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Lyrics & meaning

Vinaa Vinaa

From Papanasam · 2015

Lyricist
Na. Muthu Kumar
Singer
Hariharan
Music director
Ghibran
Movie name
Papanasam
Movie release year
2015
Lyrics added on
8 Apr 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Vinaa vinaa orae vinaa
Vidaamalae ezhum vinaa
Nirai vuraa orae kanaa
Iraivanaa manidhanaa
Aatril sellum neeril
Netrin vellam ethu
Netrellaam maayaiyae
Sooraikkaatrin oodaai
Saayaanaanaar kaadaai
Vendumor menmaiyae
Boopaalam ketkaadho
Aagaayam nam deepam aagaadho
Vinaa vinaa orae vinaa
Vidaamalae ezhum vinaa
Sikkumaa
Sikkumaa silanthi thaan amaitha
Than valaiyil
Sikkuthae
Sikkuthae manadhu paavamennum
Poi valaiyil
Ammai appan kaakkum pillai
Aayul nooru vaazhum
Immai seidha nanmai nammai
Theemaikondru kaakkum
Anbae uyariya aavanam
Seidhaa aram nammai kaaththidum
Vinaa vinaa orae vinaa
Vidaamalae ezhum vinaa
Nirai vuraa orae kanaa
Iraivanaa manidhanaa
Kaththiyaa
Puthiyaa irandil velvadhedhu
Sol manamae
Puthiyae
Puthiyae ulagil vellukindra
Aayudhamae
Paaraimelae therai ponaal
Paadhachuvadu illaiyae
Veraippolae unmaikooda
Veliyae vandhaal thollaiyae
Kooraa manamae ragasiyam
Ulagil uravae avasiyam
Vinaa vinaa orae vinaa
Vidaamalae ezhum vinaa
Nirai vuraa orae kanaa
Iraivanaa manidhanaa
Aatril sellum neeril
Netrin vellam ethu
Netrellaam maayaiyae
Sooraikkaatrin oodaai
Saayaanaanaar kaadaai
Vendumor menmaiyae
Boopaalam ketkaadho
Aagaayam nam deepam aagaadho
Boopaalam ketkaadho…ooo…
Aagaayam nam deepam aagaadho..
A question, a question, just one question,
A question that keeps rising without end.
An unfulfilled, solitary dream:
Is it God, or is it man?
In the water flowing down the river,
which part is yesterday's flood?
Everything from yesterday is only an illusion.
Through this raging storm,
standing firm like an unbending forest of reeds,
what we need is a little gentleness.
Won't the morning melody of dawn be heard?
Won't the sky become our guiding lamp?
A question, a question, just one question,
A question that keeps rising without end.
Will it get trapped?
Will a spider get trapped
in a web of its own making?
Yet it gets trapped...
The mind gets trapped in the false web
known as sin.
A child protected by its mother and father
will live for a full hundred years.
The good we have done in this life
will protect us when harm strikes.
Love is the highest proof of all;
the good deeds we did will shield us.
A question, a question, just one question,
A question that keeps rising without end.
An unfulfilled, solitary dream:
Is it God, or is it man?
Is it the blade,
or is it wisdom? Which of the two will win,
tell me, oh mind?
Wisdom alone!
Wisdom is the winning weapon
in this world.
If a toad crawls over a hard rock,
it leaves no footprints behind.
Even the truth, just like a hidden root,
brings only trouble if pulled out into the open.
A mind that reveals nothing is the true secret;
in this world, family bonds are what matter most.
A question, a question, just one question,
A question that keeps rising without end.
An unfulfilled, solitary dream:
Is it God, or is it man?
In the water flowing down the river,
which part is yesterday's flood?
Everything from yesterday is only an illusion.
Through this raging storm,
standing firm like an unbending forest of reeds,
what we need is a little gentleness.
Won't the morning melody of dawn be heard?
Won't the sky become our guiding lamp?
Won't the morning melody of dawn be heard... oh...
Won't the sky become our guiding lamp?
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

'Vinaa Vinaa' from Papanasam is a philosophical and haunting tracks that explores themes of morality, guilt, human intellect, and unconditional love for family. Set against the backdrop of a family trying to cover up an accidental crime to protect themselves, the song questions whether human wisdom can outsmart fate and law, pondering if intellect (Puthi) is a far superior weapon than violence (Kaththi). Through evocative metaphors—such as a spider getting caught in its own web, unseen footprints of a toad on a rock, and hidden roots—lyricist Na. Muthu Kumar captures the protagonist's psychological struggle. The song emphasizes that while truth can sometimes destroy fragile lives if exposed, righteousness, love, and protective maternal/paternal bonds serve as ultimate shields against adversity.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor

“Sikkuthae manadhu paavamennum Poi valaiyil”

Compares human mind getting entangled in guilt/sin to a spider getting trapped in its own web.

Antithesis / Contrast

“Kaththiyaa Puthiyaa irandil velvadhedhu”

Contrasts brute force/violence ('Kaththi' - knife/sword) with intellect/wit ('Puthi').

Simile

“Veraippolae unmaikooda Veliyae vandhaal thollaiyae”

Compares hidden truth to tree roots; exposing it destroys the foundation.

Rhetorical Question

“Boopaalam ketkaadho Aagaayam nam deepam aagaadho”

Uses philosophical questions to evoke deep introspection regarding fate and hope.

Monai (Initial Rhyme)

“Ammai appan kaakkum pillai / Immai seidha nanmai nammai”

Repetition of initial consonant sounds across lines (e.g., 'Ammai' / 'Immai').

Did you know?

Trivia

'Vinaa Vinaa' was composed by M. Ghibran, sung powerfully by legendary singer Hariharan, with lyrics written by late lyricist Na. Muthu Kumar. The song serves as the thematic backbone of Papanasam (2015), the Tamil remake of the Malayalam blockbuster Drishyam. It plays during critical sequences where the protagonist (played by Kamal Haasan) meticulously constructs a false alibi to protect his family.

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