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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Sinam Kamam Poi Kalavu

From Ashok Kumar · 1941

Lyricist
Udumalai Narayanakavi
Singer
M. K. Thiyagaraja Bagavathar
Music director
Alandur Sivasubramaniyam
Movie name
Ashok Kumar
Movie release year
1941
Lyrics added on
7 Mar 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Sinam kaamam poi kalavu
Vanja nenjar
Suya nalamae kondu oon
Thindru udal valarppaar…aa…aa…
Sinam kaamam poi kalavu
Vanja nenjar
Suya nalamae kondu oon
Thindru udal valarppaar…aa…aa…
Thaniyirundhu unavu kollaa
Kaagam kandum
Thannuyir pol mannuyirai
Paaraar…aa…aa… aa…aa…aa
Aa…aa…aa… aa…aa…aa…ma…
Aa…..aa…aa… aa…aa…aa..ma
Thaemaangani irukka kaanjirangaa
Yunna yennum
Thaemaangani irukka kaanjirangaa
Yunna ennum
Akka sadarthama kiranghugindren…hae…
Hae…ae… hae…ae…ae…
Hae…ae…ae…ae…aa…aa…
Aa…aa…aa… aa…aa…aa naa…naana…
Aa..aa…aa… aa…aa…aa
Karunai vinnae punidha en
Gunakkundrae…ae…ae…ya…ya…aa…aa…
Karunai vinnae punidha yen
Gunakkundrae…ae…ae…
Buddha moorthi…ee…aa…aa…aa…
Bodhi nizhalamarndhavanae…ae…ae…ae…
Aru kann paaraai…aa…aa…
Aa…aa…aa…aa…aa…aa…aa…
Aa…aa…aa… aa…aa…aa
Aa…aa…aa… aa…aa…aa..aa…aa…aa..
Paarulagil uzhandru nondhen nondhen
Paarulagil uzhandru nondhen nondhen
Paabhavinai purindhazhindhen vandhen
Kaarirul maayai kidandhen thandhen
Kaarirul maayai kidandhen thandhen
Kamalappadham marandhalaindhen endhaai
Garba vaasa minitthaalaen thaalaen
Garba vaasa minitthaalaen thaalaen
Karma bandha piravi meelaen meelaen
Arpudha buddha moorthi naalum naalum
Arpudha buddha moortthi naalum naalum
Arpudha buddha moortthi naalum naalum
Adimai kondennai ini aalum aalum
Adimai kondennai ini aalum aalum
Paarulagil uzhandru nondhen
Nondhen…aa…oo…aaa…
With anger, lust, deceit, and theft,
people with wicked hearts
live only for their selfish needs,
eating food and pampering their bodies... ah... ah...
With anger, lust, deceit, and theft,
people with wicked hearts
live only for their selfish needs,
eating food and pampering their bodies... ah... ah...
Even seeing the crow that never eats alone,
they fail to learn and share,
never caring for other lives on earth
as they care for their own... ah... ah... ah... ah... ah...
Ah... ah... ah... ah... ah... ah... m...
Ah... ah... ah... ah... ah... ah... m
Though sweet mangoes are right before them,
they choose to eat bitter poison-fruit;
though sweet mangoes are right before them,
they choose to eat bitter poison-fruit;
I feel deep pity for such foolish souls... hey...
Hey... ae... hey... ae... ae...
Hey... ae... ae... ae... ah... ah...
Ah... ah... ah... na... naana...
Ah ah... na... ah... ah... ah... ah...
O sky of compassion, pure and holy,
O mountain of virtue... ae... ae... ya... ya... ah... ah...
O sky of compassion, pure and holy,
O mountain of virtue... ae... ae...
O Lord Buddha... ee... ah... ah...
O one seated beneath the shade of the Bodhi tree... ae... ae... ae...
Look upon me with your gracious eyes... ah... ah...
Ah... ah... ah... ah... ah... ah... ah...
Ah... ah... ah... ah... ah... ah...
Ah... ah... ah... ah... ah... ah... ah... ah...
Wandering through this worldly life, I suffered, I suffered.
Wandering through this worldly life, I suffered, I suffered.
Ruined by committing sins, I have come to you.
Lost and blinded in the deep darkness of illusion,
lost and blinded in the deep darkness of illusion,
forgetting your lotus feet, I wandered astray, my Lord!
I can no longer bear the pain of rebirth in the womb!
I can no longer bear the pain of rebirth in the womb!
Bound by karma, I cannot free myself from this cycle of birth!
O wondrous Lord Buddha, day after day,
O wondrous Lord Buddha, day after day,
O wondrous Lord Buddha, day after day,
take me as your own and guide me from now on!
take me as your own and guide me from now on!
Wandering through this worldly life, I suffered,
I suffered... ah... oh... ah...
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This song from the 1941 Tamil movie Ashok Kumar reflects on human moral decay and the soul's earnest search for spiritual liberation under Lord Buddha's divine grace. The speaker laments how people fall into vices like anger, lust, lying, and greed, selfishly seeking worldly pleasures without empathy, unlike even a humble crow that shares its food. Instead of savoring divine virtue (sweet mangoes), humans foolishly choose bitter, toxic desires (kanjiranga fruit). In the second half, the devotee turns toward Lord Buddha, praising him as a sky of compassion and a mountain of pure virtue seated under the Bodhi tree. Desperate to escape the painful cycle of karmic rebirths, dark illusion, and worldly suffering, the speaker surrenders at the lotus feet of the Buddha, begging to be accepted as a servant and guided toward eternal peace.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamai / Uruvagam)

Thaemaangani irukka kaanjirangaa Yunna ennum / Karunai vinnae punidha yen Gunakkundrae...ae...ae... Buddha moorthi...ee...aa...aa...aa... Bodhi nizhalamarndhavanae...ae...ae...ae... Aru kann paaraai...aa...aa... Aa...aa...aa...aa...aa...aa...aa... Aa...aa...aa... aa...aa...aa Aa...aa...aa... aa...aa...aa..aa...aa...aa.. Paarulagil uzhandru nondhen nondhen Paarulagil uzhandru nondhen nondhen Paabhavinai purindhazhindhen vandhen Kaarirul maayai kidandhen thandhen Kaarirul maayai kidandhen thandhen Kamalappadham marandhalaindhen endhaai Garba vaasa minitthaalaen thaalaen Garba vaasa minitthaalaen thaalaen Karma bandha piravi meelaen meelaen Arpudha buddha moorthi naalum naalum Arpudha buddha moortthi naalum naalum Arpudha buddha moortthi naalum naalum Adimai kondennai ini aalum aalum Adimai kondennai ini aalum aalum Paarulagil uzhandru nondhen Nondhen…aa…oo…aaa…

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Trivia

Ashok Kumar (1941) is a historic Tamil feature film starring M. K. Thyagaraja Bhagavathar (MKT) and T. R. Rajakumari, directed by Raja Chandrasekhar. The film was based on the Buddhist legend of Prince Kunala, the son of Emperor Ashoka.

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