Poongatrile Un Swasathai
From Uyire · 1998
- Lyricist
- Vairamuthu
- Singers
- Unni Menon, Swarnalatha
- Music director
- A. R. Rahman
- Details
- Uyire1998
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Poongatrilae un swasathai thaniyaaga thedi paarthen | In the gentle breeze, I searched specifically for your breath |
| Kadalmel oru thuli vizhunthathae athai thedi thedi paarthen | A drop fell into the sea, and I searched and searched for it |
| Uyirin thuli kaayum munnae en vizhi unnai kaanum kannae | Before the drop of my life dries up, my eyes will see you, my dear |
| En jeevan oiyum munnae ododi vaa | Before my soul ceases, run and come to me |
| Poongatrilae un swasathai thaniyaaga thedi paarthen | In the gentle breeze, I searched specifically for your breath |
| Kadalmel oru thuli vizhunthathae athai thedi thedi paarthen | A drop fell into the sea, and I searched and searched for it |
| Female | |
| Kannil oru vazhi irunthaal… kanavugal varuvathillai | If there is pain in the eyes, dreams do not come |
| Male | |
| Kaatrin alai varisai ketkindratha | Do you hear the frequency of the airwaves? |
| Ketkkum paatil oru uyir vidum kanneer | In the song you hear, tears shed by a soul... |
| Vazhigindratha nenju nanaigindratha | Are they overflowing? Is the heart getting drenched? |
| Idhayam karugum oru vaasam varugiratha | Does the smell of a burning heart reach you? |
| Kaatril kanneerai yetri kavithai senthenai ootri | Loading tears into the wind, pouring sweet honey of poetry |
| Kannae un vaasal……………….. ododi vaa | My dear, to your doorstep... run and come |
| Poongatrile un swasathai thani………………….. | In the gentle breeze, your breath, uniquely... |
| Male | |
| Vaanam enghum un bimbam aanaal kaiyil seravillai | Your reflection is all over the sky, but it does not reach my hands |
| Kaatril enghum un vaasam verum vaasam vaazhkai illai | Your fragrance is everywhere in the wind, but mere fragrance is not life |
| Uyirai verodu killi ennai sentheeyil thalli enghae sendrayo kalli | Plucking my life from its roots and throwing me into a fiery blaze, where did you go, thief? |
| Oiyum jeevan odum munnae odoodi vaa…. | Before my fading soul runs away, run and come... |
| Male | |
| Poongatrilae un swasathai thaniyaaga thedi paarthen | In the gentle breeze, I searched specifically for your breath |
| Kadalmel oru thuli vizhunthathae athai thedi thedi paarthen…. | A drop fell into the sea, and I searched and searched for it... |
பூங்காற்றிலே உன்
சுவாசத்தை தனியாக தேடி
பார்த்தேன் கடல் மேல் ஒரு
துளி வீழ்ந்ததே அதைத் தேடி
தேடி பார்த்தேன் உயிரின் துளி
காயும் முன்னே என் விழி உனை
காணும் கண்ணே என் ஜீவன் ஓயும்
முன்னே ஓடோடி வா
In the gentle breeze, I searched specifically for your breath
A drop fell into the sea, and I searched and searched for it
Before the drop of my life dries up, my eyes will see you, my dear
Before my soul ceases, run and come to me
In the gentle breeze, I searched specifically for your breath
A drop fell into the sea, and I searched and searched for it
பூங்காற்றிலே உன்
சுவாசத்தை தனியாக தேடி
பார்த்தேன் கடல் மேல் ஒரு
துளி வீழ்ந்ததே அதைத் தேடி
தேடி பார்த்தேன்
If there is pain in the eyes, dreams do not come
கண்ணில் ஒரு
வலி இருந்தால் கனவுகள்
வருவதில்லை
Do you hear the frequency of the airwaves?
In the song you hear, tears shed by a soul...
Are they overflowing? Is the heart getting drenched?
Does the smell of a burning heart reach you?
Loading tears into the wind, pouring sweet honey of poetry
My dear, to your doorstep... run and come
In the gentle breeze, your breath, uniquely...
காற்றின் அலை
வரிசை கேட்கின்றதா
கேட்கும் பாட்டில் ஒரு
உயிர் விடும் கண்ணீர்
வழிகின்றதா நெஞ்சு
நனைகின்றதா இதயம்
கருகும் ஒரு வாசம்
வருகிறதா காற்றில்
கண்ணீரை ஏற்றி
கவிதை செந்தேனை
ஊற்றி கண்ணே உன்
வாசல் ........................
ஓடோடி வா பூங்காற்றிலே
உன் சுவாசத்தை தனி.............
Your reflection is all over the sky, but it does not reach my hands
Your fragrance is everywhere in the wind, but mere fragrance is not life
Plucking my life from its roots and throwing me into a fiery blaze, where did you go, thief?
Before my fading soul runs away, run and come...
வானம் எங்கும்
உன் பிம்பம் ஆனால்
கையில் சேரவில்லை
காற்றில் எங்கும் உன்
வாசம் வெறும் வாசம்
வாழ்க்கையில்லை
உயிரை வேரோடு
கிள்ளி என்னைச் செந்தீயில்
தள்ளி எங்கே சென்றாயோ
கள்ளி ஓயும் ஜீவன் ஓடும்
முன்னே ஓடோடி வா
In the gentle breeze, I searched specifically for your breath
A drop fell into the sea, and I searched and searched for it...
பூங்காற்றிலே உன்
சுவாசத்தை தனியாக தேடி
பார்த்தேன் கடல் மேல் ஒரு
துளி வீழ்ந்ததே அதைத் தேடி
தேடி பார்த்தேன்
Poongatrilae un swasathai thaniyaaga thedi paarthen
In the gentle breeze, I searched specifically for your breath
Kadalmel oru thuli vizhunthathae athai thedi thedi paarthen
A drop fell into the sea, and I searched and searched for it
Uyirin thuli kaayum munnae en vizhi unnai kaanum kannae
Before the drop of my life dries up, my eyes will see you, my dear
En jeevan oiyum munnae ododi vaa
Before my soul ceases, run and come to me
Poongatrilae un swasathai thaniyaaga thedi paarthen
In the gentle breeze, I searched specifically for your breath
Kadalmel oru thuli vizhunthathae athai thedi thedi paarthen
A drop fell into the sea, and I searched and searched for it
Kannil oru vazhi irunthaal… kanavugal varuvathillai
If there is pain in the eyes, dreams do not come
Kaatrin alai varisai ketkindratha
Do you hear the frequency of the airwaves?
Ketkkum paatil oru uyir vidum kanneer
In the song you hear, tears shed by a soul...
Vazhigindratha nenju nanaigindratha
Are they overflowing? Is the heart getting drenched?
Idhayam karugum oru vaasam varugiratha
Does the smell of a burning heart reach you?
Kaatril kanneerai yetri kavithai senthenai ootri
Loading tears into the wind, pouring sweet honey of poetry
Kannae un vaasal……………….. ododi vaa
My dear, to your doorstep... run and come
Poongatrile un swasathai thani…………………..
In the gentle breeze, your breath, uniquely...
Vaanam enghum un bimbam aanaal kaiyil seravillai
Your reflection is all over the sky, but it does not reach my hands
Kaatril enghum un vaasam verum vaasam vaazhkai illai
Your fragrance is everywhere in the wind, but mere fragrance is not life
Uyirai verodu killi ennai sentheeyil thalli enghae sendrayo kalli
Plucking my life from its roots and throwing me into a fiery blaze, where did you go, thief?
Oiyum jeevan odum munnae odoodi vaa….
Before my fading soul runs away, run and come...
Poongatrilae un swasathai thaniyaaga thedi paarthen
In the gentle breeze, I searched specifically for your breath
Kadalmel oru thuli vizhunthathae athai thedi thedi paarthen….
A drop fell into the sea, and I searched and searched for it...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Poongatrilae from the movie Uyire (Dil Se..) is a poignant composition expressing the deep ache of separation and desperate longing for a beloved. The protagonist searches for traces of his love—her breath in the breeze and her presence in the vast sky—comparing this impossible quest to finding a single drop of water lost in the ocean. He pleads for her return before his fading life departs, emphasizing that mere memories and airwaves cannot substitute true presence.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Hyperbole / Metaphor
“Kadalmel oru thuli vizhunthathae athai thedi thedi paarthen”
Comparing the impossible search for the lover's breath in the wind to looking for a specific drop of water that fell into the ocean.
Ethukai (Second-letter Rhyming)
“Uyirai verodu killi ennai sentheeyil thalli enghae sendrayo kalli”
Rhyming of the second consonant sound ('ll') across words like killi, thalli, and kalli creates a rhythmic poetic flow.
Imagery & Personification
“Kaatril kanneerai yetri kavithai senthenai ootri”
Vivid sensory imagery of sending tears via the wind and pouring poetic honey to convey intense emotional sorrow.
Did you know?
Trivia
Poongatrilae is the Tamil adaptation of 'Ae Ajnabi' from Mani Ratnam's 1998 Hindi film Dil Se.. composed by A.R. Rahman. Lyricist Vairamuthu adapted Gulzar's Hindi lyrics into Tamil, and the rendition by Unni Menon and Swarnalatha received widespread critical acclaim.
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