Yengum Deivam Ange
From Sonnadhu Nee Thanaa · 1978
- Lyricist
- Pulamaipithan
- Singer
- Vani Jairam
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Sonnadhu Nee Thanaa1978
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Yengum deivam angae | The omnipresent God is over there, |
| Thoongum selvam ingae | The sleeping treasure is over here. |
| Oru nyaayam oru tharmam | One sense of justice, one sense of duty, |
| Idaiyil naan engae | Where do I stand caught in between? |
| Female | |
| Yengum deivam angae | The omnipresent God is over there, |
| Thoongum selvam ingae | The sleeping treasure is over here. |
| Oru nyaayam oru tharmam | One sense of justice, one sense of duty, |
| Idaiyil naan engae | Where do I stand caught in between? |
| Female | |
| Thoondiloo irandu pakkam | With a fishhook pulled from both sides, |
| Thudikkavo meenai vaithaan | Did He trap me like a writhing fish? |
| Paasamo irandu pakkam | With affection tearing me from both sides, |
| Padhaikkavo nenjai vaithaan | Did He give me a heart only to suffer? |
| Female | |
| Kaneerin vellam oru ullam | A heart drowning in a flood of tears, |
| Adhilae sellum | Drifting away inside it, |
| Engae payanam engae mudiyum | Where is this journey heading, where will it end? |
| Angae thunai thaan yaaroo | Who will be there as my companion at the end? |
| Female | |
| Yengum deivam angae | The omnipresent God is over there, |
| Thoongum selvam ingae | The sleeping treasure is over here. |
| Oru nyaayam oru tharmam | One sense of justice, one sense of duty, |
| Idaiyil naan engae | Where do I stand caught in between? |
| Female | |
| Thaaliyum nilaikka vendum | The sacred marital thread (Thaali) must remain intact, |
| Thaaimaiyum vaazhavendum | The grace of motherhood must also survive. |
| Vendidum irandil ondru | If one of these two cherished desires |
| Vilaginaal enna undu | Is lost, what remains for me? |
| Female | |
| Thaalattum pillai manam | The lulled child's innocent mind |
| Vellai adhuva thollai | Is pure white; is that innocence the source of trouble? |
| Kattil peridhaa thottil peridhaa | Is the marital bed greater, or is the cradle greater? |
| Endraal badhil thaan enna | If asked, what indeed is the answer? |
| Female | |
| Yengum deivam angae | The omnipresent God is over there, |
| Thoongum selvam ingae | The sleeping treasure is over here. |
| Oru nyaayam oru tharmam | One sense of justice, one sense of duty, |
| Idaiyil naan engae | Where do I stand caught in between? |
| Idaiyil naan engae | Where do I stand caught in between? |
ஏங்கும் தெய்வம் அங்கே
தூங்கும் செல்வம் இங்கே
ஒரு நியாயம் ஒரு தர்மம்
இடையில் நான் எங்கே....
The omnipresent God is over there,
The sleeping treasure is over here.
One sense of justice, one sense of duty,
Where do I stand caught in between?
ஏங்கும் தெய்வம் அங்கே
தூங்கும் செல்வம் இங்கே
ஒரு நியாயம் ஒரு தர்மம்
இடையில் நான் எங்கே....
The omnipresent God is over there,
The sleeping treasure is over here.
One sense of justice, one sense of duty,
Where do I stand caught in between?
தூண்டிலோ இரண்டு பக்கம்
துடிக்கவோ மீனை வைத்தான்
பாசமோ இரண்டு பக்கம்
பதைக்கவோ நெஞ்சை வைத்தான்
With a fishhook pulled from both sides,
Did He trap me like a writhing fish?
With affection tearing me from both sides,
Did He give me a heart only to suffer?
கண்ணீரின் வெள்ளம் ஒரு உள்ளம்
அதிலே செல்லும்
எங்கே பயணம் எங்கே முடியும்
அங்கே துணை தான் யாரோ.....
A heart drowning in a flood of tears,
Drifting away inside it,
Where is this journey heading, where will it end?
Who will be there as my companion at the end?
ஏங்கும் தெய்வம் அங்கே
தூங்கும் செல்வம் இங்கே
ஒரு நியாயம் ஒரு தர்மம்
இடையில் நான் எங்கே....
The omnipresent God is over there,
The sleeping treasure is over here.
One sense of justice, one sense of duty,
Where do I stand caught in between?
தாலியும் நிலைக்க வேண்டும்
தாய்மையும் வாழவேண்டும்
வேண்டிடும் இரண்டில் ஒன்று
விலகினால் என்ன உண்டு
The sacred marital thread (Thaali) must remain intact,
The grace of motherhood must also survive.
If one of these two cherished desires
Is lost, what remains for me?
தாலாட்டும் பிள்ளை மனம்
வெள்ளை அதுவா தொல்லை
கட்டில் பெரிதா தொட்டில் பெரிதா
என்றால் பதில் தான் என்ன......
The lulled child's innocent mind
Is pure white; is that innocence the source of trouble?
Is the marital bed greater, or is the cradle greater?
If asked, what indeed is the answer?
ஏங்கும் தெய்வம் அங்கே
தூங்கும் செல்வம் இங்கே
ஒரு நியாயம் ஒரு தர்மம்
இடையில் நான் எங்கே....
இடையில் நான் எங்கே....
The omnipresent God is over there,
The sleeping treasure is over here.
One sense of justice, one sense of duty,
Where do I stand caught in between?
Where do I stand caught in between?
Yengum deivam angae
The omnipresent God is over there,
Thoongum selvam ingae
The sleeping treasure is over here.
Oru nyaayam oru tharmam
One sense of justice, one sense of duty,
Idaiyil naan engae
Where do I stand caught in between?
Yengum deivam angae
The omnipresent God is over there,
Thoongum selvam ingae
The sleeping treasure is over here.
Oru nyaayam oru tharmam
One sense of justice, one sense of duty,
Idaiyil naan engae
Where do I stand caught in between?
Thoondiloo irandu pakkam
With a fishhook pulled from both sides,
Thudikkavo meenai vaithaan
Did He trap me like a writhing fish?
Paasamo irandu pakkam
With affection tearing me from both sides,
Padhaikkavo nenjai vaithaan
Did He give me a heart only to suffer?
Kaneerin vellam oru ullam
A heart drowning in a flood of tears,
Adhilae sellum
Drifting away inside it,
Engae payanam engae mudiyum
Where is this journey heading, where will it end?
Angae thunai thaan yaaroo
Who will be there as my companion at the end?
Yengum deivam angae
The omnipresent God is over there,
Thoongum selvam ingae
The sleeping treasure is over here.
Oru nyaayam oru tharmam
One sense of justice, one sense of duty,
Idaiyil naan engae
Where do I stand caught in between?
Thaaliyum nilaikka vendum
The sacred marital thread (Thaali) must remain intact,
Thaaimaiyum vaazhavendum
The grace of motherhood must also survive.
Vendidum irandil ondru
If one of these two cherished desires
Vilaginaal enna undu
Is lost, what remains for me?
Thaalattum pillai manam
The lulled child's innocent mind
Vellai adhuva thollai
Is pure white; is that innocence the source of trouble?
Kattil peridhaa thottil peridhaa
Is the marital bed greater, or is the cradle greater?
Endraal badhil thaan enna
If asked, what indeed is the answer?
Yengum deivam angae
The omnipresent God is over there,
Thoongum selvam ingae
The sleeping treasure is over here.
Oru nyaayam oru tharmam
One sense of justice, one sense of duty,
Idaiyil naan engae
Where do I stand caught in between?
Idaiyil naan engae
Where do I stand caught in between?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This poignant song portrays a woman suffering through an excruciating moral and emotional dilemma, torn between two equally sacred bonds: her duty as a wife (represented by the 'Thaali' and 'Kattil') and her love as a mother (represented by 'Thaaimai' and 'Thottil'). Caught between opposing expectations and moral duties, she feels trapped like a fish hooked on both sides, helpless and tormented. She questions divine justice and wonders where her journey will ultimately lead, expressing deep isolation and sorrow. Written with profound emotional depth by Pulamaipithan, the song encapsulates the tragic plight of a woman forced to choose between two essential pillars of her identity and existence.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Muran (Antithesis / Contrast)
“Angae / Ingae (Over there / Over here); Kattil peridhaa thottil peridhaa (Marital bed vs Cradle)”
Contrasts opposing physical spaces and emotional roles (wife vs. mother) to highlight the central conflict of the character.
Ethugai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Kattil peridhaa / Thottil peridhaa”
The second consonant sound 'tt' matches in 'Kattil' and 'Thottil', creating a pleasing rhythmic symmetry.
Metaphor (Uvamaani)
“Thoondiloo irandu pakkam / Thudikkavo meenai vaithaan”
Compares the protagonist's emotional agony and helpless situation to a fish snagged on two hooks simultaneously.
Monai (Initial Letter Alliteration)
“Thaaliyum nilaikka vendum / Thaaimaiyum vaazhavendum”
The starting 'Tha' sound repeats in both consecutive lines, enhancing the lyrical flow.
Did you know?
Trivia
Written by the renowned Tamil poet Pulamaipithan for the 1978 film 'Sonnadhu Nee Thanaa', the lyrics vividly capture the classic melodramatic dilemma of 1970s Tamil cinema, pitting marital chastity/duty against maternal instinct.
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