Mullai Vaasam
From Thirukkural · 2025
- Lyricist
- Isaignani Ilayaraja
- Singer
- Ranjani
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Thirukkural2025
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Mullai vasam ullil odi ennai vattudhu | The fragrance of jasmine flows inside and torments me |
| Ellai meeri thollai thandhu viragham kootudhu | Crossing limits and causing trouble, it heightens the pangs of separation |
| Annal avane kaaranam endru avar ariyaane | He, the noble one, does not know that he himself is the cause |
| Avan ariyaathondru ulagil ulladhu endru naan ariven | I know that there is something in this world that he remains unaware of |
| Mullai vasam ullil odi ennai vattudhu | The fragrance of jasmine flows inside and torments me |
| Female | |
| Kaaranam illaa karanathaal | For an unexplainable reason without cause |
| Kanniyar dhegam ul meliyum | A maiden's body thins and fades from within |
| Ullathin noyae dhegathile | This sickness of the heart brings changes to the body |
| Maatrangal thandhennai yengha veikkum | Making me yearn in deep longing |
| Sonnaal dhagam theerndhiduma | Will expressing it quench this thirst? |
| Thannaal mogham kuraindhidumaa | Will passion lessen on its own? |
| Sonnaal dhagam theerndhiduma | Will expressing it quench this thirst? |
| Thannaal mogham kuraindhidumaa | Will passion lessen on its own? |
| En sagiyae … | Oh my dear friend... |
| Noikku oru marundhu solladi nee | Tell me a remedy for this illness |
| Kaadhal noyi kaadhalan kai pada theerumadi | The illness of love is cured only when the lover's touch falls upon it |
| Female | |
| Mullai vasam ullil odi ennai vattudhu | The fragrance of jasmine flows inside and torments me |
| Female | |
| Endhanin thunbam annalinaal | Since my sorrow stems from that noble lord |
| Neeyum avarukku solvaayaa | Will you please go and tell him? |
| Uyir vali inbathirkuraikkum avar | He who turns the soul's agony into pure pleasure |
| Enakku adhai thandhida varuvaara | Will he come to bestow that upon me? |
| Ennilai annalum arindhaale | If that noble one merely comes to know my state |
| Adhuve enakku podhumadi | That alone would be enough for me, my friend |
| Ennilai annalum arindhaale | If that noble one merely comes to know my state |
| Adhuve enakku podhumadi | That alone would be enough for me, my friend |
| En sagiyae … | Oh my dear friend... |
| En nilaithanai avan endru arivaan | When will he ever realize my condition? |
| Avan arindhaal annodi en uyir odumadi | If he realizes it, at that very instant my life will soar |
| Female | |
| Mullai vasam ullil odi ennai vattudhu | The fragrance of jasmine flows inside and torments me |
| Ellai meeri thollai thandhu viragham kotudhu | Crossing limits and causing trouble, it heightens the pangs of separation |
| Annal avane kaaranam endru avar ariyaane | He, the noble one, does not know that he himself is the cause |
| Avan ariyaathondru ulagil ulladhu endru naan ariven | I know that there is something in this world that he remains unaware of |
| Mullai vasam ullil odi ennai vattudhu | The fragrance of jasmine flows inside and torments me |
முல்லை வாசம் உள்ளில் ஓடி என்னை வாட்டுது
எல்லை மீறி தொல்லை தந்து விரகம் கூட்டுது
அண்ணல் அவனே காரணம் என்று அவர் அறியானே
அவன் அறியாதொன்று உலகில் உள்ளது என்று நான் அறிவேன்
முல்லை வாசம் உள்ளில் ஓடி என்னை வாட்டுது
The fragrance of jasmine flows inside and torments me
Crossing limits and causing trouble, it heightens the pangs of separation
He, the noble one, does not know that he himself is the cause
I know that there is something in this world that he remains unaware of
The fragrance of jasmine flows inside and torments me
காரணம் இல்லா காரணத்தால்
கன்னியர் தேகம் உள் மெலியும்
உள்ளத்தின் நோயே தேகத்திலே
மாற்றங்கள் தந்தென்னை ஏங்க வைக்கும்
சொன்னால் தாகம் தீர்த்திடுமா
தன்னால் மோகம் குறைந்திடுமா
சொன்னால் தாகம் தீர்ந்திடுமா
தன்னால் மோகம் குறைந்திடுமா
என் சகியே...
நோய்க்கு ஒரு மார்
நோய்க்கு ஒரு மருந்து சொல்லடி நீ
காதல் நோய் காதலன் கை பட தீருமடி
For an unexplainable reason without cause
A maiden's body thins and fades from within
This sickness of the heart brings changes to the body
Making me yearn in deep longing
Will expressing it quench this thirst?
Will passion lessen on its own?
Will expressing it quench this thirst?
Will passion lessen on its own?
Oh my dear friend...
Tell me a remedy for this illness
The illness of love is cured only when the lover's touch falls upon it
முல்லை வாசம் உள்ளில் ஓடி என்னை வாட்டுது
The fragrance of jasmine flows inside and torments me
எந்தனின் துன்பம் அண்ணலினால்
நீயும் அவர்க்கு சொல்வாயா
உயிர் வலி இன்பத்திற்குறைக்கும் அவர்
எனக்கு அதை தந்திட வருவாரா
என்நிலை அன்னாலும் அறிந்தாளே
அதுவே எனக்கு போதுமாடி
எண்ணிலை அண்ணலும் அறிந்தாலே
அதுவே எனக்கு போதுமடி
என் சகியே...
என் நிலைதனை அவன் என்று அறிவான்
அவன் அறிந்தால் அந்நொடி என் உயிர் ஓடுமாடி
Since my sorrow stems from that noble lord
Will you please go and tell him?
He who turns the soul's agony into pure pleasure
Will he come to bestow that upon me?
If that noble one merely comes to know my state
That alone would be enough for me, my friend
If that noble one merely comes to know my state
That alone would be enough for me, my friend
Oh my dear friend...
When will he ever realize my condition?
If he realizes it, at that very instant my life will soar
முல்லை வாசம் உள்ளில் ஓடி என்னை வாட்டுது
எல்லை மீறி தொல்லை தந்து விரகம் கூட்டுது
அண்ணல் அவனே காரணம் என்று அவர் அறியானே
அவன் அறியாதொன்று உலகில் உள்ளது என்று நான் அறிவேன்
முல்லை வாசம் உள்ளில் ஓடி என்னை வாட்டுது
The fragrance of jasmine flows inside and torments me
Crossing limits and causing trouble, it heightens the pangs of separation
He, the noble one, does not know that he himself is the cause
I know that there is something in this world that he remains unaware of
The fragrance of jasmine flows inside and torments me
Mullai vasam ullil odi ennai vattudhu
The fragrance of jasmine flows inside and torments me
Ellai meeri thollai thandhu viragham kootudhu
Crossing limits and causing trouble, it heightens the pangs of separation
Annal avane kaaranam endru avar ariyaane
He, the noble one, does not know that he himself is the cause
Avan ariyaathondru ulagil ulladhu endru naan ariven
I know that there is something in this world that he remains unaware of
Mullai vasam ullil odi ennai vattudhu
The fragrance of jasmine flows inside and torments me
Kaaranam illaa karanathaal
For an unexplainable reason without cause
Kanniyar dhegam ul meliyum
A maiden's body thins and fades from within
Ullathin noyae dhegathile
This sickness of the heart brings changes to the body
Maatrangal thandhennai yengha veikkum
Making me yearn in deep longing
Sonnaal dhagam theerndhiduma
Will expressing it quench this thirst?
Thannaal mogham kuraindhidumaa
Will passion lessen on its own?
Sonnaal dhagam theerndhiduma
Will expressing it quench this thirst?
Thannaal mogham kuraindhidumaa
Will passion lessen on its own?
En sagiyae …
Oh my dear friend...
Noikku oru marundhu solladi nee
Tell me a remedy for this illness
Kaadhal noyi kaadhalan kai pada theerumadi
The illness of love is cured only when the lover's touch falls upon it
Mullai vasam ullil odi ennai vattudhu
The fragrance of jasmine flows inside and torments me
Endhanin thunbam annalinaal
Since my sorrow stems from that noble lord
Neeyum avarukku solvaayaa
Will you please go and tell him?
Uyir vali inbathirkuraikkum avar
He who turns the soul's agony into pure pleasure
Enakku adhai thandhida varuvaara
Will he come to bestow that upon me?
Ennilai annalum arindhaale
If that noble one merely comes to know my state
Adhuve enakku podhumadi
That alone would be enough for me, my friend
Ennilai annalum arindhaale
If that noble one merely comes to know my state
Adhuve enakku podhumadi
That alone would be enough for me, my friend
En sagiyae …
Oh my dear friend...
En nilaithanai avan endru arivaan
When will he ever realize my condition?
Avan arindhaal annodi en uyir odumadi
If he realizes it, at that very instant my life will soar
Mullai vasam ullil odi ennai vattudhu
The fragrance of jasmine flows inside and torments me
Ellai meeri thollai thandhu viragham kotudhu
Crossing limits and causing trouble, it heightens the pangs of separation
Annal avane kaaranam endru avar ariyaane
He, the noble one, does not know that he himself is the cause
Avan ariyaathondru ulagil ulladhu endru naan ariven
I know that there is something in this world that he remains unaware of
Mullai vasam ullil odi ennai vattudhu
The fragrance of jasmine flows inside and torments me
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
The song portrays the classical Tamil literary tradition of 'Viraham' (pangs of separation in love) as described in classical literature like Thirukkural's 'Kaamathupaal'. The heroine confides in her confidante ('Sakhi') about her intense physical suffering and emotional yearning caused by separation from her beloved. The sweet scent of jasmine flowers only exacerbates her agony, acting as a sensory trigger for her deep passion. She laments that her lover remains oblivious to the fact that he is the sole source of her ailment. Recognizing that love is a unique affliction whose only cure is the touch and presence of the lover, she expresses that even if he merely becomes aware of her plight, it would bring her ultimate peace.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Ethugai (Second-letter rhyme)
“Mullai vasam ullil odi / Ellai meeri thollai thandhu”
Matching second consonants in adjacent lines creating rhythmic harmony ('Mullai' and 'Ellai').
Iyaibu (End rhyme)
“Sonnaal dhagam theerndhiduma / Thannaal mogham kuraindhidumaa”
Matching end sounds across lines ('theerndhiduma' and 'kuraindhidumaa').
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Kaadhal noyi kaadhalan kai pada theerumadi”
Framing the emotional distress of love as a physical disease ('Kaadhal noyi').
Personification
“Mullai vasam ullil odi ennai vattudhu”
Attributing active tormenting actions to the fragrance of jasmine flowers.
Did you know?
Trivia
This composition draws poetic inspiration directly from the Akam (interior poetry) tradition of classical Tamil literature, specifically themed around Thirukkural's section on Love (Kaamathupaal). Isaignani Ilaiyaraaja penned these lyrics himself, showcasing his deep grasp of classical Tamil poetic conventions such as the dialogue between the heroine (Thalaivi) and her companion (Thozhi/Sakhi).
Keep listening
More from Thirukkural
No related songs found yet.