Vanpasi Pinikku Unavu
From Ashok Kumar · 1941
- Lyricist
- Papanasam Sivan
- Music director
- Aalathur V. Sivasubramaniam
- Details
- Ashok Kumar1941
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Gunavu namm kaiyil kittilum | Even if food is within our reach in our hands, |
| Vaaikumettumoo | Will it reach our mouth? |
| Male | |
| Vannpasi pinigunavu namm kaiyil kittilum | Even if food to cure severe hunger and illness is obtained in our hands, |
| Vaaikumettumoo | Will it reach our mouth? |
| Vannpasi pinigunavu namm kaiyil kittilum | Even if food to cure severe hunger and illness is obtained in our hands, |
| Vaaikumettumoo | Will it reach our mouth? |
| Munn payil vinai kavara maayamaai | When past karma steals it away as an illusion, |
| Maraiyum moghamum paazhppadum | It disappears and worldly desire is ruined. |
| Munn payil vinai kavara maayamaai | When past karma steals it away as an illusion, |
| Maraiyum moghamum paazhppadum | It disappears and worldly desire is ruined. |
| Male | |
| Inbamenbadhu kaanal neermuyal | What is called pleasure is merely a mirage or like a hare's |
| Kombhukaan ellaam mudivilae | Horn, seen only in the end as pure delusion. |
| Inbamenbadhu kaanal neermuyal | What is called pleasure is merely a mirage or like a hare's |
| Kombhukaan ellaam mudivilae | Horn, seen only in the end as pure delusion. |
| Thunbamae …ye…mudivilae | Sorrow alone remains... yes... in the end! |
| Thunbamae uyiranbu vaithal | Sorrow alone comes from placing deep attachment on physical life, |
| Vivegamae sugha bogamae | Mistaking worldly luxury for true wisdom... |
| Thunbamae nirai vaazhvilae | Sorrow alone fills our life. |
| Alai kadalilae suzhal thurumbhu pol | Like a piece of straw spinning in a turbulent ocean, |
| Embhuthol pothi udalilae uzhan | Wandering within this body covered in skin and bones, |
| Irudhalai kolli erumbhu pol | Like an ant caught on a stick burning at both ends, |
| Male | |
| Vambhusaer …haaa…vambhusaer….ye… | Inviting trouble... ah... inviting trouble... |
| Vambhusaer …haaa….aaa..aaa | Inviting trouble... ah... |
| Vambhusaer arupagai valar nenjakkurangin | In the heart-monkey where six inner vices flourish, |
| Kaiperum maalai pol | Like a flower garland held in its hand, |
| Anbarkaal…haaa…aaa..aaa | O dear ones... ah... |
| En anbarkaal inbaminba mendru unmai | O my dear friends, calling earthly pleasures true bliss, |
| Arivizhandhu mei mayanginom | We lost our wisdom and swooned in physical delusion. |
குணவு நம் கையில் கிட்டிலும்
வாய்க்கு மெட்டுமோ
Even if food is within our reach in our hands,
Will it reach our mouth?
வன்பசிப் பிணிக்குணவு நம் கையில் கிட்டிலும்
வாய்க்கு மெட்டுமோ
வன்பசிப் பிணிக்குணவு நம் கையில் கிட்டிலும்
வாய்க்கு மெட்டுமோ
முன் பயில் வினைக் கவர மாயமாய்
மறையும் மோஹமும் பாழ்ப்படும்
முன் பயில் வினைக் கவர மாயமாய்
மறையும் மோஹமும் பாழ்ப்படும்
Even if food to cure severe hunger and illness is obtained in our hands,
Will it reach our mouth?
Even if food to cure severe hunger and illness is obtained in our hands,
Will it reach our mouth?
When past karma steals it away as an illusion,
It disappears and worldly desire is ruined.
When past karma steals it away as an illusion,
It disappears and worldly desire is ruined.
இன்பமென்பது கானல் நீர்முயல்
கொம்புகாண் எல்லாம் முடிவிலே
இன்பமென்பது கானல் நீர்முயல்
கொம்புகாண் எல்லாம் முடிவிலே
துன்பமே...ஏ ...முடிவிலே
துன்பமே உயிரன்பு வைத்தல்
விவேகமே சுக போகமே
துன்பமே நிறை வாழ்விலே
அலை கடலிலே சுழல் துரும்பு போல்
என்புதோல் போத்தி உடலிலே உழன்
இருதலைக் கொள்ளி எறும்பு போல்
What is called pleasure is merely a mirage or like a hare's
Horn, seen only in the end as pure delusion.
What is called pleasure is merely a mirage or like a hare's
Horn, seen only in the end as pure delusion.
Sorrow alone remains... yes... in the end!
Sorrow alone comes from placing deep attachment on physical life,
Mistaking worldly luxury for true wisdom...
Sorrow alone fills our life.
Like a piece of straw spinning in a turbulent ocean,
Wandering within this body covered in skin and bones,
Like an ant caught on a stick burning at both ends,
வன்புசேர் ..ஹா..வன்புசேர் ஏ...
வன்புசேர் ...ஹா..ஆஅ
வன்புசேர் அறுபகை வளர் நெஞ்சக் குரங்கின்
கைப்பெறும் மாலைப் போல்
அன்பர்காள் ...ஹா...ஆஆஆ
என் அன்பர்காள் இன்பமின்ப மென்றுண்மை
அறிவிழந்து மெய் மயங்கினோம்
Inviting trouble... ah... inviting trouble...
Inviting trouble... ah...
In the heart-monkey where six inner vices flourish,
Like a flower garland held in its hand,
O dear ones... ah...
O my dear friends, calling earthly pleasures true bliss,
We lost our wisdom and swooned in physical delusion.
Gunavu namm kaiyil kittilum
Even if food is within our reach in our hands,
Vaaikumettumoo
Will it reach our mouth?
Vannpasi pinigunavu namm kaiyil kittilum
Even if food to cure severe hunger and illness is obtained in our hands,
Vaaikumettumoo
Will it reach our mouth?
Vannpasi pinigunavu namm kaiyil kittilum
Even if food to cure severe hunger and illness is obtained in our hands,
Vaaikumettumoo
Will it reach our mouth?
Munn payil vinai kavara maayamaai
When past karma steals it away as an illusion,
Maraiyum moghamum paazhppadum
It disappears and worldly desire is ruined.
Munn payil vinai kavara maayamaai
When past karma steals it away as an illusion,
Maraiyum moghamum paazhppadum
It disappears and worldly desire is ruined.
Inbamenbadhu kaanal neermuyal
What is called pleasure is merely a mirage or like a hare's
Kombhukaan ellaam mudivilae
Horn, seen only in the end as pure delusion.
Inbamenbadhu kaanal neermuyal
What is called pleasure is merely a mirage or like a hare's
Kombhukaan ellaam mudivilae
Horn, seen only in the end as pure delusion.
Thunbamae …ye…mudivilae
Sorrow alone remains... yes... in the end!
Thunbamae uyiranbu vaithal
Sorrow alone comes from placing deep attachment on physical life,
Vivegamae sugha bogamae
Mistaking worldly luxury for true wisdom...
Thunbamae nirai vaazhvilae
Sorrow alone fills our life.
Alai kadalilae suzhal thurumbhu pol
Like a piece of straw spinning in a turbulent ocean,
Embhuthol pothi udalilae uzhan
Wandering within this body covered in skin and bones,
Irudhalai kolli erumbhu pol
Like an ant caught on a stick burning at both ends,
Vambhusaer …haaa…vambhusaer….ye…
Inviting trouble... ah... inviting trouble...
Vambhusaer …haaa….aaa..aaa
Inviting trouble... ah...
Vambhusaer arupagai valar nenjakkurangin
In the heart-monkey where six inner vices flourish,
Kaiperum maalai pol
Like a flower garland held in its hand,
Anbarkaal…haaa…aaa..aaa
O dear ones... ah...
En anbarkaal inbaminba mendru unmai
O my dear friends, calling earthly pleasures true bliss,
Arivizhandhu mei mayanginom
We lost our wisdom and swooned in physical delusion.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song from the landmark film Ashok Kumar (1941) is a profound philosophical meditation on the transient and illusory nature of material happiness. Penned by Papanasam Sivan and rendered by M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar, the lyrics stress that human effort is ultimate governed by karma—even food held in one's hand might not reach the mouth if past karma intervenes. Earthly pleasure is declared to be as non-existent as a mirage or a hare's horn, leading only to ultimate grief when one places deep attachment on worldly existence. Through a series of striking Tamil similes, the song illustrates the human condition: the soul trapped in a frail body of bones and skin is compared to a straw tossed in a stormy ocean, an ant on a stick burning from both ends, and a delicate garland handed to a restless monkey driven by six spiritual vices (Arishadvarga). The protagonist laments how humans lose spiritual wisdom by mistaking temporary sensory delights for eternal happiness.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Uwamai)
“Inbamenbadhu kaanal neermuyal”
Compares worldly pleasure to 'kaanal neer' (a mirage) and 'muyal kombhu' (a hare's horn, an impossibility in classical Indian logic).
Simile (Uwamai)
“Alai kadalilae suzhal thurumbhu pol”
Compares a helpless human soul in the physical world to a piece of straw tossed in ocean waves ('suzhal thurumbhu pol').
Simile (Uwamai)
“Irudhalai kolli erumbhu pol”
Compares an anxious, suffering human to an ant trapped on a log burning at both ends ('Irudhalai kolli erumbhu pol').
Metaphor (Uruvagamm)
“Vambhusaer arupagai valar nenjakkurangin”
Metaphorically compares the undisciplined human mind/heart to a wild monkey ('nenjakkurangin') ruled by six vices.
Did you know?
Trivia
This song was composed for the 1941 blockbuster 'Ashok Kumar', starring the superstar M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar (MKT). Written by the legendary composer Papanasam Sivan, the lyrics draw heavily from classical Advaita philosophy and traditional Tamil literary imagery to convey renunciation and spiritual awakening.
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