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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Kodi Asainthathum

From Paarthaal Pasi Theerum · 1962

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
T. M. Soundararajan, P. Susheela
Music director
Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
Details
Paarthaal Pasi Theerum1962

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Female
Kodi asaindhadhumWhen the branch sways
Male :Mm…Mm...
Female :Kaattru vandhadhaaDid the wind blow?
Male :MhumMhum
Female :Kaattru vandhadhumWhen the wind blew
Male :OhoOho
Female :Kodi asaindhadhaaDid the branch sway?
Male
Nilavu vandhadhumWhen the moon arrived
Female :Mm…Mm...
Male :Malar malarndhadhaaDid the flower blossom?
Female :MhumBecause the flower blossomed
Male :Malar malarndhadhaalMm...
Female :Mm…Did the moon arrive?
Male :Nilavu vandhadhaaWhen the branch sways
Female
Kodi asaindhadhumDid the wind blow?
Kaattru vandhadhaaWhen the wind blew
Kaattru vandhadhumDid the branch sway?
Kodi asaindhadhaaWhen the moon arrived
Male
Nilavu vandhadhumDid the flower blossom?
Malar malarndhadhaaBecause the flower blossomed
Malar malarndhadhaalDid the moon arrive?
Nilavu vandhadhaaWhen the branch sways
Female
Kodi asaindhadhumDid the wind blow?
Kaattru vandhadhaaWhen the wind blew
Kaattru vandhadhumDid the branch sway?
Kodi asaindhadhaaWhen the song emerged
Female
Paadal vandhadhumDid the rhythm follow?
Thaalam vandhadhaaWhen the song emerged
Paadal vandhadhumDid the rhythm follow?
Thaalam vandhadhaaWhen the rhythm was set
Thaalam vandhadhumDid the song emerge?
Paadal vandhadhaaWhen emotion arose
Male
Bhaavam vandhadhumDid the melody come?
Raagam vandhadhaaWhen emotion arose
Bhaavam vandhadhumDid the melody come?
Raagam vandhadhaaWhen melody arrived
Raagam vandhadhumDid emotion arise?
Bhaavam vandhadhaaWhen the eyes opened
Female
Kann thirandhadhumDid the vision appear?
Kaatchi vandhadhaaWhen the vision appeared
Kaatchi vandhadhumDid the eyes open?
kann thirandhadhaaWhen youth arrived
Male
Paruvam vandhadhumDid desire follow?
Aasai vandhadhaaWhen desire arose
Aasai vandhadhumDid youth arrive?
Paruvam vandhadhaaWhen the branch sways
Female
Kodi asaindhadhumDid the wind blow?
Kaattru vandhadhaaWhen the wind blew
Kaattru vandhadhumDid the branch sway?
Kodi asaindhadhaaWhen words emerged
Female
Vaarthai vandhadhumDid the lips part?
Vaai thirandhadhaaWhen words emerged
Vaarthai vandhadhumDid the lips part?
Vaai thirandhadhaaWhen the lips parted
Vaai thirandhadhumDid words emerge?
Vaarthai vandhadhaaBecause of womanhood
Male
Penmai enbadhaalDid shyness arrive?
Naanam vandhadhaaBecause of womanhood
Penmai enbadhaalDid shyness arrive?
Naanam vandhadhaaBecause of shyness
Naanam vandhadhaalDid it become true womanhood?
Penmai aanadhaaRunning toward you
Female
Odi vandhadhumSearching for you
Thaedi vandhadhumSinging for you
Paadi vandhadhumComing to see you
Paarkka vandhadhumIs this called love?
Male
Kaadhal enbadhaaIs this called affection?
Paasam enbadhaaIs this called compassion?
Karunai enbadhaaIs this called entitlement?
Urimai enbadhaaWhen the branch sways
Female
Kodi asaindhadhumDid the wind blow?
Kaattru vandhadhaaWhen the wind blew
Kaattru vandhadhumDid the branch sway?
Kodi asaindhadhaa

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This classic romantic duet explores the philosophical relationship between cause and effect through natural and human metaphors. The lovers engage in a playful lyrical tender inquiry: Does the swaying of a branch cause the wind to blow, or does the wind cause the branch to sway? Does the moon appear because the flower blossoms, or does the flower bloom because of the moon? Through these interconnected natural phenomena—song and rhythm, emotion and melody, vision and eyes, youth and desire, words and lips—Kannadasan beautifully questions the origin of love and human connection.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Antimetabole / Chiasmus (Paradoxical Cause-Effect Inversion)

Kodi asaindhadhum Kaattru vandhadhaa / Kaattru vandhadhum Kodi asaindhadhaa

The song repeatedly flips the order of cause and effect between two related concepts to highlight their deep interdependence.

Emona (Anaphora and Rhyming Parallelism)

Kaadhal enbadhaa / Paasam enbadhaa / Karunai enbadhaa / Urimai enbadhaa

Repetitive structures creating a rhythmic cadence through continuous questioning using the Tamil interrogative suffix '-aa'.

Ethukai (Second Letter Rhyme)

Paadal vandhadhum / Thaalam vandhadhaa

Tamil poetic rhyme where the second letter of consecutive lines matches (e.g., Kodi / Nilavu / Paadal).

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by Viswanathan-Ramamoorthy for the 1962 film 'Paarthaal Pasi Theerum', this song features legendary singers T. M. Soundararajan and P. Susheela. It remains one of Kannadasan's most iconic songs demonstrating his philosophical mastery in simple romantic lyricism.

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