Petha Manasu
From Enna Petha Raasa · 1989
- Lyricist
- Ilaiyaraja
- Singer
- Ilayaraja
- Music director
- Ilayaraja
- Details
- Enna Petha Raasa1989
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Oo…ooh…ooh….oo….ooh….oo…ooh | Oo…ooh…ooh….oo….ooh….oo…ooh |
| Aaa….aa…..aa….a….aaa…. | Aaa….aa…..aa….a….aaa…. |
| Male | |
| Peththa manasu suththathilum suththamadaa | A mother's heart is the purest of the pure, my friend. |
| Intha pilla manasu piththathilum piththmadaa | This child's heart is madder than madness itself. |
| Dheivam adhu thaayikku keezhathaan | Even God is placed below a mother. |
| Enthan thaai avalum saamikku melathaan | My mother is above God Himself. |
| Antha dheivam adhu thaayikku keezhathaan | That God is placed below a mother. |
| Enthan thaai avalum saamikku melathaan | My mother is above God Himself. |
| Male | |
| Peththa manasu suththathilum suththamadaa | A mother's heart is the purest of the pure, my friend. |
| Intha pilla manasu piththathilum piththmadaa | This child's heart is madder than madness itself. |
| Male | |
| Verum kaiya veesi kondu | Swinging empty hands, |
| Veragu somanthu viththu | Carrying firewood to sell, |
| Iravaa pagalaa dhenam dhenam ozhachchathu | Working tirelessly day and night every single day, |
| Sarugu porukki vanthu saatham vadichchu thanthu | Gathering dry leaves to cook rice and serve, |
| Pasiyae theriyaa maganaa valaththathum | Raising her son so he never felt hunger, |
| Male | |
| Eththana thaayinga namma tamil naattilae | How many mothers exist in our Tamil land! |
| En thaayi avala pol yaaru intha oorlae | Who in this town can compare to my mother? |
| Thiyaagi yaaru thiyaagi yaarum illae podaa | Who is a true martyr? No one else comes close! |
| Thaayin kaala vanangi kumbittitu vaadaa | Go, bow down and worship at your mother's feet. |
| Avathaan koyil avathaan olagam | She is the temple, she is the world. |
| Male | |
| Peththa manasu suththathilum suththamadaa | A mother's heart is the purest of the pure, my friend. |
| Intha pilla manasu piththathilum piththmadaa | This child's heart is madder than madness itself. |
| Male | |
| Mannil varum chedi kodigal | The plants and vines that grow on this land, |
| Evvalavu vagaigalthaan | So many varieties exist! |
| Maramo kodiyo thanni mattum onnaethaan | Be it a tree or a vine, the water they drink is the same. |
| Pala vidha marangal enna maraththula pazhangal enna | So many types of trees, so many fruits upon them, |
| Neraththil rushiyil ovvonnum verathaan | Each is distinct in its color and taste! |
| Male | |
| Pazhamaai pazhuththathaal milagaai inikkumaa | Just because a chili ripens into a fruit, will it taste sweet? |
| Kaayaai iruppathaal koiyyaa kasakkumaa | Just because a guava is raw, will it taste bitter? |
| Nalla vayiththil poranthaa nallavanaethaandaa | One born from a noble womb will surely be a good person! |
| Kettathu seiyya maattaan vallavanaethaandaa | He will never commit evil; he will be an accomplished person! |
| Avanae manithan adhai nee unaru | He alone is a true human; realize this. |
| Male | |
| Peththa manasu suththathilum suththamadaa | A mother's heart is the purest of the pure, my friend. |
| Intha pilla manasu piththathilum piththmadaa | This child's heart is madder than madness itself. |
| Dheivam adhu thaayikku keezhathaan | Even God is placed below a mother. |
| Enthan thaai avalum saamikku melathaan | My mother is above God Himself. |
| Antha dheivam adhu thaayikku keezhathaan | That God is placed below a mother. |
| Enthan thaai avalum saamikku melathaan | My mother is above God Himself. |
| Male | |
| Peththa manasu suththathilum suththamadaa | A mother's heart is the purest of the pure, my friend. |
| Intha pilla manasu piththathilum piththmadaa… | This child's heart is madder than madness itself... |
ஓ.....ஓஹ்.....ஓஹ்....ஓ.....ஓஹ்.....ஓ....ஒஹ்
ஆஅ.....ஆ.....ஆ......அ.....ஆஅ......
Oo…ooh…ooh….oo….ooh….oo…ooh
Aaa….aa…..aa….a….aaa….
பெத்த மனசு சுத்தத்திலும் சுத்தமடா
இந்த பிள்ள மனசு பித்தத்திலும் பித்தமடா
தெய்வம் அது தாயிக்கும் கீழதான்
எந்தன் தாய் அவளும் சாமிக்கு மேலதான்
அந்த தெய்வம் அது தாயிக்கும் கீழதான்
எந்தன் தாய் அவளும் சாமிக்கு மேலதான்
A mother's heart is the purest of the pure, my friend.
This child's heart is madder than madness itself.
Even God is placed below a mother.
My mother is above God Himself.
That God is placed below a mother.
My mother is above God Himself.
பெத்த மனசு சுத்தத்திலும் சுத்தமடா
இந்த பிள்ள மனசு பித்தத்திலும் பித்தமடா
A mother's heart is the purest of the pure, my friend.
This child's heart is madder than madness itself.
வெறும் கைய வீசிக் கொண்டு
வெறகு சொமந்து வித்து
இரவா பகலா தெனம் தெனம் ஒழச்சதும்
சருகு பொறுக்கி வந்து சாதம் வடிச்சு தந்து
பசியே தெரியா மகனா வளத்ததும்
Swinging empty hands,
Carrying firewood to sell,
Working tirelessly day and night every single day,
Gathering dry leaves to cook rice and serve,
Raising her son so he never felt hunger,
எத்தன தாயிங்க நம்ம தமிழ் நாட்டிலே
என் தாயி அவளப் போல் யாரு இந்த ஊரிலே
தியாகி யாரு தியாகி யாரும் இல்லே போடா
தாயின் கால வணங்கி கும்பிட்டுட்டு வாடா
அவதான் கோயில் அவதான் ஒலகம்
How many mothers exist in our Tamil land!
Who in this town can compare to my mother?
Who is a true martyr? No one else comes close!
Go, bow down and worship at your mother's feet.
She is the temple, she is the world.
பெத்த மனசு சுத்தத்திலும் சுத்தமடா
இந்த பிள்ள மனசு பித்தத்திலும் பித்தமடா
A mother's heart is the purest of the pure, my friend.
This child's heart is madder than madness itself.
மண்ணில் வரும் செடி கொடிகள்
எவ்வளவு வகைகள்தான்
மரமோ கொடியோ தண்ணி மட்டும் ஒன்னேதான்
பல வித மரங்கள் என்ன மரத்துல பழங்கள் என்ன
நெறத்தில் ருசியில் ஒவ்வொண்ணும் வேறதான்
The plants and vines that grow on this land,
So many varieties exist!
Be it a tree or a vine, the water they drink is the same.
So many types of trees, so many fruits upon them,
Each is distinct in its color and taste!
பழமாய் பழுத்ததால் மிளகாய் இனிக்குமா
காயாய் இருப்பதால் கொய்யா கசக்குமா
நல்ல வயித்தில் பொறந்தா நல்லவனே தான்டா
கெட்டது செய்ய மாட்டான் வல்லவனே தான்டா
அவனே மனிதன் அதை நீ உணரு....
Just because a chili ripens into a fruit, will it taste sweet?
Just because a guava is raw, will it taste bitter?
One born from a noble womb will surely be a good person!
He will never commit evil; he will be an accomplished person!
He alone is a true human; realize this.
பெத்த மனசு சுத்தத்திலும் சுத்தமடா
இந்த பிள்ள மனசு பித்தத்திலும் பித்தமடா
தெய்வம் அது தாயிக்கும் கீழதான்
எந்தன் தாய் அவளும் சாமிக்கு மேலதான்
அந்த தெய்வம் அது தாயிக்கும் கீழதான்
எந்தன் தாய் அவளும் சாமிக்கு மேலதான்
A mother's heart is the purest of the pure, my friend.
This child's heart is madder than madness itself.
Even God is placed below a mother.
My mother is above God Himself.
That God is placed below a mother.
My mother is above God Himself.
பெத்த மனசு சுத்தத்திலும் சுத்தமடா
இந்த பிள்ள மனசு பித்தத்திலும் பித்தமடா
A mother's heart is the purest of the pure, my friend.
This child's heart is madder than madness itself...
Oo…ooh…ooh….oo….ooh….oo…ooh
Oo…ooh…ooh….oo….ooh….oo…ooh
Aaa….aa…..aa….a….aaa….
Aaa….aa…..aa….a….aaa….
Peththa manasu suththathilum suththamadaa
A mother's heart is the purest of the pure, my friend.
Intha pilla manasu piththathilum piththmadaa
This child's heart is madder than madness itself.
Dheivam adhu thaayikku keezhathaan
Even God is placed below a mother.
Enthan thaai avalum saamikku melathaan
My mother is above God Himself.
Antha dheivam adhu thaayikku keezhathaan
That God is placed below a mother.
Enthan thaai avalum saamikku melathaan
My mother is above God Himself.
Peththa manasu suththathilum suththamadaa
A mother's heart is the purest of the pure, my friend.
Intha pilla manasu piththathilum piththmadaa
This child's heart is madder than madness itself.
Verum kaiya veesi kondu
Swinging empty hands,
Veragu somanthu viththu
Carrying firewood to sell,
Iravaa pagalaa dhenam dhenam ozhachchathu
Working tirelessly day and night every single day,
Sarugu porukki vanthu saatham vadichchu thanthu
Gathering dry leaves to cook rice and serve,
Pasiyae theriyaa maganaa valaththathum
Raising her son so he never felt hunger,
Eththana thaayinga namma tamil naattilae
How many mothers exist in our Tamil land!
En thaayi avala pol yaaru intha oorlae
Who in this town can compare to my mother?
Thiyaagi yaaru thiyaagi yaarum illae podaa
Who is a true martyr? No one else comes close!
Thaayin kaala vanangi kumbittitu vaadaa
Go, bow down and worship at your mother's feet.
Avathaan koyil avathaan olagam
She is the temple, she is the world.
Peththa manasu suththathilum suththamadaa
A mother's heart is the purest of the pure, my friend.
Intha pilla manasu piththathilum piththmadaa
This child's heart is madder than madness itself.
Mannil varum chedi kodigal
The plants and vines that grow on this land,
Evvalavu vagaigalthaan
So many varieties exist!
Maramo kodiyo thanni mattum onnaethaan
Be it a tree or a vine, the water they drink is the same.
Pala vidha marangal enna maraththula pazhangal enna
So many types of trees, so many fruits upon them,
Neraththil rushiyil ovvonnum verathaan
Each is distinct in its color and taste!
Pazhamaai pazhuththathaal milagaai inikkumaa
Just because a chili ripens into a fruit, will it taste sweet?
Kaayaai iruppathaal koiyyaa kasakkumaa
Just because a guava is raw, will it taste bitter?
Nalla vayiththil poranthaa nallavanaethaandaa
One born from a noble womb will surely be a good person!
Kettathu seiyya maattaan vallavanaethaandaa
He will never commit evil; he will be an accomplished person!
Avanae manithan adhai nee unaru
He alone is a true human; realize this.
Peththa manasu suththathilum suththamadaa
A mother's heart is the purest of the pure, my friend.
Intha pilla manasu piththathilum piththmadaa
This child's heart is madder than madness itself.
Dheivam adhu thaayikku keezhathaan
Even God is placed below a mother.
Enthan thaai avalum saamikku melathaan
My mother is above God Himself.
Antha dheivam adhu thaayikku keezhathaan
That God is placed below a mother.
Enthan thaai avalum saamikku melathaan
My mother is above God Himself.
Peththa manasu suththathilum suththamadaa
A mother's heart is the purest of the pure, my friend.
Intha pilla manasu piththathilum piththmadaa…
This child's heart is madder than madness itself...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
'Peththa Manasu Suththathilum Suththamadaa' is a poignant Tamil song celebrating the selfless love, sacrifice, and divine purity of a mother. The lyrics contrast the absolute purity and sacrifice of a mother's heart with the folly and ignorance of her child. The speaker details the grueling labor a mother undergoes—gathering firewood, cooking with dried leaves, working day and night—solely to ensure her child never suffers from hunger. She is elevated above divine statues and temples, representing the ultimate living deity and world for a child. The song further uses nature allegories—comparing plants, fruit ripening, and chili versus guava—to explain that true character comes from upbringing and innate purity. Someone born of a good mother's womb inherently carries goodness and integrity. The composition serves as a reminder to honor motherly love and recognize her sacred presence in life.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monai (Initial Alliteration)
“Verum kaiya veesi kondu / Veragu somanthu viththu”
Repetition of starting consonant sound 'Ve' in adjacent lines for rhythmic flow.
Hyperbole / Metaphor
“Dheivam adhu thaayikku keezhathaan / Avathaan koyil avathaan olagam”
Elevating mother above God and equating her directly to a sacred temple and universe.
Analogy / Botanical Metaphor
“Pazhamaai pazhuththathaal milagaai inikkumaa / Kaayaai iruppathaal koiyyaa kasakkumaa”
Comparing human character and maternal heritage to different fruits and plants nourished by the same water.
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed and written by Maestro Ilaiyaraja for the film 'Enna Petha Raasa' (1989), this folk-style song remains one of Tamil cinema's iconic anthems dedicated to maternal love and sacrifice.
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