O' Dazzling mother, vibrant and young,
Mother of that ancient Tamil tongue!
A fact or myth, our belief is clear
Your celestial inception we revere;
For did not lord murugan in form appear
Bequeathing you to sage agasthiyar??
Who endowed with an intellect sharp and swift,
Brought you fame and glory in sharing his gift!
God's treasure to language - a fact, no dream,
Cream of languages! O' Mother supreme!
Why, there is more to you than works literary,
There is tholkAppiyam, paNN and poetry!
Yes, a galaxy of poetic stars on the scene...
Have sung your glory in verse pristine;
For, centuries of poets have paid you tribute
Via many a treatise of scholarly repute!
Your dancing couplets we can proudly claim,
Anointed by vaLLuvar of thirukkuRaL fame!
A most celebrated translation on human ethics,
Fusing morality and romance - O' what a mix!
With such secular, everlasting concepts indeed,
How your form and content thus universally breed!
And, pray tell, what can match or par
The priceless pearls of avvaiyAr?
From the works of rAmAyaNam we all have seen
How for kamban an inspiration you have been!!
Your rich, resonant sounds right from the Sangam age
Have well been propagated by many scholar and sage!
Can we forget the priceless treasure of the mid century..?
When you were adorned in "thiruppugazh" by Arunagiri?
Due deference to the great "piLLai"* is but appropriate,
Our sthalapurANam scribe and poet laureate!
Ah, piLLai - that prolific poet prime,
A true tamil son - a 'kamban' of his time!
As the beacon of light by these warriors surge
Lo behold! The shadow of "Bharathi" emerge!
A tamil lover, nationalist and feminist true,
Your beauty in content he did spread and imbue!
In "puthukkavithai" form how you let him mould
As you evolved regally in sparkling gold!
Thus you did reflower and bloom in form unique,
Your "maRumalarchchi" nature - one can volumes speak!
Alas! but a simple sod, how can I extol?
Your myriad virtues of language and soul?
But my unabashed affection swells the ranks..
Of all tamil lovers with obeisance and thanks!
So as you bask in glory across the sands of time
Bless us O' tamil mother and goddess prime!
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