Poetic Translations of Songs
451-500 by
Avadhutika Ánanda Gaorii Ac.

 

451

For you and you alone
have I filled my basket
with the choisest blooms --
tagar, jasmine, mogra, bokul,
malati, magnolia and rose.

Dew-soaked blooms,
honied blooms,
blooms drenched
in the deep love of the heart,
have I collected/selected with utmost care
for fragrances rare and nectar divine.

Through your woods and glades
in ecstatic rhythm and song
I danced in intoxicated joy
amidst countless floral blooms
filling my baskets
while the spring breeze played
through my flowing hair.

------------------------------------

Your woods and glades
are covered with countless blooms
intoxicated with rhythmic song and dance.

There have I joyously filled my baskets
amidst the ecstatic abandon
of the flowing haired spring./
in ecstatic abandon
while the spring breeze played
through my flowing hair.

452

You bathe in the ocean of formless beauty
and manifest the sweetness of beauteous forms.

You colour your eyes with the dark collyrium
of systaltic waves of love.

You select the quintessence of sandal
and fill our hearts with joy.

You manifest as ambrosial wine
through your wonder-filled eyes
through your eyes full of compassion.

You steal our sins
and bestow virtue.

You pour forth the nectar of peace
through the blissful humming
of the black bees of mind.

453

Throughout the ages
in myriad ways
in myriad forms
I have loved you Lord
and you alone.

Have you forgotten
those sweet rare moments
of love intoxication?

What was a seed
is now a bud.
The mango tree
bursts into flower and fruit.

Sweet love
like a surging sea
breaks into a rising flowtide.

What was hidden in the depths of mind
is now scattered in woods and glades.

In the smiling flower grove
the buds of my mind
have blossomed
into beauteous floral blooms.

454

Enter my abode dear Lord
out of your own unbounded grace.
I have spread a special place
superbly decorated
and lit with/lighted by a burning lamp.

In a hundred ways
my mind's sweet love
embraces you
and my longing heart
extends to you
an ovation royal.

No dark will ever touch
this, your personal abode,
no shyness can destroy
its splendid floral bowers,
and the flame of the lamp
burns silently
for you alone.

My mind's sweet love
(prances lithely/blissfully)
enticingly plays
through/in beautiful dreams
like timid forest deer.

My inner heart soars
to limitless domains
and my tears fall ceaselessly
to bathe your lotus feet.

455

Those days of mine are forever gone
when you stayed by my side.

A garland of love
I offered
at the altar of love
with mogra and mognolia
in exuberant bloom,

but you chose to leave
to a distant land
and their petals
wither now.

The light of dawn still scintillates
in my love-filled mind.
Yet each day
from her neglected blooms
parched pollen
sorrowfully falls.

456

The Lord has come.
Melodies from afar
resonate the news
of his effulgence on this earth.

In floral fragrances
he comes,
his smile the radiance of pearls,
dancing like light on river waves
smiling in the mirror of my life
in the arbour (garden) of my heart.

He inundates
in (a million, countless)
frequent flashes of light
far flung (the) nebulae and stars
with ambrosial love.

457

In your mind I exist
all exist.

The earth
longing constantly for your grace
dances in your heart.

Flowers burst into bloom
at the faint touch
of your dawn light.

Silently
gracefully
the joy-filled particles of my mind
move towards you.

You saturate with sweet consciousness
my colourful moments
and my lonely life
in anticipation of your blissful touch
your melodious rhythms
breaks into exuberant joy.

My attainments merge in your cadence.

458

If I do not call,
you will not come of your own accord.

While moving along your path
can't you you stop a moment and stay?

My mind dances around you,
merging its colours in yours.

You who have marked your eyes
with dark collyrium,
don't you see the world around.

Inspired with the gentle touch
of the spring breeze,
in hypnotic spell,
my life rushes towards you.

Can't you understand
the longing of my heart?

458

If I call you not
you do not come.

Won't you stop a while?
Won't you stay?

Around you my mind dances
tinged with your colour.

You of dark collyrium eyes,
don't you see the world around?

In the hypnotic spell
of the gentle spring breeze
my mind moves towards you.

You of dark collyrium eyes,
don't you know
the longing of my heart.

459

You entangle me in what play of yours?
Every moment, Lord,
night and day
I try to forget you,
but I can't,
and I return again and again
on various pretexts
to garland you.

Inextricably linked
as a body and its shadow,
as minute particles in fusion with nucleic peers,
you have entwined yourself in my heart
filling it with honey's sweet delight.

Wherever I look
I see you and you alone.
What is this game you play?
The longings of my life
spread far and wide,
throughout the skies,
their fragrance unchecked.

In the distant void
they float along
crying.
What do you want of my tears?

460

You came with love
colouring the distant skies.
You smiled
filling the firmament of my mind
with effulgent light.

You distinguished not
between others' and your own.
You obliterated limitations.

You poured forth the nectar of life
quenching my parched throat.

In the midst of deep, silent darkness
you came
in the sway of effulgence
and exquisite beauty
and, with your own hands,
smeared my eyes
with the collyrium of bhava*.

* blissful sweet ideation

461

Pray tell me
for whom do you wait
on this lonely shore.

I row my boat of forms/I sail(move, ply)
in a boat of forms
on the ocean of formlessness,
forgetting none./ I forget none.
Moving on is my eternal wont.

No one can fathom
this rowing of boats
on the stream of time
from beginninglessness to endlessness;
neither philosophy nor science
can trace
its starting or culminating point.
I never pause.

After a day's hard labour
comes fatigue.
All return to their respective abodes.

The tired traveller comes to the bank
in expectation of a boat.
I am ever ready with the boat.
I never delay;
I'm never late.

462

All around me
I feel
a fresh new breeze,
a new atmosphere --
decorated with new colour,
enlivened with new touch
tinged with new red hue.

Tell me, O tell me please,
has my Lord surely come or not?

On the hills,
in the glades,
a festival of flowers.

My time passes in ecstatic joyous dance.
My mind refuses to return home.

I wonder
who is this magician who has appeared.

I have tied my hair bun with woodapple
and swing earrings of fresh kalkey blooms.

With Him alone I'll go home today.
Without Him I'll not return.

463

My mind alone
knows what inner afflictions
lie secret, covered (coveted?) within.

Only in seclusion shall I sing them out,
if at all I wish them exposed.

In a crowd, whatever I sing
is not of my innermost heart.

In seclusion
only we two
listen to what is expressed.

The language of the heart is conveyed
to a heart alone,
it is not audible from without.
You exist and I exist;
there is no one else in this world.

464

In the rain night you came
with thunderous roar
inundating the world in torrential flows.

Mountain high piles of dirt and dross
no longer could stand your tide.

Whither are those
who blackened the light of this earth,
who created walls of separation amongst human beings,
who battered tender hearts.
They polluted the fresh breeze with sin,
but now they have vanished.

465

Grace me O lord,
I love you from the core of my heart.

All directions are filled with light
like the bright honey moon
beyond a veil of blinding dark.

Come O Lord,
make my heart effulgent.
I wish to pour forth my overflowing life,
filled with cadance and melody,
illuminated with joyous rhythm.

Come, fill the earth with sweet song.

466

Night follows day
just as sorrows follow joy.
Your play of love and loss
is ceaseless.

I move on
in rhythmic song and dance,
in harmony with your cadence.

Suddenly my steps miss a pace
and I slip behind.
O swift moving one,
I try to gather momentum
and move anew.

I pass my days of mirth
in the midst of radiant joy
then, suddenly, darkness descends;
I am overwhelmed
and cry in pain.

O Lord, you come
to wipe away my tears with love
and make my life effulgent.

467

The messenger of light arrives
dispelling the dark;
lethargic bonds are shattered
and prison walls succumb.

The inertness of a hundred eons
has vanished.

Clouds disappear
and light, forthwith,
spreads everywhere.

Those of you who are far
come nearer to Him;
remove the bondage of distance.

Come nearer still;
come, in a blissful/mirthful current/torrent of joy.

468

We are the blessed girls of the land of liberation,
singing and dancing on slopes and hills
beside sparkling fountains and streams.

We play and play the whole day long
with the flowers kadam and palash.

We play along the narrow lanes
lined with shady mohua trees.

Meandering on the forest paths
we weave garlands into our hair.

The forest deer rejoice to see
our blissful song and dance.

We are the blessed girls of the land of liberation.
We are the blessed girls of God.

469

If you don't come Lord
I will not speak to you.

I call you always
but I never get any reponse from you.

I love so much to see your sweet smiling face.

Just your momentary touch
and I'll surrender my all unto you.

Your sweet love is as blissful as a beautiful dream.
In that joyous state of intoxication
I wish ever to exist.

470

You are my Lord,
you are my dearest,
the jewel of everyone's eye.

You have awakened the world
steeped in blinding darkness
with melodies ever new.

You have poured forth blissful nectar
in floral beauty
and the sweet incense of life.

You have brought the light of hope
to faces fallen and dejected hearts.

You have inspired language
in despondent speechless mouths.
You have quenched,
with sweet water,
our thirst
and brought hope
for humanity to survive.

471

In secret
on a moonlit night
silently
you slipped into my floral garden.

The earth displayed gay decoration
of fruits and flowers
and heavenly nectar appeased my hunger.

You spread out your touch of life
gracing the lifeless with life.
You poured forth the fragrance of your heart
into the pollen and seed of all hearts.

For you, every particle of this universe
radiated light.
You vibrated the ectoplasm
with seven melodious notes.

You broke into a smile
in the decorated flower garden.

472

I know you do not want me
yet I wait and wait
and count time endlessly for you.

I have spread a holy seat
hoping that,
even absentmindedly,
you may come.

I have woven garlands
with the strings of my mind.
I have prepared sandal
and chua paste,
and honey;
the offering palate lies ready.

I wait and wait for you day and night.
I recall your virtues,
your noble qualities.
I am proud of your glories.

I have decided
to surrender my everything
unto your feet.
I sit by the roadside
awaiting your advent.

473

You come
humming like a bee
to my floral sanctum.

You rap at the doors of my heart
to awaken my subtle mind.

You entrance me
with your rosy lips
dyed crimson like the radiant dawn.

Your lithe, swift rhythms
arouse a swirling memory of joy.

Your blissful smile and sweet caress
render soft and tender
my arid heart.

Your bewitching gaze
overpowers my life with joy.

474

Please, dear sister in law,
I beseech you,
oblige me by accompanying me.
I promise to weave a garland for you.

Yellow kolke flowers and radiant cottontree
have bloomed in millions.
I can't stay indoors at such a time as this.

My mind dances excitedly to go to yonder forest.
Please come with me,
I can't go there alone.

Who is that magician who calls me from the forest?
My mind is restless to depart.

Please, dear sister in law,
have mercy on me.
Dancing let us go,
you just catch my hand.

475

Bring for me yellow marigold flowers
and golden champaka, please,
or I shall cry and cry
day and night;
my hair bun I'll neglect to tie.

My friends have all gone to market,
dancing through the open fields.
Neither you allowed me to go
nor did you bring flowers for me.

Hear me,
I will never light the stoves again
nor decorate my ears with rings.

I'm sure the god of truth
will dispense justice for this.
You simply give me pain and pain;
you couldn't bring a single flower for me.

476

Lord, this morning you came
in rhythmic steps
at the time of my visit to the forest.

As I was on my way
you came,
swooping down like a hawk,
catching hold of my hand.

The garland around my hair knot snapped,
my basket of kadamba flowers fell down.

Why do you come
without notice, uninformed?
Why, to show me the path which I already know?

With the magic of your melody
my mind is intoxicated;
with the rhythmic cadence of your dance
my mind is overjoyed.

Why do you lavish your love on me?
I don't want/call you,
but you come
to flood me with joy.

477

What is this?
I see palmira fruits on sal trees
and incense resin on the trees of pal.

Has the Lord alighted on earth
from his original heavenly abode?
Whose penance has brought it about?

The Lord has assumed such a beauteous form.
I am speechless and simply stare at him.
I look and look on.

I can no longer bear my afflictions
yet I cannot bring him within my life.
I fear none;
I feel shy of no one.
I simply love him because he loves me.

My life dances in rhythmic ecstasy.
My mono-stringed chord plays a rapturous melody.
I will not return home.
I will move on to the forest.
I will stay with him alone.

478

Stars smile in the gold spangled sky.
With the stars I stay awake all night.
Gusty winds swish around
dashing me, at times, against the palash trees.

I like to fly alone
but alas I cannot.

Others have deserted me.
I look up to the sky,
to the shining stars.
I feel new light in life.

Drums beat all around.
People are dressed in gay apparel.
I want to laugh at your showy dress.
Why do you forget all things?

Neither you allow me to go near you
nor do you allow me to go far.
Tell me, then, where I can go?

O Lord you are my only shelter now,
you in the eastern morning sky.

479

A flash flood came in the rivulet.
My heart is overjoyed.

Let us all move together, live together.
We do not fear anyone.

We dine together.
We join in common laughter.
We are all firm in ideological commitment.

When brothers fall apart, strength is undermined.
When sisters also fall apart, families lose happiness.

We will all live together,
bouyant with happpiness.

480

Inside my pining heart
the same melody resonates
from the lyre of my mind
day and night.

Come positively in my heart, O Lord.

In the depth of my mind
the same melody vibrates.

You are not far at all,
not far from me.

Whichever way I look,
in all my actions great undertakings,
I see you there.

Whichever way I look
under the impulse of my over-flowing vitality,
I see your form, and no other form.

Come in my heart,
O Formless One.
Come in ever new forms
in dance and song.

481

You have equal love for all.
You work for all.
You take your seat in every heart.
You fill all lives with sweetness.

You are like the festival of lights
in the deep dark night.
You come like streams of splashing water
in the scaulding summer heat.

You liberate many with your unconditional grace.
You enter the minds of all and see them.
You never stop before any obstacle.

You steer the boat even through surging seas.
You open the eyes of all
with the collyrium of knowledge.

482

I observe your sports, O Lord,
behind which you stand apart.

You bring the darkness of night,
and the festival of stars.

You delight our hearts
with the moon effusive smile
and give the gruelling heat of a summer's midday.

You bring excruciating pain
and the refreshing fragrance of bela and juin.

You offer a multi-floral garland of glorious hues
and a garden full of thorns
where it's difficult to walk,
then you bring roses in the morn.

How do you play so many sports alone?

483

On the day of union,
bathed in the rays of the morning sun,
no ill feeling lingered in my mind.

With the fragrance of flowers
and the smile of life,
all mental afflictions were removed.

The accumulated reactions,
good and bad,
of countless lives,
all vanished in a flash.

I have become yours,
forgetting the past.
Only you exist
and I remain.

I attain you in exchange for my all.
By your grace,
my attachments and infatuations are dispelled.
All my longings are now fulfilled.

484

For countless lifetimes
I have longed for you.
Now you have come and filled my life.

Many nights of mind have passed
with sleepless tearful eyes.

Now out of boundless grace
you come.

You have enkindled the lamp of my life
with your own hands.

Verdent beauty returns to an arid desert.
An emaciated river swells with floodtide.

My shattered heart,
at your tender touch,
now rejoices in vibrant song and dance.

485

We keep engaged in endless work.
Action is our survival.
We go to the forest dancing.
We return carrying logs.

Communities of honey bees
dwell in these groves.
The atmosphere is charged with joy
and whirls in a stormy dance.

Folk may speak against us
but we never lose our identity;
we always live in joy.

We have a deep affinity with the flowers.
We love them
and their pleasant peaceful environment
fills us with delight.

We are afraid of none.
We shy away from none.
We simply love all
and live close to God.

486

You never come close to me.
What is this love of yours?
I love you so much
yet you do not come.

The fragrance of a flower
reminds me of you.
My heart's joyous laughter
fills me with your presence.

You are the very pulse of my life.
My hopes revolve around you.
When I cannot attain you
I want to cry and cry.

You are the raison d'etre/essence/purpose/very hope
of my life.

487

Tell me, please
why does the lotus not bloom
in winter's chill?

I cry for my Lord.
Why then is he so cruel,
refusing to visit my house?

Tell me why
is the river so dry
in the summer's scorching heat?

I call him earnestly,
I look towards him expectantly,
yet he remains (purposefully) aloof.
(Why?)

Tell me, please
why is the palash tree
bare of any fruit?

Why does that entity
for whom I take my birth,
for whom I perform all actions,
make me shed tears?

488

My heart overflows
devotion for you.
My mind recognises
no obstacles.

Life's bashful sweetness
revolves around you.
My existence is filled
with your thoughts alone.

I look for you
in the crimson rays of the radiant sun
when warbling birds burst out in song.
They are your creations.

You make hearts tremble.
You fill the world with colour and form.

When the evening sun
spreads red powder/colour
to enliven the vast blue sky,
I rush towards you
in rhythmic dance and song.

489

A blackbee came
buzzing
in my mind,
and then,
where did it go?

My Lord came
in my house
to regale my heart.
Why didn't he remain seated there?

Morning and evening
on my way to the pond
I always look for him.
He has made me his own.

In all my duties,
in the house,
on the farm,
I think of him
and him alone.

He has taken my everything.
Now I will sit
to meditate
to bring him within my life,
whether he cares/acquiese/graces me/to stay or no.

Now I will tell him
my tales of woe,
whether he bothers to listen or not.

490

Look!
The unknown traveller has come
to our land.
With exquisite beauty he has filled the earth.

On dry arid soil
he makes lotuses to bloom.
Prostrate before him!

The unknown traveller has come
to my house,
filling the air
with the fragrance of sandal,
gently caressing all
with his tender hands.

Sit down to meditate!
The unknown traveller has come
to my mind.

He filled the earth with infinite bliss
and showers his love equally on all.

491

With a radiance
that makes diamonds dim
you have entered my desolate heart.

You have truly come
in my empty heart --
silently,
in ever new forms,
in my empty and desolate heart.

What was beyond imagination
has now taken form.

Your nectarial greatness stretches limitlessly.
You bestow unconditional grace.
You break open the doors of dark prisons.
You pour forth your radiance and
quench the thirst of all.

In an arid desert
you bring cool refreshing shade.

492

My friend,
I keep the house decorated for you.
You, who make me oblivious
of who is near and who is far.

Lilies smile
in the radiance of the moon.
Tears which drenched my heart
float in the mirror of my mind.

You have taught me of ever-effulgent love.
The gentle southern breeze floats off
to a far destination.

While wafting its fragrance
it distinguishes not
between the elated
and those who mourn.

My friend,
I have keep my house decorated for you.
You have made me realise
your matchless beauty/form/glory.

493

In the flower garden
the black bee comes
buzzing.

All desire him
with (the) devotional love (of their hearts).

At a glimpse of the Lord,
the overcast sky transforms to the colour of sandal,
the verdent earth is transported in joy.

Today all regained hope,
overcoming fear.

With hearts' doors flung open
to a flood of effulgence,
they break into joyous rhythmic dance and song.

494

With your blissful ideation
my mind
intoxicated
casts aside
all obstacles.

I am determined to follow your path.
At the end of the deep dark night
with the melody of dawn
I will be with you,
my life mingled in your life.

I will never mention
life's fallen flowers.
The doors of my memory
stay open
and I will always call you, Lord.

Oblivious of everything
with open heart
I will meditate on you.
Sweet nectar of my heart,
dear friend of my life,
I shall mingle my life into you.

495

Please don't keep me far from you.
I want to be near you.

By mingling my melody
in your vast cosmic melody
I survive somehow.

I pass my days on the river dunes
thinking of you.

Amidst numerous afflictions
I keep dancing
in the joy of existence.

The arid desert is burning;
the sky is burning with scorching heat,
so I long for the cool shadow
of your verdent thought.

496

You have come in a new form.
We sing the glories of the ever new.

You have dispelled the darkness of my heart.
There's not the least vestige of blemishes/dark spots.

You are glittering in all minds,
everywhere --
in the mountains,
in the seas,
in the deep dense forests.

There is no other place
where we can forget the despondency
of attainment and non-attainment.

What was secret beyond the reach of mind,
there also you have extended your hand.

There is no scope/room
to hide everything,
to suppress any inner thought.

497

The sun has arisen.
Darkness has vanished.

The sky has smiled
into the light of beauteous forms.

The heavy load of sorrows and humilations
of a hundred ages
has melted into that light.

The tidal waves
of the ocean of light
have emerged.

All inertness has been silently removed.
All blemishes have hidden their face.
To see your divine sport.
O lord of effulgence.

The deep black curtain now merges into that light.
The balck cloud has become deep blue.

All injustice, all corruption
tremble in fear seeing that..
seeing that dazzling effulgence.

498

Folk song -- simple idea

Keep rushing towards the forest with jingle jangle.
Lets all move and run towards the forest.

In the forest there are countless kadamba flowers.
There are skupine (keya')
and night jasmine (shiuli) flowers.
There are also the bakul flowers.

We'll tie our hair buns with garlands
and also wear garland bangles
then we'll keep dancing around
in the temple of the Lord.

With the rhythmic beats of our dance
and the sweet melody of our songs,
our Lord will not remain far away.

We all humans, birds, animals together
bathe his holy feet with our tears.

499

Alas, I have no more time.
I have no more time.

Who are you, coming to me,
O merciful Lord,
at this late hour of my life?

The bakul flowers of my mind have dropped off.
The shefali flowers have fallen down.
The lamp of my mind on the lamp stand
is almost extinguished.

How do you come,
O merciful Lord,
so late in my life?

My friends have departed.
All the love of my life has also disappeared.
The blossoms of my hope have all withered.

Yet who are you, coming so late
with your gentle smile
and sit beside me at this late hour?
O Lord of my mind!

500

I have woven / threaded a garland
with those flowers
with which you have filled my flower basket.

The smile you have dropped on my heart
has removed all my sorrows.

All my hopes are centered around you,
all my expressions
want to express your glory.
All my actions,
all my adornments
are all centered around your sweet ideation.

There is sweet nectar
in the inner most cavity of my mind.
The pollens of my life are mixed with that nectar.

I have given my all,
in a basket decorated with all care.
I have kept nothing with me.