Even the Titanic sank!

Paatha Kaanikai (Humble Offering, Tamil; 1962)

This YouTube snippet (see below) has been making its round amongst the Tamil speaking and Tamil song loving WhatsApp groups in Malaysia, after the recently concluded 14th General Elections. Netizens, after mumbling their grunt of discontent under their breaths all this while, suddenly have a breath of fresh air. With their newfound cyber freedom, they let their hair down; ridiculing the doyens who held the realm for more than half a century and making tongue-in-cheek one-liners at their expense. After suffering in silence the antics of tyrannic leaders and sycophants, people have come out in droves to voice their discontent.

This song is a constant reminder that even
the thickest of the hide of a mighty
elephant would feel the pain of a whip.
Mortal Man cannot be so haughty to think
that he is unsinkable.

This song, like the many, which were penned by Tamil movie song composers of the 1950s through to 1970s carry many philosophical messages and thought-provoking questions that would be relevant at any time of Man's civilisation.

It highlights the foolhardy of Man chasing things that are all but temporary. Lest he forgets that all the worldly possessions and relationship only last within our short lifespan. What the composer, Kannadasan, apparently wanted to convey was that we, at the end of our sojourn on Earth, carry with us the deeds or karma to be assessed in our next birth. He, according to his fellow music composer, took the liberty of not mentioning it. Kannadasan felt that he, not the most virtuous of Man who indulged in many addictive habits, should not preach.

In the scene where this song appeared, the character, a reformed son, realises that he had been the cause of his father's demise and most of the familial maladies. This heartbroken man is heading to a cliff to submit himself back to his Nature. As seen, his younger brother is racing against time to avert another tragedy in the family.

The translation of the philosophy filled song is as follows...

Intro...
What 'dance performance' was that?
What great dialogue you gave?
The wealth that you squandered?
The relatives that surrounded you?
When the soul leaves the shell,
What comes with you?

Chorus...
Till your home, the relatives,
Till the street, your wife,
Till the cemetery, your child,
Who comes to the end?

Play till it's game over,
You gaze in thousand things,
The crowd that gathers,
Will they come to the grave? Ch...

Mother is to cradle [maternal love],
Maiden is to bed [lustful desire],
Food to hunger,
Wisdom to the crestfallen. Ch...

Ask the departed,
He will ask you to come.
Ask the newcomer,
He will ask you to go back. Ch...
[In the cycle of re-births, death is liberation from the tortures of living]

The soul will leave your body,

The body will be inflicted,
The heat of fire,
Left with nothingness... Ch...

https://asok22.wixsite.com/real-lesson

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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