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IsaimozhiLyrics · Translation · Meaning

Lyrics & meaning

Ellorudaiya Vazhkaiyilum

From Paattukku Oru Thalaivan · 1989

Lyricist: Isaignani Ilayaraja
Singer: Ilayaraja
Music director: Ilayaraja
Movie name: Paattukku Oru Thalaivan
Movie release year: 1989
Lyrics added on: 30 Sept 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics

↻ English translation

Ellorudaiya vaazhkaiyilum pombala undu

Ennudaiya vaazhvilum oru pombala undu

Ellorudaiya vaazhkaiyilum pombala undu

Ennudaiya vaazhvilum oru pombala undu

Ava kaadhaliyaa illa kraadhagiyaa

Endhan naayagiyaa rendum ketta paadhagiyaa

Ellorudaiya vaazhkaiyilum pombala undu

Ennudaiya vaazhvilum oru pombala undu hoo hoo

Unmai poiya kandariya

Gnyaanam enakkilla illa

Poigalaiyum nambidum naan

Deivathaiyum nambavilla

Maiya kannil poosi

Enna poiyaal valachu pudichaa

Kaiyaal saambala kozhachu

Endhan nethiyil pattaiya adichaa

Sithargalum sonnadhellam un vaazhvilae

Sitharicha deivam ippo en nenjilae

Yechuputtu ponaalae ava pombalae

Nenja vittu pogaathu en kaadhalae

Ava pombalaiya

Naan avala nambalaiyaa

Aanukkoru pennillaiyaa

Vaazhkkaiyilae vambillaiyaa aiyaa

Ellorudaiya vaazhkaiyilum pombala undu

Ennudaiya vaazhvilum oru pombala undu hoo hooo

Aariraaroo paadum andha thaayum

Oru pombala thaan

Nenju kedum paattu solli

Thandhavalum pombala thaan

Kaathu kaathu irunthu

Ava thoonga vachu paduppu

Kaadhal paarva paarthu

Iva thookathaiyum keduppa

Thaaya vittu thooram thooram

Nee ponaalum

Seiya vittu naesam paasam pogathappaa

Vaanathula suthum kazhugu kann paarva thaan

Nilathula sethu azhugum pinam meedhu thaan

Andha vaanatha pol

Annai ennum pennum undu

Kothum andha kazhugu pol

Penn avalum ingu undu

Ellorudaiya vaazhkaiyilum pombala undu

Ennudaiya vaazhvilum oru pombala undu

Ava kaadhaliyaa illa kraadhagiyaa

Endhan naayagiyaa rendum ketta paadhagiyaa

Ellorudaiya vaazhkaiyilum pombala undu

Ennudaiya vaazhvilum oru pombala undu hoo hoo

There is a woman in everyone's life,

and there is a woman in my life too.

There is a woman in everyone's life,

and there is a woman in my life too.

Is she a true lover, or a cruel deceiver?

Is she my leading lady, or an unprincipled sinner?

There is a woman in everyone's life,

and there is a woman in my life too, hoo hoo.

To tell the truth apart from lies,

I don't have the wisdom within me, no I don't.

I, who fell so easily for lies,

didn't even place my faith in God.

Painting dark kohl on her eyes,

she lured and trapped me with her lies.

Mixing ash with her hands,

she smeared it on my brow to fool me completely.

All the wisdom the sages spoke in life

has shattered, just like the faith in my heart.

She mocked me, cheated me, and walked away, that woman,

yet this love refuses to leave my heart.

Is she truly a woman?

Didn't I put all my trust in her?

Isn't there a woman destined for every man?

Isn't life always full of trouble, my friend?

There is a woman in everyone's life,

and there is a woman in my life too, hoo hoo.

That mother who sings a gentle lullaby

is a woman too.

And the one who taught songs that break the heart

is also a woman.

Waiting patiently by my side,

she puts me to sleep before she rests.

Casting a teasing look of romance,

this one steals my sleep away.

Even if you go far, far away

from your mother,

her tender love for her child will never fade, my friend.

The gaze of the eagle soaring in the sky

is fixed only on the rotting corpse on the ground.

Just like that boundless sky,

there is the woman known as a mother.

And like that swooping eagle,

there is that other woman here too.

There is a woman in everyone's life,

and there is a woman in my life too.

Is she a true lover, or a cruel deceiver?

Is she my leading lady, or an unprincipled sinner?

There is a woman in everyone's life,

and there is a woman in my life too, hoo hoo.

Male

Male

Male

Male

Male

Male

Male

Male

Male

Male

Male

Male

Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song reflects on the deep duality of womanhood from the perspective of a heartbroken man. It explores how women shape a man's life in diametrically opposite ways: on one hand, there is the selfless mother who provides unconditional love, patience, and comfort; on the other, there is the deceitful lover who uses charm and falsehoods to bring betrayal and agony.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Antithesis / Contrast (Muran)

“Aariraaroo paadum andha thaayum... Nenju kedum paattu solli Thandhavalum pombala thaan”

Contrasts the nurturing mother who lulls her child to sleep ('thoonga vachu paduppa') with the deceptive lover who steals sleep away ('thookathaiyum keduppa').

Simile (Upamai)

“Andha vaanatha pol Annai ennum pennum undu, Kothum andha kazhugu pol Penn avalum ingu undu”

Compares the mother's boundless love to the expansive sky ('vaanatha pol'), while comparing a deceitful woman to a predatory eagle ('kazhugu pol') eyeing a corpse.

Idiomatic Metaphor

“Kaiyaal saambala kozhachu Endhan nethiyil pattaiya adichaa”

The Tamil phrase 'nethiyil pattaiya adichaa' (smearing ash on the forehead) is an idiom signifying complete betrayal, trickery, or ruin.

Initial Rhyme (Monai)

“Ellorudaiya vaazhkaiyilum pombala undu / Ennudaiya vaazhvilum oru pombala undu”

Repetition of initial consonant sounds across lines ('Ellorudaiya' / 'Ennudaiya') establishing a rhythmic folk cadence.

Did you know?

Trivia

Featured in the 1989 Vijayakanth starrer 'Paattukku Oru Thalaivan', this song was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja and sung with expressive folk vigor by Malaysia Vasudevan. The lyrics highlight Ilaiyaraaja's knack for blending raw folk wisdom with philosophical ruminations on human relationships.

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