Veenai Pesum
From Vazhvu En Pakkam · 1975
- Lyricist
- Kannadasan
- Singer
- K. J. Yesudas
- Music director
- M. S. Vishwanathan
- Details
- Vazhvu En Pakkam1975
Lyrics & meaning
| ♫ Tanglish lyrics | ↻ English translation |
|---|---|
| Male | |
| Veenai pesum athai meettum | The Veena speaks upon seeing |
| Viralgalai kandu | the fingers that strum it, |
| Thendral pesum adhu mothum | The breeze speaks as it strikes, |
| Malargalil nindru… | standing among the flowers... |
| Male | |
| Veenai pesum athai meettum | The Veena speaks upon seeing |
| Viralgalai kandu | the fingers that strum it, |
| Thendral pesum adhu mothum | The breeze speaks as it strikes, |
| Malargalil nindru… | standing among the flowers... |
| Male | |
| Naanam oru vagai kalaiyin sugam | Shyness is a kind of pleasure in art, |
| Mounam oruvagai mozhiyin patham | Silence is a state of language. |
| Naanam oru vagai kalaiyin sugam | Shyness is a kind of pleasure in art, |
| Mounam oruvagai mozhiyin patham | Silence is a state of language. |
| Male | |
| Deepam eppothu pesum kannae | When does a lamp speak, my dear? |
| Thondrum deivaththin munnae | When it stands before the deity. |
| Deepam eppothu pesum kannae | When does a lamp speak, my dear? |
| Thondrum deivaththin munnae | When it stands before the deity. |
| Male | |
| Deivam sollaatha vaarththaigal ellaam | All the words that God left unsaid, |
| Deepam sollaatho kannae | Won't the lamp speak them, my dear? |
| Deivam sollaatha vaarththaigal ellaam | All the words that God left unsaid, |
| Deepam sollaatho kannae | Won't the lamp speak them, my dear? |
| Male | |
| Veenai pesum athai meettum | The Veena speaks upon seeing |
| Viralgalai kandu | the fingers that strum it, |
| Thendral pesum adhu mothum | The breeze speaks as it strikes, |
| Malargalil nindru… | standing among the flowers... |
| Male | |
| Kadhal tharuvathu radhiyin kathai | What love gives is the tale of Rathi, |
| Kannil varuvathu kavithai kalai | What reflects in the eyes is the art of poetry. |
| Kadhal tharuvathu radhiyin kathai | What love gives is the tale of Rathi, |
| Kannil varuvathu kavithai kalai | What reflects in the eyes is the art of poetry. |
| Male | |
| Vaarththai illaatha sarasam kannae | It is a wordless romance, my dear, |
| Vaazhvil ondraana pinnae | Once we become one in life. |
| Vaarththai illaatha sarasam kannae | It is a wordless romance, my dear, |
| Vaazhvil ondraana pinnae | Once we become one in life. |
| Male | |
| Thaaimai kondaadu pillaiyum naanae | I am also the child celebrating your motherhood, |
| Nenjil thaalaattu kannae | Sing a lullaby in your heart, my dear. |
| Thaaimai kondaadu pillaiyum naanae | I am also the child celebrating your motherhood, |
| Nenjil thaalaattu kannae | Sing a lullaby in your heart, my dear. |
| Female | |
| Mmm mhheem mm mmmheem | Mmm mhheem mm mmmheem |
| Male | |
| …………………. | (Humming continues...) |
வீணை பேசும் அதை மீட்டும்
விரல்களைக் கண்டு
தென்றல் பேசும் அது மோதும்
மலர்களில் நின்று.....
The Veena speaks upon seeing
the fingers that strum it,
The breeze speaks as it strikes,
standing among the flowers...
வீணை பேசும் அதை மீட்டும்
விரல்களைக் கண்டு
தென்றல் பேசும் அது மோதும்
மலர்களில் நின்று.....
The Veena speaks upon seeing
the fingers that strum it,
The breeze speaks as it strikes,
standing among the flowers...
நாணம் ஒரு வகை கலையின் சுகம்
மௌனம் ஒருவகை மொழியின் பதம்
நாணம் ஒரு வகை கலையின் சுகம்
மௌனம் ஒருவகை மொழியின் பதம்
Shyness is a kind of pleasure in art,
Silence is a state of language.
Shyness is a kind of pleasure in art,
Silence is a state of language.
தீபம் எப்போது பேசும் கண்ணே
தோன்றும் தெய்வத்தின் முன்னே
தீபம் எப்போது பேசும் கண்ணே
தோன்றும் தெய்வத்தின் முன்னே
When does a lamp speak, my dear?
When it stands before the deity.
When does a lamp speak, my dear?
When it stands before the deity.
தெய்வம் சொல்லாத வார்த்தைகள் எல்லாம்
தீபம் சொல்லாதோ கண்ணே
தெய்வம் சொல்லாத வார்த்தைகள் எல்லாம்
தீபம் சொல்லாதோ கண்ணே
All the words that God left unsaid,
Won't the lamp speak them, my dear?
All the words that God left unsaid,
Won't the lamp speak them, my dear?
வீணை பேசும் அதை மீட்டும்
விரல்களைக் கண்டு
தென்றல் பேசும் அது மோதும்
மலர்களில் நின்று.....
The Veena speaks upon seeing
the fingers that strum it,
The breeze speaks as it strikes,
standing among the flowers...
காதல் தருவது ரதியின் கதை
கண்ணில் வருவது கவிதை கலை
காதல் தருவது ரதியின் கதை
கண்ணில் வருவது கவிதை கலை
What love gives is the tale of Rathi,
What reflects in the eyes is the art of poetry.
What love gives is the tale of Rathi,
What reflects in the eyes is the art of poetry.
வார்த்தை இல்லாத சரசம் கண்ணே
வாழ்வில் ஒன்றான பின்னே
வார்த்தை இல்லாத சரசம் கண்ணே
வாழ்வில் ஒன்றான பின்னே
It is a wordless romance, my dear,
Once we become one in life.
It is a wordless romance, my dear,
Once we become one in life.
தாய்மை கொண்டாடு பிள்ளையும் நானே
நெஞ்சில் தாலாட்டு கண்ணே..
தாய்மை கொண்டாடு பிள்ளையும் நானே
நெஞ்சில் தாலாட்டு கண்ணே..
I am also the child celebrating your motherhood,
Sing a lullaby in your heart, my dear.
I am also the child celebrating your motherhood,
Sing a lullaby in your heart, my dear.
ம்ம்ம் ம்ஹ்ஹீம் ம்ம் ம்ம்ஹீம்ம்
Mmm mhheem mm mmmheem
...............................
(Humming continues...)
Veenai pesum athai meettum
The Veena speaks upon seeing
Viralgalai kandu
the fingers that strum it,
Thendral pesum adhu mothum
The breeze speaks as it strikes,
Malargalil nindru…
standing among the flowers...
Veenai pesum athai meettum
The Veena speaks upon seeing
Viralgalai kandu
the fingers that strum it,
Thendral pesum adhu mothum
The breeze speaks as it strikes,
Malargalil nindru…
standing among the flowers...
Naanam oru vagai kalaiyin sugam
Shyness is a kind of pleasure in art,
Mounam oruvagai mozhiyin patham
Silence is a state of language.
Naanam oru vagai kalaiyin sugam
Shyness is a kind of pleasure in art,
Mounam oruvagai mozhiyin patham
Silence is a state of language.
Deepam eppothu pesum kannae
When does a lamp speak, my dear?
Thondrum deivaththin munnae
When it stands before the deity.
Deepam eppothu pesum kannae
When does a lamp speak, my dear?
Thondrum deivaththin munnae
When it stands before the deity.
Deivam sollaatha vaarththaigal ellaam
All the words that God left unsaid,
Deepam sollaatho kannae
Won't the lamp speak them, my dear?
Deivam sollaatha vaarththaigal ellaam
All the words that God left unsaid,
Deepam sollaatho kannae
Won't the lamp speak them, my dear?
Veenai pesum athai meettum
The Veena speaks upon seeing
Viralgalai kandu
the fingers that strum it,
Thendral pesum adhu mothum
The breeze speaks as it strikes,
Malargalil nindru…
standing among the flowers...
Kadhal tharuvathu radhiyin kathai
What love gives is the tale of Rathi,
Kannil varuvathu kavithai kalai
What reflects in the eyes is the art of poetry.
Kadhal tharuvathu radhiyin kathai
What love gives is the tale of Rathi,
Kannil varuvathu kavithai kalai
What reflects in the eyes is the art of poetry.
Vaarththai illaatha sarasam kannae
It is a wordless romance, my dear,
Vaazhvil ondraana pinnae
Once we become one in life.
Vaarththai illaatha sarasam kannae
It is a wordless romance, my dear,
Vaazhvil ondraana pinnae
Once we become one in life.
Thaaimai kondaadu pillaiyum naanae
I am also the child celebrating your motherhood,
Nenjil thaalaattu kannae
Sing a lullaby in your heart, my dear.
Thaaimai kondaadu pillaiyum naanae
I am also the child celebrating your motherhood,
Nenjil thaalaattu kannae
Sing a lullaby in your heart, my dear.
Mmm mhheem mm mmmheem
Mmm mhheem mm mmmheem
………………….
(Humming continues...)
Beyond the translation
Song interpretation
In this classic romantic song 'Veenai Pesum' from Vazhvu En Pakkam (1975), Kannadasan beautifully articulates how profound emotions transcend spoken words. Just as a veena expresses music when touched by skilled fingers or a gentle breeze speaks when rustling through blossoms, intimate romantic feelings communicate through non-verbal gazes, silence, and subtle gestures.
Writing craft
Poetic devices
Personification (Uruvagam / Uyirthinai Aakkal)
“Veenai pesum athai meettum”
Inanimate and natural entities like the Veena, breeze, and temple lamp are given human qualities of speech ('Veenai pesum', 'Thendral pesum', 'Deepam pesum').
Metaphor (Uruvam)
“Mounam oruvagai mozhiyin patham”
Equating silence to a specific form/state of language ('Mounam oruvagai mozhiyin patham') and shyness to artistic joy.
Monaai (Initial Rhyme/Alliteration)
“Kadhal tharuvathu radhiyin kathai”
Repetition of initial consonant sounds across paired lines ('Kadhal' and 'Kannil', 'Vaarththai' and 'Vaazhvil').
Did you know?
Trivia
Composed by M. S. Viswanathan and rendered by K. J. Yesudas, this song is celebrated for its soothing classical instrumentation featuring the Veena, matching the lyric's central motif of musical resonance.
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