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Isaimozhi
Anbe Sangeetha album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Adi Aatha Aatha

From Anbe Sangeetha · 1979

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
Ilayaraja
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Anbe Sangeetha
Movie release year
1979
Lyrics added on
25 Apr 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Kanthanukku rendu
Kannanukku rendu
Enthanukku rendu pondaatti undu…
Kettukkadi aathaa paathukkadi aathaa
Kovikkaama enna yethukkadi aathaa…
Adi aathaa aathaa aathaa aathaa
Rendu pondaatti naan katti paathaa
Patta paatta nee kelaendi aathaa
Adi aathaa aathaa aathaa aathaa
Rendu pondaatti naan katti paathaa
Patta paatta nee kelaendi aathaa
Naan aathula konjam saethula konjam
Kaala vachenadi aathaa
Ippa ennatha pannattum
Adi aathaa aathaa aathaa aathaa
Rendu pondaatti naan katti paathaa
Patta paatta nee kelaendi aathaa
Saamanthi poo onnu poothaa
Adha suthaadho pon vandu paathaa
Onnoda innonnu saethaa
Thappu ennaannu kekkuren aathaa
Pondaatti rendaanaa thindaattam thaanaa
Ennatha naan pannattum
Ada andhanda indhanda engaeyum sanda
Yaar pakkan naan serattum
Poonaikkum thozhan
Paalukkum kaaval
Aan saadhi adhu thaandi aathaa
Andha arjunan pannaadha koothaa
Adi aathaa aathaa aathaa aathaa
Rendu pondaatti naan katti paathaa
Patta paatta nee kelaendi aathaa
Naan aathula konjam saethula konjam
Kaala vachenadi aathaa
Ippa ennatha pannattum
Aasaigal veesudhu kaathaa
Adhula aadudhu en nenju naathaa
Mogam thaan pongudhu oothaa
Adha unaraama udhaikkaadhae aathaa
Oru sodi maattukku
Yer kaalu onnu
Ariyaayo nee thangamae
Odura aathukku iru kara undu
Therinjum yen aadhangamae
Adi nee thaandi moothaa
Naan onnu serthaa
Oru mogam koraiyaadhu aathaa
Un azhagula radhi kooda thothaa
Adi aathaa aathaa aathaa aathaa
Rendu pondaatti naan katti paathaa
Patta paatta nee kelaendi aathaa
Naan aathula konjam saethula konjam
Kaala vachenadi aathaa
Ippa ennatha pannattum
Adi aathaa aathaa aathaa aathaa
Rendu pondaatti naan katti paathaa
Patta paatta nee kelaendi aathaa
Lord Murugan has two wives,
Lord Krishna has two wives,
and I too have two wives...
Listen to me, my dear, look at me, my dear,
Accept me without being angry, my dear...
Hey my dear, my dear, my dear, my dear!
Since I went and married two wives,
just listen to all the trouble I face, my dear!
Hey my dear, my dear, my dear, my dear!
Since I went and married two wives,
just listen to all the trouble I face, my dear!
Putting one foot in the river and one in the mud,
I have stepped in, my dear!
What am I supposed to do now?
Hey my dear, my dear, my dear, my dear!
Since I went and married two wives,
just listen to all the trouble I face, my dear!
When a chrysanthemum flower blooms,
won't a golden beetle hover around when it sees it?
If one is joined with another,
I ask you, what is wrong with that, my dear?
If you have two wives, is it always a struggle?
What on earth am I to do?
Fights over there, fights over here, fights everywhere!
Whose side should I take?
A friend to the cat,
and a guard for the milk—
that is just how men are, my dear!
Did even Arjuna not play such antics?
Hey my dear, my dear, my dear, my dear!
Since I went and married two wives,
just listen to all the trouble I face, my dear!
Putting one foot in the river and one in the mud,
I have stepped in, my dear!
What am I supposed to do now?
Desires blow like the wind,
and my heart sways in it like a young seedling!
Passion gushes out like a spring,
without understanding that, don't push me away, my dear!
For a pair of oxen,
there is only one plough,
don't you know this, my precious?
A flowing river has two banks,
knowing that, why this grief?
Hey, you are my first wife,
even if I took another,
my passion for you will never lessen, my dear!
Even Rathi (goddess of beauty) lost to your beauty!
Hey my dear, my dear, my dear, my dear!
Since I went and married two wives,
just listen to all the trouble I face, my dear!
Putting one foot in the river and one in the mud,
I have stepped in, my dear!
What am I supposed to do now?
Hey my dear, my dear, my dear, my dear!
Since I went and married two wives,
just listen to all the trouble I face, my dear!
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song presents a humorous and self-deprecating perspective of a man caught between two wives. He tries to justify his bigamous situation by referencing Hindu mythology—citing Lord Murugan, Lord Krishna, and Arjuna, all of whom had multiple wives—arguing that such desires are inherent to men. At the same time, he humorously laments the endless trouble, household fights, and dilemma he finds himself in, metaphorically describing his predicament as having one foot in a river and the other in mud. He desperately pleads with his senior wife to understand his desires, stop being angry, and accept the situation, reassuring her that his love for her remains unchanged.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Moonaik Kalai (Initial Alliteration)

“Kanthanukku rendu / Kannanukku rendu”

Matching initial consonant/vowel sounds in adjacent lines ('Kanthanukku' and 'Kannanukku').

Iyaiybu (End Rhyme)

“Aasaigal veesudhu kaathaa / Adhula aadudhu en nenju naathaa”

Consistent end-rhyming words across stanzas ('kaathaa', 'naathaa', 'oothaa', 'aathaa').

Metaphor (Uvamai / Uruvagamy)

“Naan aathula konjam saethula konjam / Kaala vachenadi aathaa”

Describes being trapped between two delicate situations as having 'one foot in the river and one in the mud'.

Mythological Allusion

“Kanthanukku rendu / Kannanukku rendu”

Invoking Hindu deities (Kanthan, Kannan) and epic heroes (Arjunan) to rationalize human behavior.

Did you know?

Trivia

The film 'Anbe Sangeetha' (1979) stars Jaishankar, Jayachitra, and Sumithra. The film's soundtrack was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, and this lighthearted folk-style track was sung by the versatile playback singer Malaysia Vasudevan. Lyricist Vaali utilized colloquial folk idioms and playful wordplay to convey comedic marital conflict.

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