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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Enge Irunthai Isaiye

From Ajantha · 2012

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
K. J. Yesudas, Manjari
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Ajantha
Movie release year
2012
Lyrics added on
8 Feb 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Engae irundhaai isaiyae…
Engae irundhaai isaiyae
Nee engae irundhaai isaiyae
Uyirilaa unarvilaa manadhilaa madhiyilaa
Idhil edhuvo naanum ariyaen
Aanaal enakkul irukkiraai
Engirundho enakkul
Allida kuraiyaa ootraai surakkiraai
Engae irundhaai isaiyae
Kaatril kalappadhaal
Nee kaatrin vadivamaa sol
Oliyaai udhippadhaal
Nee oliyin uruvamaa sol
Uruvam yaedhum illaamal
Ulagai eerppaayae
Ulagin uyirgal unnidathil
Ullam izhappaarae
Isaiyil mayangaa uyir yaedhu
Mazhaiyil vilaiyaa payir yaedhu
Idhu unakkum enakkum
Poorva jenma bandham thaan
Engae irundhaai isaiyae
Nee engae irundhaai isaiyae
Ethanai oorgalil
Naam inaindhu paadi chendrom
Ethanai sevigalil
Thaen virundhu padaithu chendrom
Paadhai illaa oorukkellaam
Paattaal vazhi pottom
Vaedhanai namakkul irundhaalum
Paattaal thuyar theerthom
Isaiyai arindhida vizhi edharkku
Inam thaan kandida sevi irukku
Ingu paadum paadal
Pazhaiya ninaivai kooraadho
Engae irundhaai isaiyae
Nee engae irundhaai isaiyae
Uyirilaa unarvilaa
Manadhilaa madhiyilaa
Idhil edhuvo naanum ariyaen
Aanaal enakkul irukkiraai
Engirundho enakkul
Allida kuraiyaa ootraai surakkiraai
Nee engae irundhaai…
Where were you, O music…
Where were you, O music?
Where were you, O music?
Are you in the soul, in feelings, in the heart, or in the mind?
Which of these it is, I do not know.
Yet you dwell within me.
From somewhere inside me,
you flow like an endless spring that never runs dry.
Where were you, O music?
Because you blend into the breeze,
tell me, are you the shape of the wind?
Because you rise like the dawn,
tell me, are you the form of light?
Without any physical form,
you enchant the whole world.
All living souls in this world
lose their hearts to you.
Is there any life not captivated by music?
Is there any crop that does not grow in the rain?
Between you and me,
this is surely a bond from a past life.
Where were you, O music?
Where were you, O music?
Through how many towns
did we travel and sing together?
To how many ears
did we serve a sweet feast of honey?
To every place without a road,
we made a path through our song.
Even when pain lived inside us,
we healed grief through our song.
Why do we need eyes to know music?
Our ears are there to recognize its kind.
Won't the song sung here
bring back old memories?
Where were you, O music?
Where were you, O music?
In the soul, or in feelings?
In the heart, or in the mind?
Which of these it is, I do not know.
Yet you dwell within me.
From somewhere inside me,
you flow like an endless spring that never runs dry.
Where were you…
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Female
Female
Female
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This soulful song is a poetic homage to music, celebrating its intangible, ubiquitous, and divine nature. The singer ponders where music originates—whether in the soul, emotions, mind, or intellect—and concludes that regardless of its source, music flows endlessly from within like a spring. Music is depicted as an elemental force that blends with the wind, possesses no physical body, yet captivates all living beings.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Ethugai (Rhyming second letter)

“Kaatril kalappadhaal / Oliyaai udhippadhaal”

The second letter 't' (or 'l' in secondary assonance) creates a pleasing rhythmic rhyme across the paired lines.

Analogy / Metaphor

“Allida kuraiyaa ootraai surakkiraai”

Music is compared to an inexhaustible spring flowing abundantly from within the singer.

Parallelism / Metaphor

“Isaiyil mayangaa uyir yaedhu / Mazhaiyil vilaiyaa payir yaedhu”

Draws a parallel between how all living beings are entranced by music and how crops thrive under rain.

Metaphor

“Thaen virundhu padaithu chendrom”

Describes delivering sweet music to listeners as serving a feast of honey ('Thaen virundhu').

Did you know?

Trivia

Written by the legendary Tamil poet Vaali, the song celebrates music as an eternal companion across lifetimes. 'Ajantha' (2012) was produced as a multilingual film, featuring music composed by music director R. P. Patnaik.

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