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Irattai Roja album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Unnai Padatha

From Irattai Roja · 1996

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
Music director
Ilayaraja
Movie name
Irattai Roja
Movie release year
1996
Lyrics added on
17 Apr 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Unnai paadaadha
Naavum oru naavum alla
Adhai kaelaadha
Nenjam oru nenjam alla
Unnai paadaadha
Naavum oru naavum alla
Adhai kaelaadha
Nenjam oru nenjam alla
Unnai paadaadha
Naavum oru naavum alla
Adhai kaelaadha
Nenjam oru nenjam alla
En dheviyae en aaviyae
Ennaeramum un vaelviyae
Sangeetha dhevathaiyae
Nee indri naan illaiyae
Unnai paadaadha
Naavum oru naavum alla
Adhai kaelaadha
Nenjam oru nenjam alla
Poonguyil paattisaikka
Yaar solli thandhadhu
Vaan mayil naatiyangal
Yaar solli vandhadhu
Yaavaiyum vaan irukkum
Or dheivam thandhadhu
Vaan urai dheivam endru
Naan unai kandadhu
Ezhaiyin naavil ezhisai gaanam
Vaazhndhida naalum poorana njaanam
Naan pera thandhaai naayagiyae
Naan pera thandhaai naayagiyae
En dheviyae en aaviyae
Sangeetha dhevathaiyae
Nee indri naan illaiyae
Unnai paadaadha
Naavum oru naavum alla
Adhai kaelaadha
Nenjam oru nenjam alla
Odaiyin ul irundhu
Neer pongum ootrilum
Ootradhan mel nadakkum
Poonthendral kaatrilum
Kaatrudan kai anaithu
Koothaadum poovilum
Naatrisai oor muzhukka
Naan kaanum yaavilum
Thondrida kanden dheviyin roobam
Ezhaiyin nenjil yaetriya dheepam
Naan dhinam paadum keerthanamae
Naan dhinam paadum keerthanamae
En dheviyae en aaviyae
Sangeetha dhevathaiyae
Nee indri naan illaiyae
Unnai paadaadha
Naavum oru naavum alla
Adhai kaelaadha
Nenjam oru nenjam alla
En dheviyae yen aaviyae
Sangeetha dhevathaiyae
Nee indri naan illaiyae
Unnai paadaadha
Naavum oru naavum alla
Adhai kaelaadha
Nenjam oru nenjam alla
A tongue that does not sing of you
is not a tongue at all.
A heart that does not listen to it
is not a heart at all.
A tongue that does not sing of you
is not a tongue at all.
A heart that does not listen to it
is not a heart at all.
A tongue that does not sing of you
is not a tongue at all.
A heart that does not listen to it
is not a heart at all.
My goddess, my very soul,
every moment is a sacred offering to you.
O goddess of music,
without you, I do not exist.
A tongue that does not sing of you
is not a tongue at all.
A heart that does not listen to it
is not a heart at all.
Who taught the sweet cuckoo
how to sing its song?
Who taught the peacock
how to dance?
All of these were given
by a God who lives in heaven.
And that God who lives in heaven,
I have seen in you.
The melody of the seven notes on this poor man's tongue,
and the complete wisdom to live each day,
you gave me to attain, my goddess!
You gave me to attain, my goddess!
My goddess, my very soul,
O goddess of music,
without you, I do not exist.
A tongue that does not sing of you
is not a tongue at all.
A heart that does not listen to it
is not a heart at all.
From within the stream,
in the gushing spring,
in the gentle breeze
that glides over that spring,
in the flower that dances
embraced by the wind,
in all four directions, across the whole land,
in everything that I see,
I saw the form of my goddess appear.
You are the lamp lit in this poor man's heart,
the song of devotion I sing every day!
The song of devotion I sing every day!
My goddess, my very soul,
O goddess of music,
without you, I do not exist.
A tongue that does not sing of you
is not a tongue at all.
A heart that does not listen to it
is not a heart at all.
My goddess, my very soul,
O goddess of music,
without you, I do not exist.
A tongue that does not sing of you
is not a tongue at all.
A heart that does not listen to it
is not a heart at all.
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Unnai Paadaadha from Irattai Roja (1996) is a soulful Tamil track expressing intense devotion to music and the beloved, who is venerated as the divine goddess of music (Sangeetha Dhevathai). The protagonist asserts that a tongue which fails to sing her praise or a heart that fails to listen to her melody is devoid of true life. Life itself becomes a continuous sacred sacrifice (vaelvi) performed in her honor. The lyrics beautifully weave nature into this spiritual devotion, noting that the natural melodies of cuckoos, the dances of peacocks, bubbling springs, and wind-swayed blossoms are all reflections of the divine. The speaker sees the deity residing within the beloved, acknowledging her as the light lit inside a poor heart and the holy hymn (keerthanam) recited every day.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Adukkuthodar / Refrain Repetition

“Unnai paadaadha / Naavum oru naavum alla”

The opening refrain 'Unnai paadaadha naavum oru naavum alla' is repeated multiple times to reinforce the central theme that speech and emotion are meaningless without praising the divine.

Edhugai (Second Letter Rhyme)

“Ezhaiyin naavil ezhisai gaanam / Vaazhndhida naalum poorana njaanam”

The second letter 'zh' (ழ) rhymes across 'Ezhaiyin' and 'Vaazhndhida', giving classical Tamil rhythmic structure.

Monaai (Initial Consonant Alliteration)

“Poonguyil paattisaikka”

The sound 'P' iterates at the beginning of 'Poonguyil' and 'paattisaikka', adding melodic sweetness.

Urvagam (Metaphor)

“En dheviyae en aaviyae / Sangeetha dhevathaiyae”

The subject is metaphorically equated directly to the speaker's soul ('aavi') and the deity of music ('Sangeetha dhevathai').

Did you know?

Trivia

Irattai Roja (1996) was directed by Keyaar and featured music composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja. Lyricist Vaali crafted this song using traditional devotional Tamil imagery, blending classical Carnatic music references like 'ezhisai' (seven musical notes) and 'keerthanam' (devotional hymn) into a romantic cinema composition.

Keep listening

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