Poems Of India - XVII

The pot is a god. The winnowing
fan is a god. The stone in the
street is a god. The comb is a
god. The bowstring is also a
god. The bushel is a god and the
spouted cup is a god.

Gods, gods, there are so many
there's no place left
for a foot.

There is only
one god. He is our Lord
of the Meeting Rivers.


******* 
 
He'll grind till you're fine and small.
He'll file till your colour shows.

If your grain grows fine
in the grinding,
if you show colour.
in the filing,

then our lord of the meeting rivers
will love you
and look after you.


-- BASAVAŅŅA [Translated by A. K. Ramanujan in the book - Speaking of Siva]
 

3 comments:

  1. Rahul, is there any way to email you? would love to talk about Ghalib

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  2. Can you (or have you) translate and publish your thoughts on Saleem kaiser's gazal...Main khayal hoon kisi aur ka?

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