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Lyrics & meaning

Arivum Anbum

From Arivum Anbum – Kamal Haasan Album Song · 2020

Lyricist
Kamal Haasan
Singers
Kamal Haasan, Yuvan, Anirudh Ravichander Sid Sriram, DSP, Shankar Mahadevan, Bombay Jayashree, Siddharth, Shruti Haasan, Andrea Jeremiah, Mugen Rao, Ghibran
Music director
Ghibran
Details
Arivum Anbum – Kamal Haasan Album Song2020

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Podhu nalam enbadhuWhat public welfare is
Thani manidhan seivadhaeIs carried out by an individual
Than nalam enbadhumWhat self-interest is
Thani nabargal seivadhaeIs also carried out by individuals
Chorus
Aaa….ooo…oo…oo…ooo…Vocal refrain
Female
Podhu nalam enbadhuWhat public welfare is
Chorus :Ooo…oo…oo…ooo…Chorus refrain
Female :Thani manidhan seivadhaeIs carried out by an individual
Chorus :Ooo…oo…oo…ooo…Chorus refrain
Female
Than nalam enbadhumWhat self-interest is
Chorus :Ooo…oo…oo…ooo…Chorus refrain
Female :Thani nabargal seivadhaeIs carried out by individuals
Chorus :ooo…oo…oo…ooo…Chorus refrain
Male
Alaadhi anbirunthaal…If extraordinary love exists...
Male
Anaadhai yaarumillaiNo one is an orphan
Male
Adaatha thuyar varinum…Even if unyielding grief arrives...
Male
Vidaathu vendriduvom…We will overcome without giving up...
Male
Aganda paazh veliyil…In the vast, empty expanse of space...
Oor anuvaam nammulagu..Our world is but a single atom..
Male
Adhil neerae perumalavu…In it, water forms the largest part...
Naam adhilum siridhalavae…And we are a microscopic part within that...
Male
Sarichchamam endridum munbuBefore claiming absolute equality
Unai samam seidhida paaruTry to balance and equalize yourself
Male
Sinaiyurum siru uyir koodaEven a tiny developing life form
Chorus
Sarichchamam endridum munbuBefore claiming absolute equality
Unai samam seidhida paaruTry to balance and equalize yourself
Sinaiyurum siru uyir koodaEven a tiny developing life form
Uravena purindhida paaruTry to understand and treat as your kin
Male
Ulagilum periyadhu…Greater than the universe itself...
Male
Ulagilum periyadhu…Greater than the universe itself...
Male
Ummagam vaazh anbu thaanIs the love residing inside your heart
Male
Ummagam vaazh anbu thaanIs the love residing inside your heart
Male
Ulagilum periyadhu…Greater than the universe itself...
Chorus
Oooohoooo…Vocal refrain
Male
Nam agam vaazh anbu thaanIs the love residing inside our heart
Chorus
Oooohoooo…Vocal refrain
Male
Pudhu kandam pudhu naaduNew continents, new nations
Yena vendraar pala mannarMany kings conquered as theirs
Avar ennaalum yeidhaathathaiWhat they could never attain
Silar panbaal ullanbaalA few achieved through virtue and heartfelt love
Udan vaazhndhu uyir neethuLiving alongside others and sacrificing their lives
Male
Sarichchamam endridum munbuBefore claiming absolute equality
Unai samam seidhida paaruTry to balance and equalize yourself
Male
Sinaiyurum siru uyir koodaEven a tiny developing life form
Uravena purindhida paaruTry to understand and treat as your kin
Male
Sarichchamam endridum munbuBefore claiming absolute equality
Unai samam seidhida paaruTry to balance and equalize yourself
Male
Azhivindri vaazhvadhuEven a tiny developing life form
Male
Azhivindri vaazhvadhuTry to understand and treat as your kin
Male
Nam Arivum AnbumaeWhat lives eternally without destruction
Male
Nam arivum anbumaeWhat lives eternally without destruction
Male
Azhivindri vaazhvadhuIs our Wisdom and Love
Male
Azhivindri vaazhvadhuIs our wisdom and love
Male
Nam Arivum AnbumaeWhat lives eternally without destruction
Chorus
{Sarichchamam endridum munbuWhat lives eternally without destruction
Unai samam seidhida paaruIs our Wisdom and Love
Sinaiyurum siru uyir koodaBefore claiming absolute equality
Uravena purindhida paaru} (2)Try to balance and equalize yourself
Male
Azhivindri vaazhvadhuEven a tiny developing life form
Nam arivum anbumae ….Try to understand and treat as your kin

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

'Arivum Anbum' (Wisdom and Love) is a motivational anthem penned by Kamal Haasan during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. The song emphasizes global unity, human empathy, and universal responsibility during times of deep crisis. It begins by reflecting on how public good and personal self-interest both stem from individual human choices, reminding listeners that our collective well-being depends on every single person's actions. The lyricist contextualizes human existence within the grand scale of the cosmos, pointing out that our planet is merely a tiny atom in the universe and human beings are an even smaller fraction. It urges humanity to rise above selfishness, treat even the smallest forms of life with compassion, and realize that true power lies not in territorial conquest or wealth, but in enduring wisdom and selfless love.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Monaai (Initial Alliteration)

Alaadhi anbirunthaal... / Anaadhai yaarumillai

Repetition of the initial vowel 'A' in consecutive lines ('Alaadhi', 'Anaadhai', 'Adaatha'), creating rhythmic harmony.

Cosmic Metaphor (Uruvam)

Aganda paazh veliyil... Oor anuvaam nammulagu..

Compares Earth to a microscopic atom ('Anu') in the vast void of space to highlight human humility.

Antithesis / Parallelism

Podhu nalam enbadhu... Than nalam enbadhum

Contrasts public good ('Podhu nalam') and self-interest ('Than nalam') to show that both arise from individual actions.

Anaphora (Repetition for Emphasis)

Azhivindri vaazhvadhu... Nam Arivum Anbumae

Repeats 'Azhivindri vaazhvadhu' and 'Nam Arivum Anbumae' to reinforce the core message of eternal wisdom and love.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Arivum Anbum' was composed by Ghibran and written/directed by Kamal Haasan during the strictly enforced COVID-19 nationwide lockdown in April 2020. The song featured virtual home-recorded performances by 12 prominent South Indian musical artists, including Anirudh Ravichander, Yuvan Shankar Raja, Bombay Jayashri, Shankar Mahadevan, Sid Sriram, Shruti Haasan, and Andrea Jeremiah.

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