Azhagu Nilave
From Pavithra · 1994
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singer
- K. S. Chithra
- Music director
- A. R. Rahman
- Details
- Pavithra1994
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| {Azhagu nilavae kadhavu thiranthu | Beautiful moon, opening the door, |
| Arugil vanthaayae | You came near me. |
| Enathu kanavai unathu vizhiyil | In your eyes, my dream, |
| Eduthu vanthaayae | You brought along. |
| Oru paalaivanamaai kidantha vayitril | Into my stomach that lay like a desert, |
| Paalai vaarthaayae | You poured milk. |
| En paathi uyirai thiruppi tharavae | To give me back half of my life, |
| Paranthu vanthaayae | You came flying. |
| Intha paavi unnai chumanthathillai | Though this sinner didn't carry you in her womb, |
| Naanum un thaayae….} (2) | I am also your mother. |
| Female | |
| Sonthangal enbathu thaai thanthathu | Biological relations are given by a mother, |
| Intha banthangal enbathu yaar thanthathu | But who gave these emotional bonds? |
| Innoru thaaimai thaan naan kandathu | I have witnessed another form of motherhood. |
| Ada un vizhi yenada neer kondathu | Oh, why are your eyes filled with tears? |
| Anbu thaan thiyaagamae | True love itself is sacrifice, |
| Azhugai thaan gnayaanamae | True tears are themselves wisdom. |
| Unakkum enakkum ulla uravu | The bond between you and me, |
| Oorukku puriyathae… | The world will never understand... |
| Female | |
| {Azhagu nilavae kadhavu thiranthu | Beautiful moon, opening the door, |
| Arugil vanthaayae | You came near me. |
| Enathu kanavai unathu vizhiyil | In your eyes, my dream, |
| Eduthu vanthaayae | You brought along. |
| Oru paalaivanamaai kidantha vayitril | Into my stomach that lay like a desert, |
| Paalai vaarthaayae | You poured milk. |
| En paathi uyirai thiruppi tharavae | To give me back half of my life, |
| Paranthu vanthaayae | You came flying. |
| Intha paavi unnai chumanthathillai | Though this sinner didn't carry you in her womb, |
| Naanum un thaayae….}(2) | I am also your mother. |
| Female | |
| Boomiyai nesikkum ver polavae | Like the root that loves the earth, |
| Un poo mugam nesippen thaayaagavae | As a mother, I will love your flower-like face. |
| Neerukkul swaasikum meen polavae | Like a fish breathing inside water, |
| Un nesathil vaazhuven naanaaghavae | I will live in your affection. |
| Ulagham thaan maarumae | The world will keep changing, |
| Uravugal vaazhumae | But true bonds will live forever. |
| Kadalai vidavum aazham enthan | Deeper than the vast ocean, |
| Kanneer thuli ondrae… | Is just a single tear drop of mine... |
| Female | |
| Azhagu nilavae kadhavu thiranthu | Beautiful moon, opening the door, |
| Arugil vanthaayae | You came near me. |
| Enathu kanavai unathu vizhiyil | In your eyes, my dream, |
| Eduthu vanthaayae | You brought along. |
| Oru paalaivanamaai kidantha vayitril | Into my stomach that lay like a desert, |
| Paalai vaarthaayae | You poured milk. |
| En paathi uyirai thiruppi tharavae | To give me back half of my life, |
| Paranthu vanthaayae | You came flying. |
| Intha paavi unnai chumanthathillai | Though this sinner didn't carry you in her womb, |
| Naanum un thaayae.. | I am also your mother. |
{ அழகு நிலவே
கதவு திறந்து அருகில்
வந்தாயே எனது கனவை
உனது விழியில் எடுத்து
வந்தாயே ஒரு பாலை
வனமாய் கிடந்த வயிற்றில்
பாலை வார்த்தாயே என்
பாதி உயிரை திருப்பி தரவே
பறந்து வந்தாயே இந்த பாவி
உன்னை சுமந்ததில்லை
நானும் உன் தாயே } (2)
Beautiful moon, opening the door,
You came near me.
In your eyes, my dream,
You brought along.
Into my stomach that lay like a desert,
You poured milk.
To give me back half of my life,
You came flying.
Though this sinner didn't carry you in her womb,
I am also your mother.
சொந்தங்கள்
என்பது தாய் தந்தது
இந்த பந்தங்கள் என்பது
யார் தந்தது இன்னொரு
தாய்மை தான் நான்
கண்டது அட உன் விழி
ஏனடா நீர் கொண்டது
அன்புதான் தியாகமே
அழுகை தான் ஞானமே
உனக்கும் எனக்கும் உள்ள
உறவு ஊருக்கு புரியாதே
Biological relations are given by a mother,
But who gave these emotional bonds?
I have witnessed another form of motherhood.
Oh, why are your eyes filled with tears?
True love itself is sacrifice,
True tears are themselves wisdom.
The bond between you and me,
The world will never understand...
{ அழகு நிலவே
கதவு திறந்து அருகில்
வந்தாயே எனது கனவை
உனது விழியில் எடுத்து
வந்தாயே ஒரு பாலை
வனமாய் கிடந்த வயிற்றில்
பாலை வார்த்தாயே என்
பாதி உயிரை திருப்பி தரவே
பறந்து வந்தாயே இந்த பாவி
உன்னை சுமந்ததில்லை
நானும் உன் தாயே } (2)
Beautiful moon, opening the door,
You came near me.
In your eyes, my dream,
You brought along.
Into my stomach that lay like a desert,
You poured milk.
To give me back half of my life,
You came flying.
Though this sinner didn't carry you in her womb,
I am also your mother.
பூமியை நேசிக்கும்
வேர் போலவே உன் பூ
முகம் நேசிப்பேன் தாயாகவே
நீருக்குள் சுவாசிக்கும் மீன்
போலவே உன் நேசத்தில்
வாழுவேன் நானாகவே
உலகம் தான் மாறுமே
உறவுகள் வாழுமே
கடலை விடவும் ஆழம்
எந்தன் கண்ணீர் துளி
ஒன்றே
Like the root that loves the earth,
As a mother, I will love your flower-like face.
Like a fish breathing inside water,
I will live in your affection.
The world will keep changing,
But true bonds will live forever.
Deeper than the vast ocean,
Is just a single tear drop of mine...
அழகு நிலவே
கதவு திறந்து அருகில்
வந்தாயே எனது கனவை
உனது விழியில் எடுத்து
வந்தாயே ஒரு பாலை
வனமாய் கிடந்த வயிற்றில்
பாலை வார்த்தாயே என்
பாதி உயிரை திருப்பி தரவே
பறந்து வந்தாயே இந்த பாவி
உன்னை சுமந்ததில்லை
நானும் உன் தாயே
Beautiful moon, opening the door,
You came near me.
In your eyes, my dream,
You brought along.
Into my stomach that lay like a desert,
You poured milk.
To give me back half of my life,
You came flying.
Though this sinner didn't carry you in her womb,
I am also your mother.
{Azhagu nilavae kadhavu thiranthu
Beautiful moon, opening the door,
Arugil vanthaayae
You came near me.
Enathu kanavai unathu vizhiyil
In your eyes, my dream,
Eduthu vanthaayae
You brought along.
Oru paalaivanamaai kidantha vayitril
Into my stomach that lay like a desert,
Paalai vaarthaayae
You poured milk.
En paathi uyirai thiruppi tharavae
To give me back half of my life,
Paranthu vanthaayae
You came flying.
Intha paavi unnai chumanthathillai
Though this sinner didn't carry you in her womb,
Naanum un thaayae….} (2)
I am also your mother.
Sonthangal enbathu thaai thanthathu
Biological relations are given by a mother,
Intha banthangal enbathu yaar thanthathu
But who gave these emotional bonds?
Innoru thaaimai thaan naan kandathu
I have witnessed another form of motherhood.
Ada un vizhi yenada neer kondathu
Oh, why are your eyes filled with tears?
Anbu thaan thiyaagamae
True love itself is sacrifice,
Azhugai thaan gnayaanamae
True tears are themselves wisdom.
Unakkum enakkum ulla uravu
The bond between you and me,
Oorukku puriyathae…
The world will never understand...
{Azhagu nilavae kadhavu thiranthu
Beautiful moon, opening the door,
Arugil vanthaayae
You came near me.
Enathu kanavai unathu vizhiyil
In your eyes, my dream,
Eduthu vanthaayae
You brought along.
Oru paalaivanamaai kidantha vayitril
Into my stomach that lay like a desert,
Paalai vaarthaayae
You poured milk.
En paathi uyirai thiruppi tharavae
To give me back half of my life,
Paranthu vanthaayae
You came flying.
Intha paavi unnai chumanthathillai
Though this sinner didn't carry you in her womb,
Naanum un thaayae….}(2)
I am also your mother.
Boomiyai nesikkum ver polavae
Like the root that loves the earth,
Un poo mugam nesippen thaayaagavae
As a mother, I will love your flower-like face.
Neerukkul swaasikum meen polavae
Like a fish breathing inside water,
Un nesathil vaazhuven naanaaghavae
I will live in your affection.
Ulagham thaan maarumae
The world will keep changing,
Uravugal vaazhumae
But true bonds will live forever.
Kadalai vidavum aazham enthan
Deeper than the vast ocean,
Kanneer thuli ondrae…
Is just a single tear drop of mine...
Azhagu nilavae kadhavu thiranthu
Beautiful moon, opening the door,
Arugil vanthaayae
You came near me.
Enathu kanavai unathu vizhiyil
In your eyes, my dream,
Eduthu vanthaayae
You brought along.
Oru paalaivanamaai kidantha vayitril
Into my stomach that lay like a desert,
Paalai vaarthaayae
You poured milk.
En paathi uyirai thiruppi tharavae
To give me back half of my life,
Paranthu vanthaayae
You came flying.
Intha paavi unnai chumanthathillai
Though this sinner didn't carry you in her womb,
Naanum un thaayae..
I am also your mother.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Azhagu Nilave from the movie Pavithra (1994) is a poignant lullaby celebrating maternal affection that transcends biological ties. The protagonist addresses the child as her 'beautiful moon' who rejuvenated her desolate, desert-like life and restored her purpose. Even though she did not carry the child in her womb, she feels an eternal, spiritual connection of motherhood that societal definitions cannot measure.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagaimai)
“Oru paalaivanamaai kidantha vayitril”
Compares her empty, childless life/womb to a desert ('paalaivanam') which was refreshed with life upon the arrival of the child.
Simile (Uvamai)
“Boomiyai nesikkum ver polavae / Neerukkul swaasikum meen polavae”
Uses 'polavae' (like) to compare her motherly affection to a root nourishing the earth and a fish breathing beneath water.
Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navortchi)
“Kadalai vidavum aazham enthan Kanneer thuli ondrae…”
Exaggerates the emotion by describing a single teardrop as deeper than the ocean.
Monai (Initial Alliteration)
“Anbu thaan thiyaagamae / Azhugai thaan gnayaanamae”
Repetition of initial consonants like 'Anbu' and 'Azhugai' to create rhythmic poetic beauty.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by A.R. Rahman with lyrics by Vairamuthu and sung touchingly by K. S. Chithra, this track from Pavithra (1994) is widely regarded as one of Tamil cinema's finest songs dedicated to non-biological maternal bonds.
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