Old Tamil Poetry

Puranaanooru – 106

Even if a bunch of crown flowers,
neither considered suitable nor otherwise,
are offered, God doesn’t refuse; similarly,
even if the base and naive beseech him,
Pari still obliges with his generosity.

நல்லவுந் தீயவு மல்ல குவியிணர்ப்
புல்லிலை யெருக்க மாயினு முடையவை
கடவுள் பேணே மென்னா வாங்கு
மடவர் மெல்லியர் செல்லினும்
கடவன் பாரி கைவண் மையே.

God accepts everything that a devotee offers him. Some flowers are considered suitable as offering to the Gods, some are considered unsuitable.The odorless Crown flower (எருக்கம் பூ) is neither of these. But even if that is offered, God doesn’t say no. Similarly even if the supplicants are base and naive, still Pari is benevolent to them, because he considers it his duty to be so.

புல்லிலை எருக்கம் – Crown flower with faded leaves. I had to skip the faded leaves part  of it in the translation for better readability.

நல்லவுந்தீயவும் அல்ல – neither good nor bad.

Pic: twitter.com/veludharan