Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Unthan Kaaviya Medaiyile

From Murai Ponnu · 1980

Lyricist
Kannadasan
Singers
Vani Jairam, P. Jayachandran
Music director
M. S. Vishwanathan
Movie name
Murai Ponnu
Movie release year
1980
Lyrics added on
2 Dec 2023

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Unthan kaaviya medaiyilae
Naan kavithaigal ezhuthugiraen
Unthan kaaviya medaiyilae
Naan kavithaigal ezhuthugiraen
Antha kamanin poojaiyilae
Naan moganam paadugiraen
Unthan kaaviya medaiyilae
Naan kavithaigal ezhuthugiraen
Paalmozhi pani mozhiyaalae
Dhinam pesidum paingili polae
Oru naalvagai therinil yaeri
Naan naadi vanthaen unnai thaedi
Iruvel vizhi meen vizhiyaalae
Nee yaeviya poonganai kodi
Iruvel vizhi meen vizhiyaalae
Nee yaeviya poonganai kodi
Oru maanikkam poongodi thedi
Naam mayangiduvom vilaiyaadi
Unthan kaaviya medaiyilae
Naan kavithaigal ezhuthugiraen
Antha kamanin poojaiyilae
Naan moganam paadugiraen
Unthan kaaviya medaiyilae
Naan kavithaigal ezhuthugiraen
Aarena odidum vellam
Adhil aayiram pesidum ullam
Aarena odidum vellam
Adhil aayiram pesidum ullam
Kuyil oorvalam pogindra neram
Idhazh oramellaam tamil saaram
En thaaimozhi enbathu naanam
Nee thanthathuthaan pudhu gaanam
En thaaimozhi enbathu naanam
Nee thanthathuthaan pudhu gaanam
Thiru vaaimozhi yaen innum venum
Un vaalipa paarvaigal pothum
Unthan kaaviya medaiyilae
Naan kavithaigal ezhuthugiraen
Antha kamanin poojaiyilae
Naan moganam paadugiraen
Maangani saarodu thaenum
Tharum manthiram unnidam thondrum
Yaengiya kaalangal poga
Naam inainthiruppom sugamaaga
Kalaimaanidam vaangiya saayal
Adhil kaanbathu maragatha vaasal
En kaanikkaiyaai vantha maadhu
Enai kalanthirunthaal inai yaedhu
Unthan kaaviya medaiyilae
Naan kavithaigal ezhuthugiraen
Male :Antha kamanin poojaiyilae
Naan moganam paadugiraen
Upon the stage of your grand poem,
I am writing verses.
Upon the stage of your grand poem,
I am writing verses.
In the worship of Kama (the god of love),
I sing a melody of desire.
Upon the stage of your grand poem,
I am writing verses.
With words sweet as milk and cool as morning dew,
like a green parrot speaking every day,
riding upon a grand chariot,
I came searching for you.
With eyes sharp as spears and swift as fish,
you aimed countless flower-arrows at me.
With eyes sharp as spears and swift as fish,
you aimed countless flower-arrows at me.
Like a precious ruby meeting a flowering vine,
let us lose ourselves in playful romance.
Upon the stage of your grand poem,
I am writing verses.
In the worship of Kama (the god of love),
I sing a melody of desire.
Upon the stage of your grand poem,
I am writing verses.
Like a flood rushing down a river,
a thousand feelings stir within my heart.
Like a flood rushing down a river,
a thousand feelings stir within my heart.
At the hour when the cuckoos go flying in chorus,
the sweetness of Tamil touches the edge of your lips.
Modesty has always been my mother tongue,
yet you have given me a brand-new song.
Modesty has always been my mother tongue,
yet you have given me a brand-new song.
Why do we still need spoken words?
Your youthful glances are more than enough.
Upon the stage of your grand poem,
I am writing verses.
In the worship of Kama (the god of love),
I sing a melody of desire.
Like ripe mango nectar blended with honey,
a magical charm radiates from you.
Now that the days of longing have passed,
let us be united in joyful bliss.
With a gentle grace borrowed from a deer,
revealing an emerald gateway of beauty,
this woman who came as a blessed gift to me—
once she joins with me, what could ever match our joy?
Upon the stage of your grand poem,
I am writing verses.
In the worship of Kama (the god of love),
I sing a melody of desire.
Male
Male
Male
Female
Male
Female
Male
Male
Female
Female
Female
Female
Female

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Unthan Kaaviya Medaiyilae is a romantic duet expressing deep poetic admiration and love between two soulmates. The song uses rich literary metaphors, comparing the lover's presence to an artistic stage where poetry is written and sweet melodies like Raga Mohanam are sung in devotion to Manmatha (the god of love). The lovers describe their emotional union as a flowing river of thoughts, where nature, Tamil literature, and delicate emotions like shyness blend seamlessly into romantic intimacy.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Metaphor (Uvagam)

En thaaimozhi enbathu naanam

Compares shyness directly to one's mother tongue ('En thaaimozhi enbathu naanam'), highlighting modesty as an intrinsic expression of love.

Second-Letter Rhyme (Ethirukai)

Aarena odidum vellam / Adhil aayiram pesidum ullam

The second letters of consecutive lines rhyme ('vellam' and 'ullam'), creating a rhythmic musicality characteristic of Tamil poetry.

Simile (Uvamai)

Dhinam pesidum paingili polae

Compares the beloved's speech to the sweet calling of a parrot and her eyes to fish and spears.

Did you know?

Trivia

The lyric explicitly references 'Moganam paadugiraen' (I sing Mohanam), and true to the lyrics, composer M. S. Viswanathan composed this song in the classical Carnatic raga Mohanam, beautifully blending classical tradition with cinematic romanticism.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

Spot an issue?

Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.