Tagore, the greatest son of Mother Earth ..

I am immersed in the exquisite songs of Tagore, the greatest philosopher, naturalist and creative genius of the last century. The more I listen the more I am drawn deeper into this vast ocean of songs. No son of Mother Earth has ever loved her as Tagore did! He has sung countless songs of her days, nights, her seasons and all her playful moods. Listening to his songs makes me love this world as much as he did!

Thus at last my day has ended and now in the evening, 
I sing my last song to say that I have loved thy world.
In my songs I have voiced thy spring flowers, 
and given rhythm to thy rustling leaves.
I have sung into the hush of thy night and peace of thy morning
The thrill of the first summer rains has passed into my tunes, 
and the waving of the autumn harvest
Let not my song cease ..

Tagore's: Nabo Anande Jago Aaji

Tagore

Another timeless song on the arrival of a brand new day!

Nabo aanonde jaago aaji nabarabikirane

Shubhra sundaro preeti ujyalo nirmalo neebane.  

Utsarito naba jeebannijhar uchhasito aashageeti,

Amritapushpagandha bahe aaji ei shantipabane.

Meaning

Let this day break with joy afresh, riding the rays of the sun.

To a life that is beautiful, bright and pure with love.

Let the fountain of life erupt and breathe songs of hope

Today, the fragrance of nectar laden flowers floats in the serene breeze  

 

Tagore's Tumi Rabe Nirabe

Tagore

Can a mother relish the tastiest food without saving some for her children?  When I enjoy something so much, be it a poem that touched my heart or a sight that thrilled me or an insight that sets a train of thoughts in me, I write on my blog as a way to share my joy ...especially with my children ..who may otherwise never understand the depth in some of the beautiful poetry of our homeland in our native languages. Today as I listen to Hemanta Mukherjee's mesmerizing rendition of Tagore's song ..Tumi Rabe Nirabe ..I am  transported to an entirely different world  ..

Tumi rabe nirabe hridoye mamo
Nibiro nibhrito purnima nishithi nisamo.
Mamo jibano joubano mamo akhilo bhubano
Tumi bhoribe gourabe nishithi nisamo.
Jaagibe ekaaki tabo karuno aakhi,
Tabo anchalochhaaya more rohibe dhaaki.
Mamo dukhobedono mamo saphalo swapano
Tumi bhoribe sourabhe nishithinisamo.

Meaning
Thou shalt dwell in silence in my heart
Like the full moon in the summer night.
My life, my entire world
Thou fills with grace and pride, like a calm night
Thy compassionate eyes alone stays awake watching over me
The protective shadow of thy veil comforts me
Thy breath like the full moon in the summer night shall hover about my sadness and pains and all my dreams making them fragrant..

Translation by Tagore
Thou shalt dwell in silence in my heart like the full moon in the summer night.
Thy sad eyes shall watch over me in my wanderings.
The shadow of thy veil shall rest upon my heart
Thy breath like the full moon in the summer night shall hover about my dreams, making them fragrant.

Far far away from the land of the gods ...

Godless lands ..?

I am from the land of a million gods where every street has a temple, church or a mosque. The old, young and all ages in between fervently invoke the gods for every aspect of life. 

Far away from the clamour over gods, from castes and creeds, rituals, arts and festivals revolving around the gods, I reached the serene land of the godless. It is here I found God in the quiet, living, breathing pristine nature unspoiled by man!

How true is this quote by Hubert Reeves -"Man is the most insane species. He worships an invisible God and destroys a visible Nature. Unaware that the Nature he is destroying is this God he is worshiping"

The ignorance of nature gave birth to gods, the knowledge of nature is calculated to destroy them - Percy Bysshe Shelly

Let my life be simple and straight ..

The simple life ..

The simple life has its enduring appeal for me. Over the years, I have slowly and steadily moved away from the lure of things. My life is now governed only by need and not by fashion, fancies or finances. 

Most of us spend countless hours in the marketplace where money clouds our judgement. Our time is spent in tracking deals, buying, sorting, storing and throwing stuff. When we rid ourselves from the stuffiness of stuff the hours slowly return ..in time spent with children and loved ones, in leisure to be filled with art, music and dance.

Only let me make my life simple and straight, like a flute of reed for thee to fill with music. - Tagore

Winter moods..

The change of season brings with it a change in our moods. After the exuberance of the summer and colorful days of fall, it takes a while to accept the cold and dark days.  I seek solace in Tagore's poem .. in the depth of winter is concealed the call for Spring to return:

    It is not merely a song of the end
    Only it seems that the end is near
    Deep within them is the call of return
    O Winter you conceal
    Within the deep nights and barren branches
    What you will return in Spring.
    (‘Sheet’, Purabi, 145, translations by Amrit Sen)

“In the depths of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer.” - Albert Camus

Fruitful in Service ..

Fruit for all ..

In spring, the tree feels the love and warmth of the sun and bursts into a thousand flowers which then bear fruits all summer and fall. The tree is of service to all who come to it..the birds, bees, animals and people.

The same way, in our lives, if we feel loved .. by parents, friends, spouse and children ..then that love must become fruitful in service. I pray that all the love I feel in my heart becomes fruitful in small acts of kindness and service to anyone that crosses my path.

Give me the strength to make my love fruitful in service - Tagore