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Lyrics & meaning

Vetrivel Vellumada

From Manidhanum Dheivamagalam · 1975

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
T. M. Soundararajan, Seerkazhi Govindarajan
Music director
Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan
Details
Manidhanum Dheivamagalam1975

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Vettri vel vellumadaaThe victorious spear will win, O friend!
Vinai theerppaan velanadaaLord Velan will resolve all karma, O friend!
Vettri vel vellumadaaThe victorious spear will win, O friend!
Vinai theerppaan velanadaaLord Velan will resolve all karma, O friend!
Male
Kattravarkkum kallaarkkumTo both the educated and the uneducated,
Karunai tharum thendraladaaHe is the breeze that bestows mercy, O friend!
Kattravarkkum kallaarkkumTo both the educated and the uneducated,
Karunai tharum thendraladaaHe is the breeze that bestows mercy, O friend!
Karunai tharum thendraladaaHe is the breeze that bestows mercy, O friend!
Male
Piranthu vantha kadhaiyai paarththaalIf you look at the story of birth,
Periya veedu theriyumadaaYou will understand the grand original home, O friend!
Marainthu pogum mudivai paarththaalIf you look at the end when one disappears,
Mannan sakthi puriymadaaYou will understand the supreme ruler's power, O friend!
Male
Idaippatta idaththil kadan patta manithaaO man caught in debts in this intermediate life,
Yaendaa unakku poiyarivuWhy do you possess false knowledge?
Idaippatta idaththil kadan patta manithaaO man caught in debts in this intermediate life,
Yaendaa unakku poiyarivuWhy do you possess false knowledge?
Eeraezhu ulagamengum vadivelan arasatchiAcross all fourteen worlds, Lord Vadivelan holds sway!
Eeraezhu ulagamengum vadivelan arasatchiAcross all fourteen worlds, Lord Vadivelan holds sway!
Male
Vettri vel vellumadaaThe victorious spear will win, O friend!
Vinai theerppaan velanadaaLord Velan will resolve all karma, O friend!
Male
Kattravarkkum kallaarkkumTo both the educated and the uneducated,
Karunai tharum thendraladaaHe is the breeze that bestows mercy, O friend!
Karunai tharum thendraladaaHe is the breeze that bestows mercy, O friend!
Male
Iraivan aalum ulagam endraalIf God truly rules the world,
Yaezhaigalai yaen padaiththaanWhy did He create poor people?
Oruvan vaazha oruvan vaadumWhere one thrives while another suffers,
Uyarvu thaazhvai yaen amaithaanWhy did He establish high and low status?
Male
Kadan patta murugan udan patta namakkuIs this the mercy shown to us who agreed,
Kaatiya karunai idhuthaanaaBy Lord Murugan who himself was indebted?
Kadan patta murugan udan patta namakkuIs this the mercy shown to us who agreed,
Kaatiya karunai idhuthaanaaBy Lord Murugan who himself was indebted?
Male
Kadhai solla vendaam annaaDo not tell stories, elder brother,
Adhilaethaan arasatchiIt is through such stories that governance occurs!
Kadhai solla vendaam annaaDo not tell stories, elder brother,
Adhilaethaan arasatchiIt is through such stories that governance occurs!
Male
Vettri vel vellumadaaThe victorious spear will win, O friend!
Vinai theerppaan velanadaaLord Velan will resolve all karma, O friend!
Male
Kattravarkkum kallaarkkumTo both the educated and the uneducated,
Karunai tharum thendraladaaHe is the breeze that bestows mercy, O friend!
Karunai tharum thendraladaaHe is the breeze that bestows mercy, O friend!
Male
Kuzhanthai pola avanai paarththaalIf you look upon Him as a child,
Kooda vanthu konjumadaaHe will come beside you and affectionate you, O friend!
Kuzhanthai ingu kodi unduThere are millions of children right here,
Kumaran enna thevaiyadaaWhy do we need Kumaran, O friend?
Male
Aaththiram kondavan naaththigan aavaanOne who gets consumed by anger becomes an atheist,
Avanae avanukky pagaiyaavaanAnd becomes an enemy to himself!
Naaththigam enbathu suya mariyaathaiAtheism is simply self-respect,
Nampiya manithan thannai aalvaanA man who trusts himself will govern himself!
Male
Un kannil orunaal thondrumOne day it will appear in your vision:
Vadivelan arasaatchiThe divine rule of Lord Vadivelan!
Un nenjil orunaal thondrumOne day it will resonate in your conscience:
Periyaarin manasaatchiThe rational thought of Periyar!
Male
Vettri vel vellumadaaThe victorious spear will win, O friend!
Vinai theerppaan velanadaaLord Velan will resolve all karma, O friend!
Male
Kattravarkkum kallaarkkumTo both the educated and the uneducated,
Karunai tharum thendraladaaHe is the breeze that bestows mercy, O friend!
Karunai tharum thendraladaaHe is the breeze that bestows mercy, O friend!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This philosophical debate song from the 1975 film Manidhanum Dheivamagalam sets divine spiritual belief against rationalist self-respect ideology. Through a lyric dialectic composed by Kannadasan, one voice praises Lord Murugan's omnipotence and universal grace, while the opposing voice raises socio-economic questions regarding inequality, poverty, and self-governance inspired by Dravidian rationalism. Ultimately, the song presents both perspectives as crucial aspects of human inquiry, balancing the vision of Vadivelan's divine reign with Periyar's humanistic conscience.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Muran (Contrast)

Kattravarkkum kallaarkkum

Contrasts educated and uneducated people to show universal grace.

Uruvagam (Metaphor)

Karunai tharum thendraladaa

Metaphorically compares divine mercy to a soothing breeze.

Edhugai (Rhyme)

Piranthu vantha kadhaiyai paarththaal / Marainthu pogum mudivai paarththaal

Second letter rhyming in consecutive lines (Piranthu / Marainthu).

Ideological Antithesis

Vadivelan arasaatchi / Periyaarin manasaatchi

Direct juxtaposition of divine faith (Vadivelan) and rationalist ideology (Periyar).

Did you know?

Trivia

This iconic song represents a classic Pattumanram (debate) style duet in Tamil cinema, pitting T. M. Soundararajan's devotional tone against Seerkazhi Govindarajan's rationalist counterpoints.

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