[A word about ‘da’ (masculine) and ‘di’ (feminine). These are terms of endearment between close friends and relatives but are insults between strangers. When Kanandasan uses it, in most songs, like this one and ‘yaarada manidhan ange’, it is a form of frustration, disenchantment and disillusion. ]
Ponaal pogattum poda
Indha boomiyil nilayai
Vaazndhavar yaarada
(When it’s gone) Let it go
(Tell me) who has lived forever
On this earth?
Vandhadhu theriyum
Povadhu enge
Vazhkai namakke theriyadhu
Vandhavar ellam thangi vittaal
Indha mannil namakke idamadhu?
We know where we came from
We know not where we are going
If everyone who came here
Stayed back
Where’s the space for all of us?
Life is a business
(In it) Birth is income
Death is expense
Iraval thandhavan ketkindraan
Adhai illai yendral avan viduvaana
Uravail solli azhuvadhanale
Uyorai meendum tharuvana
Kookuralale kidaikkadhu
Idhu courtukku ponaal jaikaadhu
Andha kottayil nuzhaindhal thirumbaadhu
The lender asks for it (what you borrewed) back
Will he take no for an answer?
If you cry and wail citing how closely you’re related (to the dead)
Will he (lord of death) give the life back?
Hollering won’t bring it back
Neither can you win it in a court of law
When it enters that fortress (of death/afterlife),
It won’t come back.
Elumbukkum sadhaikkum
Maruthuvam kanden
Idharkoru marundhai kandena
Irundhal avalai thannan thaniyae
eriyum neruppil viduvena?
Namakkum mele oruvanada
Avan naalum therindha kalaignanda
Dhinam naadagam aadum thalavanada
I found cure for bones and flesh
But did I find a cure for this (death)?
If I had, would I leave her all alone on the burning pyre?
There is someone above all of us all
He knows everything
And plays this game every day
[Kalaignan is an expert, a professional artiste. In this song the hero is a doctor and his wife dies young.]
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