- Lyricist
- Snehan
- Singer
- Karthik Raja
- Music director
- Yuvan Shankar Raja
- Movie name
- Mounam Pesiyadhe
- Movie release year
- 2002
- Lyrics added on
- 28 Feb 2017
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
The song 'Aadaatha Aatamellam' is a philosophical masterpiece from the movie Mounam Pesiyadhe that reflects on the impermanence of human life, ego, and worldly vanity. Lyricist Snehan uses the metaphor of 'aatam' (dance/act) to represent human actions, arrogance, and the stages of life—from the womb to the grave. It reminds listeners that humans enter this world empty-handed and depart the same way, urging humanity to realize the finality of death and abstain from greed, deceit, and malice.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamai / Urvagam)
“Verukaaga oru aatam / Kaasukaaga pala aatam”
Life is metaphorically portrayed as various stages of 'aatam' (dance), ranging from infant movements in the cradle to the final ritualistic procession on eight legs (pallbearers).
Rhetorical Question
“Nee kondu vanthathenna / Nee kondu povathenna”
The lyrics ask existential questions about what one brings into the world and takes upon death to provoke moral self-reflection.
Emoni / Rhyme (Ethirai)
“Aadaatha aatamellam / Pottavanga mannukulla”
Tamil poetic device of second-letter rhyming across consecutive lines (Aadaatha / Pottavanga / Pona).
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja and sung powerfully by Shankar Mahadevan, 'Aadaatha Aatamellam' won critical acclaim and earned lyricist Snehan widespread recognition. The song's deep existential lyrics became one of the defining philosophical tracks of Tamil cinema in the early 2000s, frequently cited for its profound life lessons.
Keep listening
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