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Bhagya Devathai album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Kavi Paadum

From Bhagya Devathai · 1959

Lyricist
Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass
Singers
Ghantasala, K. Jamunarani
Music director
Master Venu
Movie name
Bhagya Devathai
Movie release year
1959
Lyrics added on
21 Apr 2025

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Kavipaadum kangalinaalae
Kadhai pesum ponnidhazh melae
Kavipaadum kangalinaalae
Kadhai pesum ponnidhazh melae
Deiveega kadhal inbam kaanuthae
Unnaalae kili naanuthae thannaalae
Kalai veesum kaaviyam neeyae
Oli veesum oviyam naanae
Kalai veesum kaaviyam neeyae
Oli veesum oviyam naanae
Deiveega kadhal inbam kaanuthae
Unnaalae kili naanuthae thannaalae….
Madhuvai yaendhi magizhnthaadum malarae
Pudhu nilai kandaen punnagaiyaalae
Pudhu nilai kandaen punnagaiyaalae
Manakkoyil unakkaaga maasilaa deepamae
Kavipaadum kangalinaalae
Kadhai pesum ponnidhazh melae
Kavipaadum kangalinaalae
Kadhai pesum ponnidhazh melae
Kadalil ellai kandaalum kaanalaam
Kadhalin ellai kaana mudiyumaa
Kadhalin ellai kaana mudiyumaa
Kalai koyil unakkaaga
Kankanda deivamae….
Kalai veesum kaaviyam neeyae
Oli veesum oviyam naanae
Through eyes that sing poetry,
And upon golden lips that tell stories,
Through eyes that sing poetry,
And upon golden lips that tell stories,
Divine joy of love is found,
Because of you, this parrot blushes on her own.
You are an epic poem rich in art,
And I am a painting shining with light.
You are an epic poem rich in art,
And I am a painting shining with light.
Divine joy of love is found,
Because of you, this parrot blushes on her own...
O flower dancing with joy, holding sweet nectar,
I found a whole new world in your smile,
I found a whole new world in your smile,
The temple of my heart is for you, O spotless lamp!
Through eyes that sing poetry,
And upon golden lips that tell stories,
Through eyes that sing poetry,
And upon golden lips that tell stories,
One might even reach the end of the ocean,
Can anyone ever find the boundary of love?
Can anyone ever find the boundary of love?
This temple of art is for you,
O living deity before my eyes...
You are an epic poem rich in art,
And I am a painting shining with light.
Male
Male
Female
Male
Male
Male
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This romantic duet from the 1959 film 'Bhagya Devathai' celebrates the transcendent beauty of divine love. The lovers exchange expressive compliments, equating each other to classic works of art—an epic poem radiating creativity and a luminous painting. Through vivid Tamil imagery, the song portrays love as a sacred experience that illuminates the temple of the human mind like an unblemished lamp. The lyrics underscore the infinite nature of affection, declaring that while the boundless ocean may have limits, true love knows no end.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Uvamaani / Metaphor

Kalai veesum kaaviyam neeyae / Oli veesum oviyam naanae

Compares the beloved directly to an epic ('kaaviyam') and a glowing painting ('oviyam'), elevating their beauty to high art.

Rhetorical Question & Hyperbole

Kadalil ellai kandaalum kaanalaam / Kadhalin ellai kaana mudiyumaa

Uses a comparative rhetorical hyperbole stating that even if the ocean's vast boundaries could be measured, love's depth remains immeasurable.

Monai (Initial Alliteration)

Pudhu nilai kandaen punnagaiyaalae

Repetition of initial consonant sounds 'K' and 'P' in words like 'Kalai', 'kaaviyam', 'Pudhu', 'punnagaiyaalae' creating a lyrical cadence.

Metaphor (Manakkoyil)

Manakkoyil unakkaaga maasilaa deepamae

Compares the heart or mind to a temple ('manakkoyil') where devotion shines as an eternal lamp ('maasilaa deepam').

Did you know?

Trivia

'Bhagya Devathai' (1959) was a Tamil drama directed by Tapi Chanakya with iconic music composed by Master Venu. Lyricist Thanjai N. Ramaiah Dass, renowned for his rich classical vocabulary, penned this song featuring legendary playback singers Ghantasala and K. Jamuna Rani.

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