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Mugarasi album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Undakki Vittavargal

From Mugarasi · 1966

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
T. M. Soundararajan
Music director
K. V. Mahadevan
Movie name
Mugarasi
Movie release year
1966
Lyrics added on
26 Feb 2025

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Undaaki vittavargal rendu peru
Inge konduvandhu pottavargal naalu peru
Kondaadum podhu oru nooru peru
Uyir kooduvitu ponapinne kooda yaaru
Undaaki vittavargal rendu peru
Inge konduvandhu pottavargal naalu peru
Kondaadum podhu oru nooru peru
Uyir kooduvitu ponapinne kooda yaaru
Undaaki vittavargal rendu peru
Inge konduvandhu pottavargal naalu peru
Theeraadha noigalaiyum theerthu mudithaan
Ivan seraadha vaithiyathai serndhu padithaan
Padithaan..mudithaan hoi
Theeraadha noigalaiyum theerthu mudithaan
Ivan seraadha vaithiyathai serndhu padithaan
Pirar noyi theerkum vaithiyan
Thann noyi theerka maataamal paai pottu thoongudhappa
Uyirum peiyodu serndhadhappa… hoi..
Undaaki vittavargal rendu peru
Inge konduvandhu pottavargal naalu peru
Kalyanam seivadharkum naal soluvaar
Endha kaariyathai seivadharkum thedhi kuripaar
Kalyanam seivadharkum naal soluvaar
Endha kaariyathai seivadharkum thedhi kuripaar
Nalla seidhi sollum josiyarkkum
Needhi sollum saavu vandhu thedhi vaithu vittadhadiyo
Kanakil meedhi vaikka villaiyadiyo…hoi…
Undaaki vittavargal rendu peru
Inge konduvandhu pottavargal naalu peru
Pattanathil paadhi ivan vaangi mudithaan
Andha pattayathil kandadhupol velieduthaan
Eduthaan… mudithaan..hoi…
Pattanathil paadhi ivan vaangi mudithaan
Andha pattayathil kandadhupol velieduthaan
Adhil ettadukku maadi vaithu kattidathai kattivitu
Ettadikul vandhu paaduthaar
Mannai kottiyavan veli eduthaan…hoi…
Undaaki vittavargal rendu peru
Inge konduvandhu pottavargal naalu peru
Kondaadum podhu oru nooru peru
Uyir kooduvitu ponapinne kooda yaaru
Undaaki vittavargal rendu peru
Inge konduvandhu pottavargal naalu peru
Kondaadum podhu oru nooru peru
Uyir kooduvitu ponapinne kooda yaaru
The ones who brought you into this world were two,
The ones who carried and laid you here are four,
In times of celebration, there are a hundred people,
But once life leaves the body, who walks with you?
The ones who brought you into this world were two,
The ones who carried and laid you here are four,
In times of celebration, there are a hundred people,
But once life leaves the body, who walks with you?
The ones who brought you into this world were two,
The ones who carried and laid you here are four,
He cured diseases that had no cure,
He studied every branch of medicine there was,
He studied... he mastered it... hoy...
He cured diseases that had no cure,
He studied every branch of medicine there was,
The doctor who cured the illnesses of others,
Could not cure his own, and now lies sleeping on a mat!
And his soul has joined the spirits... hoy...
The ones who brought you into this world were two,
The ones who carried and laid you here are four,
He would fix an auspicious day for a wedding,
He would set a date for anything you wanted to do,
He would fix an auspicious day for a wedding,
He would set a date for anything you wanted to do,
But even for that astrologer who brought good news,
Death, which deals true justice, came and set a date!
And left no balance unpaid on the ledger... hoy...
The ones who brought you into this world were two,
The ones who carried and laid you here are four,
He bought up half the city for himself,
And put up fences just as marked on the title deed,
He fenced it... he finished it... hoy...
He bought up half the city for himself,
And put up fences just as marked on the title deed,
After building an eight-story mansion on that land,
He ended up lying within an eight-foot grave,
And the one who shoveled the earth raised the final fence... hoy...
The ones who brought you into this world were two,
The ones who carried and laid you here are four,
In times of celebration, there are a hundred people,
But once life leaves the body, who walks with you?
The ones who brought you into this world were two,
The ones who carried and laid you here are four,
In times of celebration, there are a hundred people,
But once life leaves the body, who walks with you?
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This philosophical song from 'Mugarasi' (1966) meditates on the transient nature of human existence, wealth, and ego. It opens with the stark reality of life's journey: created by two (parents), carried to the grave by four (pallbearers), surrounded by crowds during times of joy, yet entirely alone once life leaves the body. Kannadasan uses poignant vignettes—a brilliant doctor unable to cure himself, an astrologer who cannot foresee or avoid his own day of death, and a wealthy tycoon who constructs an eight-story mansion only to be buried in an eight-foot plot of land—to demonstrate that death acts as the ultimate equalizer, stripping away all earthly accomplishments.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Irony and Contrast (Muran)

“Adhil ettadukku maadi vaithu kattidathai kattivitu / Ettadikul vandhu paaduthaar”

Contrasts an eight-story mansion ('ettadukku maadi') built during life with the eight-foot grave ('ettadikul') occupied after death to emphasize human mortality.

Second-Letter Rhyme (Etuhais)

“Pattanathil paadhi ivan vaangi mudithaan / Andha pattayathil kandadhupol velieduthaan”

The second letter 'tta' rhymes across words to create musicality and emphasis.

Numerical Metaphor

“Undaaki vittavargal rendu peru / Inge konduvandhu pottavargal naalu peru / Kondaadum podhu oru nooru peru”

Uses precise numbers (2 parents, 4 pallbearers, 100 fair-weather friends) as a stark poetic count of human life relationships.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Mugarasi' (1966) features M. G. Ramachandran (MGR) and Jayalalithaa. This song is one of Kannadasan's iconic philosophical tracks ('Thathuva Paadal'), known for delivering deep existential truths using simple, rhythmic language sung powerfully by T. M. Soundararajan.

Keep listening

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