Vellipanathukkum
From Sabaash Mapillai · 1961
- Lyricist
- A. Maruthakasi
- Singer
- P. B. Sreenivas
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Details
- Sabaash Mapillai1961
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Velli panathukkum | Between silver money |
| Nalla gunathukkum vegu dhooram | And good character, there is a great distance. |
| Velli panathukkum | Between silver money |
| Nalla gunathukkum vegu dhooram | And good character, there is a great distance. |
| Idhu ullapadi indha ulagam | Exactly as it is, this world |
| Unarthum oru paadam | Teaches this lesson. |
| Velli panathukkum | Between silver money |
| Nalla gunathukkum vegu dhooram | And good character, there is a great distance. |
| Male | |
| Pillai enum bandha paasathai | Even pushing away filial love and affection, |
| Thalli pirindhodum | It runs far away, |
| Than ullatthai irumbu pettagamaakki | Turning one's heart into an iron box |
| Thaazh podum | And locking it tight. |
| Illaadhavar evaraana podhilum | Whoever the poor and needy may be, |
| Elli nagaiyaadum | It mocks and laughs at them, |
| Illaadhavar evaraana podhilum | Whoever the poor and needy may be, |
| Elli nagaiyaadum | It mocks and laughs at them, |
| Inai illaadha annai anbukku kooda | Even to the matchless love of a mother, |
| Sollaal thadai podum | It places obstacles with harsh words. |
| Male | |
| Velli panathukkum | Between silver money |
| Nalla gunathukkum vegu dhooram | And good character, there is a great distance. |
| Male | |
| Vellathinaal varum palla maedu pol | Like the high and low grounds created by a flood, |
| Selvam varum pogum | Wealth comes and goes. |
| Idhai ellalavaenum ennaadha kanjarkku | For misers who do not consider this even a bit, |
| Thunbam varavaagum | Sorrow becomes their income. |
| Male | |
| Kallamillaadha anbu selvamae | Only the wealth of guileless love |
| Endrum nilaiyaagum | Will remain permanent forever. |
| Kallamillaadha anbu selvamae | Only the wealth of guileless love |
| Endrum nilaiyaagum | Will remain permanent forever. |
| Kashatam theerum kavalaigal maarum | Hardships will end, worries will change, |
| Inbam uruvaagum | And happiness will take shape. |
| Male | |
| Velli panathukkum | Between silver money |
| Nalla gunathukkum vegu dhooram | And good character, there is a great distance. |
| Idhu ullapadi indha ulagam | Exactly as it is, this world |
| Unarthum oru paadam | Teaches this lesson. |
| Male | |
| Velli panathukkum | Between silver money |
| Nalla gunathukkum vegu dhooram | And good character, there is a great distance. |
வெள்ளி பணத்துக்கும்
நல்ல குணத்துக்கும் வெகு தூரம்
வெள்ளி பணத்துக்கும்
நல்ல குணத்துக்கும் வெகு தூரம்
இது உள்ளபடி இந்த உலகம்
உணர்த்தும் ஒரு பாடம்
வெள்ளி பணத்துக்கும்
நல்ல குணத்துக்கும் வெகு தூரம்
Between silver money
And good character, there is a great distance.
Between silver money
And good character, there is a great distance.
Exactly as it is, this world
Teaches this lesson.
Between silver money
And good character, there is a great distance.
பிள்ளை எனும் பந்த பாசத்தை
தள்ளி பிரிந்தோடும்
தன் உள்ளத்தை இரும்பு பெட்டகமாக்கி
தாழ் போடும்
இல்லாதவர் எவரான போதிலும்
எள்ளி நகையாடும்
இல்லாதவர் எவரான போதிலும்
எள்ளி நகையாடும்
இணை இல்லாத அன்னை அன்புக்கு கூட
சொல்லால் தடை போடும்
Even pushing away filial love and affection,
It runs far away,
Turning one's heart into an iron box
And locking it tight.
Whoever the poor and needy may be,
It mocks and laughs at them,
Whoever the poor and needy may be,
It mocks and laughs at them,
Even to the matchless love of a mother,
It places obstacles with harsh words.
வெள்ளி பணத்துக்கும்
நல்ல குணத்துக்கும் வெகு தூரம்
Between silver money
And good character, there is a great distance.
வெள்ளத்தினால் வரும் பள்ள மேடு போல்
செல்வம் வரும் போகும்
இதை எள்ளளவேனும் எண்ணாத கஞ்சர்க்கு
துன்பம் வரவாகும்
Like the high and low grounds created by a flood,
Wealth comes and goes.
For misers who do not consider this even a bit,
Sorrow becomes their income.
கள்ளமில்லாத அன்பு செல்வமே
என்றும் நிலையாகும்
கள்ளமில்லாத அன்பு செல்வமே
என்றும் நிலையாகும்
கஷ்டம் தீரும் கவலைகள் மாறும்
இன்பம் உருவாகும்
Only the wealth of guileless love
Will remain permanent forever.
Only the wealth of guileless love
Will remain permanent forever.
Hardships will end, worries will change,
And happiness will take shape.
வெள்ளி பணத்துக்கும்
நல்ல குணத்துக்கும் வெகு தூரம்
இது உள்ளபடி இந்த உலகம்
உணர்த்தும் ஒரு பாடம்
Between silver money
And good character, there is a great distance.
Exactly as it is, this world
Teaches this lesson.
வெள்ளி பணத்துக்கும்
நல்ல குணத்துக்கும் வெகு தூரம்
Between silver money
And good character, there is a great distance.
Velli panathukkum
Between silver money
Nalla gunathukkum vegu dhooram
And good character, there is a great distance.
Velli panathukkum
Between silver money
Nalla gunathukkum vegu dhooram
And good character, there is a great distance.
Idhu ullapadi indha ulagam
Exactly as it is, this world
Unarthum oru paadam
Teaches this lesson.
Velli panathukkum
Between silver money
Nalla gunathukkum vegu dhooram
And good character, there is a great distance.
Pillai enum bandha paasathai
Even pushing away filial love and affection,
Thalli pirindhodum
It runs far away,
Than ullatthai irumbu pettagamaakki
Turning one's heart into an iron box
Thaazh podum
And locking it tight.
Illaadhavar evaraana podhilum
Whoever the poor and needy may be,
Elli nagaiyaadum
It mocks and laughs at them,
Illaadhavar evaraana podhilum
Whoever the poor and needy may be,
Elli nagaiyaadum
It mocks and laughs at them,
Inai illaadha annai anbukku kooda
Even to the matchless love of a mother,
Sollaal thadai podum
It places obstacles with harsh words.
Velli panathukkum
Between silver money
Nalla gunathukkum vegu dhooram
And good character, there is a great distance.
Vellathinaal varum palla maedu pol
Like the high and low grounds created by a flood,
Selvam varum pogum
Wealth comes and goes.
Idhai ellalavaenum ennaadha kanjarkku
For misers who do not consider this even a bit,
Thunbam varavaagum
Sorrow becomes their income.
Kallamillaadha anbu selvamae
Only the wealth of guileless love
Endrum nilaiyaagum
Will remain permanent forever.
Kallamillaadha anbu selvamae
Only the wealth of guileless love
Endrum nilaiyaagum
Will remain permanent forever.
Kashatam theerum kavalaigal maarum
Hardships will end, worries will change,
Inbam uruvaagum
And happiness will take shape.
Velli panathukkum
Between silver money
Nalla gunathukkum vegu dhooram
And good character, there is a great distance.
Idhu ullapadi indha ulagam
Exactly as it is, this world
Unarthum oru paadam
Teaches this lesson.
Velli panathukkum
Between silver money
Nalla gunathukkum vegu dhooram
And good character, there is a great distance.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This philosophical song contrasts the corrupting nature of material wealth ('silver money') with the enduring virtue of good character. It critiques how greed hardens a person's heart like a locked iron box, driving them to disregard family bonds, mock the needy, and disrespect even maternal love. The song highlights the transient nature of wealth, comparing it to floodwaters that dynamically create high and low lands. It warns that misers who hoard money only end up accumulating sorrow, whereas genuine, pure love is the only true wealth that brings permanent joy and relieves human suffering.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagaimai)
“Than ullatthai irumbu pettagamaakki”
Compares a hardened, greedy heart directly to a locked iron box ('irumbu pettagamaakki').
Simile (Upamai)
“Vellathinaal varum palla maedu pol”
Compares the unstable nature of incoming and outgoing wealth to high and low grounds reshaped by floodwaters ('palla maedu pol').
Contrast (Ethirsol / Antithesis)
“Selvam varum pogum / Kallamillaadha anbu selvamae endrum nilaiyaagum”
Contrasts temporary material wealth ('Selvam varum pogum') with permanent emotional wealth ('Kallamillaadha anbu selvamae endrum nilaiyaagum').
Edhugai (Second letter rhyming)
“Velli panathukkum / Nalla gunathukkum”
Matching second consonants across lines ('Velli' and 'Nalla' - 'll' sound pattern in classical Tamil prosody).
Did you know?
Trivia
The song is from the 1961 Tamil film 'Sabaash Mapillai', starring M. G. Ramachandran and Malini. The score for this film was composed by K. V. Mahadevan, with vocals provided by the legendary playback singer Seerkazhi Govindarajan. Lyricist A. Maruthakasi was widely acclaimed for writing deeply moral and philosophical songs tailored for MGR's screen persona.
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