Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Aasai Magane

From Vaanavil · 2000

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
Malaysia Vasudevan
Music director
Deva
Details
Vaanavil2000

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Chorus
……………………….Wake up, my beloved son, my beloved son
Male
Aasai maganae aasai maganae enthiriTomorrow, you will be the minister!
Naalai neethaandaa manthiriWake up, my beloved son, my beloved son
Aasai maganae aasai maganae enthiriTomorrow, you will be the minister!
Naalai neethaandaa manthiriIn the cactus of the dry black-soil land
Male
Karisa kaattu kalliyilaeYou were born and sprouted
Nee molaichchavandaaEven if I have to carry stones for hard labor
Unna kal sumanthaachchumYour father will educate you
Padikka vaippan un appandaaNo need for sickles, no need for spears
Male
Vettaruvaa venaam vel kambum vaenaamThrow away all knives and pick up books!
Kaththiyellam thoorapottu puththakaththai thookkuWake up, my beloved son, my beloved son
Male
Aasai maganae aasai maganae enthiriTomorrow, you will be the minister!
Naalai neethaandaa manthiriI will roast goat liver for you
Male
Aattu eeral suttuththaaraenI will feed you jaggery
Achchuvellam thottuththaaraenI will extract country chicken broth
Naattu kozhi saaru erakkiAnd pour healthy sesame oil for you
Nallennaiyyum ooththithaaraenEvery single letter in the book
Puththakaththil ovvoru ezhuththumMust enter your mind
Puththikulla saeranumaeYou must win a gold medal
Nee ponnu meddal vaanganumaeBecause of the fame you bring
Male
Unakku vantha pugazhaalMy twirled mustache should rise high with pride
Enakku murukku meesai yaeranumaeThe whole town should go crazy with wonder!
Oor kirukku pidichchu poganumaeMy son, on the crown of your head
Maganae un uchchanthalaiyilI rub oil lovingly
Ennaei vachchi thaekkiraendaaMy son, for your education
Maganae un padippukkaagaI exhaust myself completely
Ennai naanae thaekkiraendaaStudy fervently and zealously
Male
Nee sudasuda sudasuda padidaaWake up the sun itself!
Nee sooriyanai ezhuppi vidudaaStudy fervently and zealously
Nee sudasuda sudasuda padidaaWake up the sun itself!
Nee sooriyanai ezhuppi vidudaaLong live my loving son, long live the rivers and towns
Male
Anbu magan vaazhga aarum oorum vaazhgaIn your IAS territory, may your father's name live long!
Un ias ooraththil appan perum vaazhgaWake up, my beloved son, my beloved son
Male
Aasai maganae aasai maganae enthiriTomorrow, you will be the minister!
Naalai neethaandaa manthiriWake up, my beloved son, my beloved son
Aasai maganae aasai maganae enthiriTomorrow, you will be the minister!
Naalai neethaandaa manthiriWe survived famine under the harsh forest heat
Male
Kaattu veyilil panjam pozhachchomWe sold the plow just to drink simple porridge
Kalappai viththu kanji kudichchomServing buffalo curd rice
Erumai thayiru soru pottuWe raised you by feeding only you well
Unna mattum ootti valaththomEven if we spend everything we have
Moththam ellam selavazhichchaalumWhat remains is you, isn't it?
Michcham iruppathu nee allavaaYou are the seed paddy reserved for future crops, aren't you?
Nee vedhaikku vachcha nel allavaaIn the nursery fields
Male
NaattarangaalilI planted you as a seed
Naan unna vidhaichchenAren't you tomorrow's harvest?
Naalai vilaichchal neeyallavaaAren't you food for the whole nation?
Nee naattukellaam unavallavaaRain-dependent dry farmland
Male
Mazhai paarkkum maanavaariYields crops one day a year
Varusham oru naal vilaiyumadaaEven a dark rainy night
Mazhaikaala iravumkoodaWill surely break into a new day tomorrow
Maru naal nichchayam vidiyumadaaGo forward believing in the truth
Male
Nee saththiyaththai nambi nambi podaaGoddess Saraswathi will surely come to you, my boy
Antha sarashwathi varuvaa vaadaaGo forward believing in the truth
Nee saththiyaththai nambi nambi podaaGoddess Saraswathi will surely come to you, my boy
Antha sarashwathi varuvaa vaadaaLong live my loving son, long live the rivers and towns
Male
Anbu magan vaazhga aarum oorum vaazhgaIn your IAS territory, may your father's name live long!
Un ias ooraththil appan perum vaazhgaWake up, my beloved son, my beloved son
Male
Aasai maganae aasai maganae enthiriTomorrow, you will be the minister!
Naalai neethaandaa manthiriIn the cactus of the dry black-soil land
Male
Karisa kaattu kalliyilaeYou were born and sprouted
Nee molaichchavandaaEven if I have to carry stones for hard labor
Unna kal sumanthaachchumYour father will educate you
Padikka vaippan un appandaaNo need for sickles, no need for spears
Male
Vettaruvaa venaam vel kambum vaenaamThrow away all knives and pick up books!
Kaththiyellam thoorapottu puththakaththai thookku
Chorus
………………..

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Aasai Magane is a powerful, emotionally charged song from the movie Vaanavil (2000) that depicts an impoverished rural father encouraging his son to pursue education. Written by Vairamuthu, the lyricist uses grounded agrarian metaphors to illustrate the extreme hardships and sacrifices the family has endured during times of drought and poverty. The father urges his son to discard weapons and violence, urging him to pick up books instead to rise to high administrative positions like an IAS officer or minister.\n\nThe song portrays the child as the 'seed paddy' saved for future prosperity, highlighting education as the ultimate equalizer that can transform not only a family's destiny but also uplift an entire region. Through vibrant imagery of rustic care, parental pride, and unyielding hope, the song serves as a timeless anthem for social mobility through learning.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamaani)

Nee vedhaikku vachcha nel allavaa

Compares the child to seed-paddy (vedhaikku vachcha nel) preserved through famine to yield the future harvest for society.

Juxtaposition / Contrast

Vettaruvaa venaam vel kambum vaenaam / Kaththiyellam thoorapottu puththakaththai thookku

Contrasts instruments of violence (sickles, spears, knives) with books, advocating education as the true weapon for social change.

Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navortchi)

Nee sooriyanai ezhuppi vidudaa

Exaggerates the student's morning dedication by commanding him to wake up before the sun and wake the sun itself up.

Alliteration (Monai)

Karisa kaattu kalliyilae

Repetition of the initial 'K' sound across words creates a strong rhythmic phonetic emphasis.

Did you know?

Trivia

The music for Vaanavil (2000) was composed by S. A. Rajkumar, with lyrics penned by Vairamuthu. The film starred Arjun Sarja and Abhirami. This song remains one of the most prominent motivational tracks in Tamil cinema highlighting the transformative power of education over rural caste violence and poverty.

Keep listening

More from Vaanavil