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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Poda Munivane

From Raja Rishi · 1985

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
Malaysia Vasudevan
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Raja Rishi1985

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Podaa munivanae unadhu poorvaangamGo away sage, human kingdoms speak ill of your lineage
Pizhaiyaai pesudhae manidha raajaangamHuman kingdom speaks faultily about high and low birth
Mel endrum keezhendrum piravi yaedhuWhere is high or low status in birth itself?
Nyaalathil enai pondra thuravi yaedhuWhere in this world is an ascetic like me?
Moovarkkum dhaevarkkum arivenna kurudaanadhoHas the wisdom of the Trinity and the Gods gone blind?
Male
Puyelena ezhundhadhadaaLike a storm, it arose!
Puviyil kaushigan aathirmaeSage Kaushika's rage on this earth!
Podi pada pogudhadaaIt shall turn into dust!
Manidhan ezhudhiya saathiramaeThe scriptures written by man!
Alai ezhum kadal idhuThis is an ocean rising with waves
Anai ida ingu yaaraal aagumoWho can build a dam to restrain it here?
Vizhi ezhum kanal idhuThis is fire rising from the eyes
Ulagengum ini neeraai pogumoWill the world turn to water hereafter?
Nenjil oru vanjam thara munivaninTo harbor a vengeance in the heart, the sage's
Pon patta ennangal pun patta vaegathilGolden thoughts, in the speed of being wounded,
Male
Puyelena ezhundhadhadaaLike a storm, it arose!
Puviyil kaushigan aathirmaeSage Kaushika's rage on this earth!
Podi pada pogudhadaaIt shall turn into dust!
Manidhan ezhudhiya saathiramaeThe scriptures written by man!
Male
Brammanodu marai thozhum ariharanumBrahma, along with Vishnu and Shiva who worship the Vedas,
Bramma rishi ivanena aruliyadhaenWhy did they bestow upon him the title of Brahma Rishi?
Nitham oru thavamena pazhagiyavanHe who practiced austerity daily,
Sitham oru mezhugena uruguvadhaenWhy does his mind melt like wax?
Sutta vadu elidhinil maraindhidumoWill a burnt scar vanish so easily?
Sathiriya kulam enna kuraindhadhuvoHow is the Kshatriya clan any inferior?
Ithanaiyum nadungida sabithidavoShould he utter a curse that makes all this tremble?
Athanaiyum karugira azhithidavoShould he burn and destroy everything?
Thathu kadal alai purala karaigal kadandhidavumAs the surging sea waves roll and cross the shores,
Alaigal udaidhidavum sidharaAs the waves break and scatter,
Ettu thisai nilam adhira malaigal podi padavumAs the land in all eight directions shakes and mountains turn to dust,
Marangal idi padavum udhiraAs trees get struck like thunder and fall,
Iravenna pagalenna madhi enna kadhirennaWhat is night, what is day, what is moon, what is sun?
Sagalamum ulagathil maraiyattumaeLet everything in this world vanish!
Mudhalenna mudivenna pirappenna irappennaWhat is beginning, what is end, what is birth, what is death?
Munivanin thava balam theriyattumaeLet the power of the sage's penance be known!
Sivam yedhu thavam yedhu neri yedhu murai yedhuWhat is Shiva, what is penance, what is righteousness, what is order?
Kulam yedhu gunam yedhu inam adhu yedhu ini melWhat is caste, what is character, what is race from now on?
Puvi mael jananam maranam varumo…Will birth and death occur on earth anymore?
Male
Puyelena ezhundhadhadaaLike a storm, it arose!
Puviyil kaushigan aathirmaeSage Kaushika's rage on this earth!
Podi pada pogudhadaaIt shall turn into dust!
Manidhan ezhudhiya saathiramaeThe scriptures written by man!
Alai ezhum kadal idhuThis is an ocean rising with waves
Anai ida ingu yaaraal aagumoWho can build a dam to restrain it here?
Vizhi ezhum kanal idhuThis is fire rising from the eyes
Ulagengum ini neeraai pogumoWill the world turn to water hereafter?
Nenjil oru vanjam thara munivaninTo harbor a vengeance in the heart, the sage's
Pon patta ennangal pun patta vaegathilGolden thoughts, in the speed of being wounded,
Male
Puyelena ezhundhadhadaaLike a storm, it arose!
Puviyil kaushigan aathirmaeSage Kaushika's rage on this earth!
Podi pada pogudhadaaIt shall turn into dust!
Manidhan ezhudhiya saathiramaeThe scriptures written by man!
Male
Aaraadhu aaraadhu en kobamaeMy anger will not cool down, will not subside!
Chorus
Aa… aa… aa… aa…Aa... aa... aa... aa...
Male
Theeraadhu theeraadhu en thaabamaeMy anguish will not end, will not vanish!
Chorus
Aa… aa… aa… aa…Aa... aa... aa... aa...
Male
Aram kondra puvi endrum saakkaadu thaanAn earth that killed righteousness is forever a graveyard!
Anal vandhu soozhgindra theekkaadu thaanIt is a forest of fire surrounded by flames!
Nilam konda savam yaavum veliyaerugaLet all corpses held by the earth emerge!
Chorus
Aa… aa… aa… aa…Aa... aa... aa... aa...
Male
Pudhaiyunda udal yaavum ezhundhaadugaLet all buried bodies rise and dance!
Chorus
Aa… aa… aa… aa…Aa... aa... aa... aa...
Male
Nilam konda savam yaavum veliyaerugaLet all corpses held by the earth emerge!
Pudhaiyunda udal yaavum ezhundhaadugaLet all buried bodies rise and dance!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This powerful song from the movie Raja Rishi (1985) captures the intense fury, humiliation, and divine rage of Sage Vishwamitra (Kaushika). Challenging the rigid caste structures and orthodox limitations imposed by societal and divine hierarchies, Kaushika expresses his indignation at being judged by his Kshatriya lineage despite his severe ascetics and unmatched penance.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uruvagaimai)

Puyelena ezhundhadhadaa / Vizhi ezhum kanal idhu

Comparing Kaushika's anger to a storm ('Puyelena ezhundhadhadaa') and his eyes to fire ('Vizhi ezhum kanal idhu').

Simile (Uwamai)

Sitham oru mezhugena uruguvadhaen

Comparing the mind melting to wax ('Sitham oru mezhugena uruguvadhaen').

Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)

Alai ezhum kadal idhu / Anai ida ingu yaaraal aagumo

Matching initial consonant/vowels across words and lines such as 'Alai' and 'Anai', or 'Vizhi' and 'Ulagengum'.

Rhetorical Questions (Vinaa Ani)

Sivam yedhu thavam yedhu neri yedhu murai yedhu

Using repeated questioning ('Sivam yedhu thavam yedhu...', 'Iravenna pagalenna...') to express deep existential cosmic anger and defiance.

Did you know?

Trivia

Raja Rishi (1985) stars Nadigar Thilagam Sivaji Ganesan in the iconic role of Sage Vishwamitra. The film's musical score was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja with lyrics written by Poet Vaali.

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