Sudum Nilavu Sudatha
From Thambi · 2005
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singers
- Unnikrishnan, Harini
- Music director
- Vidyasagar
- Details
- Thambi2005
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Sudum nilavu sudaatha sooriyan | A burning moon and a sun that does not burn |
| Odum nimisam uraiyum varusam | A running minute and a frozen year |
| { Ellam ellam ellam venduma } (2) | Do you want all of this, all of this, all of this? (Repeated) |
| Female | |
| { Kaadhalithu paar kaadhalithu paar } (2) | Try falling in love, try falling in love (Repeated) |
| Male | |
| Sudum nilavu sudaatha sooriyan | A burning moon and a sun that does not burn |
| Odum nimisam uraiyum varusam | A running minute and a frozen year |
| Male | |
| Imaiadithaalum idhayam valikum | Even a blink of an eye causes pain in the heart |
| Valigalil kooda vaasanai irukum | Yet even in those pains, there will be fragrance |
| Female | |
| { Kaadhalithu paar kaadhalithu paar } (2) | Try falling in love, try falling in love (Repeated) |
| Female | |
| Narambuku naduvae nadhigal nagarum | Rivers will flow within the nerves |
| Nadhi irundhaalum naavae ularum | Even with a river flowing, the tongue stammers dry |
| Male | |
| Thapu ellam kadidham aagum | Every mistake turns into a sweet letter |
| Thavaru ellam punitham aagum | Every fault becomes sacred |
| Female | |
| Pachai thanneer vepam aagum | Cold water turns warm |
| Echil pandam amirdham aagum | Food touched by saliva becomes divine nectar |
| Male | |
| Naaku udhadu pesum vaarthai | The words spoken by tongue and lips |
| Mutham aagum | Turn into a kiss |
| Female | |
| Sudum nilavu sudaatha sooriyan | A burning moon and a sun that does not burn |
| Odum nimisam uraiyum varusam | A running minute and a frozen year |
| Female | |
| …………………………………. | [Instrumental Interlude] |
| Male | |
| …………………………………… | [Instrumental Interlude] |
| Female | |
| Mazhai thuli namaku samudhiram aagum | A raindrop becomes an ocean to us |
| Samudhiram ellam thuliyaai pogum | And the entire ocean shrinks into a single drop |
| Female | |
| { Kaadhalithu paar kaadhalithu paar } (2) | Try falling in love, try falling in love (Repeated) |
| Male | |
| Sathiya kaadhal ennavum seiyum | True love can accomplish anything |
| Chandhira oliyai aadaiyaai neiyum | It weaves moonlight into a garment |
| Female | |
| Thotta baagam mochamaagum | The part that is touched attains salvation |
| Mathabaagam kaaichalaagum | The rest of the body catches a fever |
| Male | |
| Deivam theindhu mirugam aagum | The divine wears down to become a beast |
| Mirugam thoongi deivam aagum | The sleeping beast awakens as a god |
| Female | |
| Thedal ondrae vaazhkai endru therindhu pogum | You will realize that the search itself is life |
| Female | |
| { Kaadhalithu paar kaadhalithu paar } (2) | Try falling in love, try falling in love (Repeated) |
சுடும் நிலவு
சுடாத சூரியன் ஓடும்
நிமிஷம் உறையும்
வருஷம்
{ எல்லாம் எல்லாம்
எல்லாம் வேண்டுமா } (2)
A burning moon and a sun that does not burn
A running minute and a frozen year
Do you want all of this, all of this, all of this? (Repeated)
{ காதலித்துப் பார்
காதலித்துப் பார் } (2)
Try falling in love, try falling in love (Repeated)
சுடும் நிலவு
சுடாத சூரியன் ஓடும்
நிமிஷம் உறையும்
வருஷம்
A burning moon and a sun that does not burn
A running minute and a frozen year
இமையடித்தாலும்
இதயம் வலிக்கும் வலிகளில்
கூட வாசனை இருக்கும்
Even a blink of an eye causes pain in the heart
Yet even in those pains, there will be fragrance
{ காதலித்துப் பார்
காதலித்துப் பார் } (2)
Try falling in love, try falling in love (Repeated)
நரம்புக்கு நடுவே
நதிகள் நகரும் நதியிருந்தாலும்
நாவே உலரும்
Rivers will flow within the nerves
Even with a river flowing, the tongue stammers dry
தப்பு எல்லாம்
கணிதமாகும் தவறு
எல்லாம் புனிதமாகும்
Every mistake turns into a sweet letter
Every fault becomes sacred
பச்சைத் தண்ணீர்
வெப்பமாகும் எச்சில்
பண்டம் அமிர்தமாகும்
Cold water turns warm
Food touched by saliva becomes divine nectar
நாக்கு உதடு பேசும்
வார்த்தை முத்தமாகும்
The words spoken by tongue and lips
Turn into a kiss
சுடும் நிலவு
சுடாத சூரியன் ஓடும்
நிமிஷம் உறையும்
வருஷம்
A burning moon and a sun that does not burn
A running minute and a frozen year
............................
............................
[Instrumental Interlude]
மழைத்துளி நமக்கு
சமுத்திரமாகும் சமுத்திரம்
எல்லாம் துளியாய்ப் போகும்
[Instrumental Interlude]
{ காதலித்துப் பார்
காதலித்துப் பார் } (2)
A raindrop becomes an ocean to us
And the entire ocean shrinks into a single drop
சத்தியக் காதல்
என்னவும் செய்யும்
சந்திர ஒளியை
ஆடையாய் நெய்யும்
Try falling in love, try falling in love (Repeated)
தொட்ட பாகம்
மோட்சமாகும் மத்த
பாகம் காய்ச்சலாகும்
True love can accomplish anything
It weaves moonlight into a garment
தெய்வம் தேய்ந்து
மிருகமாகும் மிருகம் தூங்கி
தெய்வமாகும்
The part that is touched attains salvation
The rest of the body catches a fever
தேடல் ஒன்றே
வாழ்க்கை என்று தெரிந்து
போகும்
The divine wears down to become a beast
The sleeping beast awakens as a god
{ காதலித்துப் பார்
காதலித்துப் பார் } (2)
You will realize that the search itself is life
Try falling in love, try falling in love (Repeated)
Sudum nilavu sudaatha sooriyan
A burning moon and a sun that does not burn
Odum nimisam uraiyum varusam
A running minute and a frozen year
{ Ellam ellam ellam venduma } (2)
Do you want all of this, all of this, all of this? (Repeated)
{ Kaadhalithu paar kaadhalithu paar } (2)
Try falling in love, try falling in love (Repeated)
Sudum nilavu sudaatha sooriyan
A burning moon and a sun that does not burn
Odum nimisam uraiyum varusam
A running minute and a frozen year
Imaiadithaalum idhayam valikum
Even a blink of an eye causes pain in the heart
Valigalil kooda vaasanai irukum
Yet even in those pains, there will be fragrance
{ Kaadhalithu paar kaadhalithu paar } (2)
Try falling in love, try falling in love (Repeated)
Narambuku naduvae nadhigal nagarum
Rivers will flow within the nerves
Nadhi irundhaalum naavae ularum
Even with a river flowing, the tongue stammers dry
Thapu ellam kadidham aagum
Every mistake turns into a sweet letter
Thavaru ellam punitham aagum
Every fault becomes sacred
Pachai thanneer vepam aagum
Cold water turns warm
Echil pandam amirdham aagum
Food touched by saliva becomes divine nectar
Naaku udhadu pesum vaarthai
The words spoken by tongue and lips
Mutham aagum
Turn into a kiss
Sudum nilavu sudaatha sooriyan
A burning moon and a sun that does not burn
Odum nimisam uraiyum varusam
A running minute and a frozen year
………………………………….
[Instrumental Interlude]
……………………………………
[Instrumental Interlude]
Mazhai thuli namaku samudhiram aagum
A raindrop becomes an ocean to us
Samudhiram ellam thuliyaai pogum
And the entire ocean shrinks into a single drop
{ Kaadhalithu paar kaadhalithu paar } (2)
Try falling in love, try falling in love (Repeated)
Sathiya kaadhal ennavum seiyum
True love can accomplish anything
Chandhira oliyai aadaiyaai neiyum
It weaves moonlight into a garment
Thotta baagam mochamaagum
The part that is touched attains salvation
Mathabaagam kaaichalaagum
The rest of the body catches a fever
Deivam theindhu mirugam aagum
The divine wears down to become a beast
Mirugam thoongi deivam aagum
The sleeping beast awakens as a god
Thedal ondrae vaazhkai endru therindhu pogum
You will realize that the search itself is life
{ Kaadhalithu paar kaadhalithu paar } (2)
Try falling in love, try falling in love (Repeated)
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
The song 'Sudum Nilavu' from the movie 'Thambi' (2005) is an evocative ode to the paradoxical and transformative nature of love. Through rich, imagery-laden poetry, lyricist Vairamuthu explores how love distorts perception—making cool moonlight burn, hot sunshine cool, minutes sprint, and years stand still. Love converts flaws into sacred beauty, pain into fragrance, and everyday reality into divine bliss. In the second half, the song delves deeper into the psychological and spiritual dimensions of romantic affection. Love strips away self-control and societal constructs, oscillating between animalistic desire and divine transcendency. Ultimately, the song serves as an invitation to experience love, declaring that the unending search for intimacy and meaning is the true essence of human existence.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Oxymoron / Paradox (Muran)
“Sudum nilavu sudaatha sooriyan”
Contradictory concepts placed together to highlight love's paradoxical nature, such as a hot moon and an unburning sun.
Initial Rhyme (Monai)
“Sudum nilavu sudaatha sooriyan”
Repetition of the initial 'Su' sound in 'Sudum' and 'Sudaatha'.
Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navitchi)
“Mazhai thuli namaku samudhiram aagum / Samudhiram ellam thuliyaai pogum”
Exaggeration where a single drop of rain feels like an immense ocean, and the vast ocean shrinks into a drop.
Metaphor (Urvagam)
“Chandhira oliyai aadaiyaai neiyum”
Comparing intangible moonlight to fabric woven into clothing.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by Vidyasagar for the 2005 film 'Thambi' starring Madhavan and Pooja, this track showcases Vairamuthu's trademark style of blending sensory paradoxes with philosophical musings on passion and spirituality.
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