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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

En Manadhai Thirudi

From Pottu Amman · 2000

Lyricist
Na. Muthu Kumar
Singers
Shankar Mahadevan, Kalpana Ragavendhara
Music director
S. D. Shanthakumar
Details
Pottu Amman2000

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Munnam avanudaiya naamam kettaalFirst, she heard His divine name,
Moorththi avanirukkum vannam kettaalThen she asked about the form He resides in,
Pinnai avanudaiya aarur kettaalLater, she inquired about His sacred abode, Thiruvarur,
Peyarththum avanukkae pichchiyaanaalAnd eventually, she became madly devoted to Him alone.
En manathai thirudi….Stealing my heart...
Male
Aa….en manathai thirudiAh... stealing my heart,
Eduththu kondu ponaalaeShe carried it away.
En manathai thirudiStealing my heart,
Eduththu kondu ponaalaeShe carried it away.
Male
Kalliyaa illai valliyaaIs she a thief, or is she Valli?
Intha kannan kannam thodum pulliyaaIs she the beauty mark that touches Lord Krishna's cheek?
Aazhiyaa kadal thozhiyaaIs she the deep ocean, or a friend to the sea?
Enthan thanimai theddi vantha thozhiyaaIs she the companion who came searching for my solitude?
Male
En manathai thirudi….Stealing my heart...
Eduththu kondu ponaalae….ae….ae…..ae…She carried it away...
Aa…aa….aa….aa….aa….aa….aa….aa….Vocalizations...
Male
Kadhal endrum oru erimalai sigaramLove is always a volcanic peak,
Female :Sigaraththil idhayangal kodi katti parakkumFemale: On that peak, hearts fly like victorious flags.
Male :Adhisayam adhu thoda thoda kulirumMale: It is a miracle that cools down as you touch it,
Female :Kulirnthaalum ullukkullae kadhal veppam thaniyaathuFemale: Yet even if it cools, the inner heat of love never subsides.
Male
Oo….padhinettu vayathaana avaloru kuzhanthaiOh... at eighteen years old, she is still a child,
Pariththaalae azhagaaga ennudaiya manathaiYet she beautifully plucked my heart away.
En vaanilae aval vanthathumThe moment she entered my sky,
Kadhal nilaa oliyaanathaeThe moon of love began to shine brilliantly.
Male
Un manathai Thanthaal ennaWhat if you give me your heart?
Adi ennuyiril kalanthaal ennaHey girl, what if you merge into my very life?
Male
En manathai thirudi….Stealing my heart...
Eduththu kondu ponaalae….ae….ae…..ae…She carried it away...
Aa…aa….aa….aa….aa….aa….aa….aa….Vocalizations...
Male
Kannimaiyo pudhu kadhal vedham padikkumThe fluttering eyelids read a new scripture of love,
Female :Vedhangal kadhal mun kattupattu kidakkumFemale: Sacred scriptures lie bound before love.
Ullaththilae oru mouna yuththam nadakkumA silent war takes place within the heart,
Female :Yuththangal mudinthangae muththangal pirakkumFemale: Where wars end, sweet kisses are born.
Male
Oo….oo….erinthaalum aval kayilOh... even if I burn in her hands,
Karpooramaai erivaenI will burn purely like camphor.
Vizhunthaalum aval nenjilEven if I fall, inside her heart,
Nangooramaai vizhuvaenI will drop down like a strong anchor.
Male
Kadhal enum dhesaththilaeIn the nation called Love,
Kalavu ellaam kuttramillaiStealing hearts is not considered a crime.
Indru mudhal kuttram seivom naamFrom today, let us commit this crime,
Aayul varai kadhal seivomAnd make love until the end of our lives.
Male
En manathai thirudiStealing my heart,
Eduththu kondu ponaalaeShe carried it away.
Kalliyaa illai valliyaaIs she a thief, or is she Valli?
Intha kannan kannam thodum pulliyaaIs she the beauty mark that touches Lord Krishna's cheek?
Aazhiyaa kadal thozhiyaaIs she the deep ocean, or a friend to the sea?
Enthan thanimai theddi vantha thozhiyaaIs she the companion who came searching for my solitude?
Male
En manathai thirudi….Stealing my heart...
Eduththu kondu ponaalae….ae….ae…..ae…She carried it away...

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

The song opens with an iconic classical devotional verse from the ancient Saivite canon Tevaram, describing a soul's complete intoxication and surrender upon hearing the divine name. It seamlessly transitions into a contemporary romantic context where the protagonist marvels at how a young woman has captivated his soul and stolen his heart. The lovers engage in a poetic dialogue describing love through intense imagery—comparing it to a volcano that paradoxically feels cool to the touch, and declaring love as a domain where stealing hearts is the highest virtue.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Intertextuality / Devotional Allusion

Munnam avanudaiya naamam kettaal

The opening lines are directly quoted from Saint Thirunavukkarasar's (Appar) Tevaram hymn ('Thandagamm'), using the soul's divine surrender as an allegory for romantic devotion.

Metaphor (Uruvagamm)

Kadhal endrum oru erimalai sigaram

Love is directly compared to a volcanic peak ('erimalai sigaram') to express its intense heat and explosive emotional power.

Simile (Uvamaani)

Karpooramaai erivaen / Nangooramaai vizhuvaen

The lover expresses total devotion by comparing himself to camphor ('karpooramaai') that completely consumes itself in fire, and an anchor ('nangooramaai') that fixes itself firmly.

Etukai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Yuththangal mudinthangae muththangal pirakkum

Classical Tamil rhyme scheme where second letters match in adjacent lines ('yuththang-gal' and 'muththang-gal').

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Trivia

The song's opening verse ('Munnam avanudaiya naamam kettaal...') is one of the most famous hymns composed by 7th-century Tamil Saivite saint Thirunavukkarasar (Appar). It originally describes the Nayaki-Nayaka (soul-God) relationship, representing spiritual intoxication.

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