Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Pillai Selvame

From Pesum Dheivam · 1967

Lyricist
Vaali
Singer
S. Janaki
Music director
K. V. Mahadevan
Movie name
Pesum Dheivam
Movie release year
1967
Lyrics added on
13 Oct 2019

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Pillai chelvamae pesum dheivamae
Vellai ullamae vanna vanna poovae
Thottu thottu thaen mutham thaa ondru thaa
Ooo ooo ooo haa haa haa aaaa
Pillai chelvamae pesum dheivamae
Vellai ullamae vanna vanna poovae
Thottu thottu thaen mutham thaa ondru thaa
Ooo ooo ooo haa haa haa aaaa
Thanga thattu thaan un kannam enbadho
Sinna chittu thaan un vannam enbadho
Minnal vettu thaan un kannil vandhadho
Mullai mottu thaan en pillai enbadho
Thanga thattu thaan un kannam enbadho
Sinna chittu thaan un vannam enbadho
Minnal vettu thaan un kannil vandhadho
Mullai mottu thaan en pillai enbadho
Thaayin nenjamae thottil manjamae
Thaayin nenjamae thottil manjamae
Pachai pasungiliyae paadal sollavaa nee
Pillai chelvamae pesum dheivamae
Vellai ullamae vanna vanna poovae
Thottu thottu thaen mutham thaa ondru thaa
Ooo ooo ooo haa haa haa aaaa
Buthan pirandhaan en mannan vadivil
Thathi thavazhndhaan than annai madiyil
Mullum malarum mai konjum vizhiyil
Kallum kaniyum avan sollum mozhiyil
Buthan pirandhaan en mannan vadivil
Thathi thavazhndhaan than annai madiyil
Mullum malarum mai konjum vizhiyil
Kallum kaniyum avan sollum mozhiyil
Thaavi thazhuvum solai thendralae
Thaavi thazhuvum solai thendralae
Muthuchara vilakkae mutham sindha vaa nee
Pillai chelvamae pesum dheivamae
Vellai ullamae vanna vanna poovae
Thottu thottu thaen mutham thaa ondru thaa
Ooo ooo ooo haa haa haa aaaa
My precious child, my living god,
Pure-hearted one, colorful blooming flower,
Touch me and give me a sweet honey kiss, just one!
Oh oh oh, ha ha ha, ah...
My precious child, my living god,
Pure-hearted one, colorful blooming flower,
Touch me and give me a sweet honey kiss, just one!
Oh oh oh, ha ha ha, ah...
Are your cheeks plates of pure gold?
Is your lovely form like a tiny songbird?
Did a flash of lightning spark in your eyes?
Is my child a delicate jasmine bud?
Are your cheeks plates of pure gold?
Is your lovely form like a tiny songbird?
Did a flash of lightning spark in your eyes?
Is my child a delicate jasmine bud?
A mother's heart is your cradle bed,
A mother's heart is your cradle bed,
My little green parrot, won't you sing a song?
My precious child, my living god,
Pure-hearted one, colorful blooming flower,
Touch me and give me a sweet honey kiss, just one!
Oh oh oh, ha ha ha, ah...
The Buddha was born in the form of my little prince,
He toddled and crawled on his mother's lap,
Even thorns turn to blossoms before his loving eyes,
Even stones soften sweet like fruit at the words he speaks,
The Buddha was born in the form of my little prince,
He toddled and crawled on his mother's lap,
Even thorns turn to blossoms before his loving eyes,
Even stones soften sweet like fruit at the words he speaks,
O garden breeze that leaps to embrace,
O garden breeze that leaps to embrace,
O radiant lamp of pearls, come shower your kisses!
My precious child, my living god,
Pure-hearted one, colorful blooming flower,
Touch me and give me a sweet honey kiss, just one!
Oh oh oh, ha ha ha, ah...
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

This classic Tamil lullaby from the movie 'Pesum Dheivam' celebrates the divine innocence and joy that a newborn child brings into a home. The parents lovingly address their child as a 'speaking deity' (pesum dheivam) and a pure-hearted, colorful flower, expressing deep affection through metaphors comparing the baby's cheeks to gold plates, eyes to flashes of lightning, and soft skin to jasmine buds.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvamaani / Rupakam)

“Pillai chelvamae pesum dheivamae”

Compares the child directly to a speaking god ('pesum dheivam'), a golden plate ('thanga thattu'), and Lord Buddha ('Buthan pirandhaan').

Adukku Thodar (Repetition for Emphasis)

“Thottu thottu thaen mutham thaa ondru thaa”

Words like 'Thottu thottu' and 'vanna vanna' repeat consecutively to emphasize rhythm and tenderness.

Iyaibu (End Rhyme)

“Thanga thattu thaan un kannam enbadho”

Rhyming line endings featuring '-enbadho' and '-vandhadho' create a gentle musical cadence typical of Tamil lullabies.

Hyperbole (Uyarvu Navortchi)

“Kallum kaniyum avan sollum mozhiyil”

Poetically exaggerating that the baby's gentle voice can turn hard stones into sweet fruit.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Pillai Chelvame Pesum Dheivame' is from the 1967 classic movie 'Pesum Dheivam', starring Sivaji Ganesan and Padmini. The music was composed by K. V. Mahadevan, with lyrics penned by Vaali and vocals performed by T. M. Soundararajan and P. Susheela.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

Pillai Nila (Male)1984
Neengal KettavaiDevotionMotherhood
Intha Pachai Killikoru Female1976
Needhikku ThalaivananguMotherhoodDevotion
Thooliyile Aada Vantha1991
Chinna ThambiMotherhoodDevotion
Maragadha Kutti1999
Chinna DuraiTenderInnocence
Pachai Maram Ondru (Happy)1966
RamuMotherhoodDevotion
Kingini Kingini2025
Baby and BabyMotherhoodChildhood

From the same album

More songs from Pesum Dheivam

View album
Pathu Maadham1967
Pesum DheivamTender
Naan Anuppuvadhu1967
Pesum DheivamRomantic
Azhagu Dheivam1967
Pesum DheivamRomantic
Nooraandu Kaalam Vaazhga1967
Pesum DheivamCelebratory
Idhaya Oonjal1967
Pesum DheivamTender
Shokka Jolikkudhappaa1967
Pesum DheivamCelebratory

Spot an issue?

Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.