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Isaimozhi
Ennavale album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Adi Kadhal Enbathu

From Ennavale · 2001

Lyricist
Lyricist Not Known
Singer
Hariharan
Music director
S. A. Rajkumar
Movie name
Ennavale
Movie release year
2001
Lyrics added on
13 Mar 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Adi kaadhal enbadhu thoongum
Mirugam manasukul paduthirukum
Adhan irandu kangalum thoonguvadhillai
Oru kan vizhithirukum
Sakiyae adhu saadhuvaana oru
Saiva poonai pol ullae olindhirukum
Andha velai vandhadhum vishva roopam
Kondu veliyae kudhithuvidum
Kanmani kaadhal mirugam unakul illaiyaa
Adi kaadhal enbadhu thoongum
Mirugam manasukul paduthirukum
Adhan irandu kangalum thoonguvadhillai
Oru kan vizhithirukum
……………………………………………
Idi oli ketkum podhilum
Vedi oli ketkum podhilum
Kaadhal mirugam vizhikaadhu
Kan moodi thoongumae
Pookal malarum osaiyil
Pudavaiyin sarasara osaiyil
Kaadhal mirugam thidukitu
Thalai thooki paarkumae
Oru murai vizhithapin urangaadhamma
Irai thedum mirugam dhaan ennai thinnumaa
Naam irandu perum adhai adaka
Vendum konjam valimai serka vaamaa
Kanmani mirugam kondu deivam seivom
Adi kaadhal enbadhu thoongum
Mirugam manasukul paduthirukum
Adhan irandu kangalum thoonguvadhillai
Oru kan vizhithirukum
Kaadhal mirugam enbadhu
Ratham sadhaiyaa ketkudhu
Un koondhal poongaavil
Oru poovai ketkudhu
Meendum mirugam thoongavae
Kaadaa malaiyaa ketkudhu
Idupilum selai konda madipondru ketkudhu
Mirugam thavikudhae vazhi sollavaa
Mirugathai vadhaipadhu kutram allavaa
Madi thaangi koduka mella thadavi kodukka
Adhu thoonki pogum allavaa
Kanmani mirugam kondu deivam seivom
Adi kaadhal enbadhu thoongum
Mirugam manasukul paduthirukum
Adhan irandu kangalum thoonguvadhillai
Oru kan vizhithirukum
Sakiyae adhu saadhuvaana oru
Saiva poonai pol ullae olindhirukum
Andha velai vandhadhum vishva roopam
Kondu veliyae kudhithuvidum
Kanmani kaadhal mirugam unakul illaiyaa
Oh girl, love is a sleeping
beast lying inside the heart.
Both of its eyes never sleep;
one eye is always awake.
My love, like a gentle,
harmless vegetarian cat, it stays hidden inside.
When the right time comes, it takes on a giant form
and leaps right out!
My dearest, isn't there a beast of love inside you too?
Oh girl, love is a sleeping
beast lying inside the heart.
Both of its eyes never sleep;
one eye is always awake.
...
Even when thunder roars,
even when explosions blast,
the beast of love will not wake up;
it keeps its eyes closed and sleeps.
Yet at the soft sound of flowers blooming,
and the rustle of a saree,
the beast of love is startled,
lifts its head, and looks up.
Once it wakes up, it will not go back to sleep.
Will this hunting beast end up devouring me?
We both need to tame it;
come, give me a little strength!
My dearest, let us turn this beast into something divine.
Oh girl, love is a sleeping
beast lying inside the heart.
Both of its eyes never sleep;
one eye is always awake.
Does this beast of love
demand flesh and blood?
From the garden of your hair,
it only asks for a single flower.
For this beast to sleep once more,
does it ask for a forest or a mountain?
It only asks to rest in the lap of your saree.
The beast is restless; shall I tell you the remedy?
Isn't it a crime to torture this beast?
If you hold it in your lap and gently caress it,
it will quietly fall asleep, won't it?
My dearest, let us turn this beast into something divine.
Oh girl, love is a sleeping
beast lying inside the heart.
Both of its eyes never sleep;
one eye is always awake.
My love, like a gentle,
harmless vegetarian cat, it stays hidden inside.
When the right time comes, it takes on a giant form
and leaps right out!
My dearest, isn't there a beast of love inside you too?
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

The song 'Adi Kaadhal Enbadhu' creatively personifies love as a dormant, watchful beast residing within the human heart. It describes how this passion remains indifferent to loud, chaotic worldly sounds like thunder or explosions, yet instantly awakens to subtle, tender triggers such as the rustling of a loved one's saree or the whisper of blooming flowers. Once awakened, this raw emotional force demands warmth and intimacy rather than wild cravings. The protagonist calls upon his lover to help tame and channel this intense desire. Rather than letting the wild nature of love consume them, he envisions converting this primitive drive into a divine, holy bond through tender affection, gentle caresses, and mutual surrender.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

“Adi kaadhal enbadhu thoongum mirugam manasukul paduthirukum”

Love is directly metaphorized as a dormant 'mirugam' (beast) inside the mind.

Simile (Uvamai)

“Saiva poonai pol ullae olindhirukum”

The early, passive state of love is compared using 'pol' (like) to a innocent 'saiva poonai' (vegetarian cat).

Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navitchi)

“Andha velai vandhadhum vishva roopam kondu veliyae kudhithuvidum”

The sudden outburst of suppressed romantic feelings is exaggerated as taking a 'vishva roopam' (cosmic giant form).

Contrast / Juxtaposition

“Idi oli ketkum podhilum... Pookal malarum osaiyil”

Contrasts loud noises (thunder/explosions) that fail to awaken love with tiny delicate sounds (flowers blooming/saree rustling) that startle it awake.

Rhyme / Assonance (Edhugai)

“Idi oli ketkum podhilum / Vedi oli ketkum podhilum”

Second-letter rhyming between 'Idi' and 'Vedi', as well as 'Kaadaa' and 'Idupilum'.

Did you know?

Trivia

The song is from the 2001 Tamil romantic drama 'Ennavale', starring Madhavan and Sneha in her Tamil debut. The soundtrack was composed by S. A. Rajkumar, known for his melody-driven tracks during the late 1990s and early 2000s, with lyrics penned by Vairamuthu.

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