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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Un Madhama

From Raman Abdullah · 1997

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
Nagore E. M. Hanifa
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Raman Abdullah1997

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
Hey ethanaiyoo sithanungaHey, so many enlightened sages
KaththiyaachuHave shouted out!
Kaththi kaththi thonda thanniShouting and shouting, the water in their throat
VaththiyaachuHas dried up!
Suthamaaga sonnadhellaam poraliyaaDid everything told clearly turn into a lie?
Mothamaaga kadhula thaan yeraliyaaDid it not enter anyone's ears completely?
Male
Thandhana thandhana thanaThandhana thandhana thana
Thana thana thana thanaThana thana thana thana
Thandhana thandhana thana doiThandhana thandhana thana doi
Male
Un mathama en mathamaIs it your religion or my religion?
Aandavan entha mathamWhich religion is God?
Nallavanga em mathamooWhichever religion good people belong to,
Aandavan antha mathamGod belongs to that religion!
Male
Ada pongada pongada pongadaHey, go away, go away, go away!
Polladha poosalum yesalum yendaWhy these evil fights and scoldings?
Kooda vangada vangada vangadaCome along, come along, come along!
Solladha sangadhi solluren keludaaListen, I will tell you unsaid truths!
Male
Antha aandavan thaanIs that God Himself
Chirsthuvana muslim-ah illa hindu-vaA Christian, a Muslim, or a Hindu?
Male
Un mathama en mathamaIs it your religion or my religion?
Aandavan entha mathamWhich religion is God?
Nallavanga em mathamooWhichever religion good people belong to,
Aandavan antha mathamGod belongs to that religion!
Male
Manasukulla naaigalum narigalumInside the mind, dogs and foxes,
Naal vagai peigalumAnd four types of ghosts
Naatiyam aadudhadaaAre dancing away!
Manidhan ennum porvaiyil irukkudhuIt stays under the cloak of being human,
Paarvaiyil nadakkudhuIt walks right in front of our eyes,
Naan kanda mirugamadaThe beast that I have seen!
Male
Ada yaarum thirunthaliyaeHey, nobody has reformed!
Ithukaaga varunthaliyaeNobody feels sorry for this!
Ada yaarum thirunthaliyaeHey, nobody has reformed!
Ithukaaga varunthaliyaeNobody feels sorry for this!
Male
Neeyum naanum onnuYou and I are one,
Ithu nesam thaan manasula ennuConsider this true love in your heart!
Poiyaiyum porataiyum pannuFight off the lies,
Intha boomiya pudhusa pannuMake this world brand new!
Male
Summa sonnatha sonnatha sollavaShould I just repeat what was already said?
Sollamal en vazhi en vazhi sellavaOr should I go my own way without telling?
Ada unnathaan namburen nallavaHey, I trust only you, good person,
Unnaala maaruthal vanthidum allavaaA change will come because of you, won't it?
Male
Un mathama en mathamaIs it your religion or my religion?
Aandavan entha mathamWhich religion is God?
Nallavanga em mathamooWhichever religion good people belong to,
Aandavan antha mathamGod belongs to that religion!
Male
Kanakkil oru kootalum kazhithalumIn mathematics, addition, subtraction,
Vaguthalum perukkalumDivision, and multiplication
Iruppadhu unmaiyadaaTruly exist!
Koottal mattum vaazhkaiyil nadakudhuOnly addition happens in life,
Paavatha perukkudhuMultiplying sins!
Ithu enna jenmamadaaWhat kind of birth is this?
Male
Ippo pudhusaa kanakku eluthuNow, write a new equation,
Ingu varattum nalla pozhudhuLet a good time arrive here!
Male
Adiyae gyaana thangamHey, golden wisdom!
Ingu naan oru gnyaana singamHere, I am a lion of wisdom!
Itha paartha poigal oodumSeeing this, lies will run away,
Rendu pottaa ulagam maarumIf you take two shots, the world changes!
Male
Ada bathiram bathiram bathiramHey, careful, careful, careful!
Theerppu naal pakkathil pakkathil varuthuJudgment day is coming closer and closer!
Idhu sathiyam sathiyam sathiyamThis is true, true, true!
Sathiyathil sangathi seekiram varudhuNews of the truth is coming soon!
Male
Un mathama en mathamaIs it your religion or my religion?
Aandavan entha mathamWhich religion is God?
Nallavanga em mathamooWhichever religion good people belong to,
Aandavan antha mathamGod belongs to that religion!
Male
Ada pongada pongada pongadaHey, go away, go away, go away!
Polladha poosalum yesalum yendaWhy these evil fights and scoldings?
Kooda vangada vangada vangadaCome along, come along, come along!
Solladha sangadhi solluren keludaaListen, I will tell you unsaid truths!
Male
Antha aandavan thaanIs that God Himself
Chirsthuvana muslim-ah illa hindu-vaA Christian, a Muslim, or a Hindu?
Male
Un mathama en mathamaIs it your religion or my religion?
Aandavan entha mathamWhich religion is God?
Nallavanga em mathamooWhichever religion good people belong to,
Aandavan antha mathamGod belongs to that religion!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This philosophical track from the film 'Raman Abdullah' questions communal prejudice, religious fanaticism, and human hypocrisy. Lyricist Vaali argues that God does not belong to any organized religion like Hinduism, Islam, or Christianity, but rather resides wherever goodness, morality, and true humanity exist. He laments that despite centuries of teachings by sages and saints, humans continue to harbour internal malice, greed, and divisiveness. Using clever mathematical metaphors—such as addition, subtraction, and multiplication—the song highlights how humans constantly multiply their sins instead of adding love and harmony. Ultimately, the song delivers a strong message urging people to shed religious animosity, reform their inner character, and work together to create a peaceful and unified world.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Ethukai (Second Letter Rhyming)

Kaththiyaachu / Vaththiyaachu

The second consonant 'th' rhymes between consecutive lines, creating traditional Tamil rhythmic flow.

Monaai (Initial Alliteration)

Kaththi kaththi thonda thanni

Repetition of the 'K' sound at the beginning of words in the line.

Metaphor

Manasukulla naaigalum narigalum / Naal vagai peigalum naatiyam aadudhadaa

Evil thoughts, craftiness, and negative emotions are personified as dogs, foxes, and ghosts dancing inside the human mind.

Rhetorical Question

Chirsthuvana muslim-ah illa hindu-va

The lyricist poses a direct question about God's religion to challenge the listener's narrow religious views.

Extended Metaphor (Mathematical Imagery)

Kanakkil oru kootalum kazhithalum / Vaguthalum perukkalum

Arithmetic operations (addition, multiplication) are used metaphorically to represent the accumulation of human sins and life choices.

Did you know?

Trivia

The song is composed by Ilaiyaraaja for the 1997 Tamil film 'Raman Abdullah', directed by Balu Mahendra. The movie focuses on the deep bond between two friends from Hindu and Muslim backgrounds, fitting the song's strong anti-communal message. Vaali's lyrics stand out for using simple, folk-inflected conversational Tamil to convey high philosophical truths.

Keep listening

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