- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singers
- Malaysia Vasudevan, P. Susheela
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Movie name
- Dharmathin Thalaivan
- Movie release year
- 1988
- Lyrics added on
- 3 Jul 2017
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
Thenmadurai Vaigai Nadhi is a profoundly emotional song from Dharmathin Thalaivan celebrating deep fraternal bond, sacrifice, and family loyalty. The lyrics draw parallels between timeless elements of nature—such as the Vaigai river, the Tamil language, and the vast sky—and the enduring love shared among family members. The younger brother pays homage to his elder brother, viewing him not just as a sibling but as a paternal guardian whose righteous path and words serve as a guiding gospel. In times of sorrow, the younger brother reassures his sister-in-law, promising to wipe away her tears and fulfill the duties left behind by his brother. The core motif contrasts the physical moon, which wanes every night, with the family's eternal affection that remains immortal and unwavering through life's trials.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Upamai)
“Idhu vaanam polae vaazhum paasam”
Compares the vastness of fraternal love to the sky using 'polae' (pol).
Antithesis / Imagery
“Theiygindradhu pon maalai nila / Theiyaadhadhu nam aasai nila”
Contrasts the fading evening moon with the unyielding, non-fading moon of affection.
Simile (Upamai)
“Gangai pola kanneer kondu”
Compares the abundance of tears to the holy river Ganges using 'pola'.
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Annan mozhi nam geethai”
Directly equates the elder brother's spoken words to a holy scripture/song (Geethai).
Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)
“Annan vazhi nam paadhai / Annan mozhi nam geethai”
Repetition of the initial letter 'Annan' across consecutive lines for rhythmic emphasis.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by Ilaiyaraaja with lyrics by Vaali, Dharmathin Thalaivan (1988) was a Tamil remake of the 1978 Hindi film Kasme Vaade. The song visually highlights the deep bond between Rajinikanth and Prabhu's characters and remains one of Tamil cinema's quintessential anthems on brotherly affection.
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