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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Unnai Paartha Pinbu Naan

From Kaadhal Mannan · 1998

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music director
Bharathwaj
Details
Kaadhal Mannan1998

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Male
{Unnai paartha pinbu naan naanaaga illaiyae} (2)After seeing you, I am no longer myself (2)
Male
Yen pirandhen endru naan irundhenI used to wonder why I was ever born
Unnai paartha vudan unmai naan arindhenThe moment I saw you, I realized the truth
Ennuyiril nee paadhi endru un kanmaniyilThat you are half of my soul, in the pupil of your eyes
Naan kandu kondenI discovered and realized it
Ethanai pengalai kadanthiruppenI must have crossed paths with so many women
Ippadi en manam thudithathillaiYet my heart has never throbbed like this before
Imaigal irandaiyum thirudi konduHaving stolen both my eyelids
Uranga solvadhil gnyaamillaiIt makes no sense to ask me to sleep
Nee varuvaayo illai maraivaayo ye ye ye ye yeWill you come to me or will you vanish? Ye ye ye ye ye
Thannai tharuvaayo illai karaivaayoWill you surrender yourself or dissolve away?
Male
Unnai paartha pinbu naan naanaaga illaiyaeAfter seeing you, I am no longer myself
Male
Nee neruppu endru therindha pinnumEven after knowing that you are fire
Unnai thoda thunindhen enna thunichaladiI dared to touch you; what audacity, my dear!
Manamagalaai unnai paartha pinnumEven after seeing you dressed as a bride
Unnai sirai edukka manam thudikuthadiMy heart yearns to capture and hold you captive
Marabu velikkul nee irukkaAs you remain bounded inside traditional constraints
Marakka ninaikuren mudiyavillaiI try to forget you, but I simply cannot
Imaiya malai endru therindha pinnumEven after knowing you are as grand as the Himalayan mountains
Erumbin aasaiyo adangavillaiThe desire of this tiny ant inside me does not subside
Nee varuvaayo illai maraivaayo ye ye ye ye yeWill you come to me or will you vanish? Ye ye ye ye ye
Thannai tharuvaayo illai karaivaayoWill you surrender yourself or dissolve away?
Male
Unnai paartha pinbu naan naanaaga illaiyaeAfter seeing you, I am no longer myself
En ninaivu therinthu naan.. idhupola illaiyaeAs far as my memory goes, I have never been like this
Evalo evalo endru nedunaal irundhenFor a long time I wondered who that special woman was
Iravum pagazhum sindhithenI pondered over it day and night
Ivalae ivalae endru idhayam thelindhenMy heart gained clarity that it is indeed her, only her
Ilamai ilamai badhithenMy youth has been deeply affected
Kollai konda andha nilaaThat moon that plundered my heart
Ennai kondru kondru thindrathaeIs repeatedly killing and consuming me
Inbamaana andha valiYet that sweet, pleasurable pain
Innum vendum vendum endradhaeMy heart keeps yearning for it more and more
Male
Unnai paartha pinbu naan naanaaga illaiyae…After seeing you, I am no longer myself…

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

Unnai Paartha Pinbu Naan from Kaadhal Mannan (1998) is a deeply passionate romantic song expressing the overwhelming, transformative power of love. The protagonist reflects on how meeting his beloved completely redefined his identity and gave purpose to his life. Despite knowing the immense social barriers and that she is betrothed to another, his desire remains irrepressible, vividly compared to a tiny ant longing to scale the grand Himalayas. The lyricist portrays the bittersweet nature of intense love—a pleasurable agony that the protagonist eagerly craves more of. The song balances yearning and inner conflict, capturing the moment he realized she was the lifelong match he had been unconsciously searching for.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Oxymoron

Inbamaana andha vali

Pairs contrasting words 'Inbamaana' (pleasurable) and 'Vali' (pain) together to illustrate the bittersweet euphoria of love.

Metaphor / Uvamai

Imaiya malai endru therindha pinnum / Erumbin aasaiyo adangavillai

Compares the immense obstacle/beloved to Mount Himalaya ('Imaiya malai') and the lover's helpless longing to a small ant ('Erumbu').

Monai (Initial Alliteration)

Ivalae ivalae endru idhayam thelindhen / Ilamai ilamai badhithen

Repetition of the initial vowel sound 'I' across consecutive words to create a rhythmic, melodic flow.

Anaphora / Repetition

Ennai kondru kondru thindrathae / Innum vendum vendum endradhae

Repetition of words like 'Kondru kondru' and 'Vendum vendum' for emotional emphasis.

Did you know?

Trivia

Kaadhal Mannan (1998), directed by Saran, was a major landmark film in Ajith Kumar's career that solidified his image as a romantic hero. The soundtrack was composed by Bharadwaj, marking the inception of a highly successful director-actor-composer trio (Saran-Ajith-Bharadwaj). This iconic solo track was sung by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam with lyrics penned by Vairamuthu.

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