Inbam Enbathu
From Annavin Aasai · 1966
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singers
- T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela
- Music director
- K. V. Mahadevan
- Details
- Annavin Aasai1966
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Inbam enbathu enna endroruvan | Someone asked God, |
| Iraivanai kettaanaam | 'What is true happiness?' |
| Antha iraivan thanakku theriyaathaen | God said he did not know, |
| En thalaivanai kettaanaam | And redirected him to ask my leader. |
| Male :Thalaivan thalaiviyai kettaanaam | Male: And the leader asked his beloved heroine. |
| Female | |
| Inbam enbathu enna endroruvan | Someone asked God, |
| Iraivanai kettaanaam | 'What is true happiness?' |
| Antha iraivan thanakku theriyaathaen | God said he did not know, |
| En thalaivanai kettaanaam | And redirected him to ask my leader. |
| Male :Thalaivan thalaiviyai kettaanaam | Male: And the leader asked his beloved heroine. |
| Male | |
| Kovil gopura silaigalilum | Is it found in temple tower sculptures, |
| Konjum naattiya kalaiyinilum | Or in the charming art of dance? |
| Female :Pettrathuthaana inbam endru | Female: Asking if happiness was derived from those, |
| Avan pennidam kannaal kettaanaam | He asked the woman through his eyes. |
| Male | |
| Inbam enbathu enna endroruvan | Someone asked God, |
| Iraivanai kettaanaam | 'What is true happiness?' |
| Female :Antha iraivan thanakku theriyaathaen | Female: God said he did not know, |
| En thalaivanai kettaanaam | And redirected him to ask my leader. |
| Male :Thalaivan thalaiviyai kettaanaam | Male: And the leader asked his beloved heroine. |
| Female | |
| Kadhal suvai oru vadivaaga | When the sweet taste of love takes a form, |
| Kanmani selvam uruvaaga | And a precious child is created, |
| Male :Aasai thalaivan kanivaaga | Male: As the yearning lover looked on affectionately, |
| Andrae arinthaan inbaththai thelivaaga | He clearly understood happiness that very day. |
| Female | |
| Thaththuvam mazhalai mozhigalilae | In the philosophical babble of tender child talk, |
| Thalirmaeni sevvaai idhazhgalilae | And in the red lips of a delicate body, |
| Male :Inbam piranthathai avan arinthaan | Male: He realized where happiness was born, |
| Antha iraivanum andrae athai arinthaan | And God too realized it on that very day. |
| Female | |
| Inbam enbathu enna endroruvan | Someone asked God, |
| Iraivanai kettaanaam | 'What is true happiness?' |
| Antha iraivan thanakku theriyaathaen | God said he did not know, |
| En thalaivanai kettaanaam | And redirected him to ask my leader. |
| Male :Thalaivan thalaiviyai kettaanaam | Male: And the leader asked his beloved heroine. |
இன்பம் என்பது என்ன என்றொருவன்
இறைவனைக் கேட்டானாம்
அந்த இறைவன் தனக்கும் தெரியாதென
என் தலைவனைக் கேட்டானாம்
தலைவன் தலைவியைக் கேட்டானாம்
Someone asked God,
'What is true happiness?'
God said he did not know,
And redirected him to ask my leader.
Male: And the leader asked his beloved heroine.
இன்பம் என்பது என்ன என்றொருவன்
இறைவனைக் கேட்டானாம்
அந்த இறைவன் தனக்கும் தெரியாதென
என் தலைவனைக் கேட்டானாம்
தலைவன் தலைவியைக் கேட்டானாம்
Someone asked God,
'What is true happiness?'
God said he did not know,
And redirected him to ask my leader.
Male: And the leader asked his beloved heroine.
கோவில் கோபுரச் சிலைகளிலும்
கொஞ்சும் நாட்டியக் கலையினிலும்
பாட்டிலும் இன்பம் இல்லை என்று
இந்தப் பாவையின் முகத்தைப் பார்த்தானாம்
Is it found in temple tower sculptures,
Or in the charming art of dance?
Female: Asking if happiness was derived from those,
He asked the woman through his eyes.
கட்டிலிலாடும் மயக்கத்திலே
களைப்போடு உறங்கும் உறக்கத்திலே
பெற்றதுதானா இன்பம் என்று
அவன் பெண்ணிடம் கண்ணால் கேட்டானாம்
Someone asked God,
'What is true happiness?'
Female: God said he did not know,
And redirected him to ask my leader.
Male: And the leader asked his beloved heroine.
இன்பம் என்பது என்ன என்றொருவன்
இறைவனைக் கேட்டானாம்
அந்த இறைவன் தனக்கும் தெரியாதென
என் தலைவனைக் கேட்டானாம்
தலைவன் தலைவியைக் கேட்டானாம்
When the sweet taste of love takes a form,
And a precious child is created,
Male: As the yearning lover looked on affectionately,
He clearly understood happiness that very day.
காதல் சுவை ஒரு வடிவாகக்
கண்மணிச் செல்வம் உருவாக
ஆசைத் தலைவன் கனிவாக
அன்றே அறிந்தான் இன்பத்தைத் தெளிவாக
In the philosophical babble of tender child talk,
And in the red lips of a delicate body,
Male: He realized where happiness was born,
And God too realized it on that very day.
தத்துவம் மழலை மொழிகளிலே
தளிர்மேனி செவ்வாய் இதழ்களிலே
இன்பம் பிறந்ததை அவன் அறிந்தான்
அந்த இறைவனும் அன்றே அதை அறிந்தான்
Someone asked God,
'What is true happiness?'
God said he did not know,
And redirected him to ask my leader.
Male: And the leader asked his beloved heroine.
இன்பம் என்பது என்ன என்றொருவன்
இறைவனைக் கேட்டானாம்
அந்த இறைவன் தனக்கும் தெரியாதென
என் தலைவனைக் கேட்டானாம்
தலைவன் தலைவியைக் கேட்டானாம்
Inbam enbathu enna endroruvan
Someone asked God,
Iraivanai kettaanaam
'What is true happiness?'
Antha iraivan thanakku theriyaathaen
God said he did not know,
En thalaivanai kettaanaam
And redirected him to ask my leader.
Male :Thalaivan thalaiviyai kettaanaam
Male: And the leader asked his beloved heroine.
Inbam enbathu enna endroruvan
Someone asked God,
Iraivanai kettaanaam
'What is true happiness?'
Antha iraivan thanakku theriyaathaen
God said he did not know,
En thalaivanai kettaanaam
And redirected him to ask my leader.
Male :Thalaivan thalaiviyai kettaanaam
Male: And the leader asked his beloved heroine.
Kovil gopura silaigalilum
Is it found in temple tower sculptures,
Konjum naattiya kalaiyinilum
Or in the charming art of dance?
Female :Pettrathuthaana inbam endru
Female: Asking if happiness was derived from those,
Avan pennidam kannaal kettaanaam
He asked the woman through his eyes.
Inbam enbathu enna endroruvan
Someone asked God,
Iraivanai kettaanaam
'What is true happiness?'
Female :Antha iraivan thanakku theriyaathaen
Female: God said he did not know,
En thalaivanai kettaanaam
And redirected him to ask my leader.
Male :Thalaivan thalaiviyai kettaanaam
Male: And the leader asked his beloved heroine.
Kadhal suvai oru vadivaaga
When the sweet taste of love takes a form,
Kanmani selvam uruvaaga
And a precious child is created,
Male :Aasai thalaivan kanivaaga
Male: As the yearning lover looked on affectionately,
Andrae arinthaan inbaththai thelivaaga
He clearly understood happiness that very day.
Thaththuvam mazhalai mozhigalilae
In the philosophical babble of tender child talk,
Thalirmaeni sevvaai idhazhgalilae
And in the red lips of a delicate body,
Male :Inbam piranthathai avan arinthaan
Male: He realized where happiness was born,
Antha iraivanum andrae athai arinthaan
And God too realized it on that very day.
Inbam enbathu enna endroruvan
Someone asked God,
Iraivanai kettaanaam
'What is true happiness?'
Antha iraivan thanakku theriyaathaen
God said he did not know,
En thalaivanai kettaanaam
And redirected him to ask my leader.
Male :Thalaivan thalaiviyai kettaanaam
Male: And the leader asked his beloved heroine.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This iconic Tamil song from Annavin Aasai explores the philosophical query regarding the true definition of happiness (Inbam). Rather than finding bliss in divine abstractness, grand temple architecture, or classical dance, the lyrics reveal that true happiness is experienced through romantic union and the blessing of parenthood. Through a charming narrative exchange, even God directs the seeker to human love to understand joy, emphasizing that true divine bliss manifests in marital love and the innocent babble of a newborn child.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monai (Initial Alliteration)
“Kovil gopura silaigalilum / Konjum naattiya kalaiyinilum”
Repetition of the initial 'K' sound in 'Kovil' and 'Konjum' creates a rhythmic musicality in the line.
Edhugai (Second Letter Rhyme)
“Thaththuvam mazhalai mozhigalilae / Thalirmaeni sevvaai idhazhgalilae”
Rhyming of the second consonant sound 'th' in 'Thaththuvam' and 'Thalirmaeni'.
Anaphora / Refrain
“Inbam enbathu enna endroruvan / Iraivanai kettaanaam”
The thematic repetition of 'Inbam enbathu enna' reinforces the central philosophical question of the song.
Did you know?
Trivia
Annavin Aasai (1966) features timeless compositions by K. V. Mahadevan with deep philosophical lyricism by Kannadasan. The song captures a uniquely Tamil literary tradition of finding spiritual truths within householder love (Aham literature).
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