Amuthe Odi Vaa
From Kuzhanthaigal Kanda Kudiyarasu · 1960
- Lyricist
- Ku. Ma. Balasubramaniam
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- T. G. Lingappa
- Details
- Kuzhanthaigal Kanda Kudiyarasu1960
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Amma vedhanai kaatchiyae | Oh Mother, do your eyes not see this painful sight? |
| Vizhi kaanavillaiyoo | Can your eyes not behold this vision? |
| Sodhanai yen amma | Why this ordeal, oh Mother? |
| Amirthavarshini..amirthavarshini | Amirthavarshini.. Amirthavarshini.. |
| Female | |
| Amudhae odi vaa | Oh nectar of rain, come running! |
| Amudhae odi vaa | Oh nectar of rain, come running! |
| Vaan amudhae odi vaa | Oh celestial nectar, come running! |
| Amaidhi soozha ulagam vaazha arul mazhai | A rain of grace for peace to surround and the world to thrive, |
| Amudhae odi vaa | Oh nectar of rain, come running! |
| Female | |
| Mannan needhiyil maaruvadhalae | Just because the king departs from righteousness, |
| Vaanum vanjanai seidhidalaamoo | Should the sky also commit such betrayal? |
| Mannan needhiyil maaruvadhalae | Just because the king departs from righteousness, |
| Vaanum vanjanai seidhidalaamoo | Should the sky also commit such betrayal? |
| Enna tholaiyaa ezhai maandhargal | Is it not enough that poor people suffer endlessly, |
| Yengi vaadudhal podhadho | Longing and wilting away? |
| Female | |
| Amudhae odi vaa | Oh nectar of rain, come running! |
| Vaan amudhae odi vaa | Oh celestial nectar, come running! |
| Female | |
| Nallavar vaazha peidhidum mazhaiyaal | By the rain that falls so good people may live, |
| Nallavar vaazha peidhidum mazhaiyaal | By the rain that falls so good people may live, |
| Naadum vaazhndhidum enbathum poiyoo | Is it false to say the entire land prospers? |
| Nellum valamum niraiya seivadhu | To fill the land with abundant paddy and wealth, |
| Neer illamal veredhu | What else is there besides water? |
| Female | |
| Amudhae odi vaa | Oh nectar of rain, come running! |
| Female | |
| Uzhavor adaintha thuyaraal varunthi | Grieving over the sorrow borne by farmers, |
| Venmegam maeni karukkave | May the white clouds turn dark in sympathy! |
| Mazhai neer sumandha mugilae kavindhu | Oh clouds laden with rain water, gather low, |
| Adi vaanamengum nerukkavae | Crowding across the horizon! |
| Female | |
| Vizhipola minnal thirakkavae | Let lightning open like flashing eyes, |
| Idiyosai vinnil muzhakkave | Let thunder roar loud in the sky, |
| Sezhikkavae puvikkellam | For the entire earth to flourish, |
| Mazhai muthin thuli sindha magizhvodu | Scatter pearls of rain drops with joy! |
| Female | |
| Amudhae odi vaa | Oh nectar of rain, come running! |
| Amudhae odi vaa | Oh nectar of rain, come running! |
| Vaan amudhae odi vaa | Oh celestial nectar, come running! |
| Odi vaa ..odi vaa.. odi vaa | Come running.. come running.. come running! |
அம்மா வேதனைக் காட்சியே
விழிக் காணவில்லையோ
சோதனை ஏனம்மா
அமிர்தவர்ஷிணி.......அமிர்தவர்ஷிணி.......
Oh Mother, do your eyes not see this painful sight?
Can your eyes not behold this vision?
Why this ordeal, oh Mother?
Amirthavarshini.. Amirthavarshini..
அமுதே ஓடிவா
அமுதே ஓடிவா
வானமுதே ஓடி வா
அமைதி சூழ உலகம் வாழ அருள்மழை
அமுதே ஓடிவா
Oh nectar of rain, come running!
Oh nectar of rain, come running!
Oh celestial nectar, come running!
A rain of grace for peace to surround and the world to thrive,
Oh nectar of rain, come running!
மன்னன் நீதியில் மாறுவதாலே
வானும் வஞ்சனை செய்திடலாமோ
மன்னன் நீதியில் மாறுவதாலே
வானும் வஞ்சனை செய்திடலாமோ
எண்ணத் தொலையா ஏழை மாந்தர்கள்
ஏங்கி வாடுதல் போதாதோ.......
Just because the king departs from righteousness,
Should the sky also commit such betrayal?
Just because the king departs from righteousness,
Should the sky also commit such betrayal?
Is it not enough that poor people suffer endlessly,
Longing and wilting away?
அமுதே ஓடிவா
வானமுதே ஓடி வா
Oh nectar of rain, come running!
Oh celestial nectar, come running!
நல்லவர் வாழப் பெய்திடும் மழையால்
நல்லவர் வாழப் பெய்திடும் மழையால்
நாடும் வாழ்ந்திடும் என்பதும் பொய்யோ
நெல்லும் வளமும் நிறையச் செய்வது
நீரில்லாமல் வேறேது........
By the rain that falls so good people may live,
By the rain that falls so good people may live,
Is it false to say the entire land prospers?
To fill the land with abundant paddy and wealth,
What else is there besides water?
அமுதே ஓடிவா
Oh nectar of rain, come running!
உழவோரடைந்த துயரால் வருந்தி
வெண்மேகம் மேனி கருக்கவே
மழைநீர் சுமந்த முகிலே கவிந்து
அடிவானமெங்கும் நெருக்கவே
Grieving over the sorrow borne by farmers,
May the white clouds turn dark in sympathy!
Oh clouds laden with rain water, gather low,
Crowding across the horizon!
விழிபோல மின்னல் திறக்கவே
இடியோசை விண்ணில் முழக்கவே
செழிக்கவே புவிக்கெல்லாம்
மழை முத்தின் துளி சிந்த மகிழ்வோடு
Let lightning open like flashing eyes,
Let thunder roar loud in the sky,
For the entire earth to flourish,
Scatter pearls of rain drops with joy!
அமுதே ஓடிவா
அமுதே ஓடிவா
வானமுதே ஓடி வா
ஓடி வா ஓடி வா ஓடி வா
Oh nectar of rain, come running!
Oh nectar of rain, come running!
Oh celestial nectar, come running!
Come running.. come running.. come running!
Amma vedhanai kaatchiyae
Oh Mother, do your eyes not see this painful sight?
Vizhi kaanavillaiyoo
Can your eyes not behold this vision?
Sodhanai yen amma
Why this ordeal, oh Mother?
Amirthavarshini..amirthavarshini
Amirthavarshini.. Amirthavarshini..
Amudhae odi vaa
Oh nectar of rain, come running!
Amudhae odi vaa
Oh nectar of rain, come running!
Vaan amudhae odi vaa
Oh celestial nectar, come running!
Amaidhi soozha ulagam vaazha arul mazhai
A rain of grace for peace to surround and the world to thrive,
Amudhae odi vaa
Oh nectar of rain, come running!
Mannan needhiyil maaruvadhalae
Just because the king departs from righteousness,
Vaanum vanjanai seidhidalaamoo
Should the sky also commit such betrayal?
Mannan needhiyil maaruvadhalae
Just because the king departs from righteousness,
Vaanum vanjanai seidhidalaamoo
Should the sky also commit such betrayal?
Enna tholaiyaa ezhai maandhargal
Is it not enough that poor people suffer endlessly,
Yengi vaadudhal podhadho
Longing and wilting away?
Amudhae odi vaa
Oh nectar of rain, come running!
Vaan amudhae odi vaa
Oh celestial nectar, come running!
Nallavar vaazha peidhidum mazhaiyaal
By the rain that falls so good people may live,
Nallavar vaazha peidhidum mazhaiyaal
By the rain that falls so good people may live,
Naadum vaazhndhidum enbathum poiyoo
Is it false to say the entire land prospers?
Nellum valamum niraiya seivadhu
To fill the land with abundant paddy and wealth,
Neer illamal veredhu
What else is there besides water?
Amudhae odi vaa
Oh nectar of rain, come running!
Uzhavor adaintha thuyaraal varunthi
Grieving over the sorrow borne by farmers,
Venmegam maeni karukkave
May the white clouds turn dark in sympathy!
Mazhai neer sumandha mugilae kavindhu
Oh clouds laden with rain water, gather low,
Adi vaanamengum nerukkavae
Crowding across the horizon!
Vizhipola minnal thirakkavae
Let lightning open like flashing eyes,
Idiyosai vinnil muzhakkave
Let thunder roar loud in the sky,
Sezhikkavae puvikkellam
For the entire earth to flourish,
Mazhai muthin thuli sindha magizhvodu
Scatter pearls of rain drops with joy!
Amudhae odi vaa
Oh nectar of rain, come running!
Amudhae odi vaa
Oh nectar of rain, come running!
Vaan amudhae odi vaa
Oh celestial nectar, come running!
Odi vaa ..odi vaa.. odi vaa
Come running.. come running.. come running!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This classic song 'Amudhae Odi Vaa' is a heartfelt prayer for rain set in the raga Amritavarshini, which is traditionally believed in Carnatic music to evoke rainfall. The singer appeals to the divine mother and nature, questioning why the sky acts so cruelly toward the poor and the hardworking farmers simply because of earthly rulers' misdeeds.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Raga Mudra (Integration of Raga Name)
“Amirthavarshini..amirthavarshini”
The lyrics explicitly incorporate the name of the Carnatic ragam 'Amirthavarshini' in which the song is composed.
Personification / Tharkurippetram
“Uzhavor adaintha thuyaraal varunthi Venmegam maeni karukkave”
The clouds are personified as compassionate beings whose bodies turn black out of deep grief for the suffering farmers.
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Mazhai muthin thuli sindha magizhvodu”
Raindrops are poetically described as precious pearls falling from the heavens.
Refrain (Anaphora)
“Amudhae odi vaa”
The recurring invocation 'Amudhae odi vaa' creates rhythmic urgency and emotional longing for the rain.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song is composed in the Carnatic scale Amritavarshini, legendary for its power to induce rain. T. G. Lingappa created a masterpiece featuring P. Susheela's resonant vocals in the 1960 film 'Kuzhanthaigal Kanda Kudiyarasu', an adaptation of the fable 'Kingdom of Children'.
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