Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Motor Sundaram Pillai album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Penne Maanthartham (Penmai Endra)

From Motor Sundaram Pillai · 1966

Lyricist
Kothamangalam Subbu
Singer
Sirkazhi Govindarajan
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Movie name
Motor Sundaram Pillai
Movie release year
1966
Lyrics added on
13 Jul 2020

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Penney maanthartham
Perumaikku kaarnamaam
Penne thiyaagaththin per uruvam
Penne thiyaagaththin per uruvam
Penmai endra piravi indrel
Perumai yaethu paarile
Unamai yaethu uzhaippu yaethu
Uravu yaethu oorile uravu yaethu oorile
Man padaiththu vin padaiththu
Malar padaiththu saliththa pin
Pen padaiththu thanniththaane
Uyarththi kondaan paramporul
Pen padaiththu thanniththaane
Uyarththi kondaan paramporul
Petra thaayin perumai solla
Katra viththai pothumaa
Pesum deivam annaiyai pol
Periya deivam yaeahamma
Periya deivam yaeahamma
Penmai endra piravi indrel
Perumai yaethu paarile
Unamai yaethu uzhaippu yaethu
Uravu yaethu oorile uravu yaethu oorile
Woman is the reason
for mankind's greatness.
Woman is the ultimate embodiment of sacrifice.
Woman is the ultimate embodiment of sacrifice...
If there were no such birth as womanhood,
what glory would there be in this world?
What truth would there be, what honest toil would there be,
and what relationships would remain in this land? What relationships would remain?...
After creating the earth, creating the sky,
and creating flowers until He grew weary,
by creating woman, the Supreme God
elevated His own stature...
By creating woman, the Supreme God
elevated His own stature...
To tell the greatness of the mother who bore us,
is all our learning ever enough?
Like the mother who is a living deity,
is there any greater god?...
Is there any greater god?...
If there were no such birth as womanhood,
what glory would there be in this world?
What truth would there be, what honest toil would there be,
and what relationships would remain in this land? What relationships would remain?...
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This classic song pays a rich tribute to womanhood and motherhood, hailing women as the fundamental pillar of human civilization, truth, dedication, and familial love. The lyricist poetically describes that after God created nature—the earth, sky, and flowers—He created woman as His ultimate masterpiece, elevating His own divine status through her creation.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Edhugai (Second Letter Rhyme)

Petra thaayin perumai solla / Katra viththai pothumaa

The second consonant 'tra' rhymes between 'Petra' and 'Katra', creating melodic continuity.

Moonaal / Monai (Initial Alliteration)

Man padaiththu vin padaiththu / Malar padaiththu saliththa pin

Repetition of the initial 'Ma' sound in 'Man', 'Malar', and 'vin' within the line sequence creates poetic rhythm.

Metaphor (Uruvam)

Pesum deivam annaiyai pol

Describing the mother as a 'speaking deity' (Pesum deivam) metaphorically elevates a mother's status to that of God.

Rhetorical Question

Perumai yaethu paarile / Katra viththai pothumaa

Using questions like 'where would greatness be?' and 'is all learned wisdom enough?' to emphasize that womanhood's value is beyond measure.

Did you know?

Trivia

Written by the distinguished writer and lyricist Kothamangalam Subbu, this song appears in the 1966 Sivaji Ganesan starrer 'Motor Sundaram Pillai'. The film's music was composed by M. S. Viswanathan.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

From the same album

More songs from Motor Sundaram Pillai

View album

Spot an issue?

Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.