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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Yarai Nambi Naan Poranthen

From Enga Oor Raja · 1968

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
T. M. Soundararajan
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Details
Enga Oor Raja1968

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Yaarai nambi naan porandhenRelying on whom was I born?
Pongadaa pongaGo away, all of you, just go!
En kaalam vellum vendra pinnaeMy time will win, and after it wins,
Vaangadaa vaangaCome then, all of you, come!
Male
Yaarai nambi naan porandhenRelying on whom was I born?
Pongadaa pongaGo away, all of you, just go!
En kaalam vellum vendra pinnaeMy time will win, and after it wins,
Vaangadaa vaangaCome then, all of you, come!
Male
Kulathilae thanni illaeThere is no water in the pond,
Kokkumillae meenumillaeThere are no storks and no fish.
Kulathilae thanni illaeThere is no water in the pond,
Kokkumillae meenumillaeThere are no storks and no fish.
Pettiyilae panamillaeThere is no money in the box,
Petha pullae sondhamillaeEven the child born to you isn't truly yours.
Male
Yaarai nambi naan porandhenRelying on whom was I born?
Pongadaa pongaGo away, all of you, just go!
En kaalam vellum vendra pinnaeMy time will win, and after it wins,
Vaangadaa vaangaCome then, all of you, come!
Male
Thennaiya pethaa ilaneeruIf you nurture a coconut tree, you get tender coconut water,
Pillaiya pethaa kanneeruIf you raise a child, you get only tears.
Thennaiya pethaa ilaneeruIf you nurture a coconut tree, you get tender coconut water,
Pillaiya pethaa kanneeruIf you raise a child, you get only tears.
Pethavan manamae pithammaaA parent's heart is filled with pure affection,
Pillai manamae kallammaaBut a child's heart is made of stone.
Paanaiyilae sor irundhaaAs long as there is cooked rice in the pot,
Poonaigalum sondhamadaaEven cats act like your kin!
Sodhanaiyai pangu vachaaBut if you share your trials and tribulations,
Sondhamillae bandhamillaeThere are no relatives, no bonds at all.
Male
Yaarai nambi naan porandhenRelying on whom was I born?
Pongadaa pongaGo away, all of you, just go!
En kaalam vellum vendra pinnaeMy time will win, and after it wins,
Vaangadaa vaangaCome then, all of you, come!
Male
Nenjamirukku thunivaagaI have a heart full of courage,
Neramirukku thelivaagaI have time clearly on my side.
Nenjamirukku thunivaagaI have a heart full of courage,
Neramirukku thelivaagaI have time clearly on my side.
Ninaithaal mudippen thaniyaagaIf I decide, I will accomplish it all alone,
Nee yaar naan yaar poda poWho are you and who am I? Go away!
Aadiyilae kaathadichaaIf the wind blows in the month of Aadi,
Ippasiyil mazhai varumRain will surely arrive in Ippasi.
Thedi varum kaalam vandhaaWhen the favorable time comes searching,
Selvamellaam odi varumAll riches will come running to me.
Male
Yaarai nambi naan porandhenRelying on whom was I born?
Pongadaa pongaGo away, all of you, just go!
En kaalam vellum vendra pinnaeMy time will win, and after it wins,
Vaangadaa vaangaCome then, all of you, come!
En kaalam vellum vendra pinnaeMy time will win, and after it wins,
Vaangadaa vaangaCome then, all of you, come!
Vaangadaa vaanga vaangadaa vaangaCome, all of you, come! Come, all of you, come!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Yaarai Nambi Naan Porandhen is an iconic philosophical song from the 1968 Tamil film Enga Oor Raja. Lyricist Kannadasan powerfully articulates the painful reality of transactional human relationships and fair-weather kinships. The protagonist reflects on how wealth determines social standing and familial affection: when money disappears, even one's own children and relatives desert them, much like birds leaving a dried pond or cats disappearing when the rice pot is empty.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Iyaipu (End Rhyme)

Thennaiya pethaa ilaneeru / Pillaiya pethaa kanneeru

The lines end with rhyming words ('ilaneeru' and 'kanneeru'), emphasizing the stark emotional contrast.

Muran (Contrast)

Pethavan manamae pithammaa / Pillai manamae kallammaa

Contrasts the boundless, almost irrational love of a parent ('pithu') with the cold, unfeeling heart of an ungrateful child ('kal').

Metaphor / Analogy

Kulathilae thanni illae / Kokkumillae meenumillae

Uses a dried-up pond lacking fish and birds as a metaphor for a person who has lost their wealth, leading to the departure of opportunistic companions.

Monai (Initial Alliteration)

Nenjamirukku thunivaaga / Neramirukku thelivaaga

Repetition of the initial sound 'Ne' at the beginning of consecutive lines, providing a rhythmic cadence.

Did you know?

Trivia

Enga Oor Raja (1968) starred Sivaji Ganesan and Jayalalithaa, directed by P. Madhavan. The music was composed by M. S. Viswanathan, and this famous track was rendered by T. M. Soundararajan with memorable lyrics written by Kannadasan, capturing the essence of self-reliance and patience through life's changing tides.

Keep listening

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