Sempattu Poove
From Purusha Lakshanam · 1993
- Lyricist
- Kalidasan
- Singers
- S. P. Balasubrahmanyam, K. S. Chitra
- Music director
- Deva
- Details
- Purusha Lakshanam1993
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Sempattu poovae venn mottu thaerae | Oh red-silk flower! Oh chariot of white buds! |
| Sri ranga kaaviriyae…. | Oh Kaveri river of Srirangam! |
| Pon mottu maanae poonthattu thaenae | Oh golden-bud deer! Oh honey on a flower platter! |
| Bhoomiyin devathaiyae…. | Oh goddess of the Earth! |
| Male | |
| Mannilae oru vennilaa | A silver moon upon this earth... |
| Kalai vannangal intha pennilaa | Are artistic colors living in this maiden? |
| Kulir megam unthan kannilaa | Is a cool cloud resting in your eyes? |
| Kuyil padum Geetham sollilaa | Is the cuckoo's song residing in your words? |
| Male | |
| Sempattu poovae venn mottu thaerae | Oh red-silk flower! Oh chariot of white buds! |
| Sri ranga kaaviriyae…. | Oh Kaveri river of Srirangam! |
| Pon mottu maanae poonthattu thaenae | Oh golden-bud deer! Oh honey on a flower platter! |
| Bhoomiyin devathaiyae…. | Oh goddess of the Earth! |
| Male | |
| Kaanji pattuduththi | Draped in fine Kanchipuram silk, |
| Nadanthidum gangaiyin oorvalamo | Is this the walking procession of the River Ganges? |
| Kaala brammanavan vazhangiya pennina seedhanamo | Is she the dowry given by Brahma, the creator of time? |
| Mannilae antha devan sabai vanthu koodum | The divine assembly of gods will gather on this earth, |
| Pala vaazhththu solli unnai paadum | Shower blessings and sing your praise! |
| Punnagaithaan ponnagaiyo kannigai vaa vaa vaa | Is your smile a golden ornament? Come, maiden, come, come, come! |
| Male | |
| Sempattu poovae venn mottu thaerae | Oh red-silk flower! Oh chariot of white buds! |
| Sri ranga kaaviriyae…. | Oh Kaveri river of Srirangam! |
| Pon mottu maanae poonthattu thaenae | Oh golden-bud deer! Oh honey on a flower platter! |
| Bhoomiyin devathaiyae…. | Oh goddess of the Earth! |
| Female | |
| Poovin nenjukkullae | Deep inside the heart of the flower, |
| Pudhuvitha bodhao thulliyathae…ae… | A new kind of intoxication leaped forth... |
| Kaadhal pulliyilae padiththida | To read at the focal point of love, |
| Aasai solliyathae….ae…. | Desire has expressed itself... |
| Female | |
| Ennavo idhu endrum illaatha mayakkam | What is this? An unprecedented trance never felt before, |
| Imai endum ottaamal urakkam | A sleeplessness where eyelids do not close, |
| En vizhiyil un mugamthaan | In my eyes, your face alone |
| Vendrathu vaa vaa vaa | Has triumphed! Come, come, come! |
| Female | |
| Sempattu poovae venn mottu thaerae | The red-silk flower and white-bud chariot, |
| Sri ranganatharukkae…hoi | Belongs to Lord Ranganatha... hoi! |
| Pon mottu maanum poonthattu thaenum | The golden-bud deer and flower-platter honey, |
| Ennuyir raamanukkae…hoi | Belongs to my soul's Rama... hoi! |
| Female | |
| Mannilae vantha vennilaa | The silver moon that descended onto earth, |
| Intha kannanaik konjum penn nilaa | Is the woman-moon fondling this Krishna! |
| Kulir megam unthan kannilaa | Is a cool cloud resting in your eyes? |
| Kuyil geetham kadhal sollilaa | Is the cuckoo's song expressing love in your words? |
| Male | |
| Aa….aa….aa…..Sempattu poovae | Ah... ah... ah... Red-silk flower! |
| Venn mottu thaerae | Chariot of white buds! |
| Sri ranga kaaviriyae…. | Oh Kaveri river of Srirangam! |
| Pon mottu maanae poonthattu thaenae | Oh golden-bud deer! Oh honey on a flower platter! |
| Bhoomiyin devathaiyae…. | Oh goddess of the Earth! |
செம்பட்டுப் பூவே வெண் மொட்டுத் தேரே
ஸ்ரீரங்கக் காவிரியே....
பொன் மொட்டு மானே பூந்தட்டுத் தேனே
பூமியின் தேவதையே....
Oh red-silk flower! Oh chariot of white buds!
Oh Kaveri river of Srirangam!
Oh golden-bud deer! Oh honey on a flower platter!
Oh goddess of the Earth!
மண்ணிலே ஒரு வெண்ணிலா
கலை வண்ணங்கள் இந்த பெண்ணிலா
குளிர் மேகம் உந்தன் கண்ணிலா
குயில் பாடும் கீதம் சொல்லிலா
A silver moon upon this earth...
Are artistic colors living in this maiden?
Is a cool cloud resting in your eyes?
Is the cuckoo's song residing in your words?
செம்பட்டுப் பூவே வெண் மொட்டுத் தேரே
ஸ்ரீரங்கக் காவிரியே....
பொன் மொட்டு மானே பூந்தட்டுத் தேனே
பூமியின் தேவதையே....
Oh red-silk flower! Oh chariot of white buds!
Oh Kaveri river of Srirangam!
Oh golden-bud deer! Oh honey on a flower platter!
Oh goddess of the Earth!
காஞ்சி பட்டுடுத்தி
நடந்திடும் கங்கையின் ஊர்வலமோ
கால பிரம்மனவன் வழங்கிய பெண்ணினச் சீதனமோ
மண்ணிலே அந்த தேவன் சபை வந்து கூடும்
பல வாழ்த்துச் சொல்லி உன்னை பாடும்
புன்னகைதான் பொன்னகையோ கன்னிகை வா வா வா
Draped in fine Kanchipuram silk,
Is this the walking procession of the River Ganges?
Is she the dowry given by Brahma, the creator of time?
The divine assembly of gods will gather on this earth,
Shower blessings and sing your praise!
Is your smile a golden ornament? Come, maiden, come, come, come!
செம்பட்டுப் பூவே வெண் மொட்டுத் தேரே
ஸ்ரீரங்கக் காவிரியே....
பொன் மொட்டு மானே பூந்தட்டுத் தேனே
பூமியின் தேவதையே....
Oh red-silk flower! Oh chariot of white buds!
Oh Kaveri river of Srirangam!
Oh golden-bud deer! Oh honey on a flower platter!
Oh goddess of the Earth!
பூவின் நெஞ்சுக்குள்ளே
புதுவித போதை துள்ளியதே...ஏ.....
காதல் பள்ளியிலே படித்திட
ஆசை சொல்லியதே....ஏ.....
Deep inside the heart of the flower,
A new kind of intoxication leaped forth...
To read at the focal point of love,
Desire has expressed itself...
என்னவோ இது என்றும் இல்லாத மயக்கம்
இமை ரெண்டும் ஒட்டாமல் உறக்கம்
என் விழியில் உன் முகம்தான்
வென்றது வா வா வா
What is this? An unprecedented trance never felt before,
A sleeplessness where eyelids do not close,
In my eyes, your face alone
Has triumphed! Come, come, come!
செம்பட்டுப் பூவும் வெண் மொட்டுத் தேரும்
ஸ்ரீரங்கனாதருக்கே...ஹோய்
பொன் மொட்டு மானும் பூந்தட்டுத் தேனும்
என்னுயிர் ராமனுக்கே...ஹோய்
The red-silk flower and white-bud chariot,
Belongs to Lord Ranganatha... hoi!
The golden-bud deer and flower-platter honey,
Belongs to my soul's Rama... hoi!
மண்ணிலே வந்த வெண்ணிலா
இந்த கண்ணனைக் கொஞ்சும் பெண் நிலா
குளிர் மேகம் உந்தன் கண்ணிலா
குயில் கீதம் காதல் சொல்லிலா
The silver moon that descended onto earth,
Is the woman-moon fondling this Krishna!
Is a cool cloud resting in your eyes?
Is the cuckoo's song expressing love in your words?
ஆ.....ஆ......ஆ...செம்பட்டுப்பூவே
வெண் மொட்டுத் தேரே ஸ்ரீரங்கக் காவிரியே
பொன் மொட்டு மானே பூந்தட்டுத் தேனே
பூமியின் தேவதையே....
Ah... ah... ah... Red-silk flower!
Chariot of white buds!
Oh Kaveri river of Srirangam!
Oh golden-bud deer! Oh honey on a flower platter!
Oh goddess of the Earth!
Sempattu poovae venn mottu thaerae
Oh red-silk flower! Oh chariot of white buds!
Sri ranga kaaviriyae….
Oh Kaveri river of Srirangam!
Pon mottu maanae poonthattu thaenae
Oh golden-bud deer! Oh honey on a flower platter!
Bhoomiyin devathaiyae….
Oh goddess of the Earth!
Mannilae oru vennilaa
A silver moon upon this earth...
Kalai vannangal intha pennilaa
Are artistic colors living in this maiden?
Kulir megam unthan kannilaa
Is a cool cloud resting in your eyes?
Kuyil padum Geetham sollilaa
Is the cuckoo's song residing in your words?
Sempattu poovae venn mottu thaerae
Oh red-silk flower! Oh chariot of white buds!
Sri ranga kaaviriyae….
Oh Kaveri river of Srirangam!
Pon mottu maanae poonthattu thaenae
Oh golden-bud deer! Oh honey on a flower platter!
Bhoomiyin devathaiyae….
Oh goddess of the Earth!
Kaanji pattuduththi
Draped in fine Kanchipuram silk,
Nadanthidum gangaiyin oorvalamo
Is this the walking procession of the River Ganges?
Kaala brammanavan vazhangiya pennina seedhanamo
Is she the dowry given by Brahma, the creator of time?
Mannilae antha devan sabai vanthu koodum
The divine assembly of gods will gather on this earth,
Pala vaazhththu solli unnai paadum
Shower blessings and sing your praise!
Punnagaithaan ponnagaiyo kannigai vaa vaa vaa
Is your smile a golden ornament? Come, maiden, come, come, come!
Sempattu poovae venn mottu thaerae
Oh red-silk flower! Oh chariot of white buds!
Sri ranga kaaviriyae….
Oh Kaveri river of Srirangam!
Pon mottu maanae poonthattu thaenae
Oh golden-bud deer! Oh honey on a flower platter!
Bhoomiyin devathaiyae….
Oh goddess of the Earth!
Poovin nenjukkullae
Deep inside the heart of the flower,
Pudhuvitha bodhao thulliyathae…ae…
A new kind of intoxication leaped forth...
Kaadhal pulliyilae padiththida
To read at the focal point of love,
Aasai solliyathae….ae….
Desire has expressed itself...
Ennavo idhu endrum illaatha mayakkam
What is this? An unprecedented trance never felt before,
Imai endum ottaamal urakkam
A sleeplessness where eyelids do not close,
En vizhiyil un mugamthaan
In my eyes, your face alone
Vendrathu vaa vaa vaa
Has triumphed! Come, come, come!
Sempattu poovae venn mottu thaerae
The red-silk flower and white-bud chariot,
Sri ranganatharukkae…hoi
Belongs to Lord Ranganatha... hoi!
Pon mottu maanum poonthattu thaenum
The golden-bud deer and flower-platter honey,
Ennuyir raamanukkae…hoi
Belongs to my soul's Rama... hoi!
Mannilae vantha vennilaa
The silver moon that descended onto earth,
Intha kannanaik konjum penn nilaa
Is the woman-moon fondling this Krishna!
Kulir megam unthan kannilaa
Is a cool cloud resting in your eyes?
Kuyil geetham kadhal sollilaa
Is the cuckoo's song expressing love in your words?
Aa….aa….aa…..Sempattu poovae
Ah... ah... ah... Red-silk flower!
Venn mottu thaerae
Chariot of white buds!
Sri ranga kaaviriyae….
Oh Kaveri river of Srirangam!
Pon mottu maanae poonthattu thaenae
Oh golden-bud deer! Oh honey on a flower platter!
Bhoomiyin devathaiyae….
Oh goddess of the Earth!
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
Sempattu Poove is a classic romantic duet from the 1993 Tamil film Purusha Lakshanam, composed by Deva with lyrics written by Kalidasan. The song captures the poetic exchange between two lovers who adore each other using sacred, romantic, and celestial imagery, likening the maiden to the holy Kaveri river, divine silk, and goddesses.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Metaphor (Uruvagam)
“Sri ranga kaaviriyae….”
Directly equating the heroine to divine and natural elements like 'Sri ranga kaaviriyae' (Kaveri river of Srirangam) and 'Bhoomiyin devathaiyae' (goddess of Earth).
Anaphora / Rhyme (Iyaibu & Etukai)
“Kulir megam unthan kannilaa”
The repeating rhyming endings (-ae, -ilaa) across consecutive lines create rhythmic harmony throughout the song.
Hyperbole (Uyarnavu Navirtchi)
“Nadanthidum gangaiyin oorvalamo”
Describing a maiden walking in Kanchipuram silk as if the holy River Ganges itself were walking in a procession.
Did you know?
Trivia
The film Purusha Lakshanam (1993) stars Jayaram and Meena. Composed by Deva with lyrics by Kalidasan, this melody sung by S. P. Balasubrahmanyam and K. S. Chithra became one of the film's most memorable musical highlights.
Keep listening
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