Devathai Ilam Devi
From Aayiram Nilave Vaa · 1983
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singer
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Aayiram Nilave Vaa1983
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Devadhai ilam devi | Divine young goddess, |
| Unnai chutrum aavi | The spirit that hovers around you, |
| Kaadhalaana kanneer | These tears of love, |
| Kaanavillaiyaa… | Have you not seen them? |
| Oh.. nee illaamal naanaa …. | Oh, am I truly myself without you? |
| Male | |
| Devadhai ilam devi | Divine young goddess, |
| Unnai chutrum aavi | The spirit that hovers around you, |
| Kaadhalaana kanneer | These tears of love, |
| Kaanavillaiyaa… | Have you not seen them? |
| Oh.. nee illaamal naanaa …. | Oh, am I truly myself without you? |
| Male | |
| Yerikkarai poovellaam | Wouldn't all the flowers on the lake bank |
| Endhan peyar sollaadho | Speak my name? |
| Poo vasanthamae | Oh flower-like spring season, |
| Nee maranthathen | Why did you forget? |
| Male | |
| Aatru manal meedengum | Everywhere on the river sand, |
| Naan varaindha kolangal | The patterns I once drew, |
| Dheva mullaiyae kaanavillaiyae | Oh divine jasmine, are they invisible to you? |
| Male | |
| Idhu kaadhal sodhanai | This is a trial of love, |
| Iru kannil vedhanai | Agony in both my eyes, |
| Oru vaanambaadi dhegam vaadi | A skylark whose body has withered, |
| Paadum sogam kodi | Singing a million sorrows. |
| Male | |
| Devadhai ilam devi | Divine young goddess, |
| Unnai chutrum aavi | The spirit that hovers around you, |
| Kaadhalaana kanneer | These tears of love, |
| Kaanavillaiyaa… | Have you not seen them? |
| Oh.. nee illaamal naanaa …. | Oh, am I truly myself without you? |
| Chorus | |
| …………………… | |
| Male | |
| Endhanathu kallaraiyil | In my very own grave, |
| Veroruvan thoonguvathaa | Is someone else sleeping? |
| Vidhi enbathaa | Shall I call it fate? |
| Sadhi enbathaa | Or shall I call it betrayal? |
| Male | |
| Sondhamulla kaadhaliyae | Oh beloved who belongs to me, |
| Vatri vitta kaaviriyae | Oh Kaveri river that has dried up, |
| Undhan aaviyai | Your own soul, |
| Nee veruppadhaa | Will you despise it? |
| Male | |
| Idhu kanneer rathiri | This is a night of tears, |
| En kannae aadhari | Oh my dear, grant me support, |
| Ivan theyum thedhi | He is like a waning date on the calendar, |
| Kanneer jaadhi | Of the tearful kind, |
| Needhaan endhan paadhi | You alone are my other half. |
| Male | |
| Devadhai ilam devi | Divine young goddess, |
| Unnai chutrum aavi | The spirit that hovers around you, |
| Kaadhalaana kanneer | These tears of love, |
| Kaanavillaiyaa… | Have you not seen them? |
| Oh.. nee illaamal naanaa …. | Oh, am I truly myself without you? |
| Oh.. nee illaamal naanaa …. | Oh, am I truly myself without you? |
| Oh.. nee illaamal naanaa …. | Oh, am I truly myself without you? |
| Chorus | |
| ……………………………….. | |
தேவதை இளம் தேவி
உன்னைச் சுற்றும் ஆவி
காதலான கண்ணீர்
காணவில்லையா
ஓ நீயில்லாமல் நானா
Divine young goddess,
The spirit that hovers around you,
These tears of love,
Have you not seen them?
Oh, am I truly myself without you?
தேவதை இளம் தேவி
உன்னைச் சுற்றும் ஆவி
காதலான கண்ணீர்
காணவில்லையா
ஓ நீயில்லாமல் நானா
Divine young goddess,
The spirit that hovers around you,
These tears of love,
Have you not seen them?
Oh, am I truly myself without you?
ஏரிக்கரை பூவெல்லாம்
எந்தன் பெயர் சொல்லாதோ
பூ வசந்தமே நீ மறந்ததேன்
Wouldn't all the flowers on the lake bank
Speak my name?
Oh flower-like spring season,
Why did you forget?
ஆற்று மணல் மேடெங்கும்
நான் வரைந்த கோலங்கள்
தேவமுல்லையே
காணவில்லையே
Everywhere on the river sand,
The patterns I once drew,
Oh divine jasmine, are they invisible to you?
இது காதல் சோதனை
இரு கண்ணில் வேதனை
ஒரு வானம்பாடி தேகம் வாடி
பாடும் சோகம் கோடி
This is a trial of love,
Agony in both my eyes,
A skylark whose body has withered,
Singing a million sorrows.
தேவதை இளம் தேவி
உன்னைச் சுற்றும் ஆவி
காதலான கண்ணீர்
காணவில்லையா
ஓ நீயில்லாமல் நானா
Divine young goddess,
The spirit that hovers around you,
These tears of love,
Have you not seen them?
Oh, am I truly myself without you?
...........................................
எந்தனது கல்லறையில்
வேறொருவன் தூங்குவதா
விதி என்பதா சதி என்பதா
In my very own grave,
Is someone else sleeping?
Shall I call it fate?
Or shall I call it betrayal?
சொந்தமுள்ள காதலியே
வற்றிவிட்ட காவிரியே
உந்தன் ஆவியை
நீ வெறுப்பதா
Oh beloved who belongs to me,
Oh Kaveri river that has dried up,
Your own soul,
Will you despise it?
இது கண்ணீர் ராத்திரி
என் கண்ணே ஆதரி
இவன் தேயும் தேதி
கண்ணீர் ஜாதி
நீ தான் எந்தன் பாதி
This is a night of tears,
Oh my dear, grant me support,
He is like a waning date on the calendar,
Of the tearful kind,
You alone are my other half.
தேவதை இளம் தேவி
உன்னைச் சுற்றும் ஆவி
காதலான கண்ணீர்
காணவில்லையா
ஓ நீயில்லாமல் நானா
ஓ நீயில்லாமல் நானா
ஓ நீயில்லாமல் நானா
Divine young goddess,
The spirit that hovers around you,
These tears of love,
Have you not seen them?
Oh, am I truly myself without you?
Oh, am I truly myself without you?
Oh, am I truly myself without you?
............................................
Devadhai ilam devi
Divine young goddess,
Unnai chutrum aavi
The spirit that hovers around you,
Kaadhalaana kanneer
These tears of love,
Kaanavillaiyaa…
Have you not seen them?
Oh.. nee illaamal naanaa ….
Oh, am I truly myself without you?
Devadhai ilam devi
Divine young goddess,
Unnai chutrum aavi
The spirit that hovers around you,
Kaadhalaana kanneer
These tears of love,
Kaanavillaiyaa…
Have you not seen them?
Oh.. nee illaamal naanaa ….
Oh, am I truly myself without you?
Yerikkarai poovellaam
Wouldn't all the flowers on the lake bank
Endhan peyar sollaadho
Speak my name?
Poo vasanthamae
Oh flower-like spring season,
Nee maranthathen
Why did you forget?
Aatru manal meedengum
Everywhere on the river sand,
Naan varaindha kolangal
The patterns I once drew,
Dheva mullaiyae kaanavillaiyae
Oh divine jasmine, are they invisible to you?
Idhu kaadhal sodhanai
This is a trial of love,
Iru kannil vedhanai
Agony in both my eyes,
Oru vaanambaadi dhegam vaadi
A skylark whose body has withered,
Paadum sogam kodi
Singing a million sorrows.
Devadhai ilam devi
Divine young goddess,
Unnai chutrum aavi
The spirit that hovers around you,
Kaadhalaana kanneer
These tears of love,
Kaanavillaiyaa…
Have you not seen them?
Oh.. nee illaamal naanaa ….
Oh, am I truly myself without you?
……………………
Endhanathu kallaraiyil
In my very own grave,
Veroruvan thoonguvathaa
Is someone else sleeping?
Vidhi enbathaa
Shall I call it fate?
Sadhi enbathaa
Or shall I call it betrayal?
Sondhamulla kaadhaliyae
Oh beloved who belongs to me,
Vatri vitta kaaviriyae
Oh Kaveri river that has dried up,
Undhan aaviyai
Your own soul,
Nee veruppadhaa
Will you despise it?
Idhu kanneer rathiri
This is a night of tears,
En kannae aadhari
Oh my dear, grant me support,
Ivan theyum thedhi
He is like a waning date on the calendar,
Kanneer jaadhi
Of the tearful kind,
Needhaan endhan paadhi
You alone are my other half.
Devadhai ilam devi
Divine young goddess,
Unnai chutrum aavi
The spirit that hovers around you,
Kaadhalaana kanneer
These tears of love,
Kaanavillaiyaa…
Have you not seen them?
Oh.. nee illaamal naanaa ….
Oh, am I truly myself without you?
Oh.. nee illaamal naanaa ….
Oh, am I truly myself without you?
Oh.. nee illaamal naanaa ….
Oh, am I truly myself without you?
………………………………..
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Devadhai Ilam Devi is a poignant romantic lament where the protagonist expresses intense anguish and grief over separation from his beloved. He addresses her as a divine young goddess while describing himself as a restless spirit bound to her presence. Through memories of past togetherness—such as drawing patterns on river sand and listening to the flowers along the lake—he questions why love has turned into a painful trial and why fate has forced them apart.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Iyaibu (End Rhyme)
“Vidhi enbathaa / Sadhi enbathaa”
The lines end with identical rhyming suffixes ('enbathaa'), creating a rhythmic and mournful echo.
Edhugai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Idhu kanneer rathiri / En kannae aadhari”
The second consonant sound 'nn' is repeated in 'kanneer' and 'kannae' across consecutive lines, enhancing melodic flow.
Metaphor (Uvamaani)
“Oru vaanambaadi dhegam vaadi / Paadum sogam kodi”
The protagonist compares himself to a withered skylark ('vaanambaadi') singing endless sorrows and his lover to a dried Kaveri river.
Rhetorical Question
“Oh.. nee illaamal naanaa ….”
The protagonist poses haunting questions about identity, fate, and abandonment to highlight his emotional despair.
Did you know?
Trivia
This classic song features music composed by Ilaiyaraaja for the film 'Aayiram Nilave Vaa' (1983), starring Karthik and Sulakshana. Sung masterfully by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam with lyrics penned by Vairamuthu, it remains one of the most celebrated melancholic tracks in Tamil cinema history.
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