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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Vidu Kathaiya

From Muthu · 1995

Lyricist
Vairamuthu
Singer
Hariharan
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Movie name
Muthu
Movie release year
1995
Lyrics added on
3 Jan 2018

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Vidu kathaiya intha vazhkkai
Vidaitharuvar yaro
Enathu kai ennai adipathuvo
Enathu viral kannai kedupathuvo
Azhuthu ariyatha en kangal
Aaru kulamaga maruvatho
Yen endru ketkavum nathiyillai
Ezhaiyin neethikku kannundu parvaiyillai
{Pasuvinai pambendru satchi solla mudiyum
Kambinil visham enna karakkava mudiyum} (2)
Udambil vazhinthodum
Uthiram unaikketkum
Nan seitha theengu enna
Nan seitha theengu enna
Vidu kathaiya intha vazhkkai
Vidaitharuvar yaro
Vanthu vizhugindra mazhaithuligal
Entha idam serum yar kandar
Manithar kondadum uravugalo
Entha manam serum yar kandar
Malai thanil thondruthu
Gangai nathi
Athu kadal sendru servadhu kalan vithi
{Ivanukku ival endru ezhuthiya kanakku
Kanakkugal puriyamal kanavukkul vazhakku} (2)
Uravin marattam
Urimai porattam
Irandum theervatheppo
Irandum theervatheppo
Vidu kathaiya intha vazhkkai
Vidaitharuvar yaro
Unathu rajangam ithuthanae
Othungakkoodathu nallavanae
Thondugal seiya nee irunthal
Thollai nerathu thooyavanae
Kaigalil ponnalli nee koduthai
Indru kangalil kanneer en koduthai
{Kaviyangal unai paada kathirukkum pozhuthu
Kaviyudai nee kondaal ennavagum manathu} (2)
Vazhvai nee thedi vadakkae nee ponal
Nangal povathengae
Nangal povathengae
Is this life a riddle?
Who will give the answer?
Is my own hand striking me?
Is my own finger harming my eye?
My eyes that never knew how to weep,
are they turning into rivers and ponds?
There is no one to even ask "why?"
Justice for the poor has eyes, but cannot see.
Someone can falsely swear that a cow is a snake,
but can poison ever be milked from its teat?
Flowing through the body,
my blood will ask you:
"What wrong did I do?"
"What wrong did I do?"
Is this life a riddle?
Who will give the answer?
The falling raindrops,
who knows where they will land?
The relationships that people celebrate,
who knows which heart they will reach?
Born high upon the mountain,
the river Ganga—
reaching the sea is its destined fate.
The destiny written that this woman is for this man—
failing to grasp fate's design, there is a dispute within a dream.
The confusion of kinship,
the struggle for rightful claims,
when will both be resolved?
When will both be resolved?
Is this life a riddle?
Who will give the answer?
Isn't this kingdom your own?
You must not walk away, good-hearted man!
As long as you are here to serve,
no trouble will happen, pure soul!
You gave away handfuls of gold with your hands,
why did you give tears to our eyes today?
When epics are waiting to sing your praise,
if you put on saffron robes of renunciation, what will become of our hearts?
If you head to the north in search of life,
where will we go?
Where will we go?
Male
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Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

'Vidukathaiya Intha Vazhkkai' is a deeply emotional and philosophical song from the 1995 Tamil movie Muthu, composed by A. R. Rahman, written by Vairamuthu, and rendered by Hariharan. The song reflects on betrayal, destiny, and the agonizing riddles of human existence. The protagonist laments being betrayed by his own kin, questioning how justice fails the innocent and comparing life's unpredictability to falling rain or the Ganges flowing toward the sea.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamai / Uruvagam)

“Aaru kulamaga maruvatho”

Compares crying eyes to overflowing rivers and ponds ('Aaru kulamaga maruvatho'), and falsehood to calling a gentle cow a venomous snake.

Rhetorical Question

“Vidu kathaiya intha vazhkkai / Vidaitharuvar yaro”

Framing life as a riddle with unanswered existential questions to highlight helplessness and confusion.

Monai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)

“Kaigalil ponnalli nee koduthai / Indru kangalil kanneer en koduthai”

Repetition of initial consonant sounds such as 'Ka' in Kaigalil and Kangalil.

Edhugai (Second Letter Rhyme)

“Uravin marattam / Urimai porattam”

The second letter 'ra' rhymes across adjacent lines ('Uravin' / 'Urimai').

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