Valaikku Thappiya Meenu
From Pudhu Manithan · 1991
- Lyricist
- Kalidasan
- Singer
- K. J. Yesudas
- Music director
- Deva
- Details
- Pudhu Manithan1991
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| ………………………… | Uncle, look at the fish that escaped the net |
| Male | |
| Valaikku thappiya meenu maamu | It has now landed in the boiling pot... hoi |
| Ulaikku vanthathu paaru… hoi | Uncle, look at the fish that escaped the net |
| Valaikku thappiya meenu maamu | It has now landed in the boiling pot... |
| Ulaikku vanthathu paaru… | The fish is born in cold water and dies in boiling water |
| Poranthathu thanneerilae meenu azhivathu venneerilae | Man is born in warm amniotic water and dies in tears |
| Poranthathu venneerilae manushan azhivathu kanneerilae | Hey, aren't the fish and I the same? |
| Ada meenum naanum onnallavo… | Hasn't that wisdom now dawned upon us? |
| Andha nyaanam sernthathinrallavo | Uncle, look at the fish that escaped the net |
| Male | |
| Valaikku thappiya meenu maamu | It has now landed in the boiling pot... |
| Ulaikku vanthathu paaru… | Uncle, look at the fish that escaped the net |
| Valaikku thappiya meenu maamu | It has now landed in the boiling pot... |
| Ulaikku vanthathu paaru… | { What sin did Lord Rama commit |
| Male | |
| {Raaman senja paavam enna | That he had to go into exile in the forest? |
| Vanavaasam ponaanae | What sin did Draupadi commit |
| Dhrowbathiyin paavam enna | That she suffered and died repeatedly? } (x2) |
| Sethu sethu nindraalae} (2) | Gold will be melted... |
| Male | |
| Thangam urukkapadum… | And burnt in fire, yet it retains no defect |
| Theeyil erikkapadum… athanaal pazhudhilla | Truth will be tormented |
| Unma varuthapadum | And made to stand on the street, yet it loses no dignity |
| Roatil nirutha padum athanaal izhivilla | Even humiliation turns into wisdom, there is no mistake... hoi |
| Avamaanam kooda nyaanam aagum pizhaiyilla… hoi | Uncle, look at the fish that escaped the net |
| Male | |
| Valaikku thappiya meenu maamu | It has now landed in the boiling pot... |
| Ulaikku vanthathu paaru… | Uncle, look at the fish that escaped the net |
| Valaikku thappiya meenu maamu | It has now landed in the boiling pot... |
| Ulaikku vanthathu paaru… | { Truths may fall asleep |
| Male | |
| {Saththiyangal thoonga koodum | But truth will never die |
| Saththimayaai saagaadhu | Everything written in a book |
| Puthagathil ullathellaam | Does not automatically become wisdom } (x2) |
| Puthi endru aagaathu} (2) | Success may step aside for a while... |
| Male | |
| Vetri odhungi nikkum… | It may lie low for a bit, but it will never be destroyed |
| Satrae padungi nikkum… athanaal azhiyaadhu | Inside a snail's belly... |
| Naththai vayithukullum… | A pearl stays hidden, without even the snail knowing it |
| Muthu olinthirukkum…. adhukkae theriyaathu | A blanket of fog can never cover the vast sky... hoi |
| Pani moottam endrum vaanai mooda mudiyaadhu… hoi | Uncle, look at the fish that escaped the net |
| Male | |
| Valaikku thappiya meenu maamu | It has now landed in the boiling pot... |
| Ulaikku vanthathu paaru… | Uncle, look at the fish that escaped the net |
| Valaikku thappiya meenu maamu | It has now landed in the boiling pot... |
| Ulaikku vanthathu paaru… | The fish is born in cold water and dies in boiling water |
| Poranthathu thanneerilae meenu azhivathu venneerilae | Man is born in warm amniotic water and dies in tears |
| Poranthathu venneerilae manushan azhivathu kanneerilae | Hey, aren't the fish and I the same? |
| Ada meenum naanum onnallavo… | Hasn't that wisdom now dawned upon us? |
| Andha nyaanam sernthathinrallavo | Hey, aren't the fish and I the same? |
| Ada meenum naanum onnallavo… | Hasn't that wisdom now dawned upon us? |
| Andha nyaanam sernthathinrallavo | |
............................
Uncle, look at the fish that escaped the net
வலைக்கு தப்பிய மீனு
மாமு ....
உலைக்கு வந்தது பாரு
ஹோய் ....
It has now landed in the boiling pot... hoi
Uncle, look at the fish that escaped the net
It has now landed in the boiling pot...
The fish is born in cold water and dies in boiling water
Man is born in warm amniotic water and dies in tears
Hey, aren't the fish and I the same?
Hasn't that wisdom now dawned upon us?
Uncle, look at the fish that escaped the net
வலைக்கு தப்பிய மீனு
மாமு ....
உலைக்கு வந்தது பாரு
It has now landed in the boiling pot...
Uncle, look at the fish that escaped the net
It has now landed in the boiling pot...
{ What sin did Lord Rama commit
பொறந்தது தண்ணீரிலே
மீனு அழிவது வெண்ணீரிலே
பொறந்தது வெண்ணீரிலே
மனுஷன் அழிவது கண்ணீரிலே
அட மீனும் நானும் ஒன்றல்லவோ
அந்த ஞானம் சேர்ந்ததின்றல்லவோ...
That he had to go into exile in the forest?
What sin did Draupadi commit
That she suffered and died repeatedly? } (x2)
Gold will be melted...
{வலைக்கு தப்பிய மீனு
மாமு ....
உலைக்கு வந்தது பாரு} (2)
And burnt in fire, yet it retains no defect
Truth will be tormented
And made to stand on the street, yet it loses no dignity
Even humiliation turns into wisdom, there is no mistake... hoi
Uncle, look at the fish that escaped the net
{ராமன் செய்த பாவமென்ன
வனவாசம் போனானே..
திரௌபதியின் பாவமென்ன
செத்து செத்து நின்றாளே..} (2)
It has now landed in the boiling pot...
Uncle, look at the fish that escaped the net
It has now landed in the boiling pot...
{ Truths may fall asleep
தங்கம் உறுக்கப்படும்
தீயில் எரிக்கப்படும்
அதனால் பழுதில்ல..
உண்மை வருத்தப்படும்
ரோட்டில் நிறுத்தப்படும்
அதனால் இழிவில்ல..
அவமானம் கூட ஞானமாகும்
பிழையில்ல... ஹோய்
But truth will never die
Everything written in a book
Does not automatically become wisdom } (x2)
Success may step aside for a while...
{வலைக்கு தப்பிய மீனு
மாமு ....
உலைக்கு வந்தது பாரு } (2)
It may lie low for a bit, but it will never be destroyed
Inside a snail's belly...
A pearl stays hidden, without even the snail knowing it
A blanket of fog can never cover the vast sky... hoi
Uncle, look at the fish that escaped the net
{சத்தியங்கள் தூங்கக் கூடும்
சத்தியமாய் சாகாது ..
புத்தகத்தில் உள்ளதெல்லாம்
புத்தி என்று ஆகாது...} (2)
It has now landed in the boiling pot...
Uncle, look at the fish that escaped the net
It has now landed in the boiling pot...
The fish is born in cold water and dies in boiling water
Man is born in warm amniotic water and dies in tears
Hey, aren't the fish and I the same?
Hasn't that wisdom now dawned upon us?
Hey, aren't the fish and I the same?
Hasn't that wisdom now dawned upon us?
வெற்றி ஒதுங்கி நிற்கும்
சற்றே பதுங்கி நிற்கும்
அதனால் அழியாது...
நத்தை வயத்துக்குள்ளும்
முத்து ஒளிந்திருக்கும்
அதுக்கே தெரியாது. .
பனி மூட்டம் என்றும்
வானை மூட முடியாது...
வலைக்கு தப்பிய மீனு
மாமு ....
உலைக்கு வந்தது பாரு
வலைக்கு தப்பிய மீனு
மாமு ....
உலைக்கு வந்தது பாரு
பொறந்தது தண்ணீரிலே
மீனு அழிவது வெண்ணீரிலே
பொறந்தது வெண்ணீரிலே
மனுஷன் அழிவது கண்ணீரிலே
அட மீனும் நானும் ஒன்றல்லவோ
அந்த ஞானம் சேர்ந்ததின்றல்லவோ...
…………………………
Uncle, look at the fish that escaped the net
Valaikku thappiya meenu maamu
It has now landed in the boiling pot... hoi
Ulaikku vanthathu paaru… hoi
Uncle, look at the fish that escaped the net
Valaikku thappiya meenu maamu
It has now landed in the boiling pot...
Ulaikku vanthathu paaru…
The fish is born in cold water and dies in boiling water
Poranthathu thanneerilae meenu azhivathu venneerilae
Man is born in warm amniotic water and dies in tears
Poranthathu venneerilae manushan azhivathu kanneerilae
Hey, aren't the fish and I the same?
Ada meenum naanum onnallavo…
Hasn't that wisdom now dawned upon us?
Andha nyaanam sernthathinrallavo
Uncle, look at the fish that escaped the net
Valaikku thappiya meenu maamu
It has now landed in the boiling pot...
Ulaikku vanthathu paaru…
Uncle, look at the fish that escaped the net
Valaikku thappiya meenu maamu
It has now landed in the boiling pot...
Ulaikku vanthathu paaru…
{ What sin did Lord Rama commit
{Raaman senja paavam enna
That he had to go into exile in the forest?
Vanavaasam ponaanae
What sin did Draupadi commit
Dhrowbathiyin paavam enna
That she suffered and died repeatedly? } (x2)
Sethu sethu nindraalae} (2)
Gold will be melted...
Thangam urukkapadum…
And burnt in fire, yet it retains no defect
Theeyil erikkapadum… athanaal pazhudhilla
Truth will be tormented
Unma varuthapadum
And made to stand on the street, yet it loses no dignity
Roatil nirutha padum athanaal izhivilla
Even humiliation turns into wisdom, there is no mistake... hoi
Avamaanam kooda nyaanam aagum pizhaiyilla… hoi
Uncle, look at the fish that escaped the net
Valaikku thappiya meenu maamu
It has now landed in the boiling pot...
Ulaikku vanthathu paaru…
Uncle, look at the fish that escaped the net
Valaikku thappiya meenu maamu
It has now landed in the boiling pot...
Ulaikku vanthathu paaru…
{ Truths may fall asleep
{Saththiyangal thoonga koodum
But truth will never die
Saththimayaai saagaadhu
Everything written in a book
Puthagathil ullathellaam
Does not automatically become wisdom } (x2)
Puthi endru aagaathu} (2)
Success may step aside for a while...
Vetri odhungi nikkum…
It may lie low for a bit, but it will never be destroyed
Satrae padungi nikkum… athanaal azhiyaadhu
Inside a snail's belly...
Naththai vayithukullum…
A pearl stays hidden, without even the snail knowing it
Muthu olinthirukkum…. adhukkae theriyaathu
A blanket of fog can never cover the vast sky... hoi
Pani moottam endrum vaanai mooda mudiyaadhu… hoi
Uncle, look at the fish that escaped the net
Valaikku thappiya meenu maamu
It has now landed in the boiling pot...
Ulaikku vanthathu paaru…
Uncle, look at the fish that escaped the net
Valaikku thappiya meenu maamu
It has now landed in the boiling pot...
Ulaikku vanthathu paaru…
The fish is born in cold water and dies in boiling water
Poranthathu thanneerilae meenu azhivathu venneerilae
Man is born in warm amniotic water and dies in tears
Poranthathu venneerilae manushan azhivathu kanneerilae
Hey, aren't the fish and I the same?
Ada meenum naanum onnallavo…
Hasn't that wisdom now dawned upon us?
Andha nyaanam sernthathinrallavo
Hey, aren't the fish and I the same?
Ada meenum naanum onnallavo…
Hasn't that wisdom now dawned upon us?
Andha nyaanam sernthathinrallavo
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Valaikku Thappiya Meenu from Pudhu Manithan (1991) is a philosophical and metaphorical song that uses simple allegories to reflect on human life, destiny, and resilience. Using the metaphor of a fish escaping a fishing net only to fall into a boiling pot, the lyrics portray how human existence often feels trapped in endless cycles of struggle and tears. By citing mythological references such as Lord Rama's forest exile and Draupadi's tragic ordeals, the lyricist emphasizes that suffering is not necessarily the result of sin, but an inevitable test faced even by the most righteous. Ultimately, the song delivers a message of resilience and hope. Just as gold becomes pure after being refined in fire and fog can never permanently obscure the sky, truth and success will always prevail over temporary humiliation and setbacks. Through these evocative nature metaphors, the song encourages perseverance and finding inner wisdom during life's darkest moments.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamaani)
“Valaikku thappiya meenu maamu Ulaikku vanthathu paaru”
Compares the human struggle of surviving one crisis only to face another with a fish escaping a net and falling into a boiling pot.
Parallelism / Antithesis
“Poranthathu thanneerilae meenu azhivathu venneerilae / Poranthathu venneerilae manushan azhivathu kanneerilae”
Draws a structural contrast between the birth and death conditions of fish versus human beings.
Mythological Allusion
“Raaman senja paavam enna Vanavaasam ponaanae / Dhrowbathiyin paavam enna Sethu sethu nindraalae”
References Rama's exile and Draupadi's plight from Hindu epics to illustrate that righteousness does not exempt one from suffering.
Monai (Initial Alliteration)
“Saththiyangal thoonga koodum / Saththimayaai saagaadhu”
Repetition of the initial consonant sound 'Sa' in consecutive lines for rhythmic flow.
Did you know?
Trivia
Pudhu Manithan (1991) is a Tamil drama film directed by T. P. Gajendran starring Sathyaraj and Bhanupriya. The music for the film was composed by Deva, with lyrics written by Kalidasan.
Keep listening
More from Pudhu Manithan
Pudhu Manithan
Pudhu Manithan
Pudhu Manithan
Pudhu Manithan