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Aasai Alaigal album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Anbu Enbathu

From Aasai Alaigal · 1963

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
Sirkazhi Govindarajan, L. R. Eswari, K. Jamunarani
Music director
K. V. Mahadevan
Movie name
Aasai Alaigal
Movie release year
1963
Lyrics added on
17 Sept 2021

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Alli alli koduththa pothum kuraivillaathathu
Kallarukkum kaavalarkkum elimaiyaanathu
Ullam enbathullavarkku unmaiyaanathu
Ulagam enbathullavarai uruthiyaanathu
Anbu enbathae dheivamaanathu
Anbu enbathae inbamaanathu
Anbu enbathae dheivamaanathu
Anbu enbathae inbamaanathu
Anbu enbathae dheivamaanathu
Madhaththin meedhu vaiththa anbu pakthi aanathu
Manithan meedhu vaiththa anbu paasamaanathu
Madhaththin meedhu vaiththa anbu pakthi aanathu
Manithan meedhu vaiththa anbu paasamaanathu
Idhayam meedhu vaiththa anbu unmaiyaanathu
Idhayam meedhu vaiththa anbu unmaiyaanathu
Yaezhai meedhu vaiththa anbu karunaiyaanathu
Yaezhai meedhu vaiththa anbu karunaiyaanathu
Anbu enbathae dheivamaanathu
Anbu enbathae inbamaanathu
Anbu enbathae dheivamaanathu
Arivillaatha manithar ullam arullilaathathu
Arullillaatha manithar ullam panivillaathathu
Arivillaatha manithar ullam arullilaathathu
Arullillaatha manithar ullam panivillaathathu
Panivillaatha manithar ullam panbillaathathu
Panivillaatha manithar ullam panbillaathathu
Panbillaatha manithar ullam anbillaathathu
Panbillaatha manithar ullam anbillaathathu
Anbu enbathae dheivamaanathu
Anbu enbathae inbamaanathu
Anbu enbathae dheivamaanathu
Pon padaiththa manithar kodi naaial Vaangalaam
Bhoomi veedu kaadu maedu karaigal vaangalaam
Pon padaiththa manithar kodi naaial Vaangalaam
Bhoomi veedu kaadu maedu karaigal vaangalaam
Anbu ennum porulai
Entha ulagil vaangalaaam
Anbu ennum porulai
Entha ulagil vaangalaaam
Nalla annai thantha pillai vaazhum
Manaiyil vaangalaam
Nalla annai thantha pillai vaazhum
Manaiyil vaangalaam
Anbu enbathae dheivamaanathu
Anbu enbathae inbamaanathu….
Anbu enbathae dheivamaanathu
Anbu enbathae inbamaanathu…..
Anbu enbathae dheivamaanathu…..
Even when given away endlessly, it never runs dry.
It is simple and open to both the thief and the guard.
It is genuine to those who truly have a heart.
It remains steadfast as long as this world exists.
Love itself is divine.
Love itself is pure joy.
Love itself is divine.
Love itself is pure joy.
Love itself is divine.
Love directed toward religion becomes devotion.
Love directed toward a fellow human becomes affection.
Love directed toward religion becomes devotion.
Love directed toward a fellow human becomes affection.
Love placed upon a heart is true.
Love placed upon a heart is true.
Love shown to the poor becomes compassion.
Love shown to the poor becomes compassion.
Love itself is divine.
Love itself is pure joy.
Love itself is divine.
The heart of a person without wisdom lacks grace.
The heart of a person without grace lacks humility.
The heart of a person without wisdom lacks grace.
The heart of a person without grace lacks humility.
The heart of a person without humility lacks good character.
The heart of a person without humility lacks good character.
The heart of a person without good character lacks love.
The heart of a person without good character lacks love.
Love itself is divine.
Love itself is pure joy.
Love itself is divine.
With wealth, one can buy millions of hounds,
One can buy land, houses, forests, hills, and shores.
With wealth, one can buy millions of hounds,
One can buy land, houses, forests, hills, and shores.
Yet the treasure called love,
In which world can it ever be bought?
Yet the treasure called love,
In which world can it ever be bought?
In the home where a good mother's child lives,
That is where it can be found.
In the home where a good mother's child lives,
That is where it can be found.
Love itself is divine.
Love itself is pure joy...
Love itself is divine.
Love itself is pure joy...
Love itself is divine...
Female
Chorus
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Female
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Male
Male
Chorus
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Female
Female
Female
Female
Chorus
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Written by the legendary lyricist Kannadasan for the film Aasai Alaigal (1963), this song presents a profound philosophical reflection on love (Anbu) as the ultimate divine force. The lyrics explain that love is inexhaustible and accessible to all regardless of status. Kannadasan categorizes love based on its focus—becoming devotion when directed at faith, affection toward people, truth in the soul, and mercy toward the needy. The second stanza employs a step-by-step ethical chain, connecting wisdom, grace, humility, character, and love, demonstrating that a heart lacking moral discipline ultimately lacks true love. Finally, the lyricist contrasts material riches with spiritual virtue, emphasizing that while money can purchase land and luxury, true love can only be nurtured within a home blessed by a good mother.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Anadiplosis / Chain Rhyme (Thodarnilai)

“Arivillaatha manithar ullam arullilaathathu / Arullillaatha manithar ullam panivillaathathu”

The ending word of one line becomes the starting theme of the next line, forming a logical cascade (Wisdom -> Grace -> Humility -> Character -> Love).

Refrain (Pallavi Repetition)

“Anbu enbathae dheivamaanathu”

The thematic chorus 'Anbu enbathae dheivamaanathu' recurs throughout the song to anchor the central philosophical thesis.

Parallelism / Morphological Rhyme (Iyaibu)

“Madhaththin meedhu vaiththa anbu pakthi aanathu / Manithan meedhu vaiththa anbu paasamaanathu”

Matching suffixes ending in '-aanathu' across lines to build rhythmic harmony.

Did you know?

Trivia

Aasai Alaigal (1963) featured music composed by A. S. Rajagopal. Kannadasan's lyrical exposition of 'Anbu' in this song remains one of classic Tamil cinema's purest simplified explanations of ethical philosophy.

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