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Kadhal Oviyam album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Naatham En Jeevanae

From Kadhal Oviyam · 1982

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
S. Janaki
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Kadhal Oviyam
Movie release year
1982
Lyrics added on
23 Sept 2018

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Thaanam thamtha
Thaanam thamtha
Thaanam thamtha thaanam
Bantham raaga bantham
Undhan santham thantha sondham
Oolaiyil verenna sedhi
Thevanae naanunthan paathi
Indha bantham raaga bantham
Undhan santham thantha sondham
En paatukku thaalama
Ungolada kolusu saththam
Thorandhu vanthuttae irukkae
Athu yennn….
Natham en jeevanae
Vaa vaa en thevanae
Unthaan raaja raagam
Paadum neram
Paarai paal ooruthae oo
Poovum aalanathae
Natham en jeevanae
Vaa vaa en thevanae
Unthaan raaja raagam
Paadum neram
Paarai paal ooruthae oo
Poovum aalanathae
Natham en jeevanae
Isaiyai aruthum
Saathaga paravai
Pola naanum vaazhgiren
Urakkamillai eninum kannil
Kanavu sumanthu pogiren
Thevathai paathaiyil
Poovin oorvalam
Nee adhil povathaal
Yetho gnyabagam
Veneeril neeraadum kamalam
Vilagaathu viragam
Natham en jeevanae
Vaa vaa en thevanae
Unthaan raaja raagam
Paadum neram
Paarai paal ooruthae oo
Poovum aalanathae
Natham en jeevanae
Un kolusu sathatham
Ketkkaama
Ennala paadavae mudila poorni
Natham en jeevanae
Vaa vaa en thevanae
Unthaan raaja raagam
Paadum neram
Paarai paal ooruthae oo
Poovum aalanathae
Natham en jeevanae
Amutha gaanam
Nee tharum neram
Nathigal jathigal paadumae
Vilagi ponal enathu salangai
Vithavai aagi pogumae
Kangalil mounamo
Kovil theepamae
Raagangal paadi vaa
Paneer megamae
Maar meedhu poovaagi vizhava
Vizhiyaagi vidava
Thanam thamtha
Thanam thamtha
Thanam thamtha thanam
This bond is a bond of melody
A kinship born of your rhythm
What other words could this letter hold?
My lord, I am your other half
This bond is a bond of melody
A kinship born of your rhythm
As if keeping time with my song,
the sound of your anklets
keeps following me along...
Why is that...?
Music is my very life
Come, oh come, my lord
When you sing
your majestic melody,
milk springs forth even from stone, oh,
and even a flower comes of age!
Music is my very life
Come, oh come, my lord
When you sing
your majestic melody,
milk springs forth even from stone, oh,
and even a flower comes of age!
Music is my very life
Like the bird
that drinks only raindrops,
I live drinking in your music
I have no sleep, yet in my eyes
I walk on carrying dreams
Along the path of angels,
there is a procession of flowers
I seem to recall
seeing you walk among them
Like a lotus bathing in warm water,
this longing ache of love will not fade
Music is my very life
Come, oh come, my lord
When you sing
your majestic melody,
milk springs forth even from stone, oh,
and even a flower comes of age!
Music is my very life
Without hearing the sound
of your anklets,
I cannot even sing, Poorani!
Music is my very life
Come, oh come, my lord
When you sing
your majestic melody,
milk springs forth even from stone, oh,
and even a flower comes of age!
Music is my very life
When you offer
your sweet, nectar-like song,
even the rivers sing to the rhythm!
If you walk away from me,
my dancing bells will be left widowed!
Is that silence in your eyes,
oh temple lamp?
Come singing sweet melodies,
oh cloud of fragrant rain!
Shall I fall as a blossom upon your chest?
Shall I become your eyes?
Female
Male
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Male
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

'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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