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IsaimozhiLyrics · Translation · Meaning

Lyrics & meaning

Satham Illatha Thanimai

From Amarkalam · 1999

Lyricist: Vairamuthu
Singers: S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chithra
Music director: Bharathwaj
Movie name: Amarkalam
Movie release year: 1999
Lyrics added on: 9 Feb 2017

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics

↻ English translation

{ Satham illaadha thanimai keten

Yutham illaadha uzhagam keten

Rathathil endrendrum vegam keten

Ragasiyamillaa ullam keten } (2)

Satham illaadha thanimai keten

Yutham illaadha uzhagam keten

Rathathil endrendrum vegam keten

Ragasiyamillaa ullam keten

Uyirai killaadha uravai keten

Otrai kanneer thuliyai keten

Valigal seiyaadha vaarthai keten

Vayadhuku chariyaana vaazhkai keten

Idigal illaadha megam keten

Ilamai kedaadha mogamketen

Parandhu parandhu nesam keten

Paasaangillaadha paasam keten

Pullin nuniyil paniyai keten

Poovin madiyil padukai keten

Thaanae urangum vizhiyai keten

Thalaiyai kodhum viralai keten

Nilavil nanaiyum solai keten

Neela kuyilin paadal keten

Nadandhu poga nadhikarai keten

Kidandhu urula pulveli keten

Thottu paduka nilavai keten

Etti parika vinmeen keten

Thukam marandha thookam keten

Thookam manakum kanavai keten

Boomikellam oru pagal keten

Poovukellam aayul keten

Manidharkellam oru manam keten

Paravaikellam thaai mozhi keten

Uzhagukellam sama mazhai keten

Oorukellam oru nadhi keten

Vaanam muzhuka nilavai keten

Vaazhumbodhae svargam keten

Ennam ellam uyara keten

Eriyum theeyaai kavidhai keten

Kanneer kadandha gnaanam keten

Kaamam kadandha yogam keten

Sutrum kaatrin sudhandhiram keten

Situ kuruviyin siragai keten

Uchandhalaimel mazhaiyai keten

Ullangaalil nadhiyai keten

Pankonda paadal payila keten

Paravaikirukum vaanam keten

Nandri kedaadha natpai keten

Nadunga vidaadha selvam keten

Malaril oru naal vasika keten

Mazhaiyin sangeedham rusika keten

Nilavil nadhiyil kulika keten

Ninaivil sandhanam manaka keten

Vizhundhaal nizhal pol vizhavae keten

Azhudhaal mazhai pol azhavae keten

Ekaandham ennodu vaazha keten

Eppodhum sirikindra udhadugal keten

Panithuli pol oru sooriyan keten

Sooriyan pol oru panithuli keten

Raajaraajanin vaalai keten

Valluvan ezhudhiya kolai keten

Bhaaradhiyaarin sollai keten

Paarthiban thodutha villai keten

Maaya kannan kuzhalai keten

Madurai meenaakshi kiliyai keten

Sondha uzhaipil sorai keten

Thottu kolla paasam keten

Mazhaiyai pondra porumaiyai keten

Pullai pondra panivai keten

Puyalai pondra thunivaiketen

Idiyai thaangum thozhai keten

Izhivai thaangum idhayam keten

Throgam thaangum valimai keten

Tholaindhu vidaadha porumaiyai keten

Sonnadhu ketkum ullam keten

Sonnaal saagum vegam keten

Kayavarai ariyum kangal keten

Kaalam kadakum kaalgal keten

Chinna chinna tholvigal keten

Seekiram aarum kaayam keten

Moodiyillaadha mugangal keten

Poliyillaadha punnagai keten

Thavazhum vayadhil thaai paal keten

Thaavum vayadhil bommaigal keten

Aindhu vayadhil puthagam keten

Aaraam viralaai pena keten

Kaasae vendam karunai keten

Thalaiyanai vendam thaai madi keten

Kootu kilipol vaazha keten

Kuraindha patcha anbai keten

Ithanai ketum kidaikavillai

Idhilae edhuvum nadakavillai

Vaazhve vaazhve vendam endru

Maranam maranam maranam ketennnnnnnnnnn

I asked for quiet solitude,

I asked for a world without war,

I asked for lasting fire in my blood,

I asked for a heart with no secrets.

I asked for quiet solitude,

I asked for a world without war,

I asked for lasting fire in my blood,

I asked for a heart with no secrets.

I asked for a bond that does not hurt my soul,

I asked for just a single tear,

I asked for words that cause no pain,

I asked for a life that suits my age,

I asked for clouds without thunder,

I asked for a longing that never loses its youth,

I asked for a love that soars high,

I asked for affection free of pretence,

I asked for dew at the tip of the grass,

I asked for a bed in the lap of a flower,

I asked for eyes that fall asleep on their own,

I asked for gentle fingers to caress my hair,

I asked for a garden bathed in moonlight,

I asked for the song of a blue cuckoo,

I asked for a riverbank to walk along,

I asked for a meadow to roll and rest upon,

I asked for the moon to touch and lie beside,

I asked for stars to reach out and pluck,

I asked for sleep that forgets all sorrow,

I asked for dreams sweet with restful sleep,

I asked for one bright daylight for all the earth,

I asked for a long life for every flower,

I asked for one united heart for all humanity,

I asked for a mother tongue for every bird,

I asked for equal rain across the world,

I asked for a river for every town,

I asked for the moon to fill the entire sky,

I asked for heaven while still alive,

I asked for all my thoughts to soar high,

I asked for poetry like a burning flame,

I asked for wisdom that rises beyond tears,

I asked for spiritual peace beyond desire,

I asked for the freedom of the wandering wind,

I asked for the wings of a little sparrow,

I asked for rain upon my head,

I asked for a river beneath my feet,

I asked to learn melodious songs,

I asked for an open sky like the birds have,

I asked for friendship untouched by ingratitude,

I asked for wealth that brings no fear,

I asked to live inside a flower for a day,

I asked to enjoy the music of the rain,

I asked to bathe in a moonlit river,

I asked for memories fragrant as sandalwood,

I asked to fall softly, just like a shadow falls,

I asked to weep freely, just like the rain pours,

I asked for peaceful solitude to live with me,

I asked for lips that always smile,

I asked for a sun gentle like a dewdrop,

I asked for a dewdrop radiant like the sun,

I asked for the sword of King Rajaraja,

I asked for the stylus that poet Valluvar wrote with,

I asked for the fiery words of poet Bharati,

I asked for the bow strung by Parthiban (Arjuna),

I asked for the enchanting flute of Krishna,

I asked for the parrot of Madurai Meenakshi,

I asked for a meal earned by my own labour,

I asked for affection to accompany it,

I asked for patience like the gentle rain,

I asked for humility like a blade of grass,

I asked for courage like a raging storm,

I asked for shoulders strong enough to bear thunder,

I asked for a heart that can endure disgrace,

I asked for strength to bear betrayal,

I asked for patience that never runs out,

I asked for a mind that listens to reason,

I asked for anger that calms down when told,

I asked for eyes that recognize wicked people,

I asked for legs that can outpace time,

I asked for small, harmless defeats,

I asked for wounds that heal quickly,

I asked for faces that wear no masks,

I asked for smiles without any deceit,

In my crawling days, I asked for mother's milk,

In my playful toddler years, I asked for toys,

At five years old, I asked for books,

I asked for a pen to be my sixth finger,

I asked for no money, only compassion,

I asked for no pillow, only my mother's lap,

I asked to live sheltered like a cherished pet bird,

I asked for the bare minimum of love,

Even after asking for all this, I received nothing,

Not a single wish ever came true,

Declaring that I want this life no longer,

I asked for death, death, and only death!

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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This iconic Tamil song, written by Vairamuthu, is an intense philosophical monologue structured as a relentless list of simple, poetic, idealistic, and profound human desires. The speaker enumerates various wishes spanning nature, peace, love, wisdom, historical greatness, and pure human emotions, using the recurring phrase 'keten' (I asked for).

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Epiphora / Antistrophe

“Satham illaadha thanimai keten... Maranam maranam maranam keten”

Repetition of the word 'keten' ('I asked for') at the end of every line across almost the entire poem to create a rhythmic, pleading cadence.

Chiasmus / Paradox

“Panithuli pol oru sooriyan keten / Sooriyan pol oru panithuli keten”

Inverting terms to highlight contrasting imagery of scale and nature.

Simile (Upamai)

“Vizhundhaal nizhal pol vizhavae keten / Azhudhaal mazhai pol azhavae keten”

Comparing natural phenomena to human emotions and actions.

Monai & Ethukai (Tamil Alliteration & Rhyme)

“Satham illaadha thanimai keten / Yutham illaadha uzhagam keten”

Consistent initial letter and second letter matching across consecutive lines (e.g., Satham/Yutham/Rathathil/Ragasiyamillaa).

Did you know?

Trivia

Composed by Bharathwaj for the 1999 movie 'Amarkalam' starring Ajith Kumar and Shalini, this song is famous for its tragic climax revelation where after listing dozens of beautiful wishes, the character reveals that having received none, they ultimately pray for death.

Keep listening

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From the same album

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