The opposite of apathy

(1259)  Jay tarur chaya ase marur maya

Depart tree-shade and come desert illusion,
Even then, love You I do.
This bond of heart is a sweet enchantment;
Desert-tree distinction, it does not continue.

In the same sky is just one moon, just one sun,
Just one bugle and one kettle drum.
Mind moves ahead in the single grand assemblage,
To the cadence of dance, with offbeats glad or sad.

With prewinter's premonition in the wind, on the sky,
The northerly flights of geese, they arrive.
On touch of frost or in sunlight of gold,
I hear my future lover calling in prolonged tones.

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Still the Garden of Eden

(1258)  Tomay ghire chande sure

Around You in melody and cadence,
The world dances to vibration...
Life's nectar, smiling earth,
Gets dispensed with resonance.

River's water, cascading
For sake of Your touch obtaining...
In Your song, toward the sea
It does rush in meditation on Thee.

The tattlers, to keynotes they have clung,
Lonesome and trilling Your song...
Rapt peacock calls are not unattended,
They dance in Your wonderland.

From pollen of amaranth,^[1]
The bumblebee, frenzied by mind's nectar...
With humming it proceeds, having heard
Your compassion in downpour.

Humankind's mental petals,
The sweet bud getting opened...
Upon lotus feet they drop
With life's sandalpaste of love.

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Let me see Your true form

(1257)  Eso prabhu nrtye rage tale

Lord, please appear in dance, in tune, and in cadence;
Come down to the surface of this earth.
Gazing at Your path age after age, I am alert;
Please arrive, smiling sweetly, on flower petals.

In divine state, You exist within the heart;
In divine shape, You make manifest this world.
In new state and new shape, come into my apprehension,
Oh Great Sportsman with Your cosmic game's stratagems.

You reside above all things both charted and uncharted;
You are the monistic truth, consciousness, and bliss.
A mere speck of Your compassion, that is what I beseech,
Wholeheartedly, from the abyss of all sensory experience.

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Shah Jahan

(1256)  Mamtaze smaraniiya karite

For Mumtaz to immortalize,
The Taj Mahal, white and bright, you've produced.
To sunder the confines of time,
You were resolute.

Whatever is in human hands,
Using all that, you took up task.
Melting was your lofty spirit,
Like a mountain Himalayan.

Time will go on, doing its work;
And, without pause, man will endure.
Twixt time and man, the grip of war
Will vanish every instant.

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Surdas

(1255)  Bhavke diyecho tumi bhasa

To ideation you have given words,
And to the words you've given tune.
Surdas, like the sun are you;
You're slaying the demon of darkness.

Humankind had lagged behind,
And lost had got the light.
For the humans you accompanied, rays You did provide
Through your songs completely filling mind.

Now seated at foot of your altar
In these gloom-ringed circumstances,
I offer my salutation, having expressed expectation;
With it is love's germination.

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Meditation

(1254)  Esechi ek notun deshe

I have come to a new land
With new color and new climate...
It's a new environment.

Here the sky is of a blue more deep;
With mind it is in greater harmony.
Birds chirping in the lonesome woods,
It stirs with newborn passion.

From floral scent and verdant craze,
Mind goes racing to a distant place.
A lost tune in an unknown tongue,
It makes me dance in exultation.

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Then and now

(1253)  Chilo se ankhira tara

He was the most cherished...
Braja's Kanu^[1] dispossessed,
Braj^[2] is without ornament.

On hearing His flute fascinating,
Braja's dust was rising with a grin.
The waters of Jamuna and the Hill of Govardhan,
They were dancing with a thrill.

At the time of churning curd,
Dairymaids, head bent from love,
Were wondering: "When will I see my Gopal?^[3]
He makes both mind and heart full!"

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Merciful Lord

(1252)  Vrajarajanandana

Son of the King of Braj,^[1]
Embodiment of deep kindness,
Yourself I will not forget.
Not a thing do You request;
Having saved heart's realm, You have left...
But You've conferred tremendous inspiration.

Braja's creepers and trees,
Its birds and beasts and streams...
They frolic, bearing in mind Your thought.

Braja's residents, love-filled,
Even now Your name they speak.
Constantly their eyes weep
As they seek the butter-thief...^[2]
Wholeheartedly embracing Your implication.

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Krsna universal

(1251)  Vrajer kanu abar ki re

The Kanu^[1] of Braj, is He again
Come back to Vrndavan?
The milkmaids' pain, their inmost thoughts,
They did strike mind once more.

Today the Jamuna flows upstream;
With zest for life it's overflowing.
The peacock with its parted golden crest...
Does anyone know where it went?

In a pleasure-grove, ecstatic
Was the Darling of gopiis' devotion.
From that bower with love abounding,
He dispersed to crannies of the psyche.

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Krsna returns

(1250)  Ei phagune saungopane

On this very Phalgun^[1] secretly,
Did Shyama^[2] come to Vrndavan?
The love of yore,
It sprang to mind for all gopiis.

Taking clouds in hand
And sprinkling vital nectar,
Attuned to beat in groves of bay-leaf,
Dancing, You arrived this morning.

With mind-whelming flute's musical notes,
In this cosmos You set us afloat.
The phág^[3] that was in Vrndavan,
It spread through pysche of the universe.

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But what about the children?

(1249)  Ei bhule jaoya vrajabhumite

To this neglected land of Braja,^[1]
Oh Demon-Slayer,^[2] please do come again.
Today the Jamuna^[3] flows not upstream,
Nor does Your sweet flute resound there.

Under the kadam tree, no play happens
Of the Braja boys with Yourself.
The dairymaids in fear of butter's theft,
No longer do they hide their goblets;
But till now nonetheless, they feel deeply
You are always theirs only.

In markets of cosmetics on the banks of Jamuna,
In groves of bay-leaf trees upon the Gokul paths,
The milkmaid's daughter, face encased by orna,
Regarding Thee does she ask?

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None can long block my progress

(1248)  Shata badhar praciir bheunge egiye jabo

Breaking countless boundary walls, I'll proceed
With Your name, Lord, with Your song.
At dark night's end, certainly I'll get opportunity
On the crimson-colored dawn.

However proud of strength the demons be,
In Your hand is all their energy.
However much ablaze the fire be,
Its capability is stored in Thee.
I move upon Your path and fear not anybody
In this life infused with Your stream of blessings.

Those who poison both the air and sky,
Who make worm-eaten the buds of the mind,
No lenience, no mercy do they acquire...
You give firm conviction in my psyche, in my life.

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Lady at night

(1247)  Nayane varasa ela

In your eyes the rains, they came;
Why so, my doe-eyed maiden?
You've plucked flowers, rehearsed strains;
But lo He still doesn't come!

Stained red from the betel leaf,
Your lips, their speech, it is weak.
With what despair at twilight,
You don't don evening attire?

You are gazing toward the sky;
Braided tresses, You've untied.
With meters Mandákrántá,^[1]
You don't make the peacock dance;
You don't sound the conch of dusk.

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Time to come out

(1246)  Nayane lukiye acho

Within His eye you lie hidden,
Every instant, every moment...
All the time, yes, each moment.
Secretly, His song you're singing
To His melody and beat majestically...
With grandeur, yes, majestically.

Great or small, all are your own–
Those who are new, those who are old.
With the heart's touch from everyone,
You scattered merriment in heaven,
In the heaven, yes, in heaven.

Life that's suffused with affection,
It is pure and holy, upright and unrivaled.
The world is yoked to melodies;
So dance ahead, glittering
Glittering, yes, glittering.

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He gives me strength

(1245)  Divya dyutite prajinari pathe

With radiance divine on the chariot of wisdom,
Who are You that's come, oh Gracious One!
With tender rapt-attention, in reverberating heavens
Having heard Your varábhaya^[1] message, I go onward.

To You nothing is remote or close;
All are alike, everyone Your own.
With smile sweet and flute enchanting,
Having called, ever pleasing You proceed.

You are attentive day and night;
By my head You've stayed, 'ware of my mind.
Your kind compassion I beseech,
Knowing I will surely gain that mercy.

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Sugar and spice and all things nice

(1244)  Ei pratyuse mukta akashe

Under the open sky on this early morning,
The words in my heart that were concealed,
Without hesitation will I speak to Thee,
Oh Mind-Thief, Love's Acme.

In the flower I have seen its tremendous sweetness,
And I could understand Whose is that pleasantness.
The loveliness that's in the peacock-tail or lotus,
It is just Your beauty's minute portrait.

The sweet chiming of bells and lyre's gentle humming,
They are but Your affection's precious offering.
Whatever is auspicious, all experience that's holy,
On each and everything Your nectar is smeared.

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Dream or reality?

(1243)  Vihagera dal dhvaniya utheche

The flock of birds has arose, a tune making
In a low-sweet chirping on this very morning
With water rippling on pond-shore
And fragrant forest-pleasantness.

Expending all that's sweet
And adorning every beauty,
Earth proceeds, dancing like nymph heavenly
In this very forest beyond fear.

Nature's grove is enclosed in greenery,
Spell-bound heaps of ivy.
With one heart, one song of amity, everybody
Has become united secretly.

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Panacea

(1242)  Jhainjhay tumi esecha

You've arrived in a storm,
And You have furnished calm.
Thrusting aside the fog,
Azure beauty You have brought.

On dusty gray path You have spread a verdant carpet;
From stony avenue You've drawn out a flower garden.
You've arrived, You've arrived;
And You have smiled, You have smiled.

In heart stern as a thunderbolt You have produced cream;
The mountain cave You have made like blossom of a rain tree.
Along the length of a harsh desert,
Affection You've lavished...
You've arrived, You've arrived;
And You have smiled, You have smiled.

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Time to rest

(1241)  Deke deke amar din phurala

My days were spent, calling and calling.
At day's end, in realm of sleep,
Sun went neath Western mountain...^[1]
The day, it was finished.

Verdant grass became black;
Foolish mind acknowledged that.
The weary bird entered its nest;
Joyous light, where did it vanish?

I know that at the end of night,
Waiting is daybreak's light.
In hope of gaining that same light,
Mind reconciled with the night.

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Lord of Dance

(1240)  Tumi ki dur akasher tara

Are You a star of far firmament?
Giving a stir to heaven and earth,
You dance, free from bondage.

Matted hair unbound's been scattered;
The third eye has been ignited.
Burning all black shadow to ashes,
You diffuse a flow of meteors.

Though You kept distant, You are present;
You drench mind's realm with affection.
Only You do I love;
I have lost my self-possession.

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There's something more

(1239)  Jiivane tomar alo

In life Your effulgence,
It restored the will to live.
In the world hope did enter;
The last day of materialism came and went.

The shadow that covered splendor of light,
The fire that consumed the joy of life,
The thunder that gave flower's song respite...
Their operation was withdrawn at the time.

Love attained new speech,
Humanity was blossoming...
Came the day of no more cruelty;
The peace of dream got fresh speed.

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Abiding grace

(1238)  Tumi jadi na ele priya

If You'd come not, oh my Beloved,
This birth would have gone for naught.
In heavens, storm-clouds had appeared;
Without raining, they'd amount to nothing.

At my door the Unknown Traveler had come;
Singing a song of love, He then went off.
In my keeping the fond memory that He left,
It will be offered back beneath His altar.

Though deceased, still now the luster abides;
The love of my life has become bright.
With unstinting reverence, conviction has sung:
This my sadhana, it will surely triumph.

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My breath of life

(1237)  Nayaneri tara tumi

You are the star in my eye;^[1]
Please don't go far afield.
You are the love of my life;
Don't keep on forgetting me.

My sandalpaste's soothing coolness,
The intoxicant in screwpine scent...
You are the heart's heat;
Don't ignore love's tears.

You are jasmine's soothing sweetness
And the springtime forest...
You are my life's poetry
And its deathless meaning.

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Surpassing greatness

(1236)  Sakal jiivaner usnata tumi

For all lives You are the heat;
You're the vigor of the universe.
At the root of all existence, You're the mańipadma;^[1]
In every song, You're the melody and key.

You are flower's pollen, heart's devotion,
Screwpine-stamen kiss, scattered to all vessels.
Without limit is Your gift.

Under Your feet undulate the fires of Hades;
At the foot of Your altar all creatures are dancing.
Hey Divine Nucleus, there's no measurement of Thee.

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What can I give?

(1235)  Tumi balo amare balo amare

Kindly tell me, tell me do...
By what means will I please You?
Kindly tell me do.

Oh, Architect of the Vast Universe,
Setting for all diamonds, rubies, emeralds,
You're the owner of the whole Creation...
What can anybody give to You?

All wisdom and intelligence, all intuition and talent,
Every bit, at Your door they have reached their limit.
What can possibly be had that would supplement them?
In this world I am absolutely destitute.

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North Star

(1234)  Kache eso dure theko na

Come close, do not keep remote;
No, no, do not keep remote.
Heart and soul, it's You I want;
Don't forget that fact.

So many days and nights have transpired;
To no avail many ages go passing by.
So many tears have evaporated;
This story, don't You know it?

At no time am I ever desperate;
Nor will I ever be directionless.
You abide, my Polestar;
I will never lose the path.

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Take a deep breath

(1233)  Alo jhariye madhu ksariye

Light diffused, sweetness spilled;
Gloom removed... You've arrived.
Flower blossomed, pleasure relished,
Hope fulfilled... You have smiled.

Anticipating Your arrival, living beings had been keen;
O'er the path of Your advent they had been watching.
You did come, and the pain You fathomed;
Lavishly You've conferred the wares of love.

The river that lost its current,
The song that has been ruined...
Its ripple and its pitch, You have brought with.

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