Theivam Illai
From Naan Mahaan Alla · 2010
- Lyricist
- Yugabharathi
- Singer
- Madhu Balakrishnan
- Music director
- Yuvan Shankar Raja
- Details
- Naan Mahaan Alla2010
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Dheivam illai enumbothu | When there is no God, |
| Kovil edharkku | Why is a temple needed? |
| Illai neeyum enumbothu | When you are no longer here, |
| Vaazhvae edharkku | Why is life needed? |
| Male | |
| Ithuvaraiyil edhai kettaalum | Whatever I asked for until now, |
| Tharuvaayae manam konaamal | You gave without any reluctance. |
| Thuyaram naan ithai ketkaamal | Without me asking for this sorrow, |
| Koduthayae edharkaaga | Why did you give it to me? |
| Male | |
| Dheivam illai enumbothu | When there is no God, |
| Kovil edharkku | Why is a temple needed? |
| Illai neeyum enumbothu | When you are no longer here, |
| Vaazhvae edharkku | Why is life needed? |
| Male | |
| Oru naal enai pirinthaalum | Even if separated from me for just a day, |
| Vaadiya mugamae unai | Your withered, worried face, |
| Ini engu paarpathu oh.. | Where will I see it now? Oh.. |
| Enathaasaigal niraivera yengiya | That heart that yearned to fulfill my desires, |
| Manamae unai | Oh dear heart, |
| Edhai thanthu meetpathu | What can I offer to get you back? |
| Male | |
| Azhuthida koodaathendru | Saying that I shouldn't cry, |
| Arivurai kooruvaai | You used to advise me; |
| Azhugaiyai neeyae thanthu ponaayae | Yet you yourself left after giving me tears. |
| Urangida neram indri | Without even time to sleep, |
| Uzhaithidum kangalae | Those hard-working eyes, |
| Niranthara thookkam enna aazhnthaayae | Why have they fallen into deep, permanent sleep? |
| Male | |
| Dheivam illai enumbothu | When there is no God, |
| Kovil edharkku | Why is a temple needed? |
| Male | |
| Uyir vaazhvathae | That you live your life, |
| Enakkaaga endru nee | Only for my sake, |
| Dhinam pesuvaai adhu enna aanathu oh.. | You spoke every day; what happened to that? Oh.. |
| Thalai mel sumai | Even when carrying a heavy burden on your head, |
| Irunthaalum punnagai tharumae idhazh | Your lips would still offer a smile; |
| Adhu engu ponathu | Where did that go? |
| Male | |
| Nadanthida paatham thanthu | Giving me feet to walk, |
| Vazhigalai kaattinaai | You showed me the paths; |
| Naduvinil mundhi sendraal en seiven | If you rush ahead in the middle of the journey, what will I do? |
| Ethu ethu illai endru | Noticing whatever was missing for me, |
| Enakkena vaanguvaai | You bought everything for my sake; |
| Iruthiyil neeyae illai en solven | In the end, you yourself are missing—what shall I say? |
| Male | |
| Dheivam illai enumbothu | When there is no God, |
| Kovil edharkku | Why is a temple needed? |
| Illai neeyum enumbothu | When you are no longer here, |
| Vaazhvae edharkku | Why is life needed? |
தெய்வம் இல்லை எனும்போது
கோவில் எதற்கு
இல்லை நீயும் எனும்போது
வாழ்வே எதற்கு
When there is no God,
Why is a temple needed?
When you are no longer here,
Why is life needed?
இதுவரையில் எதைக் கேட்டாலும்
தருவாயே மனம் கோணாமல்
துயரம் நான் இதை கேட்காமல்
கொடுத்தாயே எதற்காக
Whatever I asked for until now,
You gave without any reluctance.
Without me asking for this sorrow,
Why did you give it to me?
தெய்வம் இல்லை எனும்போது
கோவில் எதற்கு
இல்லை நீயும் எனும்போது
வாழ்வே எதற்கு
When there is no God,
Why is a temple needed?
When you are no longer here,
Why is life needed?
ஒரு நாள் எனைப் பிரிந்தாலும்
வாடிய முகமே
உனை இனி எங்கு பார்ப்பது ஒ ..
எனதாசைகள் நிறைவேற ஏங்கிய
மனமே உன்னை
எதை தந்து மீட்பது
Even if separated from me for just a day,
Your withered, worried face,
Where will I see it now? Oh..
That heart that yearned to fulfill my desires,
Oh dear heart,
What can I offer to get you back?
அழுதிடக் கூடாதென்று
அறிவுரை கூறுவாய்
அழுகையை நீயே தந்து போனாயே
உறங்கிட நேரம் இன்றி
உழைத்திடும் கண்களே
நிரந்தர தூக்கம் என்ன ஆழ்ந்தாயே
Saying that I shouldn't cry,
You used to advise me;
Yet you yourself left after giving me tears.
Without even time to sleep,
Those hard-working eyes,
Why have they fallen into deep, permanent sleep?
தெய்வம் இல்லை எனும்போது
கோவில் எதற்கு
When there is no God,
Why is a temple needed?
உயிர் வாழ்வதே
எனக்காக என்று நீ
தினம் பேசுவாய் அது என்ன ஆனது ஒ..
தலை மேல் சுமை
இருந்தாலும் புன்னகை தருமே இதழ்
அது எங்கு போனது
That you live your life,
Only for my sake,
You spoke every day; what happened to that? Oh..
Even when carrying a heavy burden on your head,
Your lips would still offer a smile;
Where did that go?
நடந்திட பாதம் தந்து
வழிகளை காட்டினாய்
நடுவினில் முந்தி சென்றால்
என் செய்வேன்
எது எது இல்லை என்று
எனக்கென வாங்குவாய்
இறுதியில் நீயே இல்லை
என் சொல்வேன்
Giving me feet to walk,
You showed me the paths;
If you rush ahead in the middle of the journey, what will I do?
Noticing whatever was missing for me,
You bought everything for my sake;
In the end, you yourself are missing—what shall I say?
தெய்வம் இல்லை எனும்போது
கோவில் எதற்கு
இல்லை நீயும் எனும் போது
வாழ்வே எதற்கு
When there is no God,
Why is a temple needed?
When you are no longer here,
Why is life needed?
Dheivam illai enumbothu
When there is no God,
Kovil edharkku
Why is a temple needed?
Illai neeyum enumbothu
When you are no longer here,
Vaazhvae edharkku
Why is life needed?
Ithuvaraiyil edhai kettaalum
Whatever I asked for until now,
Tharuvaayae manam konaamal
You gave without any reluctance.
Thuyaram naan ithai ketkaamal
Without me asking for this sorrow,
Koduthayae edharkaaga
Why did you give it to me?
Dheivam illai enumbothu
When there is no God,
Kovil edharkku
Why is a temple needed?
Illai neeyum enumbothu
When you are no longer here,
Vaazhvae edharkku
Why is life needed?
Oru naal enai pirinthaalum
Even if separated from me for just a day,
Vaadiya mugamae unai
Your withered, worried face,
Ini engu paarpathu oh..
Where will I see it now? Oh..
Enathaasaigal niraivera yengiya
That heart that yearned to fulfill my desires,
Manamae unai
Oh dear heart,
Edhai thanthu meetpathu
What can I offer to get you back?
Azhuthida koodaathendru
Saying that I shouldn't cry,
Arivurai kooruvaai
You used to advise me;
Azhugaiyai neeyae thanthu ponaayae
Yet you yourself left after giving me tears.
Urangida neram indri
Without even time to sleep,
Uzhaithidum kangalae
Those hard-working eyes,
Niranthara thookkam enna aazhnthaayae
Why have they fallen into deep, permanent sleep?
Dheivam illai enumbothu
When there is no God,
Kovil edharkku
Why is a temple needed?
Uyir vaazhvathae
That you live your life,
Enakkaaga endru nee
Only for my sake,
Dhinam pesuvaai adhu enna aanathu oh..
You spoke every day; what happened to that? Oh..
Thalai mel sumai
Even when carrying a heavy burden on your head,
Irunthaalum punnagai tharumae idhazh
Your lips would still offer a smile;
Adhu engu ponathu
Where did that go?
Nadanthida paatham thanthu
Giving me feet to walk,
Vazhigalai kaattinaai
You showed me the paths;
Naduvinil mundhi sendraal en seiven
If you rush ahead in the middle of the journey, what will I do?
Ethu ethu illai endru
Noticing whatever was missing for me,
Enakkena vaanguvaai
You bought everything for my sake;
Iruthiyil neeyae illai en solven
In the end, you yourself are missing—what shall I say?
Dheivam illai enumbothu
When there is no God,
Kovil edharkku
Why is a temple needed?
Illai neeyum enumbothu
When you are no longer here,
Vaazhvae edharkku
Why is life needed?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This song from 'Naan Mahaan Alla' is a heartbreaking eulogy sung by a grieving son after the sudden death of his selfless father. The lyrics compare the father to God, questioning the purpose of a world or life without his guiding presence. The protagonist reflects on his father's sacrifices, hard work, constant encouragement, and unconditional love, expressing profound disbelief and anguish at his unexpected demise.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor
“Dheivam illai enumbothu Kovil edharkku”
Equating the father to God ('Dheivam illai enumbothu / Kovil edharkku') and comparing death to eternal sleep ('Niranthara thookkam').
Rhetorical Question
“Illai neeyum enumbothu Vaazhvae edharkku”
Frequent use of rhetorical questions ('Kovil edharkku', 'Vaazhvae edharkku', 'Adhu engu ponathu') to convey existential crisis, helplessness, and grief.
Irony / Contrast
“Azhuthida koodaathendru Arivurai kooruvaai Azhugaiyai neeyae thanthu ponaayae”
Contrasting the father's advice against crying with the reality that the father's death is the very source of tears.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by Yuvan Shankar Raja and sung by Haricharan, 'Dheivam Illai' serves as the emotional turning point in the film 'Naan Mahaan Alla' (2010). The song underscores the tragic murder of the protagonist's father, played movingly by Jayaprakash.
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