Vazhkkai Enbathor Seettattam
From Kathavai Thattiya Mohini Pei · 1975
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- A. M. Raja
- Music director
- C. N. Pandurangan
- Details
- Kathavai Thattiya Mohini Pei1975
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Aaa….aaa….aa… | Ah... ah... ah... |
| Vaazhkai enbadhoor seettaattam adhil | Life is a game of cards, in which |
| Panamennum thuruppin nadamattam | Money is the dominant trump card |
| Vaazhkai enbadhoor seettaattam adhil | Life is a game of cards, in which |
| Panamennum thuruppin nadamattam | Money is the dominant trump card |
| Panamennum thuruppin nadamattam | Money is the dominant trump card |
| Irundhaal kondaattam | If you have money, it is a grand celebration |
| Illaiyael thindaattam | If you do not, it is a constant struggle |
| Vaazhkai enbadhoor seettaattam adhil | Life is a game of cards, in which |
| Panamennum thuruppin nadamattam | Money is the dominant trump card |
| Male | |
| Seettaiyum seettu melkai thuruppu thaan | The card that trumps another card holds the upper hand |
| Seettaiyum seettu melkai thuruppu thaan | The card that trumps another card holds the upper hand |
| Vettidum aaha joru adhu pol | It cuts through with great style; just like that, |
| Kooliyin thogai mudhaalaliyin kaiyaal | Look at how a worker's hard-earned wages |
| Vettapaduvadhai paaru | Get cut down by the employer's hand |
| Male | |
| Vaazhkai enbadhoor seettaattam adhil | Life is a game of cards, in which |
| Panamennum thuruppin nadamattam | Money is the dominant trump card |
| Male | |
| Jaadhikku jaadhi iranga theriyaadha | There are foolish folks who do not even know |
| Loosu pasangalum undu | How to follow suit card by card, |
| Jaadhikku jaadhi iranga theriyaadha | There are foolish folks who do not even know |
| Loosu pasangalum undu adhu pol | How to follow suit card by card; similarly, |
| Jaathikku jaathi irakka padaatha arakkanum | There are heartless demons who show no mercy |
| Vaazhkayil undu | To any caste or kind in this life |
| Male | |
| Vaazhkai enbadhoor seettaattam adhil | Life is a game of cards, in which |
| Panamennum thuruppin nadamattam | Money is the dominant trump card |
| Male | |
| Aaa….aaa….aa… | Ah... ah... ah... |
| Aduthavan setttai thiruttuthanamaaga | There are those who win by sneakily peeking |
| Paarthu jeyippavan undu adhu pol | At another player's cards, and similarly, |
| Aduthavan sothai thiruttuthanamaaga | There are those who survive by stealthily stealing |
| Serthu pizhaikkiravan undu | And amassing another person's wealth |
| Male | |
| Thuduppu illama vettu seettukalaai | There are people in life who remain like plain |
| Iruppavan vaazhkaiyil undu | Discarded cards without any power card |
| Avan jeyikiradhum undu adhu pol | Yet sometimes they win too; likewise, |
| Dabbu illamae velicham pottidum | Without any real money, showing off loudly, |
| Vethu vettugalum undu | There are empty bluffers as well |
| Avanga sothu serkirathum undu…. | And surprisingly, they end up accumulating riches too... |
ஆ....ஆ....ஆ....
வாழ்க்கை என்பதோர் சீட்டாட்டம்
அதில் பணமென்னும் துருப்பின் நடமாட்டம்
வாழ்க்கை என்பதோர் சீட்டாட்டம்
அதில் பணமென்னும் துருப்பின் நடமாட்டம்
பணமென்னும் துருப்பின் நடமாட்டம்
இருந்தால் கொண்டாட்டம்
இல்லையேல் திண்டாட்டம்....
வாழ்க்கை என்பதோர் சீட்டாட்டம்
அதில் பணமென்னும் துருப்பின் நடமாட்டம்
Ah... ah... ah...
Life is a game of cards, in which
Money is the dominant trump card
Life is a game of cards, in which
Money is the dominant trump card
Money is the dominant trump card
If you have money, it is a grand celebration
If you do not, it is a constant struggle
Life is a game of cards, in which
Money is the dominant trump card
சீட்டையும் சீட்டு மேல்கை துருப்புதான்...
சீட்டையும் சீட்டு மேல்கை துருப்புதான்..
வெட்டிடும் ஆஹா ஜோரு அதுபோல்
கூலியின் தொகை முதலாளியின் கையால்
வெட்டப்படுவதை பாரு......
The card that trumps another card holds the upper hand
The card that trumps another card holds the upper hand
It cuts through with great style; just like that,
Look at how a worker's hard-earned wages
Get cut down by the employer's hand
வாழ்க்கை என்பதோர் சீட்டாட்டம்
அதில் பணமென்னும் துருப்பின் நடமாட்டம்
Life is a game of cards, in which
Money is the dominant trump card
ஜாதிக்கு ஜாதி இரங்க தெரியாத
லூஸு பசங்களும் உண்டு
ஜாதிக்கு ஜாதி இரங்க தெரியாத
லூஸு பசங்களும் உண்டு அதுபோல்
ஜாதிக்கு ஜாதி இரக்கப்படாத அரக்கனும்
வாழ்க்கையில் உண்டு....
There are foolish folks who do not even know
How to follow suit card by card,
There are foolish folks who do not even know
How to follow suit card by card; similarly,
There are heartless demons who show no mercy
To any caste or kind in this life
வாழ்க்கை என்பதோர் சீட்டாட்டம்
அதில் பணமென்னும் துருப்பின் நடமாட்டம்
Life is a game of cards, in which
Money is the dominant trump card
ஆ....ஆஅ....ஆ...
அடுத்தவன் சீட்டை திருட்டுத்தனமாக
பார்த்து ஜெயிப்பவன் உண்டு
அதுபோல் அடுத்தவன் சொத்தை திருட்டுத்தனமாக
சேர்த்து பிழைக்கிறவன் உண்டு....
Ah... ah... ah...
There are those who win by sneakily peeking
At another player's cards, and similarly,
There are those who survive by stealthily stealing
And amassing another person's wealth
துருப்பு இல்லாம வெத்து சீட்டுகளாய்
இருப்பவன் வாழ்க்கையில் உண்டு
அவன் ஜெயிக்கிறதும் உண்டு
அதுபோல் டப்பு இல்லாமே வெளிச்சம் போட்டிடும்
வெத்துவேட்டுகளும் உண்டு
அவங்க சொத்து சேர்க்கிறதும் உண்டு..
There are people in life who remain like plain
Discarded cards without any power card
Yet sometimes they win too; likewise,
Without any real money, showing off loudly,
There are empty bluffers as well
And surprisingly, they end up accumulating riches too...
Aaa….aaa….aa…
Ah... ah... ah...
Vaazhkai enbadhoor seettaattam adhil
Life is a game of cards, in which
Panamennum thuruppin nadamattam
Money is the dominant trump card
Vaazhkai enbadhoor seettaattam adhil
Life is a game of cards, in which
Panamennum thuruppin nadamattam
Money is the dominant trump card
Panamennum thuruppin nadamattam
Money is the dominant trump card
Irundhaal kondaattam
If you have money, it is a grand celebration
Illaiyael thindaattam
If you do not, it is a constant struggle
Vaazhkai enbadhoor seettaattam adhil
Life is a game of cards, in which
Panamennum thuruppin nadamattam
Money is the dominant trump card
Seettaiyum seettu melkai thuruppu thaan
The card that trumps another card holds the upper hand
Seettaiyum seettu melkai thuruppu thaan
The card that trumps another card holds the upper hand
Vettidum aaha joru adhu pol
It cuts through with great style; just like that,
Kooliyin thogai mudhaalaliyin kaiyaal
Look at how a worker's hard-earned wages
Vettapaduvadhai paaru
Get cut down by the employer's hand
Vaazhkai enbadhoor seettaattam adhil
Life is a game of cards, in which
Panamennum thuruppin nadamattam
Money is the dominant trump card
Jaadhikku jaadhi iranga theriyaadha
There are foolish folks who do not even know
Loosu pasangalum undu
How to follow suit card by card,
Jaadhikku jaadhi iranga theriyaadha
There are foolish folks who do not even know
Loosu pasangalum undu adhu pol
How to follow suit card by card; similarly,
Jaathikku jaathi irakka padaatha arakkanum
There are heartless demons who show no mercy
Vaazhkayil undu
To any caste or kind in this life
Vaazhkai enbadhoor seettaattam adhil
Life is a game of cards, in which
Panamennum thuruppin nadamattam
Money is the dominant trump card
Aaa….aaa….aa…
Ah... ah... ah...
Aduthavan setttai thiruttuthanamaaga
There are those who win by sneakily peeking
Paarthu jeyippavan undu adhu pol
At another player's cards, and similarly,
Aduthavan sothai thiruttuthanamaaga
There are those who survive by stealthily stealing
Serthu pizhaikkiravan undu
And amassing another person's wealth
Thuduppu illama vettu seettukalaai
There are people in life who remain like plain
Iruppavan vaazhkaiyil undu
Discarded cards without any power card
Avan jeyikiradhum undu adhu pol
Yet sometimes they win too; likewise,
Dabbu illamae velicham pottidum
Without any real money, showing off loudly,
Vethu vettugalum undu
There are empty bluffers as well
Avanga sothu serkirathum undu….
And surprisingly, they end up accumulating riches too...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
In this metaphorical song from 'Kathavai Thattiya Mohini Pei' (1975), lyricist Vaali compares human existence to a game of cards. Money is depicted as the ultimate trump card that dictates a person's social standing, peace of mind, and ability to celebrate life. Without money, life becomes a miserable battle for survival. Through various clever analogies from card playing—such as trumping cards, playing the right suit, peeking at opponents' hands, and bluffing—the song critiques societal flaws. It highlights the exploitation of workers by wealthy masters, the heartlessness of greedy individuals, cheating to acquire others' wealth, and how grand bluffs often succeed in accumulating fortune over honest effort.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Uvamaani / Metaphor (உவமை/உருவகம்)
“Vaazhkai enbadhoor seettaattam adhil Panamennum thuruppin nadamattam”
Life ('Vaazhkai') is directly metaphorized as a card game ('Seettaattam') and money ('Panam') as the trump card ('Thuruppu').
Emona / Rhyme & Antonym Contrast (எதிரிடை/முரண்)
“Irundhaal kondaattam Illaiyael thindaattam”
Uses contrasting words 'Kondaattam' (celebration) and 'Thindaattam' (struggle) with identical rhyming end sounds.
Agedha / Pun & Wordplay (சொல்லாட்சி / சிலேடை)
“Jaadhikku jaadhi iranga theriyaadha Loosu pasangalum undu”
Vaali plays with the word 'Jaadhi' which means both 'card suit' in a game and 'caste/kind' in human society.
Monnai / Initial Alliteration (மோனை)
“Aduthavan setttai thiruttuthanamaaga / Aduthavan sothai thiruttuthanamaaga”
Repetition of initial consonant/vowel sounds like 'Aduthavan' across adjacent lines.
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Trivia
This rare track composed by C. N. Pandurangan features playback veteran A. M. Raja delivering a philosophical monologue-style song late in his career. Vaali's usage of localized card-game slang like 'thuruppu' (trump card), 'jaadhi' (suit), and 'vettu' (cut) showcases his versatility in blending colloquial street parlance with sharp sociological commentary.
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