Skip to content
Isaimozhi
Ponniyin Selvan – Part 2 album cover
Lyrics & meaning

Veera Raja Veera

From Ponniyin Selvan – Part 2 · 2023

Lyricist
Ilango Krishnan
Singers
Shankar Mahadevan, K. S. Chithra, Harini
Music director
A. R. Rahman
Movie name
Ponniyin Selvan – Part 2
Movie release year
2023
Lyrics added on
23 Feb 2023

Lyrics & meaning

♫ Tanglish lyrics
↻ English translation
Veera raja veera
Soora dheera soora
Veezhaa sozha veera
Seeraar gnyaalam vaazha
Vaaraai vaagai sooda
Thoduvor pagaipporai
Nadugal serkkum veera
Maaraa kaadhal maara
Poovor yengum dheera
Paavor potrum veera
Udaivaal arai thaanga
Paruthol puvi thaanga
Valavaa emai aala
Varuvaai kalam yera
Aayiram vezham pola
Porkkalam serum chozha
Vendhaa raja raja
Vaaraai vaagai sooda
Veera raja veera
Soora dheera soora
Veera raja veera
Soora dheera soora…
Haa..aaa…
Ha..aaa…aaa….aa…
Viraliyar gaanam paada
Kanigaiyar nadanam aada
Paavaiyar kulavi poda
Parithear sagadamaada
Alaimel kadhirai pola
Vilangidum aruma deva
Padaiyani peruami saatra
Pulavargal thamizhum theera
Kadal mel puyalaipola
Kalangal viraindhu paaya
Vannalai seeraatta
Thenpulam yegum veera
Veera raja veera
Soora dheera soora
Haa…aaa….
Veera raja veera
Soora dheera soora
Veezhaa sozha veera
Seeraar gnyaalam vaazha
Vaaraai vaagai sooda
O warrior, O king, O warrior!
O brave one, fearless hero, brave one!
O Chola warrior who never falls!
So this glorious world may thrive,
Come to wear the garland of victory!
Those who wage war against you,
O warrior who turns them into hero-stones (memorial stones)!
With unchanging, steadfast love,
Boundless across all the earth,
O warrior praised by poets!
With your sword resting at your waist,
With your broad shoulders carrying the earth,
O Chola king, to rule over us,
Come and step onto the battlefield!
Like a thousand mighty elephants,
Marching into the warzone, O Chola,
O emperor, King of Kings!
Come to wear the garland of victory!
O warrior, O king, O warrior!
O brave one, fearless hero, brave one!
O warrior, O king, O warrior!
O brave one, fearless hero, brave one...
Ha... aah...
Ha... aah... aah... ah...
As songstresses sing their melodies,
As dancers sway in rhythm,
As women raise joyful trills,
As horse-drawn chariots roll onward,
Like the sun shining over the waves,
O precious, radiant divine king,
To proclaim the glory of your army,
The poets' Tamil verses never end,
Like a storm over the sea,
As warships surge swiftly ahead,
To celebrate their great lord,
O warrior heading to the southern lands!
O warrior, O king, O warrior!
O brave one, fearless hero, brave one!
Ha... aah...
O warrior, O king, O warrior!
O brave one, fearless hero, brave one!
O Chola warrior who never falls!
So this glorious world may thrive,
Come to wear the garland of victory!
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Male
Female
Female
Female
Male
Male
Male

Beyond the translation

Overall song meaning

Veera Raja Veera is a royal panegyric sung in praise of Prince Arulmozhi Varman (later Raja Raja Chola I). The lyrics celebrate his dual nature as a fierce, invincible warrior on the battlefield and an irresistible, benevolent ruler cherished by his people. It calls upon the prince to conquer enemies, wear the victorious Vaagai garland, and rule over the thriving Chola empire. The song paints a vivid picture of ancient Chola royalty with traditional court celebrations featuring singing female bards (Viraliyar), dancing maidens, roaring chariots, and ocean-bound fleets rushing like storms across the seas. His presence is poetically likened to the sun glowing upon ocean waves and the force of a thousand elephants.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Uvamai (Simile)

“Aayiram vezham pola”

Comparing the entrance of the Chola king to the force of a thousand elephants using the explicit comparative word 'pola'.

Iyaibu (End Rhyme)

“Viraliyar gaanam paada / Kanigaiyar nadanam aada / Paavaiyar kulavi poda”

Rhyming line-ending verbs ('paada', 'aada', 'poda', 'sagadamaada') to create a rhythmic, dance-like cadence.

Metaphor & Imagery

“Maaraa kaadhal maara”

Comparing the hero's beauty and loving nature directly to 'Maaran' (Kama, the Hindu god of love).

Uvamai (Simile)

“Alaimel kadhirai pola”

Comparing the prince's radiance to the morning sun reflecting over cresting ocean waves.

Did you know?

Trivia

The lyricist Ilango Krishnan utilized archaic Sangam Tamil vocabulary such as 'Viraliyar' (female bards), 'Kanigaiyar' (courtesans/dancers), and 'Nadugal' (hero-stones raised for fallen warriors). Musically, A. R. Rahman drew upon traditional Carnatic classical structures, basing the melody on Raag Khamas/Kedaragowla to evoke an authentic 10th-century royal court atmosphere.

Keep listening

Songs with a similar feeling

PS Anthem2023
Ponniyin Selvan – Part 2BraveryPatriotism
Sollividu Sollividu2014
Kaaviya ThalaivanGriefBravery
Nee Thottale2026
DhurandharBraveryPatriotism
Killer Killer2023
Captain MillerBraveryGrief
Pillaiyar Appane1973
Malligai PooDevotionBravery
Irul Konda Vaanil2015
Baahubali : The BeginningBraveryDevotion

From the same album

More songs from Ponniyin Selvan – Part 2

View album
Ilaiyor Soodaar2023
Ponniyin Selvan – Part 2
Aazhi Mazhai Kanna2023
Ponniyin Selvan – Part 2Devotional
Chinnanjiru Nilave2023
Ponniyin Selvan – Part 2Mournful
PS Anthem2023
Ponniyin Selvan – Part 2Triumphant
Shivoham2023
Ponniyin Selvan – Part 2
Aga Naga Song Lyrics – Ponniyin Selvan – Part 22023
Ponniyin Selvan – Part 2Romantic

Spot an issue?

Help us improve the lyrics or English translation.