Unnai Thaane Naan Ariven
From Vaazhkai Padagu · 1965
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- P. Susheela
- Music director
- Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
- Details
- Vaazhkai Padagu1965
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Unnai thaan naanariven | I know only you, |
| Mannavanai yaar arivaar | for who can truly comprehend the King? |
| Unnai thaan naanariven | I know only you, |
| Mannavanai yaar arivaar | for who can truly comprehend the King? |
| En ullam ennum maaligaiyil | In this palace that is my heart, |
| Unnaiyandri yaar varuvaar | who else could ever enter besides you? |
| Female | |
| Unnai thaan naanariven | I know only you, |
| Mannavanai yaar arivaar | for who can truly comprehend the King? |
| Female | |
| Yaaridathil kettu vandhom | Whom did we ask before coming here? |
| Yaar solli kaadhal kondom | On whose advice did we fall in love? |
| Yaaridathil kettu vandhom | Whom did we ask before coming here? |
| Yaar solli kaadhal kondom | On whose advice did we fall in love? |
| Female | |
| Naayaganin vidhi vazhiyae | Guided solely by the path of divine destiny, |
| Naam iruvar serndhu vandhom | the two of us have united and come together. |
| Naayaganin vidhi vazhiyae | Guided solely by the path of divine destiny, |
| Naamiruvar serndhu vandhom | the two of us have united and come together. |
| Ondraiyae ninaithu vandhom | We came with the very same thought in mind, |
| Ondraaga kalandhu vandhom | we came merging into one single entity. |
| Female | |
| Unnai thaan naanariven | I know only you, |
| Mannavanai yaar arivaar | for who can truly comprehend the King? |
| Female | |
| Kaadhalithal paabam endraal | If loving someone is deemed a sin, |
| Kangalum paabamandro | then are not the eyes responsible for that sin as well? |
| Kaadhalithal paabam endraal | If loving someone is deemed a sin, |
| Kangalum paabamandro | then are not the eyes responsible for that sin as well? |
| Female | |
| Kangalae paabam endraal | If the eyes themselves are considered a sin, |
| Penmaiyae paabamandro | then is not womanhood itself a sin? |
| Kangalae paabam endraal | If the eyes themselves are considered a sin, |
| Penmaiyae paabamandro | then is not womanhood itself a sin? |
| Penmaiyae paabam endraal | And if womanhood itself is a sin, |
| Mannavarin thaai yaaro | then who is the king's own mother? |
| Female | |
| Unnai thaan naanariven | I know only you, |
| Mannavanai yaar arivaar | for who can truly comprehend the King? |
| En ullam ennum maaligaiyil | In this palace that is my heart, |
| Unnaiyandri yaar varuvaar | who else could ever enter besides you? |
| Female | |
| Unnai thaan naanariven | I know only you, |
| Mannavanai yaar arivaar | for who can truly comprehend the King? |
உன்னைத்தான் நானறிவேன்
மன்னவனை யாரறிவார்
உன்னைத்தான் நானறிவேன்
மன்னவனை யாரறிவார்
என் உள்ளம் என்னும் மாளிகையில்
உன்னையன்றி யார் வருவார்
I know only you,
for who can truly comprehend the King?
I know only you,
for who can truly comprehend the King?
In this palace that is my heart,
who else could ever enter besides you?
உன்னைத்தான் நானறிவேன்
மன்னவனை யாரறிவார்
I know only you,
for who can truly comprehend the King?
யாரிடத்தில் கேட்டு வந்தோம்
யார் சொல்லி காதல் கொண்டோம்
யாரிடத்தில் கேட்டு வந்தோம்
யார் சொல்லி காதல் கொண்டோம்
Whom did we ask before coming here?
On whose advice did we fall in love?
Whom did we ask before coming here?
On whose advice did we fall in love?
நாயகனின் விதி வழியே
நாமிருவர் சேர்ந்து வந்தோம்
நாயகனின் விதி வழியே
நாமிருவர் சேர்ந்து வந்தோம்
ஒன்றையே நினைத்து வந்தோம்
ஒன்றாக கலந்து வந்தோம்
Guided solely by the path of divine destiny,
the two of us have united and come together.
Guided solely by the path of divine destiny,
the two of us have united and come together.
We came with the very same thought in mind,
we came merging into one single entity.
உன்னைத்தான் நானறிவேன்
மன்னவனை யாரறிவார்
I know only you,
for who can truly comprehend the King?
காதலித்தல் பாபம் என்றால்
கண்களும் பாபமன்றோ
காதலித்தல் பாபம் என்றால்
கண்களும் பாபமன்றோ
If loving someone is deemed a sin,
then are not the eyes responsible for that sin as well?
If loving someone is deemed a sin,
then are not the eyes responsible for that sin as well?
கண்களே பாபம் என்றால்
பெண்மையே பாபமன்றோ
கண்களே பாபம் என்றால்
பெண்மையே பாபமன்றோ
பெண்மையே பாபமென்றால்
மன்னவரின் தாய் யாரோ
If the eyes themselves are considered a sin,
then is not womanhood itself a sin?
If the eyes themselves are considered a sin,
then is not womanhood itself a sin?
And if womanhood itself is a sin,
then who is the king's own mother?
உன்னைத் தான் நானறிவேன்
மன்னவனை யாரறிவார்
என் உள்ளம் என்னும் மாளிகையில்
உன்னையன்றி யார் வருவார்
I know only you,
for who can truly comprehend the King?
In this palace that is my heart,
who else could ever enter besides you?
உன்னைத்தான் நானறிவேன்
மன்னவனை யாரறிவார்
I know only you,
for who can truly comprehend the King?
Unnai thaan naanariven
I know only you,
Mannavanai yaar arivaar
for who can truly comprehend the King?
Unnai thaan naanariven
I know only you,
Mannavanai yaar arivaar
for who can truly comprehend the King?
En ullam ennum maaligaiyil
In this palace that is my heart,
Unnaiyandri yaar varuvaar
who else could ever enter besides you?
Unnai thaan naanariven
I know only you,
Mannavanai yaar arivaar
for who can truly comprehend the King?
Yaaridathil kettu vandhom
Whom did we ask before coming here?
Yaar solli kaadhal kondom
On whose advice did we fall in love?
Yaaridathil kettu vandhom
Whom did we ask before coming here?
Yaar solli kaadhal kondom
On whose advice did we fall in love?
Naayaganin vidhi vazhiyae
Guided solely by the path of divine destiny,
Naam iruvar serndhu vandhom
the two of us have united and come together.
Naayaganin vidhi vazhiyae
Guided solely by the path of divine destiny,
Naamiruvar serndhu vandhom
the two of us have united and come together.
Ondraiyae ninaithu vandhom
We came with the very same thought in mind,
Ondraaga kalandhu vandhom
we came merging into one single entity.
Unnai thaan naanariven
I know only you,
Mannavanai yaar arivaar
for who can truly comprehend the King?
Kaadhalithal paabam endraal
If loving someone is deemed a sin,
Kangalum paabamandro
then are not the eyes responsible for that sin as well?
Kaadhalithal paabam endraal
If loving someone is deemed a sin,
Kangalum paabamandro
then are not the eyes responsible for that sin as well?
Kangalae paabam endraal
If the eyes themselves are considered a sin,
Penmaiyae paabamandro
then is not womanhood itself a sin?
Kangalae paabam endraal
If the eyes themselves are considered a sin,
Penmaiyae paabamandro
then is not womanhood itself a sin?
Penmaiyae paabam endraal
And if womanhood itself is a sin,
Mannavarin thaai yaaro
then who is the king's own mother?
Unnai thaan naanariven
I know only you,
Mannavanai yaar arivaar
for who can truly comprehend the King?
En ullam ennum maaligaiyil
In this palace that is my heart,
Unnaiyandri yaar varuvaar
who else could ever enter besides you?
Unnai thaan naanariven
I know only you,
Mannavanai yaar arivaar
for who can truly comprehend the King?
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Unnai Thaan Naan Ariven is a classic Tamil song from the 1965 movie Vaazhkai Padagu, written by Kaviyarasu Kannadasan. The heroine expresses her total devotion to her beloved, reflecting on how their love was orchestrated by destiny rather than societal approval or human advice. The heart is depicted as a palace where only the beloved is granted entry. In the second stanza, Kannadasan uses a brilliant sequence of logical arguments to challenge societal moral judgment against love. He poses that if love is a sin, then the eyes that see must be sinful, womanhood itself must be sinful, and ultimately the king's mother would also be branded a sinner. Through this philosophical chain of reasoning, the song exalts love as a natural, pure, and indispensable truth of life.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“En ullam ennum maaligaiyil”
Compares the speaker's heart directly to a majestic palace ('ullam ennum maaligai').
Chain Argument / Anadiplosis (Sorporul Pinvarunilai Ani)
“Kaadhalithal paabam endraal... Kangalae paabam endraal... Penmaiyae paabam endraal”
Sequentially links the ending concept of one line to the starting premise of the next to build a logical philosophical argument ('kaadhalithal paabam' -> 'kangalum paabam' -> 'penmaiyae paabam').
Rhetorical Question (Vinaa Ani)
“Penmaiyae paabam endraal / Mannavarin thaai yaaro”
Asks a profound question with a self-evident answer to dismantle moralistic opposition to love.
Initial Rhyme / Alliteration (Monai)
“Yaaridathil kettu vandhom / Yaar solli kaadhal kondom”
Repetition of initial sounds or words across consecutive lines for rhythmic harmony ('Yaaridathil' / 'Yaar solli').
Did you know?
Trivia
Vaazhkai Padagu (1965) starred Gemini Ganesan and Devika, and was a remake of the 1964 Hindi film Zindagi. The music was composed by the legendary duo Viswanathan–Ramamoorthy, and this song was rendered by P. Susheela.
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