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Vaazhkai Padagu album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Unnai Thaane Naan Ariven

From Vaazhkai Padagu · 1965

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
P. Susheela
Music director
Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy
Movie name
Vaazhkai Padagu
Movie release year
1965
Lyrics added on
15 Jul 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Unnai thaan naanariven
Mannavanai yaar arivaar
Unnai thaan naanariven
Mannavanai yaar arivaar
En ullam ennum maaligaiyil
Unnaiyandri yaar varuvaar
Unnai thaan naanariven
Mannavanai yaar arivaar
Yaaridathil kettu vandhom
Yaar solli kaadhal kondom
Yaaridathil kettu vandhom
Yaar solli kaadhal kondom
Naayaganin vidhi vazhiyae
Naam iruvar serndhu vandhom
Naayaganin vidhi vazhiyae
Naamiruvar serndhu vandhom
Ondraiyae ninaithu vandhom
Ondraaga kalandhu vandhom
Unnai thaan naanariven
Mannavanai yaar arivaar
Kaadhalithal paabam endraal
Kangalum paabamandro
Kaadhalithal paabam endraal
Kangalum paabamandro
Kangalae paabam endraal
Penmaiyae paabamandro
Kangalae paabam endraal
Penmaiyae paabamandro
Penmaiyae paabam endraal
Mannavarin thaai yaaro
Unnai thaan naanariven
Mannavanai yaar arivaar
En ullam ennum maaligaiyil
Unnaiyandri yaar varuvaar
Unnai thaan naanariven
Mannavanai yaar arivaar
You are the only one I know,
who else truly knows my king?
You are the only one I know,
who else truly knows my king?
Inside the palace of my heart,
who could ever enter but you?
You are the only one I know,
who else truly knows my king?
Whose permission did we ask before coming?
At whose word did we fall in love?
Whose permission did we ask before coming?
At whose word did we fall in love?
Guided by the destiny written by God,
the two of us came together.
Guided by the destiny written by God,
the two of us came together.
Sharing only one single thought,
we came together and merged as one.
You are the only one I know,
who else truly knows my king?
If falling in love is a sin,
aren't the eyes a sin as well?
If falling in love is a sin,
aren't the eyes a sin as well?
If the eyes are a sin,
isn't womanhood a sin as well?
If the eyes are a sin,
isn't womanhood a sin as well?
If womanhood itself is a sin,
then who gave birth to the king?
You are the only one I know,
who else truly knows my king?
Inside the palace of my heart,
who could ever enter but you?
You are the only one I know,
who else truly knows my king?
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

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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