Alaipayuthey Kanna
From Alaipayuthey · 2000
- Lyricist
- Oothukkadu Venkata Kavi
- Singers
- Harini, Kalyani Menon, Neyveli Ramalakshmi
- Music director
- A. R. Rahman
- Details
- Alaipayuthey2000
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Alaipaayudhae kannaa | Oh Krishna, my mind is wavering and tossing |
| En manam alaipaayudhae | My mind is wavering |
| Aanandha mogana venu gaanamadhil | In the blissful, enchanting music of your flute |
| Female | |
| Alaipaayudhae kannaa | Oh Krishna, my mind is wavering |
| En manam alaipaayudhae | My mind is wavering |
| Un aanandha mogana venu gaanamadhil | In your blissful, enchanting flute music |
| Alaipaayudhae kannaa aaaa… | Oh Krishna, it is wavering... |
| Female | |
| {Nilaipeyaraadhu | {Unmoving |
| Silaipolavae nindru} (2) | Standing motionless like a statue} |
| Neramaavadhariyaamalae | Unaware of the passage of time |
| Miga Vinodhamaana | Oh most wondrous |
| Muraleedharaa en manam | Flute-bearer Krishna, my mind |
| Alaipaayudhae kannaa aaaa… | Is wavering, Oh Krishna... |
| Female | |
| {Thelindha nilavu | {The clear moonlight |
| Pattappagal pol eriyudhae} (2) | Burns bright like broad daylight} |
| Dhikkai nokkien puruvam neriyudhae | My eyebrows knit as I gaze frantically in every direction |
| Female | |
| {Kanindha un venugaanam | {Your sweet flute music |
| Kaatril varugudhae} (2) | Floats through the breeze} |
| {Kangal sorugi oru vidhamaai | {My eyes droop and heavy slumber |
| Varugudhae} (2) | Arrives in a peculiar trance} |
| Female | |
| {Kadhiththa manaththil | {In my eager and anxious mind |
| Oruththi padhaththai | The supreme spot of your sole beloved |
| Enakku aliththu magizhththavaa (2) | Will you grant me and make me rejoice?} |
| {Oru thaniththa manaththil | {In a lonely, solitary heart |
| Anaiththu enakku | Embracing me completely |
| Unarchchi koduththu mugizhththavaa} (2) | Will you spark feelings and make me blossom?} |
| Female | |
| {Kanai kadal alaiyinil | {Like the reflection of sunlight on roaring ocean waves |
| Kadhiravan oliyena | Like the ray of light |
| Inaiyiru kazhalena kaliththavaa} (2) | Shall I rejoice at your pair of divine feet?} |
| {Kadhari manamurugi naan azhaikkavo | {Should I call out to you with a weeping, melting heart |
| Idhara maadharudan | While with other women |
| Nee kalikkavo} (2) | You play and make merry?} |
| Female | |
| {Idhu thagumo | {Is this proper? |
| Idhu muraiyo | Is this fair? |
| Idhu dharmam thaano} (2) | Is this righteous?} |
| Female | |
| Kuzhaloodhidum pozhudhu | When you play your flute |
| Aadigum kuzhaigal polavae | Just like your swaying earrings |
| Manadhu vedhanai migavodu | My mind, filled with immense anguish |
| Female | |
| Alaipaayudhae kannaa | Is wavering, Oh Krishna |
| En manam alaipaayudhae | My mind is wavering |
| Un aanandha mogana venu gaanamadhil | In your blissful, enchanting flute music |
| Alaipaayudhae kannaa aaaa…aaa… | Oh Krishna, my mind is wavering... |
அலைபாயுதே கண்ணா
என்மனம் அலைபாயுதே
ஆனந்த மோகன வேணுகானமதில்
Oh Krishna, my mind is wavering and tossing
My mind is wavering
In the blissful, enchanting music of your flute
அலைபாயுதே கண்ணா
என்மனம் அலைபாயுதே
உன் ஆனந்தமோகன வேணுகானமதில்
அலைபாயுதே கண்ணா ஆ ஆ
Oh Krishna, my mind is wavering
My mind is wavering
In your blissful, enchanting flute music
Oh Krishna, it is wavering...
நிலைபெயறாது
சிலைபோலவே நின்று
நிலைபெயறாது
சிலைபோலவே நின்று
நேரமாவதறியாமலே மிக
வினோதமான முரளீதரா
என்மனம் அலைபாயுதே
கண்ணா ஆ ஆ
{Unmoving
Standing motionless like a statue}
Unaware of the passage of time
Oh most wondrous
Flute-bearer Krishna, my mind
Is wavering, Oh Krishna...
தெளிந்தநிலவு
பட்டப்பகல்போல் எாியுதே
தெளிந்தநிலவு பட்டப்பகல்போல்
எாியுதே திக்கைநோக்கி என்புருவம்
நெறியுதே
{The clear moonlight
Burns bright like broad daylight}
My eyebrows knit as I gaze frantically in every direction
கனிந்த உன் வேணுகானம்
காற்றில் வருகுதே கனிந்த உன்
வேணுகானம் காற்றில் வருகுதே
கண்கள் சொருகி ஒருவிதமாய்
வருகுதே கண்கள் சொருகி
ஒருவிதமாய் வருகுதே
{Your sweet flute music
Floats through the breeze}
{My eyes droop and heavy slumber
Arrives in a peculiar trance}
{ கதித்தமனத்தில்
ஒருத்தி பதத்தை எனக்கு
அளித்து மகிழ்த்தவா } (2)
{ ஒரு தனித்தமனத்தில்
அணைத்து எனக்கு
உணா்ச்சி கொடுத்து முகிழ்த்தவா } (2)
{In my eager and anxious mind
The supreme spot of your sole beloved
Will you grant me and make me rejoice?}
{In a lonely, solitary heart
Embracing me completely
Will you spark feelings and make me blossom?}
{ கணைகடல் அலையினில்
கதிரவன் ஒளியென இணையிரு
கழலென களித்தவா } (2)
{ கதறிமனமுருகி நான்
அழைக்கவோ இதரமாதருடன்
நீ களிக்கவோ } (2)
{Like the reflection of sunlight on roaring ocean waves
Like the ray of light
Shall I rejoice at your pair of divine feet?}
{Should I call out to you with a weeping, melting heart
While with other women
You play and make merry?}
இது தகுமோ இது
முறையோ இது தா்மம்
தானோ } (2)
{Is this proper?
Is this fair?
Is this righteous?}
குழலூதிடும்பொழுது
ஆடிகும் குழைகள்போலவே
மனது வேதனைமிகவொடு
When you play your flute
Just like your swaying earrings
My mind, filled with immense anguish
அலைபாயுதே கண்ணா
என்மனம் அலைபாயுதே
உன் ஆனந்தமோகன வேணுகானமதில்
அலைபாயுதே கண்ணா ஆ ஆ
Is wavering, Oh Krishna
My mind is wavering
In your blissful, enchanting flute music
Oh Krishna, my mind is wavering...
Alaipaayudhae kannaa
Oh Krishna, my mind is wavering and tossing
En manam alaipaayudhae
My mind is wavering
Aanandha mogana venu gaanamadhil
In the blissful, enchanting music of your flute
Alaipaayudhae kannaa
Oh Krishna, my mind is wavering
En manam alaipaayudhae
My mind is wavering
Un aanandha mogana venu gaanamadhil
In your blissful, enchanting flute music
Alaipaayudhae kannaa aaaa…
Oh Krishna, it is wavering...
{Nilaipeyaraadhu
{Unmoving
Silaipolavae nindru} (2)
Standing motionless like a statue}
Neramaavadhariyaamalae
Unaware of the passage of time
Miga Vinodhamaana
Oh most wondrous
Muraleedharaa en manam
Flute-bearer Krishna, my mind
Alaipaayudhae kannaa aaaa…
Is wavering, Oh Krishna...
{Thelindha nilavu
{The clear moonlight
Pattappagal pol eriyudhae} (2)
Burns bright like broad daylight}
Dhikkai nokkien puruvam neriyudhae
My eyebrows knit as I gaze frantically in every direction
{Kanindha un venugaanam
{Your sweet flute music
Kaatril varugudhae} (2)
Floats through the breeze}
{Kangal sorugi oru vidhamaai
{My eyes droop and heavy slumber
Varugudhae} (2)
Arrives in a peculiar trance}
{Kadhiththa manaththil
{In my eager and anxious mind
Oruththi padhaththai
The supreme spot of your sole beloved
Enakku aliththu magizhththavaa (2)
Will you grant me and make me rejoice?}
{Oru thaniththa manaththil
{In a lonely, solitary heart
Anaiththu enakku
Embracing me completely
Unarchchi koduththu mugizhththavaa} (2)
Will you spark feelings and make me blossom?}
{Kanai kadal alaiyinil
{Like the reflection of sunlight on roaring ocean waves
Kadhiravan oliyena
Like the ray of light
Inaiyiru kazhalena kaliththavaa} (2)
Shall I rejoice at your pair of divine feet?}
{Kadhari manamurugi naan azhaikkavo
{Should I call out to you with a weeping, melting heart
Idhara maadharudan
While with other women
Nee kalikkavo} (2)
You play and make merry?}
{Idhu thagumo
{Is this proper?
Idhu muraiyo
Is this fair?
Idhu dharmam thaano} (2)
Is this righteous?}
Kuzhaloodhidum pozhudhu
When you play your flute
Aadigum kuzhaigal polavae
Just like your swaying earrings
Manadhu vedhanai migavodu
My mind, filled with immense anguish
Alaipaayudhae kannaa
Is wavering, Oh Krishna
En manam alaipaayudhae
My mind is wavering
Un aanandha mogana venu gaanamadhil
In your blissful, enchanting flute music
Alaipaayudhae kannaa aaaa…aaa…
Oh Krishna, my mind is wavering...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Alaipayuthey Kanna is a classic Tamil composition written by Oothukkadu Venkata Kavi and adapted into modern cinema by A.R. Rahman for Mani Ratnam's 2000 film Alaipayuthey. The song expresses the profound spiritual and emotional turmoil of a devotee (or Radha) yearning for Lord Krishna. Enchanted by the divine melody of Krishna's flute, her mind tosses frantically like ocean waves, completely losing track of time and sense of reality. She experiences intense sensory illusions—where soft moonlight feels as scorching as bright daylight and her eyes heavy in a mystic trance. She questions Krishna's teasing neglect and playfully asks if it is fair for him to make merry with other maidens while her heart aches for his exclusive grace. The song beautifully captures 'Nayaka-Nayaki Bhava'—the ultimate longing of the human soul to unite with the Supreme Soul.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Upamai)
“Silaipolavae nindru”
Compares standing unmoving in a trance to a statue ('Silaipolavae').
Simile (Upamai)
“Pattappagal pol eriyudhae”
Compares the brightness/intensity of the clear moonlight to broad daylight ('Pattappagal pol').
Metaphor / Visual Imagery
“Kanai kadal alaiyinil Kadhiravan oliyena”
Compares the shine of divine feet to sunlight reflecting off oceanic waves.
Simile (Upamai)
“Aadigum kuzhaigal polavae”
Compares the restless swaying of her heart/mind in pain to the rhythmic movement of Krishna's earrings while playing the flute.
Rhetorical Question & Anaphora
“Idhu thagumo Idhu muraiyo Idhu dharmam thaano”
Repeated intense questioning ('Idhu thagumo, Idhu muraiyo, Idhu dharmam thaano') to emphasize emotional anguish.
Did you know?
Trivia
Originally composed in the Carnatic Raga Kanada and Talam Adi by the 18th-century composer Oothukkadu Venkata Kavi, this song is a masterpiece of Tamil classical music. A.R. Rahman re-imagined the classical piece with contemporary orchestration for Mani Ratnam's hit movie Alaipayuthey (2000), sung exquisitely by Sona Mohapatra, Harini, and K.S. Chithra across soundtrack tracks, bringing an 18th-century masterpiece to modern pop culture.
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