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Isaimozhi
Red album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Thai Madiyae

From Red · 2002

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
Tippu
Music director
Deva
Movie name
Red
Movie release year
2002
Lyrics added on
11 Apr 2018

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Prasanna-vadanam
Saubhagyadam bhagyadham
Hastabhyam abhaya-pradam
Mani-ganair-nana vidhair-bhusitham
Thaai madiyae
Unnai thedugiren
Thaaragaiyum
Uruga vaadugiren
Paththu thingal ennai sumanthaayae
Oru paththae nimidam
Thaai madi thaa thaayae
Nee karuvil moodi vaitha en oodambu
Nadu theruvil kidakkirathu paarthaayoo
Udhiram velliyerum kaayangalil
En uyirum olugum unnai vaarthaayoo
Deivangal ingillai
Unnai alaikkiren
Thaai madiyae
Unnai thedugiren
Thaaragaiyum
Uruga vaadugiren
Vinnai idikkum thozhgal
Mannai alakkum kaalgal
Alli koodutha kaigal
Asaivil vanthathenna
Kaanalgal thinnum kanngal
Kanninthu nirkkum ithalgal
Uthavi seiyum paarvai
Uyir kurainthathenna
Bharatha porgal
Mudinthappinaalum
Kodumaigal ingae korayavillai
Yesugal endroo
Maandapinnaalum
Siluvaigal innum marikkavillai
Thaai madiyae
Unnai thedugiren
Thaaragaiyum
Uruga vaadugiren
Padai nadathum veeran
Pasithavargal thozhan
Pagaivarukkum nanban
APadum thuyaram yenna
Thaai paalaai unda raththam
Tharai vilunthathenna
Ivan perukkettra vannam
Nilam sivanthathenna
Theemaigal endrum
Aayudham yendhi
Thaergalil yeri varuvathenna
Dharmangal endrum
Pallakkil yeri
Thaamathamaaga varuvathenna
Thaai madiyae
Unnai thedugiren
Thaaragaiyum
Uruga vaadugiren
Paththu thingal ennai sumanthaayae
Oru paththae nimidam
Thaai madi thaa thaayae
Nee karuvil moodi vaitha en oodambu
Nadu theruvil kidakkirathu paarthaayoo
Udhiram velliyerum kaayangalil
En uyirum olugum unnai vaarthaayoo
Deivangal ingillai
Unnai alaikkiren
Prasanna-vadanam
Saubhagyadam bhagyadham
Hastabhyam abhaya-pradam
Mani-ganair-nana vidhair-bhusitham
One with a radiant, serene face,
Bestower of good fortune and blessings,
Granting protection with both hands,
Adorned with many kinds of precious jewels.
Oh mother's lap,
I am searching for you.
So that even the stars melt,
I pine away in deep sorrow.
You carried me in your womb for ten months;
For just ten minutes,
Give me your lap, Mother!
The body you kept safe in your womb,
Did you see it lying in the middle of the street?
Through these bleeding wounds,
My life drips away—Mother, did you pour yourself into me?
There are no gods here;
It is you I call.
Oh mother's lap,
I am searching for you.
So that even the stars melt,
I pine away in deep sorrow.
Shoulders that could touch the sky,
Feet that strode across the land,
Hands that gave generously,
Why have they lost all movement?
Eyes that faced burning heat,
Lips that were always gentle and kind,
A gaze that always brought help,
Why has the life in them faded?
Even after the great epic wars
Have come to an end,
The cruelties here have not decreased.
Though Jesus
Died long ago,
The crosses have still not died.
Oh mother's lap,
I am searching for you.
So that even the stars melt,
I pine away in deep sorrow.
A warrior who led forces,
A friend to the hungry,
A friend even to his enemies—
Why must he suffer such grief?
The blood he drank as mother's milk,
Why has it spilled onto the ground?
True to the meaning of his name Red,
Why has the earth turned red?
Why does evil always
Carry weapons
And arrive riding in chariots?
Why does righteousness always
Ride in a slow palanquin
And arrive so late?
Oh mother's lap,
I am searching for you.
So that even the stars melt,
I pine away in deep sorrow.
You carried me in your womb for ten months;
For just ten minutes,
Give me your lap, Mother!
The body you kept safe in your womb,
Did you see it lying in the middle of the street?
Through these bleeding wounds,
My life drips away—Mother, did you pour yourself into me?
There are no gods here;
It is you I call.
One with a radiant, serene face,
Bestower of good fortune and blessings,
Granting protection with both hands,
Adorned with many kinds of precious jewels.
Female
Male
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Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Thaai Madiye from the film Red (2002) is an emotionally charged lament that contrasts divine slokas with the painful, bloody reality of human suffering. The protagonist, a generous and noble warrior who lived to help the needy and protect the helpless, lies mortally wounded on the street. Bleeding severely, he calls out not for divine intervention from absent gods, but for the comforting warmth of his mother's lap to rest one final time.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Ethugai (Second letter rhyming in Tamil prosody)

Vinnai idikkum thozhgal / Mannai alakkum kaalgal

Matching of the second consonant sound 'nn' across adjacent lines to create rhythmic harmony.

Hyperbole & Metaphor

Vinnai idikkum thozhgal / Mannai alakkum kaalgal

Exaggerated metaphorical imagery depicting the hero's immense stature and physical strength.

Antithesis / Contrast

Theemaigal endrum Aayudham yendhi... Dharmangal endrum Pallakkil yeri Thaamathamaaga varuvathenna

Vairamuthu powerfully contrasts evil charging swiftly on war chariots with weapons against righteousness arriving tardily in a slow palanquin.

Alliteration (Monaai)

Paththu thingal ennai sumanthaayae / Oru paththae nimidam

Repetition of the initial 'Pa' sound creating phonetic unity in the line.

Did you know?

Trivia

Featured in the 2002 Tamil action film 'Red' starring Ajith Kumar and directed by Singampuli, this track was composed by Deva with lyrics by Vairamuthu. The song vividly combines Sanskrit stotram chants with deeply poignant Tamil lyrics during a crucial climax moment where the protagonist is fatally injured.

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