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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Pandavar Thammile

From Pandavar Vanavasam · 1961

Lyricist
Kuyilan
Singer
Seerkazhi Govindarajan
Music director
Ghantasala
Movie name
Pandavar Vanavasam
Movie release year
1961
Lyrics added on
9 May 2025

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Paandavar thammilae
Iniyavaanaam nagulanai
Panayamena vaithizhandhenae
Villendhu thozhaan
Vinnaendhum perum pugazhaan
Vijayanum gouravarkkae adimaiyaananae
Padaiyellaam nadungidum madhagari beemanai
Pagadaiyil vaithizhandhenae
Amaidhiyae uruvaai dharumamae uyiraai
Avaniyil avadharithavan
Thannaiyae thottru vittaanae
Among the Pandava brothers,
The sweet and gentle Nakula,
He placed as a wager and lost!
The mighty archer with a bow upon his shoulder,
Whose great fame reaches the heavens,
Even Vijayan (Arjuna) became a slave to the Kauravas!
And Bhima, who makes entire armies tremble like a raging elephant,
He staked in the game of dice and lost!
The embodiment of peace, whose very soul was righteousness,
The one who walked this earth as virtue itself,
Has now lost even himself....
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Male
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

These poignant lines depict the heartbreaking anguish of King Yudhishthira during the infamous game of dice in the Mahabharata. Drowned in despair, he laments losing his beloved brothers one by one to the treacherous Kauravas: first the sweet Nakula, then the mighty archer Arjuna whose fame touches the skies, and then the unstoppable Bhima who instills fear in whole armies. Finally, he laments how the righteous king himself—the very embodiment of peace and virtue—staked and lost his own freedom.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navitchi Ani)

Vinnaendhum perum pugazhaan

Describes Arjuna's fame as touching the sky ('Vinnaendhum perum pugazhaan'), poetically exaggerating his widespread renown.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Padaiyellaam nadungidum madhagari beemanai

Bhima is directly equated to a rutting, formidable elephant ('madhagari') that terrifies entire enemy armies.

Initial Alliteration (Moonaai)

Villendhu thozhaan / Vinnaendhum perum pugazhaan

The repetition of the initial syllable 'Vi' in 'Villendhu' and 'Vinnaendhum' provides a pleasing musical harmony.

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Trivia

This dramatic song depicts the catastrophic turning point in the Mahabharata where Yudhishthira loses everything in the game of dice. The powerful vocals of classical maestro Seerkazhi Govindarajan combined with Ghantasala's emotive score perfectly express the deep grief and regret of the Pandava king.

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