Birthday greetings

Birthday greeting

Birthday Greeting

to

Teacher Megala Varunan

I searched for words

to send you greetings.

“Live long, live long,

live for thousands of years” —

the words ran up

and sat on my head.

Is there nothing else instead?

I rolled my mind

as much as I could.

“Live with prosperity,”

the oft-heard voice

echoed within everyone’s hearts.

In my rich mother tongue, Tamil,

can there be a scarcity of words

for blessings?

It should never be.

But in my barren mind,

only famine grew,

and words became meager.

Would there be no words that shine?

As my heart pleaded a little,

my eyes refused to close.

When I knocked my head,

a spark of light flashed:

“Turn to Purananuru,” it said.

One after another,

tenfold, the verses lined up.

“May you live like the sun —

bright and eternal,”

said one, blessing you.

“Like the white moon

shining among the stars,

may your fame glow,”

another adorned with words,

hanging garlands of greeting.

“Like countless raindrops,

may your years be endless,”

suggested another,

rescuing me from despair.

And a poet, after giving

such precious blessings,

smiled like the blue-throated Lord,

saying, “Forgive me, Great One!”

When I turned at that voice,

there stood Avvaiyar herself,

with her lips parted

in a gentle smile.

Gathering all these blessings together,

I too now joyfully greet you:

A very Happy Birthday!