Yamunai Aatrile
From Thalapathi · 1991
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- Mitali Banerjee Bhawmik
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Thalapathi1991
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Yamunai aatrilae | By the banks of the Yamuna river, |
| Eera kaatrilae | In the cool, damp breeze, |
| Kannanodu dhaan aada | Just to dance along with Krishna, |
| Paarvai poothida | As her eyes blossomed in anticipation, |
| Paadhai paarthida | As she kept watching the path, |
| Paavai raadhaiyo vaada | The damsel Radha withered in yearning. |
| Chorus | |
| Yamunai aatrilae | By the banks of the Yamuna river, |
| Eera kaatrilae | In the cool, damp breeze, |
| Kannanodu dhaan aada | Just to dance along with Krishna, |
| Paarvai poothida | As her eyes blossomed in anticipation, |
| Paadhai paarthida | As she kept watching the path, |
| Paavai raadhaiyo vaada | The damsel Radha withered in yearning. |
| Female | |
| Iravum ponathu | The night passed away, |
| Pagalum ponathu | The day passed away too, |
| Mannan illayae kooda | Yet her beloved lord was not by her side. |
| Ilaiya kanniyin | The young maiden's |
| Imaithidaatha kan | Unblinking eyes |
| Ingum angumae thaeda | Searched for him here and there. |
| Chorus | |
| Iravum ponathu | The night passed away, |
| Pagalum ponathu | The day passed away too, |
| Mannan illayae kooda | Yet her beloved lord was not by her side. |
| Ilaiya kanniyin | The young maiden's |
| Imaithidaatha kan | Unblinking eyes |
| Ingum angumae thaeda | Searched for him here and there. |
| Female | |
| {Aayarpaadiyil kannan illaiyo | Is Krishna absent from the cowherd village of Gokulam? |
| Aasai vaippathae anbu thollaiyo} (2) | Is falling in love merely a painful burden of devotion? |
| Paavam raadhaa.. | Poor Radha... |
| Chorus | |
| Yamunai aatrilae | By the banks of the Yamuna river, |
| Eera kaatrilae | In the cool, damp breeze, |
| Kannanodu dhaan aada | Just to dance along with Krishna, |
| Female :Paarvai poothida | As her eyes blossomed in anticipation, |
| Paadhai paarthida | As she kept watching the path, |
| Paavai raadhaiyo vaada | The damsel Radha withered in yearning. |
யமுனை ஆற்றிலே
ஈர காற்றிலே
கண்ணனோடு தான் ஆட..
பார்வை பூத்திட
பாதை பார்த்திட
பாவை ராதையோ வாட
By the banks of the Yamuna river,
In the cool, damp breeze,
Just to dance along with Krishna,
As her eyes blossomed in anticipation,
As she kept watching the path,
The damsel Radha withered in yearning.
யமுனை ஆற்றிலே
ஈர காற்றிலே
கண்ணனோடு தான் ஆட..
பார்வை பூத்திட
பாதை பார்த்திட
பாவை ராதையோ வாட
By the banks of the Yamuna river,
In the cool, damp breeze,
Just to dance along with Krishna,
As her eyes blossomed in anticipation,
As she kept watching the path,
The damsel Radha withered in yearning.
இரவும் போனது
பகலும் போனது
மன்னன் இல்லையே கூட..
இளைய கன்னியின்
இமைத்திடாத கண்
இங்கும் அங்குமே தேட....
The night passed away,
The day passed away too,
Yet her beloved lord was not by her side.
The young maiden's
Unblinking eyes
Searched for him here and there.
இரவும் போனது
பகலும் போனது
மன்னன் இல்லையே கூட..
இளைய கன்னியின்
இமைத்திடாத கண்
இங்கும் அங்குமே தேட....
The night passed away,
The day passed away too,
Yet her beloved lord was not by her side.
The young maiden's
Unblinking eyes
Searched for him here and there.
{ஆயர்பாடியில்
கண்ணன் இல்லையோ..ஓ..
ஆசை வைப்பதே
அன்பு தொல்லையோ...} (2)
பாவம் ராதா...
Is Krishna absent from the cowherd village of Gokulam?
Is falling in love merely a painful burden of devotion?
Poor Radha...
யமுனை ஆற்றிலே
ஈர காற்றிலே
கண்ணனோடுதான் ஆட..
பார்வை பூத்திட
பாதை பார்த்திட
பாவை ராதையோ வாட
By the banks of the Yamuna river,
In the cool, damp breeze,
Just to dance along with Krishna,
As her eyes blossomed in anticipation,
As she kept watching the path,
The damsel Radha withered in yearning.
Yamunai aatrilae
By the banks of the Yamuna river,
Eera kaatrilae
In the cool, damp breeze,
Kannanodu dhaan aada
Just to dance along with Krishna,
Paarvai poothida
As her eyes blossomed in anticipation,
Paadhai paarthida
As she kept watching the path,
Paavai raadhaiyo vaada
The damsel Radha withered in yearning.
Yamunai aatrilae
By the banks of the Yamuna river,
Eera kaatrilae
In the cool, damp breeze,
Kannanodu dhaan aada
Just to dance along with Krishna,
Paarvai poothida
As her eyes blossomed in anticipation,
Paadhai paarthida
As she kept watching the path,
Paavai raadhaiyo vaada
The damsel Radha withered in yearning.
Iravum ponathu
The night passed away,
Pagalum ponathu
The day passed away too,
Mannan illayae kooda
Yet her beloved lord was not by her side.
Ilaiya kanniyin
The young maiden's
Imaithidaatha kan
Unblinking eyes
Ingum angumae thaeda
Searched for him here and there.
Iravum ponathu
The night passed away,
Pagalum ponathu
The day passed away too,
Mannan illayae kooda
Yet her beloved lord was not by her side.
Ilaiya kanniyin
The young maiden's
Imaithidaatha kan
Unblinking eyes
Ingum angumae thaeda
Searched for him here and there.
{Aayarpaadiyil kannan illaiyo
Is Krishna absent from the cowherd village of Gokulam?
Aasai vaippathae anbu thollaiyo} (2)
Is falling in love merely a painful burden of devotion?
Paavam raadhaa..
Poor Radha...
Yamunai aatrilae
By the banks of the Yamuna river,
Eera kaatrilae
In the cool, damp breeze,
Kannanodu dhaan aada
Just to dance along with Krishna,
Female :Paarvai poothida
As her eyes blossomed in anticipation,
Paadhai paarthida
As she kept watching the path,
Paavai raadhaiyo vaada
The damsel Radha withered in yearning.
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Yamunai Aatrilae is a deeply soul-stirring classical song from the 1991 movie Thalapathi, written by Vaali. The song uses the divine motif of Radha waiting yearningly for Lord Krishna along the banks of the Yamuna River. She waits through endless days and nights with unblinking eyes, hoping Krishna will return to dance with her. As time passes without his arrival, her hope turns into quiet agony, making her question if intense devotion and love ultimately bring nothing but heartache.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monai (Initial Alliteration)
“Paarvai poothida / Paadhai paarthida / Paavai raadhaiyo vaada”
Repetition of the initial letter 'P' sound across consecutive lines creates a rhythmic melodic flow.
Iyaipu (End Rhyming)
“Yamunai aatrilae / Eera kaatrilae”
Both lines end with the matching suffix 'lae', providing a pleasant poetic harmony.
Metaphor (Uruvam)
“Paarvai poothida”
The act of waiting with intense hope is metaphorically described as her gaze 'blossoming' like a flower.
Iyaipu (End Rhyming)
“Iravum ponathu / Pagalum ponathu”
Both lines end with the identical word 'ponathu' to emphasize the persistent passage of time.
Did you know?
Trivia
Although the music director is listed as unknown in the prompt, this iconic song was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja in the Carnatic raga Shuddha Saveri. It was sung by Hindustani classical vocalist Mitali Banerjee Bhawmik, marking one of her rare and most celebrated rendered songs in Tamil cinema.
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