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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Arasana Nambi

From Irattai Roja · 1996

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
Malaysia Vasudevan, K. S. Chithra
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Irattai Roja1996

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Arasana nambiTrusting a king,
Purusana vittup puttaaA woman abandoned her husband.
Pen oruthiA woman,
Parandhadha nambiTrusting what flew in the sky,
Irundhadha vittu puttaaSembaruthi abandoned what she already possessed.
SembaruthiSembaruthi,
Aasaiyinaalae avadhi pattaaShe suffered because of her desires,
Arivum kettu asinga pattaaShe lost her wisdom and faced humiliation.
Padi thaandi ponaa ponadhu thaan diOnce she crossed the threshold, she was gone forever.
Female
O… ooo…Oh... ooo...
Unna thaan mala pola nambi irukkenI trusted you immensely like a mountain,
Enna mannikka venumaiyaa magaraasaaPlease forgive me, my great king.
Pattu thaan manam maari vandhu irukkenOnly after suffering have I had a change of heart and returned,
Enna yaethukka venumaiyaa chinna raasaaPlease accept me, my little king.
Male
Pen buthi ellaam pin buthiA woman's wisdom comes only hindward,
Adha summaavaa sonnaan raasaathiDid they say that without a reason, my princess?
Sanjalam ulla um buthiYour mind is filled with fickleness and doubt,
Adha saekkaadhu ingae em buthiMy mind will not accept that here.
Adi venaamae un sangaathamaeOh girl, I do not want your companionship!
Female
Unna thaan mala pola nambi irukkenI trusted you immensely like a mountain,
Enna mannikka venumaiyaa magaraasaaPlease forgive me, my great king.
Male
Ponnukkazhagaagum poovum pottumA woman's beauty is her flowers and bindi,
Kaasu panam endha mattumHow much ever money or wealth exists,
Kondavan paasamum naesamum thaanOnly the affection and love of her husband,
Kooda varum ulla mattumWill accompany her till the end of life.
Female
Akkarai ellaam pachaiyinnuBelieving that the grass on the other shore is greener,
Thappu kanakku pottenaiyaaI made a wrong calculation, my lord.
Akkarai ellaam pachaiyinnuBelieving that the grass on the other shore is greener,
Thappu kanakku pottenaiyaaI made a wrong calculation, my lord.
Naalum kettu kettu naalum buthi sollaAfter suffering endlessly and listening to advice daily,
Podhum podhum thaanga maattenaiyaaEnough, enough! I cannot bear this anymore, my lord.
Female
Unna thaan mala pola nambi irukkenI trusted you immensely like a mountain,
Enna mannikka venumaiyaa magaraasaaPlease forgive me, my great king.
Pattu thaan manam maari vandhu irukkenOnly after suffering have I had a change of heart and returned,
Enna yaethukka venumaiyaa chinna raasaaPlease accept me, my little king.
Male
Pen buthi ellaam pin buthiA woman's wisdom comes only hindward,
Adha summaavaa sonnaan raasaathiDid they say that without a reason, my princess?
Sanjalam ulla um buthiYour mind is filled with fickleness and doubt,
Adha saekkaadhu ingae em buthiMy mind will not accept that here.
Adi venaamae un sangaathamaeOh girl, I do not want your companionship!
Female
Unna thaan mala pola nambi irukkenI trusted you immensely like a mountain,
Enna mannikka venumaiyaa magaraasaaPlease forgive me, my great king.
Male
Bhaaradha kadha sollum soodhaatathilIn the gambling game described in the Mahabharata,
Thaaratha vachaan dharmanum thaanEven Yudhisthira wagered his wife.
Bhaaratha pangidum thaaram neeyoAre you the kind of wife who divides her family,
Panathukkae vithae purushana thaanSelling off her own husband for money?
Female
Ammaannu yaengidum pillaikkellaamFor all the children who yearned for a mother,
Ammaavaa illae naan summaarundhaenI was not a true mother; I remained passive.
Ammaannu yaengidum pillaikkellaamFor all the children who yearned for a mother,
Ammaavaa illae naan summaarundhaenI was not a true mother; I remained passive.
Aatti padachitta aasai enum paeyiThe demon called desire that tormented me,
Odi pochu onna thaedi vandhenHas fled now; I have come seeking you.
Male
Thaalikku mariyaadhaRespect for the sacred thread (thali),
Thandhaa thaan ponnuOnly if given, makes a woman worthy,
Illa thanmaanam pari pogum magaraasiOtherwise her self-respect is lost, queen.
Veettukku velakkaetha vandhaThe precious girl who came to light up the house,
Kannaana kannuGave up that honorable tradition to seek pleasure.
Andha vazhakkatha vittu puttaa sugavaasiA woman's wisdom comes only hindward,
Female
Pen buthi ellaam pin buthiDid they say that without a reason, my princess?
Male :Adha summaavaa sonnaan raasaathiMy mind is indeed filled with fickleness,
Female :Sanjalam ullathu en buthiMy mind will not accept that here.
Male :Adha saekkaadhu ingae em buthiOh girl, I do not want your companionship!
Adi venaamae un sangaathamaeI trusted you immensely like a mountain,
Female
Unna thaan mala pola nambi irukkenPlease forgive me, my great king.
Enna mannikka venumaiyaa magaraasaa

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song portrays a poignant dialogue of repentance and rejection between a woman and her husband. The woman realizes her grave mistake of abandoning her husband and family in pursuit of superficial desires, wealth, and false promises. She begs for forgiveness, acknowledging her loss of self-respect, moral failure, and the pain she caused her loved ones.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Edhugai (Second-letter rhyme)

Arasana nambi / Purusana vittup puttaa

Matching second consonants in consecutive lines, such as 'Arasana' and 'Purusana' or 'Parandhadha' and 'Irundhadha'.

Monaai (Alliteration)

Ponnukkazhagaagum poovum pottum

Repetition of initial consonant sounds across words, such as 'Pattu' and 'Pen' or 'Ponnukkazhagaagum' and 'Poovum'.

Simile (Upamai)

Unna thaan mala pola nambi irukken

Comparing trust to the vastness and stability of a mountain using 'pola' ('mala pola nambi').

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Aatti padachitta aasai enum paeyi

Describing unchecked greed and desire as a tormenting demon ('aasai enum paeyi').

Proverb / Idiom

Pen buthi ellaam pin buthi

Use of traditional Tamil proverb 'Pen buthi pin buthi' (A woman's wisdom comes late/after the event) to highlight regret.

Did you know?

Trivia

The film 'Irattai Roja' (1996) features music composed by Ilaiyaraaja, with lyrics written by the celebrated poet Vaali. The lyrics draw heavily upon classical Tamil idioms, Mahabharata references, and folk proverbs to convey deep emotional regret and moral dialogue.

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