Why throw a beautiful harp in the mud?
Tell me, Oh! Siva Sakthi,
Who created me with a bright mind!
Bestow the ability,
For a useful life to this land!
Oh! Siva Sakthi,
Why be a burden to the land?
I asked for a body, that could go places at will.
Like an electric ball.
A strong mind,
A life that shines forever young.
Even if fire burns my flesh
A self that sings about you.
And a steady intellect.
Any blocks to bestowing these?
Note: Here Bharati is perhaps encouraging us to use our innate skills to serve the world. Why would we waste our talents? Why not ask for the strength of mind, body and intellect! Why not say yes to life?
Tamil Version Reference: http://www.sas.upenn.edu/~vasur/nallatoor.html
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
Saturday, December 26, 2015
Write along!
The writer writes
along.
Fame is not a
factor,
Nor is the name.
The writer writes
along,
For writing is what
he likes.
The writer writes
along.
Change might come,
Or not.
But she writes
along.
For writing is her
wont.
The writer writes
on.
When the moment
arrives,
How can the thought
be dammed?
So he writes along.
For what else can he
do?
She writes and
writes.
Sometimes out of a
whim,
Sometimes out of a
drive.
She writes along.
For writing is her
game!
Friday, December 25, 2015
Knowledge
She resides on a
pure lotus,
In the harp's notes,
In endless joy,
And in the poet's
heart!
She lights up
knowledge,
That is sought and
understood.
She's the message of
kindness,
Of blemish-less
sages.
She lives in
maidens' sweet songs,
In a child's babble,
In the song of a
cuckoo,
And in the parrot's
tongue!
In sincere work and
in a painting,
In temples and their
towers,
She is in the beauty
of these.
Oh, she is bliss
personified!
Source: Vellai
thAmarai poovil iruppAL
Poet: Mahakavi
Subramanya Bharati
Translated on: Dec
17, 2015
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
No fear, no fear, no such thing as fear!
No
fear, no fear, no such thing as fear!
Even
if the whole world opposes us,
And
treats us with disdain and lowly,
Even
if we have to eat by begging,
Or
lose everything we desire.
No
fear, no fear, no such thing as fear!
Even
if voluptuous maidens flash their eyes on us,
Or
a friend feeds us poison;
If
green armies were to march towards us,
Or
the sky comes crumbling down on us;
No
fear, no fear, no such thing as fear!
Poet:
MahAkavi
Subramanya Bharati
Tamil Text Reference:
Translator: Narayan Srinivasan
~
This poem has motivated so many. One can see the intensity
of BharatiAr’s passion for India to be freed from British rule!
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