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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Om Kaari

From Ashokan · 1992

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Details
Ashokan1992

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Omkaari neeli sankariOh Goddess Omkaari, Neeli, Sankari!
Eswari paarvathi bhagavathi pottiyilIn the contest of Goddesses Eswari, Parvathi, and Bhagavathi,
Ennaalum evanae vellanumae he haeHe alone must win forever, he hae!
Oru neelam sandai sathangiA long fight with anklets chimes,
Tharaigal mathalamThe ground acts as a drum,
Jalra chinjiri pala thaalamCymbals, small bells, and various rhythms!
Tha kida kida thaga thaTha kida kida thaga tha!
Male
Kavithai naal oru sadukuduA game of Kabaddi playing through poetry,
Nadaiperavae..oi amma oi oiAs it takes place... oh mother, oh oh!
Sada sada sada sada venaRapidly and incessantly like a shower,
Tamizh mazhai pozhiyanumA rain of Tamil poetry should pour down,
Dhinam oru puthu varam arulanumaeGranting a new divine boon every single day!
Othungi pathungi arivu mayangi chae chaeStepping back, hiding away, with confused intellect, chae chae!
Kulungi thalukum konangiShaking, shimmering fool,
Aluga pora arivu kalangi aiyaeGoing to cry with a bewildered mind, oh my!
Pamara madaya nee ennai ethirpathuvaYou ignorant fool, are you opposing me?
Male
Ondrin mel rendaanaiTwo becoming one,
Katti poraluthu uruluthu meraluthuWrestling, rolling, and intimidating,
Ennai pol ne solladaCan you speak fast like me, tell me!
Haan appapa en kaatilAha, oh my, in my forest,
Oruthuli iruthuli palathuli perumazhaiOne drop, two drops, many drops turn into a heavy downpour!
Ennai pol ne solladaCan you speak fast like me, tell me!
Male
Irubuthu kuruviyil alagiythuOut of twenty birds, the beautiful one,
Oru kuruvi vi vi amma oi oiIs just one bird, oh mother, oh oh!
Irubathu vaythilnil kilavigal aanavar..Those who became old women at twenty...
Irubathu vayathil kumarigalaoAre they young maidens at twenty?
Irukki pulinju adichu thuvaikaTo squeeze tight, thrash, and wash clean,
Vaa maa unaku thiramai irukkaCome on, woman, do you have the skill?
Valachu thurathi eduthu udhaikaTo bend, chase, pick up, and kick,
Va vaa marubadi adi adiCome, come, hit again and again,
Kedubadi mudinju vidumYour deadline will be over soon!
Chorus
……………………….....
Male
Adi pattu pogathaeDo not get beaten up and ruined,
Aiyo nee saagathaeOh dear, do not die!
Mannathi mannan naanI am the king of kings,
Mann thinnathaeDo not eat dirt!
Pechelaam pesaathaeDo not talk all this chatter,
Pon seval koliyaaiLike a golden rooster and hen,
Pinnalae thurathum kathai sollataShall I tell the story of chasing from behind?
Male
Yaanai vendrathuThe elephant won,
Singam vendrathu..The lion won...
Ennai velvathu elithallaConquering me is not easy!
Evano oruvan kindi aaganumSomeone must become a king,
Endrum thotravan evan allaNo one is forever a loser!
Thalai iruka vaalai aataatha da..deiWhen the head is present, do not wag the tail, hey kid!
Thalai keelai ne nadapathuWalking upside down,
Murai allada dei deiIs not proper behavior, hey kid, hey kid!
Male
Oru kai paarpenI will see with one hand,
Iru kai paarpen..I will see with both hands...
Neeya naana modhi paarpenI will clash with you to see who wins!
Thadiya thadiya vaadaHey fat guy, hey fat guy, come here,
Adi madaiya..ah ah ahHey ultimate fool... ah ah ah!
Hahahaha oh ohohhooHahahaha oh ohohhoo!
Male
Omkaari neeli sankariOh Goddess Omkaari, Neeli, Sankari!
Eswari paarvathi bhagavathi pottiyilIn the contest of Goddesses Eswari, Parvathi, and Bhagavathi,
Ennaalum evanae vellanumae haaHe alone must win forever, haa!
Oru neelam sandai sathangiA long fight with anklets chimes,
Tharaigal mathalamThe ground acts as a drum,
Jalra chinjiri pala thaalamCymbals, small bells, and various rhythms!
Tha kida kida thaga thaTha kida kida thaga tha!
Male
Kavithai naal oru sadukuduA game of Kabaddi playing through poetry,
Nadaiperavae..oi amma oi oiAs it takes place... oh mother, oh oh!
Sada sada sada sada venaRapidly and incessantly like a shower,
Tamizh mazhai pozhiyanumA rain of Tamil poetry should pour down,
Dhinam oru puthu varam arulanumaeGranting a new divine boon every single day!
Othungi pathungi arivu mayangi chae chaeStepping back, hiding away, with confused intellect, chae chae!
Kulungi thalukum konangiShaking, shimmering fool,
Aluga pora arivu kalangi aiyaeGoing to cry with a bewildered mind, oh my!
Pamara madaya nee ennai ethirpathuvaYou ignorant fool, are you opposing me?
Ada pooOh go away!
Male
Boomiyai thondi neeEven if you dig the earth,
Appakkam ponalumAnd go to the other side,
Avatharam eduthu naanTaking an incarnation, I,
Nippen angaeWill stand right there!
Avatharam eduthu neeEven if you take an incarnation,
Appakkam vanthaalumAnd come to that side,
Vaanathai thulaithu naanPiercing through the sky, I,
Melae selvenWill go up above!
Male
Koorai yeri kozhi pidikaYou are someone who cannot even,
Iyalathavanum neethanaeClimb the roof to catch a hen!
Vaanam keeri vaigundam thaan povenThat you will tear the sky and go to Vaikundam,
Enbathu poithaanaeIs that not a lie?
Poda ennudan potti edaathae po poGo away, do not compete with me, go go!
Vaalva saava paarka vendum vaa vaaCome on, let us see whether it is life or death, come come!
Male
Kadaisi aasai ethuvo solli podaTell me whatever your last wish is and go,
Kaalil vizhunthu mannippu kel moodaFall at my feet and beg for forgiveness, you fool!
Kalaimagalum thirumagalumGoddess Saraswati and Goddess Lakshmi,
Arul purivaalae enpakkamWill shower their grace on my side!
Siva avanum avan maganumLord Shiva and his son,
Tamizh tharuvaarae en pakkamWill grant Tamil poetry on my side!
Male
Mada maganaeFoolish son!
MadamaganaeFoolish son!
Thadimaganae thadimaganaeHuge fat fool, huge fat fool!
Madaya thadiyaYou fool, you fat guy!
Madaya thadiyaYou fool, you fat guy!
Poda podiya madaya thadiyaGo away kid, you fool, you fat guy!
Thaanai thalaivanae thannilavalaganeSelf-made leader, beautiful like the cool moon,
Siru siru poonaigal velvathu evvithamHow can tiny little cats win?
Iravum pagalum ulavum varaiyilAs long as day and night exist,
Mannan thalai thaanOnly the king's head,
Magudam soodumada aaaaWill wear the crown, aaaa!
Male
{Omkaari neeli sankariOh Goddess Omkaari, Neeli, Sankari!
Eswari paarvathi bhagavathi pottiyilIn the contest of Goddesses Eswari, Parvathi, and Bhagavathi,
Ennaalum evanae vellanumae } (2)He alone must win forever!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song is a high-energy, humorous musical duel and verbal spar between two rivals competing in a traditional test of wit, poetry, and strength. Invoking Goddess Parvathi and traditional Tamil poetic rhythm, both competitors trade playful insults, bragging about their own superior intellect, poetic prowess, and physical dominance while mocking the other's inability to win. The lyrics playfully mix classical religious invocation with street-smart taunts, tongue twisters, and humorous hyperbole.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Edhugai (Second letter rhyming)

Othungi pathungi arivu mayangi chae chae / Kulungi thalukum konangi

Matching second consonants across lines, e.g., 'Omkaari' / 'Eswari' and 'Othungi' / 'Kulungi'.

Monaai (Alliteration / First letter matching)

Sada sada sada sada vena

Matching starting sounds in consecutive words like 'Sada sada sada sada'.

Hyperbole (Exaggeration)

Vaanathai thulaithu naan Melae selven

Exaggerated claims of piercing the sky to go to Vaikundam or digging through the earth to the other side.

Metaphor

Kavithai naal oru sadukudu Nadaiperavae

Comparing a fast-paced poetic battle to a game of Sadukudu (Kabaddi).

Did you know?

Trivia

This iconic song is the Tamil version of 'Padakali' from the 1992 Malayalam blockbuster 'Yodha' (dubbed in Tamil as 'Ashokan'). Composed by A.R. Rahman early in his career right after 'Roja', the song is legendary for its intense, fast-paced vocal battle between legendary singers K.J. Yesudas and S.P. Balasubrahmanyam, featuring complex tongue-twisters and rhythmically challenging solkattu.

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