Aranarul Ilangai Venthan
From Annai Abirami · 1972
- Lyricist
- Lyricist Not Known
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- Kunnakudi Vaithiyanathan
- Details
- Annai Abirami1972
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Aranarul ilangai venthan | The King of Lanka who had the grace of Lord Shiva |
| Aasaiyaal veezhnthaanandro | Fell from power and dignity due to desire, did he not? |
| Varam petra indhiranum chanthiranum | Even Indra and Chandra who received great boons |
| Tharam kettu ponaanandro | Lost their moral character and standard, did they not? |
| Female | |
| Mathi kettu vithiyum kettu | Losing wisdom and losing one's fate |
| Pathinettu naal por vanthu | A war lasting eighteen days came to pass |
| Mahabaharatham piranthatharkae kaaranam | The ultimate reason for the birth of the Mahabharata epic |
| Aasai andro | Is desire, is it not? |
| Kaaranam aasai andro…. | The root cause is desire, is it not? |
அரனருள் இலங்கை வேந்தன்
ஆசையால் வீழ்ந்தானன்றோ
வரம் பெற்ற இந்திரனும் சந்திரனும்
தரம் கெட்டு போனாறன்ரோ
The King of Lanka who had the grace of Lord Shiva
Fell from power and dignity due to desire, did he not?
Even Indra and Chandra who received great boons
Lost their moral character and standard, did they not?
மதி கெட்டு விதியும் கெட்டு
பதினெட்டு நாள் போர் வந்து
மகாபாரதம் பிறந்தற்கே காரணம்
ஆசை அன்றோ
காரணம் ஆசை அன்றோ.....
Losing wisdom and losing one's fate
A war lasting eighteen days came to pass
The ultimate reason for the birth of the Mahabharata epic
Is desire, is it not?
The root cause is desire, is it not?
Aranarul ilangai venthan
The King of Lanka who had the grace of Lord Shiva
Aasaiyaal veezhnthaanandro
Fell from power and dignity due to desire, did he not?
Varam petra indhiranum chanthiranum
Even Indra and Chandra who received great boons
Tharam kettu ponaanandro
Lost their moral character and standard, did they not?
Mathi kettu vithiyum kettu
Losing wisdom and losing one's fate
Pathinettu naal por vanthu
A war lasting eighteen days came to pass
Mahabaharatham piranthatharkae kaaranam
The ultimate reason for the birth of the Mahabharata epic
Aasai andro
Is desire, is it not?
Kaaranam aasai andro….
The root cause is desire, is it not?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This philosophical song from Annai Abirami warns against the destructive nature of uncontrolled desire (aasai). It draws upon classical Hindu epics and mythology to demonstrate how desire can bring down even the most powerful and divine beings. Ravana, the king of Lanka who was blessed by Lord Shiva, met his downfall because of lust, while gods like Indra and Chandra ruined their stature due to unbridled desire. Furthermore, the song points out that the catastrophic eighteen-day war of the Mahabharata, which destroyed wisdom and ruined destinies, was fundamentally caused by greed and desire. Ultimately, it serves as a moral lesson that unchecked desire is the primary root of destruction.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Iyaibu (End Rhyme)
“Aasaiyaal veezhnthaanandro / Tharam kettu ponaanandro”
The lines end with the rhyming suffix 'andro' ('veezhnthaanandro', 'ponaanandro', 'aasai andro'), creating a rhythmic and rhetorical cadence throughout the song.
Edhugai (Second Letter Assonance)
“Varam petra indhiranum chanthiranum / Tharam kettu ponaanandro”
The second letter consonant 'ra' rhymes across 'Varam' and 'Tharam' in consecutive lines.
Rhetorical Questioning
“Kaaranam aasai andro….”
The repeated use of 'andro' (meaning 'is it not so?') poses rhetorical questions to the listener to emphasize undeniable moral truths.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song uses iconic stories from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Puranas to deliver a universal moral message on the dangers of greed and lust. Music director Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan was renowned for infusing classical Carnatic nuances into dramatic cinematic narrative songs.
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