Saagaavaram Pol
From Uttama Villain · 2015
- Lyricist
- Kamal Haasan
- Singers
- Kamal Haasan, Yazin Nizar, Ranjith, TS Ayyappan, Ghibran
- Music director
- Ghibran
- Details
- Uttama Villain2015
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Saagaavaram pol sogam undo | Is there any sorrow greater than the boon of immortality? |
| Kelaai mannaa | Listen, O King! |
| Chorus :Kelaai mannaa | Chorus: Listen, O King! |
| Male :Theeraa kadhaiyai ketpaar undo | Is there anyone to listen to an endless story? |
| Kelaai manna | Listen, O King! |
| Chorus :Kelaai mannaa | Chorus: Listen, O King! |
| Male | |
| Kaniyar kaniththa kanakku padi | According to the calculations of astronomers, |
| Naam kaanum ulagithu vatta paanthaam | This world we behold is a spherical ball. |
| Chorus :Vatta panthaam….oo….vatta panthaam…oohho… | Chorus: A spherical ball... oo... a spherical ball... oohho... |
| Male | |
| Vatta panthai vattamadikkum mattra panthum | And other celestial balls revolving around this spherical ball, |
| Pogum maandae | Will perish eventually, O man! |
| Chorus :Pogum maandae…..oho…..pogum maandae….oohho… | Chorus: Will perish eventually... oho... will perish eventually... oohho... |
| Male | |
| Maala oliyaam nyaayirum kooda | Even the sun, which possesses endless illumination, |
| Mattror yugaththil pogum karinthae | Will turn into char in another era. |
| Chorus :Yae….yae…yae….. | Chorus: Yae... yae... yae... |
| Male | |
| Karinthu erinthum vediththa pinnum | Even after charring, burning, and exploding, |
| Kodhikkum kuzhambil uyirgal mulaikkum | Life will sprout again from the boiling primordial ooze. |
| Male | |
| Mulaiththum murinthum thulirkkum vaazhai | Like the banana tree that sprouts, snaps, and shoots up anew, |
| Than maranaththulae vittathu vithaiyae…ee…. | Leaving behind its seed inside its own death... |
| Chorus :Kelaai mannaa…ohhoi | Chorus: Listen, O King... ohhoi |
| Male | |
| Viththaiththidum mei pol | Like the physical body that sows a seed, |
| Oru uyirai uyirththu vilangum | Giving life to another soul and shining bright, |
| En kavithai vilangum | My poetry shall shine bright. |
| Chorus :Kavithai vilangum | Chorus: Poetry shall shine bright. |
| Male | |
| Vizhungi thulangidum vamsam vaazha | For the lineage that devours and flourishes to survive, |
| Vaazhum naalil kadamai seiyya | To perform one's duties during the living days, |
| Seiyyul pol oru kadhal vendum | One needs a love structured like classical poetry. |
| Chorus :Kadhal vendum | Chorus: Needs a love! |
| Male :Seiyyul pol oru | Male: Like classical poetry... |
| Chorus :Kadhal vendum….oohho…. | Chorus: Needs a love... oohho... |
| Male | |
| Vendiyathellaam vaaiththa oruvan | For a person who attained everything he ever wished for, |
| Saavaiyum vendi seththa kadhaigal aayiram undu | There are a thousand stories of wishing for death and dying. |
| Chorus :Kelaai mannaa….ooo…. | Chorus: Listen, O King... ooo... |
| Male :Oo…..oo….kelaai mannaa….. | Male: Oo... oo... Listen, O King... |
டி. எஸ். ஐயப்பன் மற்றும் ஜிப்ரான்
Is there any sorrow greater than the boon of immortality?
Listen, O King!
Chorus: Listen, O King!
Is there anyone to listen to an endless story?
Listen, O King!
Chorus: Listen, O King!
சாகாவரம் போல் சோகம் உண்டோ
கேளாய் மன்னா
குழு :
கேளாய் மன்னா
தீராக் கதையை கேட்பார் உண்டோ
கேளாய் மன்னா
குழு :
கேளாய் மன்னா
According to the calculations of astronomers,
This world we behold is a spherical ball.
Chorus: A spherical ball... oo... a spherical ball... oohho...
கணியர் கணித்த கணக்கு படி நாம்
காணும் உலகிது வட்ட பந்தாம்
குழு :
வட்ட பந்தாம்.....ஓ.....வட்ட பந்தாம்.....ஓஹ்ஹோ....
And other celestial balls revolving around this spherical ball,
Will perish eventually, O man!
Chorus: Will perish eventually... oho... will perish eventually... oohho...
வட்ட பந்தை வட்டமடிக்கும் மற்ற பந்தும்
போகும் மாண்டே
குழு :
போகும் மாண்டே.....ஓஹோ.....போகும் மாண்டே.....ஓஹ்ஹோ....
Even the sun, which possesses endless illumination,
Will turn into char in another era.
Chorus: Yae... yae... yae...
மாளா ஒளியாம் ஞாயிரும் கூட
மற்றோர் யுகத்தில் போகும் கரிந்தே....
குழு :
ஏ.....ஏ.......ஏ.......
Even after charring, burning, and exploding,
Life will sprout again from the boiling primordial ooze.
கரிந்து எரிந்தும் வெடித்த பின்னும்
கொதிக்கும் குழம்பில் உயிர்கள் முளைக்கும்
Like the banana tree that sprouts, snaps, and shoots up anew,
Leaving behind its seed inside its own death...
Chorus: Listen, O King... ohhoi
முளைத்தும் முறிந்தும் துளிர்க்கும் வாழை
தன் மரணத்துள்ளே விட்டது விதையே....ஈ....
குழு :
கேளாய் மன்னா....ஓஹ்ஹோய்
Like the physical body that sows a seed,
Giving life to another soul and shining bright,
My poetry shall shine bright.
Chorus: Poetry shall shine bright.
விதைத்திடும் மெய் போல்
ஒரு உயிரை உயிர்த்து விளங்கும்
என் கவிதை விளங்கும்
குழு :
கவிதை விளங்கும்
For the lineage that devours and flourishes to survive,
To perform one's duties during the living days,
One needs a love structured like classical poetry.
Chorus: Needs a love!
Male: Like classical poetry...
Chorus: Needs a love... oohho...
விழுங்கி துலங்கிடும் வம்சம் வாழ
வாழும் நாளில் கடமை செய்ய
செய்யுள் போல் ஒரு காதல் வேண்டும்
குழு :
காதல் வேண்டும்
செய்யுள் போல் ஒரு
குழு :
காதல் வேண்டும்......ஓஹ்ஹோ.....
For a person who attained everything he ever wished for,
There are a thousand stories of wishing for death and dying.
Chorus: Listen, O King... ooo...
Male: Oo... oo... Listen, O King...
வேண்டியதெல்லாம் வாய்த்த ஒருவன்
சாவையும் வேண்டி செத்த கதைகள் ஆயிரம் உண்டு
குழு :
கேளாய் மன்னா....ஓஒ.....
ஓ.....ஓ....கேளாய் மன்னா.....
Saagaavaram pol sogam undo
Is there any sorrow greater than the boon of immortality?
Kelaai mannaa
Listen, O King!
Chorus :Kelaai mannaa
Chorus: Listen, O King!
Male :Theeraa kadhaiyai ketpaar undo
Is there anyone to listen to an endless story?
Kelaai manna
Listen, O King!
Chorus :Kelaai mannaa
Chorus: Listen, O King!
Kaniyar kaniththa kanakku padi
According to the calculations of astronomers,
Naam kaanum ulagithu vatta paanthaam
This world we behold is a spherical ball.
Chorus :Vatta panthaam….oo….vatta panthaam…oohho…
Chorus: A spherical ball... oo... a spherical ball... oohho...
Vatta panthai vattamadikkum mattra panthum
And other celestial balls revolving around this spherical ball,
Pogum maandae
Will perish eventually, O man!
Chorus :Pogum maandae…..oho…..pogum maandae….oohho…
Chorus: Will perish eventually... oho... will perish eventually... oohho...
Maala oliyaam nyaayirum kooda
Even the sun, which possesses endless illumination,
Mattror yugaththil pogum karinthae
Will turn into char in another era.
Chorus :Yae….yae…yae…..
Chorus: Yae... yae... yae...
Karinthu erinthum vediththa pinnum
Even after charring, burning, and exploding,
Kodhikkum kuzhambil uyirgal mulaikkum
Life will sprout again from the boiling primordial ooze.
Mulaiththum murinthum thulirkkum vaazhai
Like the banana tree that sprouts, snaps, and shoots up anew,
Than maranaththulae vittathu vithaiyae…ee….
Leaving behind its seed inside its own death...
Chorus :Kelaai mannaa…ohhoi
Chorus: Listen, O King... ohhoi
Viththaiththidum mei pol
Like the physical body that sows a seed,
Oru uyirai uyirththu vilangum
Giving life to another soul and shining bright,
En kavithai vilangum
My poetry shall shine bright.
Chorus :Kavithai vilangum
Chorus: Poetry shall shine bright.
Vizhungi thulangidum vamsam vaazha
For the lineage that devours and flourishes to survive,
Vaazhum naalil kadamai seiyya
To perform one's duties during the living days,
Seiyyul pol oru kadhal vendum
One needs a love structured like classical poetry.
Chorus :Kadhal vendum
Chorus: Needs a love!
Male :Seiyyul pol oru
Male: Like classical poetry...
Chorus :Kadhal vendum….oohho….
Chorus: Needs a love... oohho...
Vendiyathellaam vaaiththa oruvan
For a person who attained everything he ever wished for,
Saavaiyum vendi seththa kadhaigal aayiram undu
There are a thousand stories of wishing for death and dying.
Chorus :Kelaai mannaa….ooo….
Chorus: Listen, O King... ooo...
Male :Oo…..oo….kelaai mannaa…..
Male: Oo... oo... Listen, O King...
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Saagaavaram Pol Sogam Undo is a deeply philosophical song from the movie Uttama Villain, written and performed by Kamal Haasan. Set as a classical verse narration presented to a king, the song explores the burden of immortality, the impermanence of the physical universe, and the continuous cycle of death and rebirth. The narrator observes that even stars and planets eventually burn out, yet life mysteriously sprouts again from cosmic chaos, just as a plantain tree leaves seeds within its own death. Ultimately, the song highlights how physical immortality is a curse, whereas true immortality is achieved through legacy, art, structured poetry, and genuine love that outlasts mortal existence.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Monaai (Initial Rhyme / Alliteration)
“Saagaavaram pol sogam undo”
Repetition of the 'Sa/So' sound at the beginning of words in the first line ('Saagaavaram', 'sogam').
Simile (Uvamai)
“Seiyyul pol oru kadhal vendum”
Comparing the nature of true love to structured, rhythmic classical poetry ('Seiyyul').
Analogy (Uvamai)
“Mulaiththum murinthum thulirkkum vaazhai / Than maranaththulae vittathu vithaiyae”
Using the biological cycle of a banana plant, which reproduces before dying, as a metaphor for human legacy and artistic continuity.
Did you know?
Trivia
The song serves as a core thematic anchor for Uttama Villain, mirroring the parallel stories of the 8th-century folk artist Uttaman (who seeks to trick death) and the 21st-century actor Manoranjan (who faces terminal illness). Kamal Haasan incorporated scientific facts about the eventual death of the Sun and planetary evolution into classical Tamil poetic meters.
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