Naatham En Jeevanae
From Kadhal Oviyam · 1982
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singer
- S. Janaki
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Kadhal Oviyam1982
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Thaanam thamtha | Musical rhythm sounds |
| Thaanam thamtha | Musical rhythm sounds |
| Thaanam thamtha thaanam | Musical rhythm sounds |
| Bantham raaga bantham | A bond, a musical bond |
| Undhan santham thantha sondham | A relationship gifted by your rhythm |
| Oolaiyil verenna sedhi | What other news is in the palm leaf letter? |
| Thevanae naanunthan paathi | Oh Lord, I am your other half |
| Indha bantham raaga bantham | This bond, a musical bond |
| Undhan santham thantha sondham | A relationship gifted by your rhythm |
| Male | |
| En paatukku thaalama | Is it the rhythm for my song? |
| Ungolada kolusu saththam | The sound of your anklets |
| Thorandhu vanthuttae irukkae | It keeps opening up and arriving |
| Athu yennn…. | Why is that... |
| Female | |
| Natham en jeevanae | Sound and music are my life |
| Vaa vaa en thevanae | Come, come, my Lord |
| Unthaan raaja raagam | When your royal raga |
| Paadum neram | Is sung |
| Paarai paal ooruthae oo | Even a rock oozes milk, oh |
| Poovum aalanathae | Even a flower becomes full-grown |
| Female | |
| Natham en jeevanae | Sound and music are my life |
| Vaa vaa en thevanae | Come, come, my Lord |
| Unthaan raaja raagam | When your royal raga |
| Paadum neram | Is sung |
| Paarai paal ooruthae oo | Even a rock oozes milk, oh |
| Poovum aalanathae | Even a flower becomes full-grown |
| Natham en jeevanae | Sound and music are my life |
| Female | |
| Isaiyai aruthum | Consuming music as food |
| Saathaga paravai | Like the mythical Chataka bird |
| Pola naanum vaazhgiren | I am living too |
| Urakkamillai eninum kannil | Though there is no sleep in my eyes |
| Kanavu sumanthu pogiren | I walk carrying dreams |
| Female | |
| Thevathai paathaiyil | On the pathway of the angel |
| Poovin oorvalam | Is a procession of flowers |
| Nee adhil povathaal | Because you walk on it |
| Yetho gnyabagam | Some deep memory arises |
| Veneeril neeraadum kamalam | Like a lotus bathing in hot water |
| Vilagaathu viragam | This yearning separation never leaves |
| Female | |
| Natham en jeevanae | Sound and music are my life |
| Vaa vaa en thevanae | Come, come, my Lord |
| Unthaan raaja raagam | When your royal raga |
| Paadum neram | Is sung |
| Paarai paal ooruthae oo | Even a rock oozes milk, oh |
| Poovum aalanathae | Even a flower becomes full-grown |
| Natham en jeevanae | Sound and music are my life |
| Male | |
| Un kolusu sathatham | Without hearing the sound |
| Ketkkaama | Of your anklets |
| Ennala paadavae mudila poorni | I cannot even sing, Poorni |
| Female | |
| Natham en jeevanae | Sound and music are my life |
| Vaa vaa en thevanae | Come, come, my Lord |
| Unthaan raaja raagam | When your royal raga |
| Paadum neram | Is sung |
| Paarai paal ooruthae oo | Even a rock oozes milk, oh |
| Poovum aalanathae | Even a flower becomes full-grown |
| Natham en jeevanae | Sound and music are my life |
| Female | |
| Amutha gaanam | Nectar-like divine music |
| Nee tharum neram | When you bestow it |
| Nathigal jathigal paadumae | Rivers will sing to musical beats |
| Vilagi ponal enathu salangai | If it parts away, my dance anklets |
| Vithavai aagi pogumae | Will become a widow |
| Female | |
| Kangalil mounamo | Is there silence in the eyes? |
| Kovil theepamae | Oh eternal temple lamp! |
| Raagangal paadi vaa | Come singing ragas |
| Paneer megamae | Oh cloud of rosewater! |
| Maar meedhu poovaagi vizhava | Shall I fall onto your chest as a flower? |
| Vizhiyaagi vidava | Or shall I become your vision? |
தானம் தம்த
தானம் தம்த
தானம் தம்த தானம்
பந்தம் ராக பந்தம்
உந்தன் சந்தம் தந்த சொந்தம்
ஒலையில் வேறென்ன செய்தி
தேவனே நான் உந்தன் பாதி
இந்த பந்தம் ராக பந்தம்
உந்தன் சந்தம் தந்த சொந்தம்
Musical rhythm sounds
Musical rhythm sounds
Musical rhythm sounds
A bond, a musical bond
A relationship gifted by your rhythm
What other news is in the palm leaf letter?
Oh Lord, I am your other half
This bond, a musical bond
A relationship gifted by your rhythm
என் பாட்டுக்கு தாளமா
உங்களோட கொலுசு சத்தம்
தொடர்ந்து வந்துட்டே இருக்கே
அது ஏன்.....
Is it the rhythm for my song?
The sound of your anklets
It keeps opening up and arriving
Why is that...
நாதம் என் ஜீவனே
வா வா என் தேவனே
உந்தன் ராஜ ராகம்
பாடும் நேரம்
பாறை பால் ஊருதே ஓ
பூவும் ஆளானதே
Sound and music are my life
Come, come, my Lord
When your royal raga
Is sung
Even a rock oozes milk, oh
Even a flower becomes full-grown
நாதம் என் ஜீவனே
வா வா என் தேவனே
உந்தன் ராஜ ராகம்
பாடும் நேரம்
பாறை பால் ஊருதே ஓ
பூவும் ஆளானதே
நாதம் என் ஜீவனே
Sound and music are my life
Come, come, my Lord
When your royal raga
Is sung
Even a rock oozes milk, oh
Even a flower becomes full-grown
Sound and music are my life
இசையை அருந்தும்
சாதகப் பறவைப்
போல நானும் வாழ்கிறேன்
உறக்கமில்லை எனினும் கண்ணில்
கனவு சுமந்து போகிறேன்
Consuming music as food
Like the mythical Chataka bird
I am living too
Though there is no sleep in my eyes
I walk carrying dreams
தேவதை பாதையில்
பூவின் ஊர்வலம்
நீ அதில் போவதாய்
ஏதோ ஞாபகம்
வெண்ணீரில் நீராடும் கமலம்
விலகாது விரகம்
On the pathway of the angel
Is a procession of flowers
Because you walk on it
Some deep memory arises
Like a lotus bathing in hot water
This yearning separation never leaves
நாதம் என் ஜீவனே
வா வா என் தேவனே
உந்தன் ராஜ ராகம்
பாடும் நேரம்
பாறை பால் ஊருதே ஓ
பூவும் ஆளானதே
நாதம் என் ஜீவனே
Sound and music are my life
Come, come, my Lord
When your royal raga
Is sung
Even a rock oozes milk, oh
Even a flower becomes full-grown
Sound and music are my life
உன் கொலுசு சத்தம்
கேட்காம
என்னால பாடவே முடில பூரணி
Without hearing the sound
Of your anklets
I cannot even sing, Poorni
நாதம் என் ஜீவனே
வா வா என் தேவனே
உந்தன் ராஜ ராகம்
பாடும் நேரம்
பாறை பால் ஊருதே ஓ
பூவும் ஆளானதே
நாதம் என் ஜீவனே
Sound and music are my life
Come, come, my Lord
When your royal raga
Is sung
Even a rock oozes milk, oh
Even a flower becomes full-grown
Sound and music are my life
அமுத கானம்
நீ தரும் நேரம்
நதிகள் ஜதிகள் பாடுமே
விலகிப் போனால் எனது சலங்கை
விதவை ஆகி போகுமே
Nectar-like divine music
When you bestow it
Rivers will sing to musical beats
If it parts away, my dance anklets
Will become a widow
கண்களில் மெளனமோ
கோவில் தீபமே
ராகங்கள் பாடி வா
பன்னீர் மேகமே
மார் மீது பூவாகி விழவா
விழியாகி விடவா
Is there silence in the eyes?
Oh eternal temple lamp!
Come singing ragas
Oh cloud of rosewater!
Shall I fall onto your chest as a flower?
Or shall I become your vision?
Thaanam thamtha
Musical rhythm sounds
Thaanam thamtha
Musical rhythm sounds
Thaanam thamtha thaanam
Musical rhythm sounds
Bantham raaga bantham
A bond, a musical bond
Undhan santham thantha sondham
A relationship gifted by your rhythm
Oolaiyil verenna sedhi
What other news is in the palm leaf letter?
Thevanae naanunthan paathi
Oh Lord, I am your other half
Indha bantham raaga bantham
This bond, a musical bond
Undhan santham thantha sondham
A relationship gifted by your rhythm
En paatukku thaalama
Is it the rhythm for my song?
Ungolada kolusu saththam
The sound of your anklets
Thorandhu vanthuttae irukkae
It keeps opening up and arriving
Athu yennn….
Why is that...
Natham en jeevanae
Sound and music are my life
Vaa vaa en thevanae
Come, come, my Lord
Unthaan raaja raagam
When your royal raga
Paadum neram
Is sung
Paarai paal ooruthae oo
Even a rock oozes milk, oh
Poovum aalanathae
Even a flower becomes full-grown
Natham en jeevanae
Sound and music are my life
Vaa vaa en thevanae
Come, come, my Lord
Unthaan raaja raagam
When your royal raga
Paadum neram
Is sung
Paarai paal ooruthae oo
Even a rock oozes milk, oh
Poovum aalanathae
Even a flower becomes full-grown
Natham en jeevanae
Sound and music are my life
Isaiyai aruthum
Consuming music as food
Saathaga paravai
Like the mythical Chataka bird
Pola naanum vaazhgiren
I am living too
Urakkamillai eninum kannil
Though there is no sleep in my eyes
Kanavu sumanthu pogiren
I walk carrying dreams
Thevathai paathaiyil
On the pathway of the angel
Poovin oorvalam
Is a procession of flowers
Nee adhil povathaal
Because you walk on it
Yetho gnyabagam
Some deep memory arises
Veneeril neeraadum kamalam
Like a lotus bathing in hot water
Vilagaathu viragam
This yearning separation never leaves
Natham en jeevanae
Sound and music are my life
Vaa vaa en thevanae
Come, come, my Lord
Unthaan raaja raagam
When your royal raga
Paadum neram
Is sung
Paarai paal ooruthae oo
Even a rock oozes milk, oh
Poovum aalanathae
Even a flower becomes full-grown
Natham en jeevanae
Sound and music are my life
Un kolusu sathatham
Without hearing the sound
Ketkkaama
Of your anklets
Ennala paadavae mudila poorni
I cannot even sing, Poorni
Natham en jeevanae
Sound and music are my life
Vaa vaa en thevanae
Come, come, my Lord
Unthaan raaja raagam
When your royal raga
Paadum neram
Is sung
Paarai paal ooruthae oo
Even a rock oozes milk, oh
Poovum aalanathae
Even a flower becomes full-grown
Natham en jeevanae
Sound and music are my life
Amutha gaanam
Nectar-like divine music
Nee tharum neram
When you bestow it
Nathigal jathigal paadumae
Rivers will sing to musical beats
Vilagi ponal enathu salangai
If it parts away, my dance anklets
Vithavai aagi pogumae
Will become a widow
Kangalil mounamo
Is there silence in the eyes?
Kovil theepamae
Oh eternal temple lamp!
Raagangal paadi vaa
Come singing ragas
Paneer megamae
Oh cloud of rosewater!
Maar meedhu poovaagi vizhava
Shall I fall onto your chest as a flower?
Vizhiyaagi vidava
Or shall I become your vision?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Natham En Jeevanae' from Kadhal Oviyam (1982) is a deep, soul-stirring classical composition that celebrates the sacred connection between love, music, and spirituality. The protagonist declares that 'Natham' (divine musical sound) is the very essence of life, binding the lovers through rhythm, melody, and shared emotion. The lyrics use poetic imagery to convey total artistic and romantic devotion. Comparing herself to the mythical Chataka bird that survives solely on raindrops, the singer expresses how she lives purely on music. The song emotionally culminates in the powerful idea that without this music and love, even her dance anklets would lose their purpose and become widowed.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Natham en jeevanae”
Equating music directly with life itself.
Simile (Uwamai)
“Isaiyai aruthum Saathaga paravai Pola naanum vaazhgiren”
Comparing her reliance on music to the mythical Chataka bird that lives on raindrops.
Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navitchi)
“Paarai paal ooruthae oo”
Exaggerating the power of the raga to make even solid rocks ooze milk.
Personification
“Vilagi ponal enathu salangai Vithavai aagi pogumae”
Attributing human sorrow and widowhood to lifeless dance anklets if music leaves.
Edhukai (Second-letter Rhyme)
“Bantham raaga bantham Undhan santham thantha sondham”
The second letters of 'Bantham' and 'Santham' rhyme, giving a classical Tamil poetic flow.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Kadhal Oviyam' (1982) was directed by Bharathiraja and features a iconic musical score composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja with lyrics by Vairamuthu. The film revolves around a blind classical singer, making classical music and 'Natham' central to the narrative and character dynamics.
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