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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

En Jeevan Un Kannil

From Vetri Mugam · 1996

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singers
Mano, Swarnalatha
Music director
Vasantha Rajan
Details
Vetri Mugam1996

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
En jeevan un kannil ullathuMy life resides in your eyes
Sollaamal kondaayae ennathuWithout a word, you took what is mine
Nee vaarththai sonnathil vaazhkkai vanththuLife arrived when you spoke your words
Nee vaarththai sonnathil vaazhkkai vanththuLife arrived when you spoke your words
Kadhal en mael kadhal kondathuLove itself fell in love with me
Female
En jeevan un kannil ullathuMy life resides in your eyes
Sollaamal kondaayae ennathuWithout a word, you took what is mine
Male
Uyirodu thaenooravaeTo make honey flow within my soul
Oru paarvai nee paarkkiraaiYou cast a single glance
Vilaiyaada en nenjilaeTo play within my heart
Vidhai pottu neer vaarkkiraaiYou sowed a seed and watered it
Female
Oru poovil pazhuthendraalIf a single flower is flawed
Kodi enna seiyyumWhat can the vine do?
Oru pennil kurai endraalIf a woman has a flaw
Kulam enna seiyumWhat can her family do?
Niram konjam maarungalaenLet the colors change a little
Male
Paavai manam thannilIn this maiden's heart
Paal mazhai peithaaiYou showered a rain of milk
Paaraiyilum kooda payir thozhil seithaaiYou cultivated crops even on a hard rock
Female :Indru pola endrum uyir vaazhga uyiraeFemale: May your soul live forever just like today, my love
Male
En jeevan un kannil ullathuMy life resides in your eyes
Sollaamal kondaayae ennathuWithout a word, you took what is mine
Female
Padam potta un kaigalaeYour hands that drew pictures
Vadam pottu enai yaeiththathuTied me tightly like strong ropes
Un perai naan sonnathilBecause I uttered your name
En vaazhkkai rusiyaanathuMy life became delicious
Male
Pennodu pei undu annaalil kanadaenIn those days I saw that women could be wild demons
Pennukkul thaayundu unnaalae kanadaenBecause of you, I discovered a mother inside a woman
Virakondru pooppandhuFirewood turned into a ball of flowers
Female
Thoorigai kannil vazhinthathu pothumIt is enough that a brush stroke flowed from your eyes
Thuliyaena kannaa sugam vanthu saerumHappiness will arrive drop by drop, my dear
Male :Unathu varththai nathu vedham uyiraeMale: Your word is my sacred scripture, my life
Female
En jeevan un kannil ullathuMy life resides in your eyes
Sollaamal kondaayae ennathuWithout a word, you took what is mine
Vaasal thediyae vaazhkkai vanthathuLife came searching for the doorstep
Un vaasal thediyae vaazhkkai vanthathuLife came searching for your doorstep
Kadhal un mael kadhal kondathuLove itself fell in love with you
Male
En jeevan un kannil ullathuMy life resides in your eyes
Sollaamal kondaayae ennathuWithout a word, you took what is mine
Male :En jeevan un kannil ullathuMale: My life resides in your eyes
Sollaamal kondaayae ennathuWithout a word, you took what is mine

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song is a deeply romantic and soulful duet celebrating the transformative and divine power of love. Both lovers express how the presence and soft words of the other have brought new meaning and sweetness to their lives. The female protagonist reflects on how love softened her heart and redeemed her perceptions, while the male protagonist elevates her words to sacred scriptures, affirming that his entire life belongs to her.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagaimai)

Paaraiyilum kooda payir thozhil seithaai

Cultivating crops on a rock metaphorically symbolizes bringing warmth, emotions, and life into a cold or hardened heart.

Personification

Kadhal en mael kadhal kondathu

Attributing human emotions to the abstract concept of 'love', portraying love itself as falling in love.

Monai (Initial Alliteration)

Paavai manam thannil / Paal mazhai peithaai / Paaraiyilum kooda...

Repetition of the 'Pa' sound at the start of consecutive lines creates rhythmic beauty.

Antithesis (Contrast)

Pennodu pei undu annaalil kanadaen / Pennukkul thaayundu unnaalae kanadaen

Contrasting the negative perception of womanhood ('pei' or demon) with the divine maternal aspect ('thaay' or mother).

Did you know?

Trivia

Written by acclaimed lyricist Vairamuthu, the song features rich poetic metaphors typical of 1990s Tamil cinema, comparing emotional transformation to natural processes like rain on rocks and flowering vines.

Keep listening

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