Oru Jeevan Azhaithadhu Sad
From Geethanjali · 1985
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singers
- Ilayaraja, K. S. Chithra
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Geethanjali1985
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Oru jeevan azhaithadhu | A soul called out |
| Oru jeevan thudithadhu | A soul yearned in anguish |
| Ini enakkaaga azha vendaam | Do not weep for me anymore |
| Thuli kanneerum vida vendaam | Do not shed even a single drop of tear |
| Unnaiyae enniyae vaazhgiren | I live thinking only of you |
| Unnaiyae enniyae vaazhgiren | I live thinking only of you |
| Female | |
| Oru jeevan azhaithadhu | A soul called out |
| Oru jeevan thudithadhu | A soul yearned in anguish |
| Male | |
| Ooohooooo…oooooo…. | Ooohooooo…oooooo…. |
| Aaahaaaa..aahaaa…aaaahaaa… | Aaahaaaa..aahaaa…aaaahaaa… |
| Male | |
| Sollai kuyilae | Tell me, cuckoo bird |
| En sogam sogam | My grief, my sorrow |
| Malai kai maaruma..haan | Can a mountain change its course? |
| Puyalil maram ellam | When all the trees in a storm |
| Vaadum bothu | Are withering away |
| Bommai poradumaa | Can a mere doll fight back? |
| Male | |
| Yarodu yaaro | Who belongs with whom? |
| Yaar seruvaro | Who will unite with whom? |
| Vidhi podum kodu maarathu | The line drawn by fate will never change |
| Nenavagu vanthu | Having arrived as a memory |
| kanavagi ponaal | If it turns into just a dream |
| Thallir pondra penmai thaalathu | Can fragile, tender womanhood endure it? |
| Male | |
| Alai meendum thirumbumaa | Will the wave return again? |
| Malar meendum arubumaa | Will a blooming flower turn back into a bud? |
| Malar maalai vandhu | Will a garland of flowers arrive |
| Thozh serumaa | And adorn the shoulders? |
| Female | |
| Oru jeevan azhaithadhu | A soul called out |
| Oru jeevan thudithadhu | A soul yearned in anguish |
| Female | |
| Pachchai kili ingu | The green parrot here |
| Paavam paavam | Is so helpless, so pitiful |
| Koodae goondaanathu | Its very nest has turned into a cage |
| Kaadhal ellamae | All of love |
| Maayam maayam | Is an illusion, a facade |
| Kanneer aaranadhu | Tears have become a running river |
| Female | |
| Mazhai megam vandhu | Seeing the rain clouds arrive |
| Dhisai maara kandu | And change their direction |
| Thallir ondru ingae vaadadho | Won't a young sprout wither away here? |
| Kannangal engum | All over the cheeks |
| Kannerin kaayam | Are the wounds left by tears |
| Thaangadha penmai thoongadho | Won't this unbearable womanhood fall asleep? |
| Female | |
| Inai thedum thalaivanae | Oh beloved searching for your partner |
| Nanaiyadho thalaiyanai | Won't the pillow get drenched? |
| Indha ezhai vazhvil en sodhanai | Why this severe trial in this poor soul's life? |
| Male | |
| Oru jeevan azhaithadhu | A soul called out |
| Oru jeevan thudithadhu | A soul yearned in anguish |
| Ini enakkaaga azha vendaam | Do not weep for me anymore |
| Thuli kanneerum vida vendaam | Do not shed even a single drop of tear |
| Unnaiyae enniyae vaazhgiren | I live thinking only of you |
| Unnaiyae enniyae vaazhgiren | I live thinking only of you |
| Female | |
| Oru jeevan azhaithadhu | A soul called out |
| Oru jeevan thudithadhu | A soul yearned in anguish |
ஒரு ஜீவன் அழைத்தது
ஒரு ஜீவன் துடித்தது இனி
எனக்காக அழ வேண்டாம்
துளி கண்ணீரும் விட வேண்டாம்
உன்னையே எண்ணியே வாழ்கிறேன்
உன்னையே எண்ணியே வாழ்கிறேன்
A soul called out
A soul yearned in anguish
Do not weep for me anymore
Do not shed even a single drop of tear
I live thinking only of you
I live thinking only of you
ஒரு ஜீவன் அழைத்தது
ஒரு ஜீவன் துடித்தது
A soul called out
A soul yearned in anguish
ஓஓஹோ ஓஓஓஓ
ஆஆஹா ஆஆஹா ஆஆஹா
Ooohooooo…oooooo….
Aaahaaaa..aahaaa…aaaahaaa…
சோலை குயிலே என்
சோகம் சோகம் மாலை கை
மாறுமா ஹான் புயலில் மரம்
எல்லாம் வாடும் போது பொம்மை
போராடுமா
Tell me, cuckoo bird
My grief, my sorrow
Can a mountain change its course?
When all the trees in a storm
Are withering away
Can a mere doll fight back?
யாரோடு யாரோ யார்
சேருவாரோ விதி போடும்
கோடு மாறாது நெனவங்கு
வந்து கனவாகி போனால்
தளிர் போன்ற பெண்மை
தாளாது
Who belongs with whom?
Who will unite with whom?
The line drawn by fate will never change
Having arrived as a memory
If it turns into just a dream
Can fragile, tender womanhood endure it?
அலை மீண்டும் திரும்புமா
மலர் மீண்டும் அரும்புமா மலர்
மாலை வந்து தோள் சேருமா
Will the wave return again?
Will a blooming flower turn back into a bud?
Will a garland of flowers arrive
And adorn the shoulders?
ஒரு ஜீவன் அழைத்தது
ஒரு ஜீவன் துடித்தது
A soul called out
A soul yearned in anguish
பச்சை கிளி இங்கு
பாவம் பாவம் கூடே கூண்டானது
காதல் எல்லாமே மாயம் மாயம்
கண்ணீர் ஆறானது
The green parrot here
Is so helpless, so pitiful
Its very nest has turned into a cage
All of love
Is an illusion, a facade
Tears have become a running river
மழை மேகம் வந்து
திசை மாற கண்டு தளிர் ஒன்று
இங்கே வாடாதோ கன்னங்கள்
எங்கும் கண்ணீரின் காயம்
தாங்காத பெண்மை தூங்காதோ
Seeing the rain clouds arrive
And change their direction
Won't a young sprout wither away here?
All over the cheeks
Are the wounds left by tears
Won't this unbearable womanhood fall asleep?
இணை தேடும்
தலைவனே நனையாதோ
தலையணை இந்த ஏழை
வாழ்வில் என் சோதனை
Oh beloved searching for your partner
Won't the pillow get drenched?
Why this severe trial in this poor soul's life?
ஒரு ஜீவன் அழைத்தது
ஒரு ஜீவன் துடித்தது இனி எனக்காக
அழ வேண்டாம் துளி கண்ணீரும்
விட வேண்டாம் உன்னையே
எண்ணியே வாழ்கிறேன்
உன்னையே எண்ணியே வாழ்கிறேன்
A soul called out
A soul yearned in anguish
Do not weep for me anymore
Do not shed even a single drop of tear
I live thinking only of you
I live thinking only of you
ஒரு ஜீவன் அழைத்தது
ஒரு ஜீவன் துடித்தது
A soul called out
A soul yearned in anguish
Oru jeevan azhaithadhu
A soul called out
Oru jeevan thudithadhu
A soul yearned in anguish
Ini enakkaaga azha vendaam
Do not weep for me anymore
Thuli kanneerum vida vendaam
Do not shed even a single drop of tear
Unnaiyae enniyae vaazhgiren
I live thinking only of you
Unnaiyae enniyae vaazhgiren
I live thinking only of you
Oru jeevan azhaithadhu
A soul called out
Oru jeevan thudithadhu
A soul yearned in anguish
Ooohooooo…oooooo….
Ooohooooo…oooooo….
Aaahaaaa..aahaaa…aaaahaaa…
Aaahaaaa..aahaaa…aaaahaaa…
Sollai kuyilae
Tell me, cuckoo bird
En sogam sogam
My grief, my sorrow
Malai kai maaruma..haan
Can a mountain change its course?
Puyalil maram ellam
When all the trees in a storm
Vaadum bothu
Are withering away
Bommai poradumaa
Can a mere doll fight back?
Yarodu yaaro
Who belongs with whom?
Yaar seruvaro
Who will unite with whom?
Vidhi podum kodu maarathu
The line drawn by fate will never change
Nenavagu vanthu
Having arrived as a memory
kanavagi ponaal
If it turns into just a dream
Thallir pondra penmai thaalathu
Can fragile, tender womanhood endure it?
Alai meendum thirumbumaa
Will the wave return again?
Malar meendum arubumaa
Will a blooming flower turn back into a bud?
Malar maalai vandhu
Will a garland of flowers arrive
Thozh serumaa
And adorn the shoulders?
Oru jeevan azhaithadhu
A soul called out
Oru jeevan thudithadhu
A soul yearned in anguish
Pachchai kili ingu
The green parrot here
Paavam paavam
Is so helpless, so pitiful
Koodae goondaanathu
Its very nest has turned into a cage
Kaadhal ellamae
All of love
Maayam maayam
Is an illusion, a facade
Kanneer aaranadhu
Tears have become a running river
Mazhai megam vandhu
Seeing the rain clouds arrive
Dhisai maara kandu
And change their direction
Thallir ondru ingae vaadadho
Won't a young sprout wither away here?
Kannangal engum
All over the cheeks
Kannerin kaayam
Are the wounds left by tears
Thaangadha penmai thoongadho
Won't this unbearable womanhood fall asleep?
Inai thedum thalaivanae
Oh beloved searching for your partner
Nanaiyadho thalaiyanai
Won't the pillow get drenched?
Indha ezhai vazhvil en sodhanai
Why this severe trial in this poor soul's life?
Oru jeevan azhaithadhu
A soul called out
Oru jeevan thudithadhu
A soul yearned in anguish
Ini enakkaaga azha vendaam
Do not weep for me anymore
Thuli kanneerum vida vendaam
Do not shed even a single drop of tear
Unnaiyae enniyae vaazhgiren
I live thinking only of you
Unnaiyae enniyae vaazhgiren
I live thinking only of you
Oru jeevan azhaithadhu
A soul called out
Oru jeevan thudithadhu
A soul yearned in anguish
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Oru Jeevan Azhaithadhu' is a deeply emotional Tamil song centered around heartbreak, helplessness, and resignation to destiny. The lyrics present a poignant inner monologue of a soul enduring immense sorrow while pleading with the beloved not to cry. Metaphors like a doll caught in a storm, a flower unable to revert to a bud, and a nest turning into a cage highlight the tragic irreversibility of lost love and the overpowering force of fate.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monai (Initial Rhyme/Alliteration)
“Oru jeevan azhaithadhu / Oru jeevan thudithadhu”
Repetition of the opening word 'Oru' across consecutive lines creates a rhythmic and haunting refrain.
Metaphor
“Pachchai kili ingu... Koodae goondaanathu”
Compares the innocent, helpless protagonist to a green parrot whose safe home/nest has tragically turned into a restrictive cage.
Rhetorical Question
“Alai meendum thirumbumaa / Malar meendum arubumaa”
Uses impossible natural phenomena (waves reversing direction, flowers becoming buds again) to question whether past happiness can ever be reclaimed.
Ethugai (Second-letter Assonance)
“Nenavagu vanthu / kanavagi ponaal”
The second letter sound ('na') matches in 'Nenavagu' and 'kanavagi', adding lyrical harmony to the distress expressed.
Did you know?
Trivia
'Oru Jeevan Azhaithadhu' is one of the classic emotional melodies from the 1985 Tamil film 'Geethanjali'. Composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja with lyrics penned by Vaali, the song was rendered in memorable solo versions by K.J. Yesudas and S. Janaki, as well as a duet. The song's melancholy and evocative orchestrations made it a timeless hit in 1980s Tamil cinema.
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