Vaazhkkaiye Bodhai
From Manidhanum Dheivamagalam · 1975
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- T. M. Soundararajan
- Music director
- Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan
- Details
- Manidhanum Dheivamagalam1975
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Vaazhkkaiyae bodhai naadagam | Life is an intoxicating drama, |
| Vaalipam kadhal kaaviyam | Youth is an epic of love, |
| Umarkayaam potta oviyam | A painting rendered by Omar Khayyam, |
| Naalai endru ondru illa indru vaa | There is no such thing as tomorrow, come today! |
| Male | |
| Haa vaazhkkaiyae bodhai naadagam | Ha, life is an intoxicating drama, |
| Vaalipam kadhal kaaviyam | Youth is an epic of love, |
| Male | |
| Panneeril thiraatchai pallaakku methai | Grapes in rosewater, a palanquin bed, |
| Panthaadum maithaanagal | Playgrounds where life is tossed like a ball, |
| Sivalogamaa sugalogamaa | Is this the realm of Shiva, or the realm of pleasures? |
| Chorus | |
| …………. | |
| Male | |
| Adhuvarai pogum anantham ingae undu | The bliss that reaches up to the heavens exists right here, |
| Madhurasam kaattum maayangal engae undu | Where else can one find the magic shown by sweet nectar? |
| Vedhangal koorum ragasiyam pennil undu | The secret revealed by the Vedas resides in a woman, |
| Chorus | |
| Laalalalaalaallaa | Laalalalaalaallaa |
| Male | |
| Sariyedhu thvaredhu evanai ketpathu | What is right and what is wrong? Whom is there to ask? |
| Male | |
| Vaazhkkaiyae bodhai naadagam | Life is an intoxicating drama, |
| Vaalipam kadhal kaaviyam | Youth is an epic of love, |
| Chorus | |
| ……………. | |
| Male | |
| Ammangal ingae aaraththi ingae | Here are the goddesses, here is the sacred lamp, |
| Abhishegam seiyyungalaen | Perform the holy ritualistic anointing! |
| Kadal vendumaa nadhi vendumaa | Do you need an ocean, or do you need a river? |
| Male | |
| Theerththangal aadu paavangal theernthae vidum | Bathe in these holy waters, and sins will be cleansed, |
| Deviyin poojai seithaal punniyam varum | Worshipping the Goddess brings divine merit, |
| Thiruvilaiyaadal enbathuthaanae varum | This is what is called divine play! |
| Chorus | |
| ……………. | |
| Male | |
| Aragaraa sivasiva saranam neeyappaa | Hara Hara, Shiva Shiva, you are my refuge, Oh Lord! |
| Male | |
| Vaazhkkaiyae bodhai naadagam | Life is an intoxicating drama, |
| Vaalipam kadhal kaaviyam | Youth is an epic of love, |
| Umarkayaam potta oviyam | A painting rendered by Omar Khayyam, |
| Naalai endru ondru illa indru vaa | There is no such thing as tomorrow, come today! |
| Male | |
| Haa vaazhkkaiyae bodhai naadagam | Ha, life is an intoxicating drama, |
| Vaalipam kadhal kaaviyam | Youth is an epic of love. |
வாழ்க்கையே போதை நாடகம்
வாலிபம் காதல் காவியம்
உமர்கயாம் போட்ட ஓவியம்
நாளை என்று ஒன்று இல்லை இன்று வா
Life is an intoxicating drama,
Youth is an epic of love,
A painting rendered by Omar Khayyam,
There is no such thing as tomorrow, come today!
ஹா வாழ்க்கையே போதை நாடகம்
வாலிபம் காதல் காவியம்
Ha, life is an intoxicating drama,
Youth is an epic of love,
பன்னீரில் திராட்சை பல்லாக்கு மெத்தை
பந்தாடும் மைதானங்கள்.......
சிவலோகமா சுகலோகமா
Grapes in rosewater, a palanquin bed,
Playgrounds where life is tossed like a ball,
Is this the realm of Shiva, or the realm of pleasures?
.......................
அதுவரை போகும் ஆனந்தம் இங்கே உண்டு
மதுரசம் காட்டும் மாயங்கள் எங்கே உண்டு
வேதங்கள் கூறும் ரகசியம் பெண்ணில் உண்டு
The bliss that reaches up to the heavens exists right here,
Where else can one find the magic shown by sweet nectar?
The secret revealed by the Vedas resides in a woman,
லாலலலாலால்லா
Laalalalaalaallaa
சரியெது தவறெது எவனைக் கேட்பது
What is right and what is wrong? Whom is there to ask?
வாழ்க்கையே போதை நாடகம்
வாலிபம் காதல் காவியம்
Life is an intoxicating drama,
Youth is an epic of love,
.......................
அம்மன்கள் இங்கே ஆரத்தி இங்கே
அபிஷேகம் செய்யுங்களேன்
கடல் வேண்டுமா நதி வேண்டுமா
Here are the goddesses, here is the sacred lamp,
Perform the holy ritualistic anointing!
Do you need an ocean, or do you need a river?
தீர்த்தங்கள் ஆடு பாவங்கள் தீர்ந்தே விடும்
தேவியின் பூஜை செய்தால் புண்ணியம் வரும்
திருவிளையாடல் என்பது தானே வரும்
Bathe in these holy waters, and sins will be cleansed,
Worshipping the Goddess brings divine merit,
This is what is called divine play!
...................
அரகரா சிவசிவ சரணம் நீயப்பா
Hara Hara, Shiva Shiva, you are my refuge, Oh Lord!
வாழ்க்கையே போதை நாடகம்
வாலிபம் காதல் காவியம்
உமர்கயாம் போட்ட ஓவியம்
நாளை என்று ஒன்று இல்லை இன்று வா
Life is an intoxicating drama,
Youth is an epic of love,
A painting rendered by Omar Khayyam,
There is no such thing as tomorrow, come today!
வாழ்க்கையே போதை நாடகம்
வாலிபம் காதல் காவியம்
Ha, life is an intoxicating drama,
Youth is an epic of love.
Vaazhkkaiyae bodhai naadagam
Life is an intoxicating drama,
Vaalipam kadhal kaaviyam
Youth is an epic of love,
Umarkayaam potta oviyam
A painting rendered by Omar Khayyam,
Naalai endru ondru illa indru vaa
There is no such thing as tomorrow, come today!
Haa vaazhkkaiyae bodhai naadagam
Ha, life is an intoxicating drama,
Vaalipam kadhal kaaviyam
Youth is an epic of love,
Panneeril thiraatchai pallaakku methai
Grapes in rosewater, a palanquin bed,
Panthaadum maithaanagal
Playgrounds where life is tossed like a ball,
Sivalogamaa sugalogamaa
Is this the realm of Shiva, or the realm of pleasures?
………….
Adhuvarai pogum anantham ingae undu
The bliss that reaches up to the heavens exists right here,
Madhurasam kaattum maayangal engae undu
Where else can one find the magic shown by sweet nectar?
Vedhangal koorum ragasiyam pennil undu
The secret revealed by the Vedas resides in a woman,
Laalalalaalaallaa
Laalalalaalaallaa
Sariyedhu thvaredhu evanai ketpathu
What is right and what is wrong? Whom is there to ask?
Vaazhkkaiyae bodhai naadagam
Life is an intoxicating drama,
Vaalipam kadhal kaaviyam
Youth is an epic of love,
…………….
Ammangal ingae aaraththi ingae
Here are the goddesses, here is the sacred lamp,
Abhishegam seiyyungalaen
Perform the holy ritualistic anointing!
Kadal vendumaa nadhi vendumaa
Do you need an ocean, or do you need a river?
Theerththangal aadu paavangal theernthae vidum
Bathe in these holy waters, and sins will be cleansed,
Deviyin poojai seithaal punniyam varum
Worshipping the Goddess brings divine merit,
Thiruvilaiyaadal enbathuthaanae varum
This is what is called divine play!
…………….
Aragaraa sivasiva saranam neeyappaa
Hara Hara, Shiva Shiva, you are my refuge, Oh Lord!
Vaazhkkaiyae bodhai naadagam
Life is an intoxicating drama,
Vaalipam kadhal kaaviyam
Youth is an epic of love,
Umarkayaam potta oviyam
A painting rendered by Omar Khayyam,
Naalai endru ondru illa indru vaa
There is no such thing as tomorrow, come today!
Haa vaazhkkaiyae bodhai naadagam
Ha, life is an intoxicating drama,
Vaalipam kadhal kaaviyam
Youth is an epic of love.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
This iconic song from Manidhanum Dheivamagalam captures a hedonistic yet deeply philosophical outlook on life, echoing the carpe diem spirit of Omar Khayyam's poetry. Kannadasan frames life as a drama driven by intoxication and youth as an epic of love, advising listeners to live fully in the present rather than waiting for an uncertain tomorrow. The song cleverly juxtaposes sensory, material pleasures with spiritual imagery, comparing worldly intoxication and romantic passion to divine ecstasy and holy rituals.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagamm)
“Vaazhkkaiyae bodhai naadagam”
Life is directly equated to an intoxicating drama, framing human existence as a performance driven by sensory intoxication.
Allusion
“Umarkayaam potta oviyam”
Explicit reference to the Persian poet Omar Khayyam, invoking his philosophy of enjoying the present moment and life's earthly pleasures.
Rhyme and Contrast (Iyaibu)
“Sivalogamaa sugalogamaa”
Juxtaposes 'Sivalogam' (heavenly divine realm) with 'Sugalogam' (realm of sensory happiness) through rhythmic sound matching.
Did you know?
Trivia
Kannadasan was deeply inspired by Edward FitzGerald's translation of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, which influenced several of his philosophical songs, including this classic tuned by Kunnakudi Vaidyanathan.
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