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Seeman Petra Selvangal album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Seeman Petra

From Seeman Petra Selvangal · 1962

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singer
T. M. Soundararajan
Music director
T. R. Pappa
Movie name
Seeman Petra Selvangal
Movie release year
1962
Lyrics added on
18 Jun 2025

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Seemaan pettra selvangal
Seemaan pettra selvangal
Perum selvathil midhandha ullangal
Seemaan pettra selvangal
Perum selvathil midhandha ullangal
Siragai izhandhu uravai marandhu
Thigaithu nirkkum annangal
O thigaithu nirkkum annangal
Seemaan pettra selvangal
Oorukku uzhaikkum maadaanaan
Than ullam theindhu odaanaan
Oorukku uzhaikkum maadaanaan
Than ullam theindhu odaanaan
Perum illai perumaiyum illai
Pichai kolam poonduvittaan
Pichai kolam poonduvittaan
Seemaan pettra selvangal
Maaligai eendra manivairam
Pudhu maragadha sevvaai kodi annam
Maaligai eendra manivairam
Pudhu maragadha sevvaai kodi annam
Kolam izhandhu azhudha kanneril
Kodu vilundhadhu poongannam
Kolam izhandhu azhudha kanneril
Kodu vilundhadhu poongannam
Thandhai kattiya mandabathai
Thaanum kaana ninaithirundhaal
Thandhai kattiya mandabathai
Thaanum kaana ninaithirundhaal
Kaalam avrum ena thandhai uraithaan
Kaalam vandhadhu vandhu vittaal
Kaalam avrum ena thandhai uraithaan
Kaalam vandhadhu vandhu vittaal
Seemaan pettra selvangal
Perum selvathil midhandha ullangal
Manaiyaal sollil madhizhandhaan
Andha mayakkathil uravai maraithirundhaan
Manaiyaal sollil madhizhandhaan
Andha mayakkathil uravai maraithirundhaan
Mayakkam thelindhu uravai ninaindhu
Mandapam kaana oodugindraan
Mayakkam thelindhu uravai ninaindhu
Mandapam kaana oodugindraan
Seemaan pettra selvangal
Perum selvathil midhandha ullangal
Oorukku thandhai katti veithaan
Indru uriyavar adhiale kudi pugundhaar
Oorukku thandhai katti veithaan
Indru uriyavar adhiale kudi pugundhaar
Yaarukku endru enna varum
Idhai yaar arivaar avan thaan varuvaan
Yaarukku endru enna varum
Idhai yaar arivaar avan thaan varuvaan
Naettraiya vaazhkkai maaligaiyil
Indraiya vaazhkkai mandabathil
Naettraiya vaazhkkai maaligaiyil
Indraiya vaazhkkai mandabathil
Naalaiya vaazhkkai evvidamoo
Naalaiya vaazhkkai evvidamoo
Oru naalil mudiyum nadagamoo
The precious children born to a wealthy man,
The precious children born to a wealthy man,
Hearts that once floated in great wealth,
The precious children born to a wealthy man,
Hearts that once floated in great wealth,
Having lost their wings and forgotten their kin,
Swans that stand bewildered and helpless,
Oh, swans that stand bewildered and helpless!
The precious children born to a wealthy man...
He became a working ox toiling for the town,
His worn-out heart broke down into an empty shell,
He became a working ox toiling for the town,
His worn-out heart broke down into an empty shell,
With no name and no dignity left,
He took on the sad state of a beggar,
He took on the sad state of a beggar.
The precious children born to a wealthy man...
The precious diamond born into a mansion,
A graceful swan like a tender vine with red lips,
The precious diamond born into a mansion,
A graceful swan like a tender vine with red lips,
Robbed of her beauty, in the tears she wept,
Tear tracks ran down her flower-like cheeks,
Robbed of her beauty, in the tears she wept,
Tear tracks ran down her flower-like cheeks.
The grand hall that her father built,
She had always dreamed of seeing it for herself,
The grand hall that her father built,
She had always dreamed of seeing it for herself.
Her father had said the time would come,
The time has come, and she has arrived,
Her father had said the time would come,
The time has come, and she has arrived.
The precious children born to a wealthy man,
Hearts that once floated in great wealth...
He lost his good sense following his wife's words,
In that delusion, he forgot his own family,
He lost his good sense following his wife's words,
In that delusion, he forgot his own family.
Waking from the spell and remembering his loved ones,
He comes running to find the hall,
Waking from the spell and remembering his loved ones,
He comes running to find the hall.
The precious children born to a wealthy man,
Hearts that once floated in great wealth...
The father built it for the people of the town,
Today the rightful heirs have entered it for shelter,
The father built it for the people of the town,
Today the rightful heirs have entered it for shelter.
Whatever destiny will come to whom,
Who can ever know? Only God knows,
Whatever destiny will come to whom,
Who can ever know? Only God knows!
Yesterday's life was lived in a palace,
Today's life is spent in a shelter,
Yesterday's life was lived in a palace,
Today's life is spent in a shelter,
Where will tomorrow's life lead?
Where will tomorrow's life lead?
Is this life just a drama that ends in a single day?...
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Seeman Petra Selvangal reflects deeply on the impermanence of wealth, status, and fate (Selva Nilaiyaamai). The song tells the poignant story of children born into affluent nobility who once lived in absolute luxury, but due to misfortune, misguidance, and time's cruelty, find themselves destitute, weeping, and humbled.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Moonaai / Alliteration

Seemaan pettra selvangal

Repetition of the initial sound 'S' across the line creating rhythmic musicality.

Uruvagam / Metaphor

Siragai izhandhu uravai marandhu / Thigaithu nirkkum annangal

Compares the noble children reduced to poverty to wingless swans lost in confusion.

Uruvagam / Metaphor

Maaligai eendra manivairam

Metaphorically describes the wealthy daughter as a precious diamond born of a palace.

Muran / Antithesis (Contrast)

Naettraiya vaazhkkai maaligaiyil / Indraiya vaazhkkai mandabathil

Sharp poetic juxtaposition contrasting yesterday's luxurious life in a palace with today's miserable existence in a public rest house.

Did you know?

Trivia

Written by the legendary lyricist Kannadasan and set to tune by T. R. Pappa, this song stands out as one of T. M. Soundararajan's finest philosophical renditions. It dramatically articulates a core theme of classic Tamil cinema—the unpredictable wheel of fortune turning wealthy heirs into destitute wanderers who end up seeking refuge in a shelter built by their own late father.

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