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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Karumbaale Villa Katti

From Vaazhga Valarga · 1987

Lyricist
Isaignani Ilayaraja
Singers
M. R. Krishna Moorthi, C. Veerasamy, B. S. Sasirekha
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Vaazhga Valarga1987

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Aahaa karumbaalae villa kattiAahaa, tying a bow made of sugarcane
Poovaalae amba poottiFitting an arrow made of flowers
Kaamatha thoondumInstigating desire and passion
Enga mannan mannanOur king, our ruler
Manmadhan chella kannuDarling Manmadhan, the god of love
Rathi andha chinna kannuAnd Rathi with her small, beautiful eyes
Kadhai solli paada vandhen annae annaeI have come to sing their story, oh brother, oh brother!
Chorus
Karumbaalae villa kattiTying a bow made of sugarcane
Poovaalae amba poottiFitting an arrow made of flowers
Kaamatha thoondumInstigating desire and passion
Enga mannan mannanOur king, our ruler
Manmadhan chella kannuDarling Manmadhan, the god of love
Rathi andha chinna kannuAnd Rathi with her small, beautiful eyes
Kadhai solli paada vandhen annae annaeI have come to sing their story, oh brother, oh brother!
Male
Aahaa thennaattil ullavanaamAahaa, the one who belongs to the southern land
Ellorkkum mannavanaamThe ruler and king of everyone
Kan moondru konda andha sivanae sivanaeThat Lord Shiva who possesses three eyes
Manmadhan saambalaanaHow Manmadhan was reduced to ashes
Kadhai solli paada vandhomWe have come to sing that story
Manam otti okkaaru em maganae maganaeSit down attentively with an open heart, my son, my son!
Chorus
Thennaattil ullavanaamThe one who belongs to the southern land
Ellorkkum mannavanaamThe ruler and king of everyone
Kan moondru konda andha sivanae sivanaeThat Lord Shiva who possesses three eyes
Manmadhan saambalaanaHow Manmadhan was reduced to ashes
Kadhai solli paada vandhomWe have come to sing that story
Manam otti okkaaru em maganae maganaeSit down attentively with an open heart, my son, my son!
Male
Aahaa vennaikku enna thaekkumAahaa, applying oil made from butter
Azhagaana maeniyoduWith a beautiful, radiant body
Kannukku mai ezhudhi radhi dhevi vandhaalaeGoddess Rathi came after applying kohl to her eyes
Chorus
Vennaikku enna thaekkumApplying oil made from butter
Azhagaana maeniyoduWith a beautiful, radiant body
Kannukku mai ezhudhi radhi dhevi vandhaalaeGoddess Rathi came after applying kohl to her eyes
Male
Manmadhanum mayangi mayangiAnd Manmadhan, completely enchanted and mesmorized
Avaloda ponaanaeWent along with her
Kannu irandum keranga kerangaWith both eyes getting dazed and swooning
Kaadhal vasam aanaanaeHe surrendered completely to love
Chorus
Manmadhanum mayangi mayangiAnd Manmadhan, completely enchanted and mesmorized
Avaloda ponaanaeWent along with her
Kannu irandum keranga kerangaWith both eyes getting dazed and swooning
Kaadhal vasam aanaanaeHe surrendered completely to love
Male
Rathi thaanae kaadhalukku authorityRathi is indeed the authority when it comes to love
Chorus
AamaaYes!
Male
Endha oorulaeyum ava katchi thaan majorityIn every town, her party holds the absolute majority!
Chorus
Aamaa aamaaYes, yes!
Male
Rathi thaanae kaadhalukku authorityRathi is indeed the authority when it comes to love
Chorus
AamaaYes!
Male
Endha oorulaeyum ava katchi thaan majorityIn every town, her party holds the absolute majority!
Chorus
Aamaa aamaaYes, yes!
Male
Manmadhan thaan saamathukku authorityManmadhan is the supreme authority during the midnight hour
Chorus
AamaaYes!
Male
Endha oorulaeyum avan katchi thaan majorityIn every town, his party holds the absolute majority!
Chorus
Aamaa aamaaYes, yes!
Male
Manmadhan thaan saamathukku authorityManmadhan is the supreme authority during the midnight hour
Chorus
AamaaYes!
Male
Endha oorulaeyum avan katchi thaan majorityIn every town, his party holds the absolute majority!
Chorus
Aamaa aamaaYes, yes!
Chorus
Karumbaalae villa kattiTying a bow made of sugarcane
Poovaalae amba poottiFitting an arrow made of flowers
Kaamatha thoondumInstigating desire and passion
Enga mannan mannanOur king, our ruler
Manmadhan chella kannuDarling Manmadhan, the god of love
Rathi andha chinna kannuAnd Rathi with her small, beautiful eyes
Kadhai solli paada vandhen annae annaeI have come to sing their story, oh brother, oh brother!
Male
Muppathu mukkodi dhevargalinAccording to the request of thirty-three crore celestial beings
VendukolukkinangaIn order to disturb the penance of Lord Shiva
Siva perumaanin thavathai kalaikkaTo interrupt Lord Shiva's intense meditation
Manmadhanum oppu konduManmadhan agreed to take up the task
Villai pootti baanangalai yaetriMounting his sugarcane bow and loading his floral arrows
Malar paanangalaiHe aimed and shot those floral arrows
Siva perumaanin meedhu thoduthaanDirectly at Lord Shiva
Male
Thavamum kalaindhuHis meditation was broken
Andha sivanum ezhundhu vandhuAnd that Shiva woke up from his trance
Kaama valaiyil vizhundhaanAnd fell into the net of desire
Male
Paadhi umaiyavalin meedhuFocusing his attention upon Uma, who forms half of his body
Gavanam vandhuWith full attention
Kaama kalaiyil anaithaanHe embraced her in the art of love
Chorus
Thavamum kalaindhuHis meditation was broken
Andha sivanum ezhundhu vandhuAnd that Shiva woke up from his trance
Kaama valaiyil vizhundhaanAnd fell into the net of desire
Paadhi umaiyavalin meedhu gavanam vandhuFocusing his attention upon Uma, who forms half of his body
Kaama kalaiyil anaithaanHe embraced her in the art of love
Male
Siridhu manam kalangiTroubled slightly in his mind
Thavarai unarndhuRealizing his mistake and lapse
Sivan varundhi varundhi irundhaanShiva grieved deeply in regret
Manam varundhi varundhi irundhaanHis heart suffered in extreme regret
Male
Porigal parakka kannu kanalgal therikkaSparks flew and fire burst from his eyes
Sivan madhanai erikka kondaanShiva determined to burn down Manmadhan
Avan netri kannai thirandhaanHe opened his third eye on his forehead
Female
Thannam thani mayilaagaRathi, who once stood like a gentle, solitary peacock
Nindra radhi puyalaagaTransformed into a fierce storm
Uru eduthu uru maarinaalTaking a new form and altering her shape
Chinnam chiru kiliyaagaRathi, who was once like a tiny little parrot
Irundha radhi puliyaagaTurned into a fierce tigress
Indru aval nilai maarinaalToday her state has transformed completely
Female
Thannam thani mayilaagaRathi, who once stood like a gentle, solitary peacock
Nindra radhi puyalaagaTransformed into a fierce storm
Uru eduthu uru maarinaalTaking a new form and altering her shape
Chinnam chiru kiliyaagaRathi, who was once like a tiny little parrot
Irundha radhi puliyaagaTurned into a fierce tigress
Indru aval nilai maarinaalToday her state has transformed completely
Female
Inaindhirundha ilaiyavanumSeeing the terrible cruelty of her young partner being burnt down
Erindha perum kodumai kanduOvercome by grief at his destruction
Varundhum andha nilai modhavaeAs her loved husband vanished into thin air
Kalandhirundha kaadhal maganOvercoming her grief to seek vengeance
Maraindha andha thuyaram thannaiAgainst Lord Shiva, whom no one dares to question
Marandhu oru pazhi vaangavaeShe mustered courage to demand justice
Female
Yaarum edhum ketka mudiyaadha andha sivanaiTo make the ruler feel the magnitude of his crime
Needhi adhu ketka thunindhaalRathi set out to obtain justice
Utravanin kutram adhai unarchi kollaMaking the supreme king realize his state
Needhi petru vara radhi kilambinaalDetermined Rathi set off all by herself
Kotravanin nilai unarthadiDetermined Rathi set off all by herself
Mudivutra radhi thannam thaniyaeShe dared to demand justice
Mudivutra radhi thannam thaniyaeRathi set off to emerge victorious
Needhi adhu ketka thunindhaalShe dared to demand justice
Adhu vetri pera radhi kilambinaalRathi set off to emerge victorious
Needhi adhu ketka thunindhaal
Adhu vetri pera radhi kilambinaal

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song narrates the mythological tale of Manmadhan (Kamadeva, the god of love) and his consort Rathi, centered around the event of Shiva's penance. At the request of thirty-three crore Devas, Manmadhan fires floral arrows at Lord Shiva to disrupt his deep meditation so that he unites with Goddess Parvati. Upon being struck, Shiva's trance breaks and he briefly embraces Parvati, but upon realizing the disruption, Shiva opens his third eye in fury and burns Manmadhan to ashes. The second half of the song highlights Rathi's transformation from a gentle, parrot-like figure into a fierce tigress as she boldly sets out to confront Lord Shiva and demand justice for her fallen husband.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagaim)

Thannam thani mayilaaga / Nindra radhi puyalaaga

Describing Rathi transforming from a peacock ('mayilaaga') into a storm ('puyalaaga') and a parrot ('kiliyaaga') into a tigress ('puliyaaga') metaphorically highlights her intense shift from gentleness to fury.

Edhugai (Second-letter rhyme)

Thannam thani mayilaaga / Nindra radhi puyalaaga

Rhyming scheme where the second letter of consecutive lines match ('mayilaaga' / 'puyalaaga').

Anaphora / Repetition

Rathi thaanae kaadhalukku authority / Endha oorulaeyum ava katchi thaan majority

Repetition of terms like 'authority' and 'majority' to build rhythmic energy and emphasize the popularity of love.

Did you know?

Trivia

This track is a traditional folk-style 'Villu Paattu' (bow song format) storytelling piece that dramatizes the Hindu mythological episode of 'Madana Dahanam' (the burning of Manmadhan by Lord Shiva). It uses colloquial Tamil rhythms mixed with English loanwords like 'authority' and 'majority' for humorous and engaging theatrical delivery.

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