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Lyrics & meaning

Irandha Kaala Vaazhvai Enni

From Asai Anna Arumai Thambi · 1955

Lyricist
A. Maruthakasi
Singer
T. V. Rathinam
Music director
K. V. Mahadevan
Details
Asai Anna Arumai Thambi1955

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Iranthagaala vaazhvai enni yaengaathaeDo not yearn thinking of the past life.
Edhirkaala inba vaazhvaiThe joyful life of the future,
Udhari thallaathae manmaeDo not cast it away, oh mind.
Female
Iranthagaala vaazhvai enni yaengaathaeDo not yearn thinking of the past life.
Female
Parnthu pogum vaanampaadi odi paarRun and see the skylark flying high in the sky.
Avai paadum iniya kadhal geedhamHear the sweet love song it sings,
Thannai kel manamaeListen to it yourself, oh mind.
Female
Iranthagaala vaazhvai enni yaengaathaeDo not yearn thinking of the past life.
Female
Arunthu pona pinnum antha yaazhiyilaeEven after a string snaps on that lute,
Pudhiya narambai maatti naadham saerpathillaiyaaDo they not replace it with a new string to bring back melody?
Sarinthu pona veetai intha ulagilaeA house that has collapsed in this world,
Meendum pazhuthu paarththu kudiyirupathillaiyaa manamaaDo they not repair it and live in it again, oh mind?
Female
Iranthagaala vaazhvai enni yaengaathaeDo not yearn thinking of the past life.
Edhirkaala inba vaazhvaiThe joyful life of the future,
Udhari thallaathae manmaeDo not cast it away, oh mind.
Female
Pirantha jenmam maraivathengum sagajamaeIt is natural everywhere for a life that is born to pass away.
Idhai maranthu veenil varunthi enna laabamForgetting this and grieving in vain, what is the gain?
Nirantha thunbam neegi vaazhvil inbamaeRemoving permanent sorrow, so happiness fills life,
Siranthu vaazhum vazhiyai theda venumae manamaeYou must seek the way to live remarkably, oh mind.
Female
Iranthagaala vaazhvai enni yaengaathaeDo not yearn thinking of the past life.
Edhirkaala inba vaazhvaiThe joyful life of the future,
Udhari thallaathae manmaeDo not cast it away, oh mind.

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This uplifting philosophical song from 'Asai Anna Arumai Thambi' (1955) advises the human mind to stop dwelling on past regrets and lost times. Instead, lyricist A. Maruthakasi urges the listener to embrace the future with optimism and hope. Through simple yet profound analogies—such as restringing a broken harp to restore melody and repairing a fallen house to reside in it again—the song highlights resilience and the human capacity to rebuild life after setbacks. Furthermore, the song reminds us that death and change are natural parts of existence. Wasting energy in hopeless grief over the past achieves nothing. One must observe nature, like the joyous singing skylark, and actively seek paths that eliminate sorrow to lead a fulfilling and cheerful life.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Apostrophe (Addressing the Mind / Manavi)

Udhari thallaathae manmae

The lyricist directly addresses his own mind throughout the song using 'manamae' or 'manamaa', treating it as an entity to be counseled.

Analogy (Uvamai)

Arunthu pona pinnum antha yaazhiyilae / Pudhiya narambai maatti naadham saerpathillaiyaa

The song uses the metaphor of replacing a broken string on a lute (yaazh) to tune melody again as an analogy for rebuilding one's broken life.

Edhugai (Second-letter Rhyme)

Arunthu pona pinnum antha yaazhiyilae / Sarinthu pona veetai intha ulagilae

The second letters of 'Arunthu' and 'Sarinthu' share matching sound/consonant rhyming structures in Tamil poetic tradition.

Did you know?

Trivia

Written by the famed lyricist A. Maruthakasi, who was known as 'Aasiriya Kavingnar', this song exemplifies his signature style of providing practical life philosophy in simple, rhythmic Tamil. The film 'Asai Anna Arumai Thambi' (1955) starred A. P. Nagarajan, who later became an acclaimed director in Tamil cinema.

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