Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Muthal Vasantham album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Aarum Athu Aalam Illai

From Muthal Vasantham · 1986

Lyricist
Muthulingam
Singer
Ilayaraja
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Muthal Vasantham
Movie release year
1986
Lyrics added on
30 Aug 2018

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Mmm…mmm…mm
Mmm..mmm…mm…mmm…mmm…
Aarum adhu aazham illa
Adhu serum kadalum aazham illa
Aarum adhu aazham illa
Adhu serum kadalum aazham illa
Aazham edhu aiyaa
Andha pombala manasu dhaanya
Aazham edhu aiyaa
Andha pombala manasu dhaanya
Adi ammaadi…
Adhan aazham paarthadhaaru
Adi aathaadi…
Adha paartha pera kooru nee
Aarum adhu aazham illa
Adhu serum kadalum aazham illa
Aazham edhu aiyaa
Andha pombala manasu dhaanya
Aazham edhu aiyaa
Andha pombala manasu dhaanya
Maadi veetu kanni ponnu
Manasukkulla rendu kannu
Ezha kanna yenga vittu
Innum onna thedudhammaa
Kannukkulla minnum maiyi
Ullukkulla ellaam poiyi
Sonna sollu enna aachu
Sondhamellaam engae pohu
Nesam andha paasam
Adhu ellaam veli vesham
Thera pottu senja mosamae
Aarum adhu aazham illa
Adhu serum kadalum aazham illa
Aazham edhu aiyaa
Andha pombala manasu dhaanya
Aazham edhu aiyaa
Andha pombala manasu dhaanya
Mmm…mmm…mm
Mmm..mmm…mm…
Mmm…mmm…mm
Mmm…mmm…mmm…
Mmm…mmm….mmm…
Thanniyila kolam podu
Aadi kaathil dheebam yethu
Aagaayathil kotta kattu
Andharathil thottam podu
Aandavana kootti vandhu
Avana angae kaaval podu
Athanaiyum nadakkum aiyaa
Aasa vachaa kedaikkum aiyaa
Aana kedaikkaadhu
Nee aasa vaikkum maadhu
Aval nenjam yaavum vanjamae
Aarum adhu aazham illa
Adhu serum kadalum aazham illa
Aazham edhu aiyaa
Andha pombala manasu dhaanya
Aazham edhu aiyaa
Andha pombala manasu dhaanya
Adi ammaadi…
Adhan aazham paarthadhaaru
Adi aathaadi…
Adha paartha pera kooru nee
Aarum adhu aazham illa
Adhu serum kadalum aazham illa
Aazham edhu aiyaa
Andha pombala manasu dhaanya
Aazham edhu aiyaa
Andha pombala manasu dhaanya
Mmm... mmm... mm
Mmm... mmm... mm... mmm... mmm...
The river is not deep,
nor is the sea it joins.
The river is not deep,
nor is the sea it joins.
What is truly deep, my friend?
It is a woman's heart!
What is truly deep, my friend?
It is a woman's heart!
Oh goodness me...
who has ever reached its depths?
Oh mother dear...
tell me of anyone who has measured it!
The river is not deep,
nor is the sea it joins.
What is truly deep, my friend?
It is a woman's heart!
What is truly deep, my friend?
It is a woman's heart!
The girl in the grand house,
keeps a roaming eye inside her heart.
Leaving a poor man's eyes longing,
she goes searching for someone new.
The kohl sparkles in her eyes,
yet everything inside is a lie.
What happened to the promises made?
Where did all that closeness go?
That love and that affection,
were merely an outward disguise,
a deceit played behind a veil!
The river is not deep,
nor is the sea it joins.
What is truly deep, my friend?
It is a woman's heart!
What is truly deep, my friend?
It is a woman's heart!
Mmm... mmm... mm
Mmm... mmm... mm...
Mmm... mmm... mm
Mmm... mmm... mmm...
Mmm... mmm... mmm...
Draw designs upon water,
light a lamp in the howling monsoon winds,
build a shelter in the open sky,
raise a garden in thin air,
bring God Himself down,
and place Him right there as a guard—
all of these may truly happen, my friend,
with enough will, you might achieve them.
Yet you can never truly win
the woman you give your heart to;
her entire heart is deceit!
The river is not deep,
nor is the sea it joins.
What is truly deep, my friend?
It is a woman's heart!
What is truly deep, my friend?
It is a woman's heart!
Oh goodness me...
who has ever reached its depths?
Oh mother dear...
tell me of anyone who has measured it!
The river is not deep,
nor is the sea it joins.
What is truly deep, my friend?
It is a woman's heart!
What is truly deep, my friend?
It is a woman's heart!
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Chorus
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

The song 'Aarum Adhu Aazham Illa' from the movie Muthal Vasantham (1986) is a philosophical and cynical reflection on the unpredictable and deceptive nature of human affection, specifically focusing on the heart of a woman who prioritizes wealth over true love. The singer compares physical depths like rivers and oceans to human emotions, concluding that natural bodies of water have measurable limits, whereas the deceit within a woman's mind is unfathomably deep.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Atisayokthi (Hyperbole)

Thanniyila kolam podu / Aadi kaathil dheebam yethu / Aagaayathil kotta kattu

Extravagant impossibilities such as drawing patterns on water or building castles in the sky are listed to emphasize how winning a deceptive person's heart is even more impossible.

Metaphor & Imagery (Uruvagamm)

Aarum adhu aazham illa / Adhu serum kadalum aazham illa

Comparing natural physical depths of rivers and seas with the emotional fathomlessness of human deceit.

Moonaal / Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)

Thanniyila / Aadi / Aagaayathil / Andharathil / Aandavana

Repetition of initial vowel sounds creating rhythmic resonance across consecutive lines.

Did you know?

Trivia

Although listed with unknown credits in some records, this iconic song was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, with lyrics penned by veteran lyricist Muthulingam and sung by the legendary playback singer Malaysia Vasudevan.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

From the same album

More songs from Muthal Vasantham

View album

Spot an issue?

Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.