- Lyricist
- Panchu Arunachalam
- Singer
- Jayachandran
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Movie name
- Aarilirunthu Arubathu Varai
- Movie release year
- 1979
- Lyrics added on
- 12 Nov 2018
Lyrics & meaning
Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
This poignant philosophical track reflects deep existential pain, heartbreak, and disillusionment. The protagonist, having sacrificed his entire life and happiness for his family, realizes that worldly relationships and affection are fleeting and superficial. He comes to terms with the harsh truth that selflessness is often met with betrayal and abandonment. Using metaphors of dried deserts and thorn-pricked hands, lyricist Panchu Arunachalam conveys how suffering strips away worldly attachments, forcing a person to mature spiritually. The protagonist melancholically declares himself a 'Gyaani' (wise sage), having gained true wisdom through life's bitterest experiences.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uvamai)
“Adhu kaainthu pona paalai thaana / Varanda nilam neerai theduthu”
Compares the moisture/warmth of human empathy to a parched desert land seeking water.
Contrast / Imagery
“Malargalai alli tharum kaigal meedhu vaasam serum / Mullaiyae kanden”
Contrasts the fragrance left on hands that offer flowers with the sudden pain of touching thorns, symbolizing good deeds met with betrayal.
Iyaibu (End Rhyme)
“Anbai naan thandhen / Sondhamae endren”
Rhyming endings across consecutive lines ('thandhen' / 'endren', 'pothum' / 'vendumae').
Irony
“Kasantha manam gyaanam pesuthu / Gyaani thaanae naanum”
The protagonist calls himself a 'Gyaani' (wise sage), not out of spiritual bliss, but out of forced detachment born from betrayal.
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