Aayiram Poovum Undu
From Paasa Mazhai · 1989
- Lyricist
- Vaali
- Singer
- K. S. Chithra
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Paasa Mazhai1989
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Female | |
| Aayiram poovum undu | There are a thousand flowers, |
| Adhu malligaiyai pol aagumaa | Can any equal the jasmine? |
| Aayiram mozhigal undu | There are a thousand languages, |
| Avai senthamizhai pol aagumaa | Can any equal pure Tamil? |
| Ethanai selvam undu | There are so many riches, |
| Avai athanaiyum nee aagumaa | Can any of them equal you? |
| Mannil ethanai inbam undu | There are so many pleasures on earth, |
| Avai thathi varum saei aagumaa | Can any equal a toddler toddling towards you? |
| Female | |
| En kannae kannae | Oh my eye, my eye, |
| Pasum ponnae ponnae | Oh pure gold, pure gold, |
| Pudhu poo vannamae annamae | Oh fresh flower-colored swan, |
| Naan mella mella kaiyil alla alla | As I gently scoop you in my hands, |
| Varum thaen kinnamae sornamae | Oh golden cup overflowing with honey, |
| Female | |
| Aayiram poovum undu | There are a thousand flowers, |
| Adhu malligaiyai pol aagumaa | Can any equal the jasmine? |
| Aayiram mozhigal undu | There are a thousand languages, |
| Avai senthamizhai pol aagumaa | Can any equal pure Tamil? |
| Female | |
| Oru kanam kooda naanum neeyum | Even for a single moment, if you and I, |
| Pirivadhu paavamae | Were to part, it would be a sin. |
| Dhinasari thaayin paasa mazhaiyil | In the daily shower of a mother's love, |
| Nanaindhidum dheivamae | Oh divine child who gets drenched, |
| Ninaivo illaadhu | Without your thought, |
| Indha vizhi thaan vaazhaadhu | These eyes cannot live. |
| Mazhalaigal pesi naal thorum | Uttering baby talk every day, |
| Muthaaram soodum moganamae | Oh charming one adorned with pearl garlands, |
| Female | |
| En kannae kannae | Oh my eye, my eye, |
| Pasum ponnae ponnae | Oh pure gold, pure gold, |
| Pudhu poo vannamae annamae | Oh fresh flower-colored swan, |
| Female | |
| Aayiram poovum undu | There are a thousand flowers, |
| Adhu malligaiyai pol aagumaa | Can any equal the jasmine? |
| Female | |
| Madhuraiyil odum vaigai kooda | Even the Vaigai river running through Madurai, |
| Manal veli aagalaam | May turn into a barren desert plain, |
| Kizhakkinil thondrum kadhirum nilavum | The sun and moon that rise in the east, |
| Maerkkinil thondralaam | May rise in the west, |
| Paadhai maaraadhu | The path will not change, |
| Indha paasam maraiyaadhu | This love will never fade. |
| Iravugal thorum nee thoonga | For you to sleep every night, |
| Kannae en kaigal oonjaladi | My hands act as a cradle swing, my dear. |
| Female | |
| En kannae kannae | Oh my eye, my eye, |
| Pasum ponnae ponnae | Oh pure gold, pure gold, |
| Pudhu poo vannamae annamae | Oh fresh flower-colored swan, |
| Female | |
| Aayiram poovum undu | There are a thousand flowers, |
| Adhu malligaiyai pol aagumaa | Can any equal the jasmine? |
| Aayiram mozhigal undu | There are a thousand languages, |
| Avai senthamizhai pol aagumaa | Can any equal pure Tamil? |
| Ethanai selvam undu | There are so many riches, |
| Avai athanaiyum nee aagumaa | Can any of them equal you? |
| Mannil ethanai inbam undu | There are so many pleasures on earth, |
| Avai thathi varum saei aagumaa | Can any equal a toddler toddling towards you? |
| Female | |
| En kannae kannae | Oh my eye, my eye, |
| Pasum ponnae ponnae | Oh pure gold, pure gold, |
| Pudhu poo vannamae annamae | Oh fresh flower-colored swan |
ஆயிரம் பூவும் உண்டு
அது மல்லிகையைப் போல் ஆகுமா
ஆயிரம் மொழிகள் உண்டு
அவை செந்தமிழைப் போல் ஆகுமா
There are a thousand flowers,
Can any equal the jasmine?
There are a thousand languages,
Can any equal pure Tamil?
There are so many riches,
Can any of them equal you?
There are so many pleasures on earth,
Can any equal a toddler toddling towards you?
எத்தனை செல்வம் உண்டு
அவை அத்தனையும் நீ ஆகுமா
மண்ணில் எத்தனை இன்பம் உண்டு
அவை தத்தி வரும் சேய் ஆகுமா
Oh my eye, my eye,
Oh pure gold, pure gold,
Oh fresh flower-colored swan,
As I gently scoop you in my hands,
Oh golden cup overflowing with honey,
என் கண்ணே கண்ணே
பசும் பொன்னே பொன்னே
புதுப் பூ வண்ணமே அன்னமே
நான் மெல்ல மெல்ல கையில் அள்ள அள்ள
வரும் தேன் கிண்ணமே சொர்ணமே
There are a thousand flowers,
Can any equal the jasmine?
There are a thousand languages,
Can any equal pure Tamil?
ஆயிரம் பூவும் உண்டு
அது மல்லிகையைப் போல் ஆகுமா
ஆயிரம் மொழிகள் உண்டு
அவை செந்தமிழைப் போல் ஆகுமா
Even for a single moment, if you and I,
Were to part, it would be a sin.
In the daily shower of a mother's love,
Oh divine child who gets drenched,
Without your thought,
These eyes cannot live.
Uttering baby talk every day,
Oh charming one adorned with pearl garlands,
ஒரு கணம் கூட நானும் நீயும்
பிரிவது பாவமே
தினசரி தாயின் பாச மழையில்
நனைந்திடும் தெய்வமே
Oh my eye, my eye,
Oh pure gold, pure gold,
Oh fresh flower-colored swan,
நினைவோ இல்லாது
இந்த விழிதான் வாழாது
மழலைகள் பேசி நாள்தோறும்
முத்தாரம் சூடும் மோகனமே
There are a thousand flowers,
Can any equal the jasmine?
என் கண்ணே கண்ணே
பசும் பொன்னே பொன்னே
புதுப் பூ வண்ணமே அன்னமே
Even the Vaigai river running through Madurai,
May turn into a barren desert plain,
The sun and moon that rise in the east,
May rise in the west,
The path will not change,
This love will never fade.
For you to sleep every night,
My hands act as a cradle swing, my dear.
ஆயிரம் பூவும் உண்டு
அது மல்லிகையைப் போல் ஆகுமா
Oh my eye, my eye,
Oh pure gold, pure gold,
Oh fresh flower-colored swan,
மதுரையில் ஓடும் வைகை கூட
மணல்வெளி ஆகலாம்
கிழக்கினில் தோன்றும் கதிரும் நிலவும்
மேற்கினில் தோன்றலாம்
There are a thousand flowers,
Can any equal the jasmine?
There are a thousand languages,
Can any equal pure Tamil?
There are so many riches,
Can any of them equal you?
There are so many pleasures on earth,
Can any equal a toddler toddling towards you?
பாதை மாறாது
இந்தப் பாசம் மறையாது
இரவுகள் தோறும் நீ தூங்க
கண்ணே என் கைகள் ஊஞ்சலடி
Oh my eye, my eye,
Oh pure gold, pure gold,
Oh fresh flower-colored swan
என் கண்ணே கண்ணே
பசும் பொன்னே பொன்னே
புதுப் பூ வண்ணமே அன்னமே
ஆயிரம் பூவும் உண்டு
அது மல்லிகையைப் போல் ஆகுமா
ஆயிரம் மொழிகள் உண்டு
அவை செந்தமிழைப் போல் ஆகுமா
எத்தனை செல்வம் உண்டு
அவை அத்தனையும் நீ ஆகுமா
மண்ணில் எத்தனை இன்பம் உண்டு
அவை தத்தி வரும் சேய் ஆகுமா
என் கண்ணே கண்ணே
பசும் பொன்னே பொன்னே
புதுப் பூ வண்ணமே அன்னமே
Aayiram poovum undu
There are a thousand flowers,
Adhu malligaiyai pol aagumaa
Can any equal the jasmine?
Aayiram mozhigal undu
There are a thousand languages,
Avai senthamizhai pol aagumaa
Can any equal pure Tamil?
Ethanai selvam undu
There are so many riches,
Avai athanaiyum nee aagumaa
Can any of them equal you?
Mannil ethanai inbam undu
There are so many pleasures on earth,
Avai thathi varum saei aagumaa
Can any equal a toddler toddling towards you?
En kannae kannae
Oh my eye, my eye,
Pasum ponnae ponnae
Oh pure gold, pure gold,
Pudhu poo vannamae annamae
Oh fresh flower-colored swan,
Naan mella mella kaiyil alla alla
As I gently scoop you in my hands,
Varum thaen kinnamae sornamae
Oh golden cup overflowing with honey,
Aayiram poovum undu
There are a thousand flowers,
Adhu malligaiyai pol aagumaa
Can any equal the jasmine?
Aayiram mozhigal undu
There are a thousand languages,
Avai senthamizhai pol aagumaa
Can any equal pure Tamil?
Oru kanam kooda naanum neeyum
Even for a single moment, if you and I,
Pirivadhu paavamae
Were to part, it would be a sin.
Dhinasari thaayin paasa mazhaiyil
In the daily shower of a mother's love,
Nanaindhidum dheivamae
Oh divine child who gets drenched,
Ninaivo illaadhu
Without your thought,
Indha vizhi thaan vaazhaadhu
These eyes cannot live.
Mazhalaigal pesi naal thorum
Uttering baby talk every day,
Muthaaram soodum moganamae
Oh charming one adorned with pearl garlands,
En kannae kannae
Oh my eye, my eye,
Pasum ponnae ponnae
Oh pure gold, pure gold,
Pudhu poo vannamae annamae
Oh fresh flower-colored swan,
Aayiram poovum undu
There are a thousand flowers,
Adhu malligaiyai pol aagumaa
Can any equal the jasmine?
Madhuraiyil odum vaigai kooda
Even the Vaigai river running through Madurai,
Manal veli aagalaam
May turn into a barren desert plain,
Kizhakkinil thondrum kadhirum nilavum
The sun and moon that rise in the east,
Maerkkinil thondralaam
May rise in the west,
Paadhai maaraadhu
The path will not change,
Indha paasam maraiyaadhu
This love will never fade.
Iravugal thorum nee thoonga
For you to sleep every night,
Kannae en kaigal oonjaladi
My hands act as a cradle swing, my dear.
En kannae kannae
Oh my eye, my eye,
Pasum ponnae ponnae
Oh pure gold, pure gold,
Pudhu poo vannamae annamae
Oh fresh flower-colored swan,
Aayiram poovum undu
There are a thousand flowers,
Adhu malligaiyai pol aagumaa
Can any equal the jasmine?
Aayiram mozhigal undu
There are a thousand languages,
Avai senthamizhai pol aagumaa
Can any equal pure Tamil?
Ethanai selvam undu
There are so many riches,
Avai athanaiyum nee aagumaa
Can any of them equal you?
Mannil ethanai inbam undu
There are so many pleasures on earth,
Avai thathi varum saei aagumaa
Can any equal a toddler toddling towards you?
En kannae kannae
Oh my eye, my eye,
Pasum ponnae ponnae
Oh pure gold, pure gold,
Pudhu poo vannamae annamae
Oh fresh flower-colored swan
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Aayiram Poovum Undu is a tender lullaby celebrating maternal affection and the matchless value of a child. Through vivid analogies, the lyricist highlights how no flower compares to jasmine, no language compares to pure Tamil, and no wealth or joy on Earth compares to the presence of a child. The song vows an unchanging, eternal bond that will endure even if impossible natural phenomena occur, such as the Vaigai river turning to sand or the sun rising in the west.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Simile (Uvamai)
“Adhu malligaiyai pol aagumaa”
Compares jasmine to other flowers and pure Tamil to other languages to establish the incomparable nature of the child.
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Pasum ponnae ponnae / Pudhu poo vannamae annamae”
Metaphorically addresses the child as pure gold (Pasum ponnae), a swan (Annamae), and a cup of honey (Thaen kinnamae).
Hyperbole (Athisayokthi)
“Madhuraiyil odum vaigai kooda manal veli aagalaam / Kizhakkinil thondrum kadhirum nilavum maerkkinil thondralaam”
Exaggerates natural impossibilities (Vaigai river turning to desert, sun rising in the west) to illustrate the absolute permanence of parental love.
Rhetorical Question
“Ethanai selvam undu / Avai athanaiyum nee aagumaa”
Uses repetitive questioning to emphasize that nothing in the world can match the child's preciousness.
Did you know?
Trivia
Written by the legendary poet Vaali, this song demonstrates his signature style of blending high Tamil literary pride (such as praising Senthamizh) with deep emotional, familial themes.
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