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Irattai Roja album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Arasana Nambi

From Irattai Roja · 1996

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
Malaysia Vasudevan, K. S. Chithra
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Irattai Roja
Movie release year
1996
Lyrics added on
5 Apr 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Arasana nambi
Purusana vittup puttaa
Pen oruthi
Parandhadha nambi
Irundhadha vittu puttaa
Sembaruthi
Aasaiyinaalae avadhi pattaa
Arivum kettu asinga pattaa
Padi thaandi ponaa ponadhu thaan di
O… ooo…
Unna thaan mala pola nambi irukken
Enna mannikka venumaiyaa magaraasaa
Pattu thaan manam maari vandhu irukken
Enna yaethukka venumaiyaa chinna raasaa
Pen buthi ellaam pin buthi
Adha summaavaa sonnaan raasaathi
Sanjalam ulla um buthi
Adha saekkaadhu ingae em buthi
Adi venaamae un sangaathamae
Unna thaan mala pola nambi irukken
Enna mannikka venumaiyaa magaraasaa
Ponnukkazhagaagum poovum pottum
Kaasu panam endha mattum
Kondavan paasamum naesamum thaan
Kooda varum ulla mattum
Akkarai ellaam pachaiyinnu
Thappu kanakku pottenaiyaa
Akkarai ellaam pachaiyinnu
Thappu kanakku pottenaiyaa
Naalum kettu kettu naalum buthi solla
Podhum podhum thaanga maattenaiyaa
Unna thaan mala pola nambi irukken
Enna mannikka venumaiyaa magaraasaa
Pattu thaan manam maari vandhu irukken
Enna yaethukka venumaiyaa chinna raasaa
Pen buthi ellaam pin buthi
Adha summaavaa sonnaan raasaathi
Sanjalam ulla um buthi
Adha saekkaadhu ingae em buthi
Adi venaamae un sangaathamae
Unna thaan mala pola nambi irukken
Enna mannikka venumaiyaa magaraasaa
Bhaaradha kadha sollum soodhaatathil
Thaaratha vachaan dharmanum thaan
Bhaaratha pangidum thaaram neeyo
Panathukkae vithae purushana thaan
Ammaannu yaengidum pillaikkellaam
Ammaavaa illae naan summaarundhaen
Ammaannu yaengidum pillaikkellaam
Ammaavaa illae naan summaarundhaen
Aatti padachitta aasai enum paeyi
Odi pochu onna thaedi vandhen
Thaalikku mariyaadha
Thandhaa thaan ponnu
Illa thanmaanam pari pogum magaraasi
Veettukku velakkaetha vandha
Kannaana kannu
Andha vazhakkatha vittu puttaa sugavaasi
Pen buthi ellaam pin buthi
Male :Adha summaavaa sonnaan raasaathi
Female :Sanjalam ullathu en buthi
Male :Adha saekkaadhu ingae em buthi
Adi venaamae un sangaathamae
Unna thaan mala pola nambi irukken
Enna mannikka venumaiyaa magaraasaa
Trusting a king,
she left her husband behind,
that woman.
Trusting what flew in the sky,
she let go of what she had in hand,
this girl Sembaruthi.
Driven by desire, she suffered,
losing her sense, she brought shame upon herself.
Once you cross the threshold, girl, there is no turning back.
Oh… oh-oh…
I have placed all my trust in you like a mountain,
you must forgive me, my king.
Having learned my lesson, my heart has changed and I've returned,
you must accept me, my dear prince.
A woman's wisdom comes only in hindsight,
did they say that for no reason, my princess?
Your mind is fickle and wavering,
and my heart will never accept it here.
Girl, I want no ties with you anymore!
I have placed all my trust in you like a mountain,
you must forgive me, my king.
Flowers and the pottu (forehead mark) are what adorn a woman,
how far will mere money last?
Only the love and devotion of the husband you wed
will remain with you as long as you live.
Thinking the grass on the other shore was greener,
I made a terrible mistake, my lord.
Thinking the grass on the other shore was greener,
I made a terrible mistake, my lord.
Ruined day after day, hearing lessons every single day,
enough is enough, I cannot bear it anymore, my lord.
I have placed all my trust in you like a mountain,
you must forgive me, my king.
Having learned my lesson, my heart has changed and I've returned,
you must accept me, my dear prince.
A woman's wisdom comes only in hindsight,
did they say that for no reason, my princess?
Your mind is fickle and wavering,
and my heart will never accept it here.
Girl, I want no ties with you anymore!
I have placed all my trust in you like a mountain,
you must forgive me, my king.
In the gambling match of the Mahabharata,
even Dharmar wagered his wife.
Are you a wife who shares life's burdens?
You sold off your own husband for money!
To the children crying out and yearning for a mother,
I failed to be a mother and just sat idle.
To the children crying out and yearning for a mother,
I failed to be a mother and just sat idle.
The demon of greed that possessed and drove me
has vanished, and I have come seeking you.
Only if she respects
the sacred thali (marital knot) is she a true woman,
otherwise, her self-respect is lost, O lady!
You came to bring light to this household,
precious like my very eyes,
yet you abandoned that sacred duty to chase easy pleasures!
A woman's wisdom comes only in hindsight,
Male: Did they say that for no reason, my princess?
Female: My mind was indeed fickle and wavering,
Male: But my heart will never accept it here!
Girl, I want no ties with you anymore!
I have placed all my trust in you like a mountain,
you must forgive me, my king.
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

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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