| Ullathil nalla ullam | A truly noble heart within a person |
| Urangaa thenbathu | Is said to never sleep or perish. |
| Vallavan vaguthadhada | It was ordained by the Almighty, |
| Karna varuvathai ethirkollada | O Karna, face courageously whatever comes your way! |
{ உள்ளத்தில்
நல்ல உள்ளம்
உறங்காதென்பது
வல்லவன் வகுத்ததடா
கர்ணா வருவதை
எதிர்கொள்ளடா } (2)
A truly noble heart within a person
Is said to never sleep or perish.
It was ordained by the Almighty,
O Karna, face courageously whatever comes your way!
{ தாய்க்கு நீ
மகனில்லை தம்பிக்கு
அண்ணனில்லை } (2)
ஊர் பழி ஏற்றாயடா
{ நானும் உன் பழி
கொண்டேனடா } (2)
You were not allowed to be a son to your mother,
Nor a recognized elder brother to your siblings.
You bore the blame and insults of this world,
And I too have taken a share of your blame.
உள்ளத்தில்
நல்ல உள்ளம்
உறங்காதென்பது
வல்லவன் வகுத்ததடா
கர்ணா வருவதை
எதிர்கொள்ளடா
A truly noble heart within a person
Is said to never sleep or perish.
It was ordained by the Almighty,
O Karna, face courageously whatever comes your way!
மன்னவர் பணி
ஏற்கும் கண்ணனும்
பணி செய்ய உன்னடி
பணிவானடா கர்ணா
மன்னித்து அருள்வாயடா
கர்ணா மன்னித்து
அருள்வாயடா
Even Krishna, who receives the reverence of great kings,
Has come to serve you now,
And bows at your feet, O Karna!
Forgive me and bestow your grace,
O Karna, forgive me and bestow your grace!
செஞ்சோற்று
கடன் தீர்க்க சேராத
இடம் சேர்ந்து வஞ்சத்தில்
வீழ்ந்தாயடா கர்ணா
வஞ்சகன் கண்ணனடா
கர்ணா வஞ்சகன் கண்ணனடா
To repay the debt of the food you ate,
You joined the wrong company,
And fell through deceit, O Karna!
Krishna is indeed a deceitful trickster,
O Karna, Krishna is indeed a deceitful trickster!
உள்ளத்தில்
நல்ல உள்ளம்
உறங்காதென்பது
வல்லவன் வகுத்ததடா
கர்ணா வருவதை
எதிர்கொள்ளடா
A truly noble heart within a person
Is said to never sleep or perish.
It was ordained by the Almighty,
O Karna, face courageously whatever comes your way!
{ Ullathil nalla ullam
A truly noble heart within a person
Urangaa thenbathu
Is said to never sleep or perish.
Vallavan vaguthadhada
It was ordained by the Almighty,
Karna varuvathai ethirkollada } (2)
O Karna, face courageously whatever comes your way!
{ Thaaiku nee maganillai
You were not allowed to be a son to your mother,
Thambiku annanillai } (2)
Nor a recognized elder brother to your siblings.
Oor pazhi yetrayadaa
You bore the blame and insults of this world,
{ Nanum un pazhi kondenadaa } (2)
And I too have taken a share of your blame.
Ullathil nalla ullam
A truly noble heart within a person
Urangaa thenbathu
Is said to never sleep or perish.
Vallavan vaguthadhada
It was ordained by the Almighty,
Karna varuvathai ethirkollada
O Karna, face courageously whatever comes your way!
Mannavar pani yerkum
Even Krishna, who receives the reverence of great kings,
Kannanum pani seiya
Has come to serve you now,
Unnadi panivanada karna
And bows at your feet, O Karna!
Mannithu arulvaayadaa
Forgive me and bestow your grace,
Karna mannithu arulvaayadaa
O Karna, forgive me and bestow your grace!
Sensottru kadan theerka
To repay the debt of the food you ate,
Seraatha idam sernthu
You joined the wrong company,
Vanjathil veezhnthaayada karna
And fell through deceit, O Karna!
Vanjagan kannanada
Krishna is indeed a deceitful trickster,
Karna vanjagan kannanada
O Karna, Krishna is indeed a deceitful trickster!
Ullathil nalla ullam
A truly noble heart within a person
Urangaa thenbathu
Is said to never sleep or perish.
Vallavan vaguthadhada
It was ordained by the Almighty,
Karna varuvathai ethirkollada
O Karna, face courageously whatever comes your way!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Ullathil Nalla Ullam' is an iconic emotional and philosophical masterpiece from the 1964 Tamil film 'Karnan'. Sung in the voice of Lord Krishna (played by N. T. Rama Rao) as he reveals his divine form to the dying hero Karna (played by Sivaji Ganesan), the song pays homage to Karna's supreme righteousness, unmatched generosity, and tragic life journey. Despite facing constant rejection, injustice, and tragic destiny—being abandoned by his mother Kunti and unacknowledged by his Pandava brothers—Karna remained steadfast in his charity and loyalty. Krishna acknowledges that even though trickery was required to uphold cosmic Dharma, Karna's pure heart and noble legacy will shine eternally, making Krishna himself bow in reverence to a mortal hero.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Vallavan vaguthadhada / Karna varuvathai ethirkollada”
Repetition of the second consonant sound 'll' and 'rn' across lines for rhythmic flow (e.g., Vallavan / Karna).
Irony & Paradox
“Mannavar pani yerkum Kannanum pani seiya Unnadi panivanada karna”
Lord Krishna, the supreme deity worshipped by kings, humbly bows at the feet of a mortal warrior and asks for forgiveness.
Self-Deprecating Alliteration & Contrast
“Vanjathil veezhnthaayada karna / Vanjagan kannanada”
Use of 'Vanjathil' (deceit) and 'Vanjagan' (deceiver) where Krishna openly blames himself to elevate Karna's utter innocence and nobility.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by the legendary duo Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy and rendered by T. M. Soundararajan, this song is considered one of Kannadasan's absolute finest lyric works. The sequence depicts Karna donating all his accumulated virtue ('Punya') as his final act of charity while bleeding on the battlefield, prompting Krishna to reveal his 'Vishwaroopam' (cosmic divine form).
Keep listening
More from Karnan
Karnan
Karnan
Karnan
Karnan
Karnan
Karnan