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Lyrics & meaning

Yaaradaa Manithan Inge

From Lakshmi Kalyanam · 1968

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
T. M. Soundararajan
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Details
Lakshmi Kalyanam1968

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Yaaradaa manidhan ingaeWho is a true human being here?
Kootti vaa avanai ingaeBring him here to me.
Iraivan padaippilIn God's creation,
Kurangu thaan meedhi ingaeOnly the monkey is left behind here.
Male
Yaaradaa manidhan ingaeWho is a true human being here?
Kootti vaa avanai ingaeBring him here to me.
Iraivan padaippilIn God's creation,
Kurangu thaan meedhi ingaeOnly the monkey is left behind here.
Male
Manidharil naaigal unduThere are dogs among humans,
Manadhinil narigal unduThere are foxes inside their minds.
Manidharil naaigal unduThere are dogs among humans,
Manadhinil narigal unduThere are foxes inside their minds.
Paarvaiyil puligal unduThere are tigers in their glances,
Pazhakkathil paambum unduThere are snakes in their behavior.
Paarvaiyil puligal unduThere are tigers in their glances,
Pazhakkathil paambum unduThere are snakes in their behavior.
Male
Naayum nariyum puliyum paambumDogs, foxes, tigers, and snakes—
Vaazhum boomiyilaeIn this world where they reside,
Maanam panbu nyaanam kondaA human endowed with honor, virtue, and wisdom,
Manidhanai kaanavillaiIs nowhere to be found.
Male
Yaaradaa manidhan ingaeWho is a true human being here?
Kootti vaa avanai ingaeBring him here to me.
Iraivan padaippilIn God's creation,
Kurangu thaan meedhi ingaeOnly the monkey is left behind here.
Male
Sirippinil manidhanillaiThere is no humanity in laughter,
Azhugaiyil manidhanillaiThere is no humanity in tears.
Sirippinil manidhanillaiThere is no humanity in laughter,
Azhugaiyil manidhanillaiThere is no humanity in tears.
Ullathil manidhanillaiThere is no humanity inside the heart,
Urakkathil manidhanunduA human exists only while asleep.
Ullathil manidhanillaiThere is no humanity inside the heart,
Urakkathil manidhanunduA human exists only while asleep.
Male
Vaazhum mirugam thoongum dheivamBetween a living beast and a sleeping deity,
Naduvae manidhanadaaStands the human being, my friend!
Engo oruvan irundhaal avanaiIf such a man exists somewhere,
Ulagam vanangumadaaThe world will bow down and worship him!
Male
Yaaradaa manidhan ingaeWho is a true human being here?
Kootti vaa avanai ingaeBring him here to me.
Iraivan padaippilIn God's creation,
Kurangu thaan meedhi ingaeOnly the monkey is left behind here.

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

‘Yaaradaa Manidhan Ingae’ from the 1968 film 'Lakshmi Kalyanam' is a philosophical and cynical song that reflects on the decline of human morality and true character in society. The narrator questions whether a genuine human being—one guided by honor, moral virtue, and wisdom—even exists anymore. Instead, he laments that people carry animalistic traits under human disguises: the subservience of dogs, the cunning of foxes, the ferocity of tigers, and the deceit of snakes.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (உருவகம்)

Manidharil naaigal undu / Manadhinil narigal undu

Human traits and mindsets are directly compared to animals (dogs and foxes) to highlight moral degradation without using explicit comparative words.

Antithesis / Muran (முரண்)

Vaazhum mirugam thoongum dheivam

Contrasts 'living beast' (mirugam) with 'sleeping deity' (dheivam) to define the dual nature of man caught between primal urges and divine virtues.

Monai (மோனை - Alliteration)

Maanam panbu nyaanam konda / Manidhanai kaanavillai

Repetition of the initial 'M' sound in 'Maanam' and 'Manidhanai' provides rhythmic alliteration across lines.

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Trivia

The song from 'Lakshmi Kalyanam' (1968) features lyrics by poet Kannadasan and music composed by M. S. Viswanathan. It was sung with powerful emotive resonance by T. M. Soundararajan. Kannadasan's lyrics famously blend deep Vedantic philosophy with accessible everyday metaphors, critiquing human pretension and artificiality.

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