- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singer
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam
- Music director
- Chandrabose
- Movie name
- Sugamana Sumaigal
- Movie release year
- 1992
- Lyrics added on
- 4 Apr 2021
Lyrics & meaning
♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Yaezhu kundala vaadaa venkataramanaa
Govintho
Chorus :Govintho
Male :Govintho
Chorus :Govintho
Raama raama raama raama raama raama
Male :Govintho
Chorus :Raama raama raama raama raama raama
Male :Govintho
Bajanai pazhakkamilla paadi vazhakkamilla
Pasiyaalae pitchai kettaen govintho
Chorus :Govintho
Male :Sivanae edukkaiyilae ivanum eduththaalenna
Edhukkum thuninjuvittaen govintho
Chorus :Govintho
Manja thuni unnaalaththaan govintho
Chorus :Govintho
Male :Panjaththula vuttutiyae govintho
Chorus :Govintho
Bajanai pazhakkamilla paadi vazhakkamilla
Pasiyaalae pitchai kettaen govintho
Chorus :Govintho
Male :Sivanae edukkaiyilae ivanum eduththaalenna
Edhukkum thuninjuvittaen govintho
Chorus :Govintho
Govinthaa govinthaa govinthaa
Male :Govintho
Chorus :Govinthaa govinthaa govinthaa
Male :Govintho
Pitcha vaangi vaazhaatha periya manushan yaarunga
Paramaathmaa pitcha kettaan govintho
Chorus :Krishna paramaathmaa pichcha kettaan govintho
Haiyo moonu pakkam kadalirukku
Naalu pakkam kadanirukku
Bharathamae intha kadhi govintho
Chorus :Aamaam bharathamae intha kadhi govintho
Sombu enbathu oru vagai paaththiram
Nambi podunga saamikku maaththiram
Chorus :Sombu enbathu oru vagai paaththiram
Male :Aamaam
Chorus :Nambi podunga saamikku maaththiram
Pottu vacha pombalainga thuttu podunga
Thiruppathikku poyi vanthu laddu tharaenga adadaa
Bajanai pazhakkamilla paadi vazhakkamilla
Pasiyaalae pitchai kettaen govintho
Chorus :Govintho
Male :Sivanae edukkaiyilae ivanum eduththaalenna
Edhukkum thuninjuvittaen govintho
Chorus :Govintho
Naattilulla katchikellaam naanooru chinnamundu
Naamamthaanae podhu chinnam govintho
Chorus :Patta naamamthaanae podhu chinnam govintho
Ada vote vaangi ponavanga
Rate-tu onnu pesikittu
Oorukellam poduvathu yaeh govintho
Chorus :Aamaam oorukellam poduvathu govintho
Note-tu illaennaa kaasaa podunga
Adhuvum illaennaa govintho podunga
Chorus :Note-tu illaennaa kaasaa podunga
Adhuvum illaennaa govintho podunga
Seththathukku pinnaalae kallarai thaanga
Soththukku vazhiyilla sillarai thaanga adada
Bajanai pazhakkamilla paadi vazhakkamilla
Pasiyaalae pitchai kettaen govintho
Chorus :Govintho
Male :Sivanae edukkaiyilae ivanum eduththaalenna
Edhukkum thuninjuvittaen govintho
Chorus :Govintho
Manja thuni unnaalaththaan govintho
Chorus :Govintho
Male :Panjaththula vuttutiyae govintho
Chorus :Govintho
O Lord of the seven hills, Venkataramana!
Govindo!
Chorus: Govindo!
Male: Govindo!
Chorus: Govindo!
Rama Rama Rama Rama Rama Rama
Male: Govindo!
Chorus: Rama Rama Rama Rama Rama Rama
Male: Govindo!
I have no habit of chanting hymns or singing praises,
I am begging only out of hunger, Govinda!
Chorus: Govindo!
Male: When Lord Shiva himself took the begging bowl, why shouldn't this man?
I am ready for whatever happens now, Govinda!
Chorus: Govindo!
I wear this yellow mendicant cloth only because of you, Govinda!
Chorus: Govindo!
Male: You left me stranded in poverty, Govinda!
Chorus: Govindo!
I have no habit of chanting hymns or singing praises,
I am begging only out of hunger, Govinda!
Chorus: Govindo!
Male: When Lord Shiva himself took the begging bowl, why shouldn't this man?
I am ready for whatever happens now, Govinda!
Chorus: Govindo!
Govinda, Govinda, Govinda!
Male: Govindo!
Chorus: Govinda, Govinda, Govinda!
Male: Govindo!
Tell me, who is the great man who hasn't lived on alms?
Even the Supreme Lord went begging for alms, Govinda!
Chorus: Even Lord Krishna went begging for alms, Govinda!
Alas, there is the ocean on three sides,
And debt on all four sides!
Even our whole nation has ended up in this state, Govinda!
Chorus: Yes, our whole nation has ended up in this state, Govinda!
A beggar's pot is just a humble vessel,
Trust me and drop coins meant solely for God!
Chorus: A beggar's pot is just a humble vessel,
Male: Yes!
Chorus: Trust me and drop coins meant solely for God!
O ladies wearing auspicious bindis, drop some money!
I will go to Tirupati and bring you back sacred sweets, oh yes!
I have no habit of chanting hymns or singing praises,
I am begging only out of hunger, Govinda!
Chorus: Govindo!
Male: When Lord Shiva himself took the begging bowl, why shouldn't this man?
I am ready for whatever happens now, Govinda!
Chorus: Govindo!
All the political parties in this land have four hundred symbols,
Isn't the mark of being cheated the one common symbol, Govinda?
Chorus: Yes, isn't being duped our common symbol, Govinda?
Those who walked away with our votes,
Bartered away their loyalty for a price,
And left the entire town ruined and penniless, hey Govinda!
Chorus: Yes, they left the whole town penniless, Govinda!
If you don't have paper money, drop some coins!
If you don't have that either, just shout "Govinda!"
Chorus: If you don't have paper money, drop some coins!
If you don't have that either, just shout "Govinda!"
Give me a tomb only after I am dead;
I have no wealth, so give me loose change right now, oh yes!
I have no habit of chanting hymns or singing praises,
I am begging only out of hunger, Govinda!
Chorus: Govindo!
Male: When Lord Shiva himself took the begging bowl, why shouldn't this man?
I am ready for whatever happens now, Govinda!
Chorus: Govindo!
I wear this yellow mendicant cloth only because of you, Govinda!
Chorus: Govindo!
Male: You left me stranded in poverty, Govinda!
Chorus: Govindo!
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Beyond the translation
Overall song meaning
The song 'Govintho' from 'Sugamana Sumaigal' (1992) is a satirical street-beggar's song penned by lyricist Vairamuthu. The protagonist, pushed into dire poverty and extreme hunger, reluctantly turns to begging while chanting the name of Lord Govinda. To justify his plight, he humorously cites mythological references where even supreme deities like Lord Shiva and Lord Krishna relied on alms.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Pun / Double Entendre (Siledai)
“Naamamthaanae podhu chinnam govintho”
The word 'Naamam' refers to both the sacred Vaishnavite mark worn on the forehead and the Tamil slang idiom for cheating or duping someone.
Antithesis / Contrast
“Haiyo moonu pakkam kadalirukku / Naalu pakkam kadanirukku”
Contrasts India's physical geography (surrounded by sea on 3 sides) with the citizen's economic plight (surrounded by debt on 4 sides).
Refrain / Emoni
“Pasiyaalae pitchai kettaen govintho”
The word 'Govintho' is repeated continuously as an end-rhyme refrain, symbolizing both a spiritual chant and total ruin/bankruptcy in colloquial Tamil.
Did you know?
Trivia
In Tamil colloquial usage, 'Govinda' or 'Govintho' serves as a slang term meaning 'lost forever' or 'bankrupt', which Vairamuthu cleverly weaponizes in this song to mock both political false promises and personal economic ruin.
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