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Paasavalai album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Unakedhu Sondham

From Paasavalai · 1956

Lyricist
Pattukkottai Kalyanasundram
Singer
C. S. Jayaraman
Music director
Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
Movie name
Paasavalai
Movie release year
1956
Lyrics added on
8 Apr 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Kutti aadu thappivandhaal
Kullanarikku chontham
Kullanari maattikittaa
Kuravanukku chontham
Thattukketta manidhar kannil
Pattathellaam sondham
Sattappadi paarkkapponaal
Ettadithaan sondham
Sattappadi paarkkapponaal
Ettadithaan sondham
Hahhaa…
Unakkedhu sondham
Enakkedhu sondham
Ulagaththu kethuthaan sondhamadaa
Unakkedhu sondham
Enakkedhu sondham
Ulagaththu kedhuthaan sondhamadaa
Manakkirukkaal nee ularuvathaalae
Vandha laapam athu manthamadaa
Manakkirukkaal nee ularuvathaalae
Vandha laapam athu manthamadaa
Unakkedhu sondham
Enakkedhu sondham
Ulagaththu kethuthaan sondhamadaa
Koottulae kunju parakka ninaiththaal
Kuruviyin sondham theerumadaa
Aattulae kutti ootta marandhaal
Adhoda sondham maarumadaa
Neettiyae vaiththu neruppidum podhu
Kaalai neettiye vaiththu neruppidum podhu
Nesam paasam porulaasai kellaam
Kaattiya orupidi vaai karisiyilae
Kanakku theernthidum sondhamadaa
Unakkedhu sondham
Enakkedhu sondham
Ulagaththu kethuthaan sondhamadaa
Paaba kanakkugalai
Panaththaalae moodivaithu
Paasaangu velaiseitha
Pagal veshakkaarargalum
Aabaththil sikki azhinthaargal aanaalum
Aduththaduththu vanthavarum
Avarkalukku thambiyadaa
Avarum vandhaar
Avarum vandhaar ivarum vandhaar
Aadinaar
Mudivil evarukkumae theriyaamae
Odinaar
Manadhil irunthathellaam marandhu
Kannai moodinaar
Avarum vandhaar ivarum vandhaar
Aadinaar
Mudivil evarukkumae theriyaamae
Odinaar
Manadhil irunthathellaam marandhu
Kannai moodinaar
Sevaru vachchu kaaththaalum
Selvamellaam serththaalum
Seththapinnae aththanaikkum
Sondhakkaaran yaaru
Nee thunivirunthaa kooru
Romba yeliyavarum periyavarum
Engae ponaar paaru
Avaru engae ponaar paaru
Avarum vandhaar ivarum vandhaar
Aadinaar
Mudivil evarukkumae theriyaamae
Odinaar
Manadhil irunthathellaam marandhu
Kannai moodinaar
Pombala ethanai aambala ethanai
Porandhatheththanai irandha theththanai
Vambilae maatti pona theththanai
Maana kedaai aana theththanai
Moochchu ninnaa moochchu ninnaa
Mudinjuthadi sondham
Adiyae muththu kannu idhil
Ethanai ethanai aanandham
Adiyae muththu kannu idhil
Ethanai ethanai aanandham aanandham
Unakkedhu sondham
Enakkedhu sondham
Ulagaththu kethuthaan sondhamadaa
Manakkirukkaal nee ularuvathaalae
Vandha laapam athu manthamadaa
Unakkedhu sondham
Enakkedhu sondham
Ulagaththu kethuthaan sondhamadaa
If a young goat strays away,
it belongs to the jackal.
If the jackal gets trapped,
it belongs to the hunter.
In the eyes of greedy, unprincipled men,
everything they lay eyes on belongs to them.
Yet if you look at it by the true law of life,
only eight feet of earth is your own.
Yet if you look at it by the true law of life,
only eight feet of earth is your own.
Haha...
What belongs to you?
What belongs to me?
Only our allotted time in this world is our own, friend!
What belongs to you?
What belongs to me?
Only our allotted time in this world is our own, friend!
From babbling in your mind's madness,
the gain you earned is worthless and dull, friend!
From babbling in your mind's madness,
the gain you earned is worthless and dull, friend!
What belongs to you?
What belongs to me?
Only our allotted time in this world is our own, friend!
When a fledgling in the nest wants to fly,
its bond with the mother bird comes to an end, friend!
When a mother goat stops nursing her kid,
that relationship changes completely, friend!
When they lay you flat and set you on fire,
when they stretch out your legs and light the fire,
for all your affection, attachment, and greed for wealth,
with that single handful of rice placed in your mouth,
all accounts of kinship are settled, friend!
What belongs to you?
What belongs to me?
Only our allotted time in this world is our own, friend!
Covering up their ledger of sins
with piles of money,
putting on a deceitful show,
those daylight hypocrites—
they got trapped in danger and perished, and yet
the ones who came right after them
turned out to be no better than their younger brothers, friend!
He too arrived,
that man came and this man came,
they danced their brief dance,
and in the end, without anyone knowing,
they vanished.
Forgetting everything that was once in their minds,
they closed their eyes forever.
That man came and this man came,
they danced their brief dance,
and in the end, without anyone knowing,
they vanished.
Forgetting everything that was once in their minds,
they closed their eyes forever.
Even if you build high walls to guard it,
even if you hoard up all the riches,
after you die, for all of that,
who is the real owner?
Tell me if you have the courage!
Look at the poorest and the mightiest—
see where they have all gone!
Look, where did he go?
That man came and this man came,
they danced their brief dance,
and in the end, without anyone knowing,
they vanished.
Forgetting everything that was once in their minds,
they closed their eyes forever.
How many women, how many men?
How many were born, how many have died?
How many got tangled in meaningless quarrels and were lost?
How many were sacrificed like goats for empty pride?
Once the breath stops, once the breath stops,
every bond is finished, girl!
Hey Muthukannu, in all of this,
how much true joy is there, tell me?
Hey Muthukannu, in all of this,
how much true joy is there, really?
What belongs to you?
What belongs to me?
Only our allotted time in this world is our own, friend!
From babbling in your mind's madness,
the gain you earned is worthless and dull, friend!
What belongs to you?
What belongs to me?
Only our allotted time in this world is our own, friend!
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This philosophical song from the 1956 movie 'Paasavalai' critiques human greed, vanity, hypocrisy, and false attachments. Through sharp metaphors, lyricist Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram reminds listeners that earthly possessions and relationships are transient. Greedy individuals may claim ownership over everything they see, but in the end, nature's law dictates that every human being owns only the 'eight feet' of earth needed for burial or cremation. The song cautions against spending life chasing temporary wealth, committing sins under the guise of piety, and foolishly boasting about bonds that break naturally—just as a chick leaves its nest or a goat forgets its kid. Once life's breath stops, all material accounts settle into nothingness, leaving behind a stark message on mortality and equality.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Sattappadi paarkkapponaal / Ettadithaan sondham

'Ettadithaan sondham' (Only eight feet of land belongs to you) serves as a potent metaphor for death, burial, and the equalizing nature of mortality regardless of one's status.

Emonai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)

Kutti aadu thappivandhaal / Kullanarikku chontham / Kullanari maattikittaa / Kuravanukku chontham

Repetition of the initial letter 'K' ('Ku') sound across lines to create rhythmic flow.

Edhugai (Second Syllable Rhyme)

Sattappadi paarkkapponaal / Ettadithaan sondham

Rhyming of the second syllable '-tt-' in 'Sattappadi' and 'Ettadithaan'.

Anaphora (Repetitive Rhetorical Questions)

Pombala ethanai aambala ethanai / Porandhatheththanai irandha theththanai

Repeated use of 'Ethanai' (How many) emphasizing the endless cycle of life, death, and human mistakes.

Did you know?

Trivia

Written by the legendary 'Makkal Kavignar' Pattukkottai Kalyanasundaram for 'Paasavalai' (1956), this song reflects his deeply ingrained Marxist and egalitarian philosophy. Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy composed the music for this film, and the song remains one of Tamil cinema's classic philosophical tracks on mortality and materialism.

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