Enge Irunthai Isaiye Male
From Ajantha · 2012
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Engae irundhaai isaiyae… | Where were you, O Music... |
| Male | |
| Engae irundhaai isaiyae | Where were you, O Music? |
| Nee engae irundhaai isaiyae | Where were you, O Music? |
| Uyirilaa unarvilaa | In life? In feeling? |
| Manadhilaa madhiyilaa | In the mind? In the intellect? |
| Idhil edhuvo naanum ariyaen | Which of these it is, I do not know. |
| Aanaal enakkul irukkiraai | But you reside within me. |
| Engirundho enakkul | From somewhere within me, |
| Allida kuraiyaa ootraai surakkiraai | You gush forth like an inexhaustible spring! |
| Male | |
| Engae irundhaai isaiyae | Where were you, O Music? |
| Male | |
| Kaatril kalappadhaal | Because you blend into the air, |
| Nee kaatrin vadivamaa sol | Tell me, are you in the shape of the wind? |
| Oliyaai udhippadhaal | Because you arise as sound, |
| Nee oliyin uruvamaa sol | Tell me, are you the form of sound? |
| Uruvam yaedhum illaamal | Without having any physical form, |
| Ulagai eerppaayae | You attract the entire world! |
| Ulagin uyirgal unnidathil | All living beings in the world, in your presence, |
| Ullam izhappaarae | Lose their hearts to you! |
| Male | |
| Isaiyil mayangaa uyir yaedhu | Is there any life not entranced by music? |
| Mazhaiyil vilaiyaa payir yaedhu | Is there any crop that does not flourish in the rain? |
| Idhu unakkum enakkum | Between you and me, |
| Poorva jenma bandham thaan | This is surely a bond from past lives. |
| Male | |
| Engae irundhaai isaiyae | Where were you, O Music? |
| Nee engae irundhaai isaiyae | Where were you, O Music? |
| Male | |
| Ethanai oorgalil | In how many towns |
| Naam inaindhu paadi chendrom | Have we together sung and traveled? |
| Ethanai sevigalil | To how many ears |
| Thaen virundhu padaithu chendrom | Have we served a feast of honey? |
| Paadhai illaa oorukkellaam | To all towns without a path, |
| Paattaal vazhi pottom | We carved a path through song! |
| Vaedhanai namakkul irundhaalum | Even though pain lived within us, |
| Paattaal thuyar theerthom | We relieved sorrow through song! |
| Male | |
| Isaiyai arindhida vizhi edharkku | Why need eyes to understand music? |
| Inam thaan kandida sevi irukku | The ear is there to recognize its nature! |
| Ingu paadum paadal | Will this song sung here |
| Pazhaiya ninaivai kooraadho | Not recall old memories? |
| Male | |
| Engae irundhaai isaiyae | Where were you, O Music? |
| Nee engae irundhaai isaiyae | Where were you, O Music? |
| Uyirilaa unarvilaa | In life? In feeling? |
| Manadhilaa madhiyilaa | In the mind? In the intellect? |
| Idhil edhuvo naanum ariyaen | Which of these it is, I do not know. |
| Aanaal enakkul irukkiraai | But you reside within me. |
| Engirundho enakkul | From somewhere within me, |
| Allida kuraiyaa ootraai surakkiraai | You gush forth like an inexhaustible spring! |
| Male | |
| Engae irundhaai…isaiyae…. | Where were you... O Music.... |
எங்கே இருந்தாய் இசையே...
Where were you, O Music...
எங்கே இருந்தாய் இசையே
நீ எங்கே இருந்தாய் இசையே
உயிரிலா உணர்விலா மனதிலா மதியிலா
இதில் எதுவோ நானும் அறியேன்
ஆனால் எனக்குள் இருக்கிறாய்
எங்கிருந்தோ எனக்குள் அள்ளிடக் குறையா
ஊற்றாய் சுரக்கிறாய்
Where were you, O Music?
Where were you, O Music?
In life? In feeling?
In the mind? In the intellect?
Which of these it is, I do not know.
But you reside within me.
From somewhere within me,
You gush forth like an inexhaustible spring!
எங்கே இருந்தாய் இசையே
Where were you, O Music?
காற்றில் கலப்பதால்
நீ காற்றின் வடிவமா சொல்
ஒலியாய் உதிப்பதால்
நீ ஒலியின் உருவமா சொல்
உருவம் ஏதும் இல்லாமல் உலகை ஈர்ப்பாயே
உலகின் உயிர்கள் உன்னிடத்தில்
உள்ளம் இழப்பாரே
இசையில் மயங்கா உயிர் ஏது
மழையில் விளையா பயிர் ஏது
இது உனக்கும் எனக்கும்
பூர்வ ஜென்ம பந்தம் தான்
Because you blend into the air,
Tell me, are you in the shape of the wind?
Because you arise as sound,
Tell me, are you the form of sound?
Without having any physical form,
You attract the entire world!
All living beings in the world, in your presence,
Lose their hearts to you!
எங்கே இருந்தாய் இசையே
நீ எங்கே இருந்தாய் இசையே
Is there any life not entranced by music?
Is there any crop that does not flourish in the rain?
Between you and me,
This is surely a bond from past lives.
எத்தனை ஊர்களில்
நாம் இணைந்து பாடிச் சென்றோம்
எத்தனை செவிகளில்
தேன் விருந்து படைத்துச் சென்றோம்
பாதை இல்லா ஊருக்கெல்லாம்
பாட்டால் வழி போட்டோம்
வேதனை நமக்குள் இருந்தாலும்
பாட்டால் துயர் தீர்த்தோம்
இசையை அறிந்திட விழி எதற்கு
இனம் தான் கண்டிட செவி இருக்கு
இங்கு பாடும் பாடல்
பழையை நினைவைக் கூறாதோ
Where were you, O Music?
Where were you, O Music?
எங்கே இருந்தாய் இசையே
நீ எங்கே இருந்தாய் இசையே
உயிரிலா உணர்விலா மனதிலா மதியிலா
இதில் எதுவோ நானும் அறியேன்
ஆனால் எனக்குள் இருக்கிறாய்
எங்கிருந்தோ எனக்குள் அள்ளிடக் குறையா
ஊற்றாய் சுரக்கிறாய்
In how many towns
Have we together sung and traveled?
To how many ears
Have we served a feast of honey?
To all towns without a path,
We carved a path through song!
Even though pain lived within us,
We relieved sorrow through song!
எங்கே இருந்தாய் இசையே
Why need eyes to understand music?
The ear is there to recognize its nature!
Will this song sung here
Not recall old memories?
Where were you, O Music?
Where were you, O Music?
In life? In feeling?
In the mind? In the intellect?
Which of these it is, I do not know.
But you reside within me.
From somewhere within me,
You gush forth like an inexhaustible spring!
Where were you... O Music....
Engae irundhaai isaiyae…
Where were you, O Music...
Engae irundhaai isaiyae
Where were you, O Music?
Nee engae irundhaai isaiyae
Where were you, O Music?
Uyirilaa unarvilaa
In life? In feeling?
Manadhilaa madhiyilaa
In the mind? In the intellect?
Idhil edhuvo naanum ariyaen
Which of these it is, I do not know.
Aanaal enakkul irukkiraai
But you reside within me.
Engirundho enakkul
From somewhere within me,
Allida kuraiyaa ootraai surakkiraai
You gush forth like an inexhaustible spring!
Engae irundhaai isaiyae
Where were you, O Music?
Kaatril kalappadhaal
Because you blend into the air,
Nee kaatrin vadivamaa sol
Tell me, are you in the shape of the wind?
Oliyaai udhippadhaal
Because you arise as sound,
Nee oliyin uruvamaa sol
Tell me, are you the form of sound?
Uruvam yaedhum illaamal
Without having any physical form,
Ulagai eerppaayae
You attract the entire world!
Ulagin uyirgal unnidathil
All living beings in the world, in your presence,
Ullam izhappaarae
Lose their hearts to you!
Isaiyil mayangaa uyir yaedhu
Is there any life not entranced by music?
Mazhaiyil vilaiyaa payir yaedhu
Is there any crop that does not flourish in the rain?
Idhu unakkum enakkum
Between you and me,
Poorva jenma bandham thaan
This is surely a bond from past lives.
Engae irundhaai isaiyae
Where were you, O Music?
Nee engae irundhaai isaiyae
Where were you, O Music?
Ethanai oorgalil
In how many towns
Naam inaindhu paadi chendrom
Have we together sung and traveled?
Ethanai sevigalil
To how many ears
Thaen virundhu padaithu chendrom
Have we served a feast of honey?
Paadhai illaa oorukkellaam
To all towns without a path,
Paattaal vazhi pottom
We carved a path through song!
Vaedhanai namakkul irundhaalum
Even though pain lived within us,
Paattaal thuyar theerthom
We relieved sorrow through song!
Isaiyai arindhida vizhi edharkku
Why need eyes to understand music?
Inam thaan kandida sevi irukku
The ear is there to recognize its nature!
Ingu paadum paadal
Will this song sung here
Pazhaiya ninaivai kooraadho
Not recall old memories?
Engae irundhaai isaiyae
Where were you, O Music?
Nee engae irundhaai isaiyae
Where were you, O Music?
Uyirilaa unarvilaa
In life? In feeling?
Manadhilaa madhiyilaa
In the mind? In the intellect?
Idhil edhuvo naanum ariyaen
Which of these it is, I do not know.
Aanaal enakkul irukkiraai
But you reside within me.
Engirundho enakkul
From somewhere within me,
Allida kuraiyaa ootraai surakkiraai
You gush forth like an inexhaustible spring!
Engae irundhaai…isaiyae….
Where were you... O Music....
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song is a deeply philosophical ode to Music ('Isai') personified as an eternal companion and a divine, formless force. The singer reflects on how music resides inside human consciousness—beyond simple mind, soul, or intellect—flowing like an endless spring. The lyrics marvel at music's intangible nature: though formless, it captivates all living beings just as rain gives life to crops.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Iyaipu (End Rhyme)
“Uyirilaa unarvilaa / Manadhilaa madhiyilaa”
The lines end with rhythmic, rhyming suffixes ('ilaa'), establishing a musical cadence.
Rhetorical Question & Analogy
“Isaiyil mayangaa uyir yaedhu / Mazhaiyil vilaiyaa payir yaedhu”
Compares living beings being captivated by music to crops thriving in rain, asking rhetorical questions to emphasize universal truths.
Metaphor
“Thaen virundhu padaithu chendrom”
Music served to listeners' ears is metaphorically described as a 'feast of honey' ('Thaen virundhu').
Personification
“Engae irundhaai isaiyae”
Music ('Isai') is directly addressed as a living companion and soulmate with whom the singer shares past-life bonds.
Did you know?
Trivia
Written by veteran lyricist Vaali, 'Engae irundhaai isaiyae' from the 2012 film Ajantha celebrates music as a divine phenomenon. The film was notable for being a multilingual release, featuring music by veteran composer Ilaiyaraaja along with Arvind-Shankar.
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