201

Jibon kusum shukaiya jai
Jharibar age phire phire chai
Amito chinina se chine amai
Kato bhabe kato gane
Se je mor prane tane
Chali tar sathe na jani kothai

Translation

The flower of life withers
Before it properly blossoms.
I do not desire a similar life
But life knows me quite well.
In various ways
Various songs, it calls me.
It tries to draw me towards it.
Alas, finally I surrender.
And now I do not know,
For I do not know where I am going.

202

Dharte jare chahi
Se nahi dei dhara
Chharte jare chahi
Jai na take chhara

Translation

I fail to capture Him
Whom I so eagerly want to capture.
I fail to throw Him out of my life
Whom I so desperately try to throw out of my life.
Alas.

203

Alo lagi ratri jagi
Shir tuliche sabuj lata
Kaligulir akulata
Jagalona prane amar
Kono byakulata
Ami shudhu ghumiye roi
Niye badhirata

Translation

To see the light
A tiny blade of grass remains wide awake all night.
To see the light
The buds offer their devoted eagerness.
Alas, neither a blade of grass nor the buds
Can awaken my aspiration-flame.
I sleep and sleep,
My ears tightly closed.

204

Bishwa bidhata khule dao sei ankhi
Janibar jena kichu nahi thake baki
Dekhini ja dekhibar
Shunini ja shunibar
Phanki sathe sada thaki
Prabhakare nahi daki
Kache ele mudi ankhi

Translation

O Lord of the Universe
Do open up that eye of mine
Which sees everything,
The present, past and the future.
I have not heard the things that I must hear.
I always take deception-night,
I do not invoke the knowledge-sun.
And when the knowledge-sun approaches me
I swiftly close my eyes.

205

Tarur niche asle base
Chaya dei se bhalobese
Satya satya baro je jan
Phakir hoise parer karon
Aloy chere rishi Yogi
Tarur sathe thaken ese
Tarur mato basbo bhalo
Sabar prane alor deshe

Translation

When we sit at the foot of the tree
It shelters us with love.
He who is really great
Gives away all that he has
And is for others.
The Seers and the Yogis leave their homes
And go and sit at the foot of the trees.
They find in the trees their true friends.
We must try to love all human beings
In the world of Light
As the tree loves us.

206

Dukha jadi ene dilo tar parichoy
Se dukha je nitya kamya chira madhumoy
Jadi sukh nahi dilo tar parichoy
Jene rekho sei sukh shudhu mahabhoy

Translation

If suffering can tell me
Who my Beloved is
And where my Beloved is,
Then I shall cheerfully welcome suffering.
If happiness does not tell me
Who my Beloved is
And where my Beloved is,
Rest assured that happiness
Carries the message of all destruction.

207

Dukhi bhabe tahar cheye
Dukhi ke ar ache
Dukher agun pran gabhire nache
Sukhi bhabe ke ar sukhi ache
Sukher plabon thake tahar kache
Dukher maya sukher maya
Bhulbo ami jabe
Pabo ami parashanti
Amar alor bhabe

Translation

A man of sorrow thinks
That there can be nobody
Who will surpass him in suffering.
The fire of suffering dances inside his heart.
A man of joy feels
That he alone is happy.
There can be nobody else
Who can have even an iota of happiness;
He alone is flooded with happiness.
In my abode of light
I shall receive boundless peace
The day I forget the attachment-bondage
Of happiness and sorrow.

208

Amar swapan ke jane
Rayeche kon khane
Shudhu duto ashar katha
Tomai amar pran mane
Tomar kripa tomar hasi
Sakai kichu oi ane

Translation

Who knows the dream-world,
Who knows where it is?
Only a few words of hope
You tell me;
Therefore I run towards You.
Behold, Your Compassion, Your Smile
Brings everything
In the twinkling of an eye.

209

Dheu dube dheu uthe
Phul jhare phul phute
Nahi shesh dainya lesh
Sthayi kotha kotha shesh
Kar tare e rodan
Kare kari abhahon
Naba rupe naba bhabe
Sakali je uthe phute

Translation

The wave subsides and the wave rises.
The flower withers and the flower blossoms.
There is no end to human wants
And human achievements.
Nothing is permanent and nothing is fleeting.
Then for whom shall we cry,
For what shall we cry?
Whom shall we invoke
With a new thought and new form?
Everything eventually blossoms.

210

Sajiye dao mago nuton beshe
Tomar katha balbo desh bidashe
Hethai amar bhoi ghuchena
Bhoye bhoye berai deshe deshe
Ebar abhoy charan buke rekhechi
Berabo ma hese hese

Translation

Mother, adorn me with new form.
I shall tell the world about you.
I shall no longer suffer from teeming fears.
I am placing on my heart
Your Feet of boundless Light
And wonder everywhere.

211

Bidai, bidai
Rahibona ar sukher ashai
Rahibona ar moher mayai
Bidai, bidai
Rahibona ar kamane chayai

Translation

Farewell, farewell,
I shall no longer remain on earth
With the hope that my life
Will be a bed of roses.
I shall no longer remain on earth
Allowing attachment to lord it over me.
Farewell, farewell,
I shall no longer remain
At the feet of desire-tree.

212

Britha din jai
At katodin thakbere pran
Agyan nidrai
Britha din jai
Nahi jani hai abasheshe mor
Habe ki upai

Translation

In vain my earth-days pass by.
I do not know how long my life
Will enjoy ignorance-sleep.
In vain my earth-days pass by.
I do not know, alas, what will happen
At the end of my journey’s creation.

213

Man ma ma jape
Pashan hriday jabe gale
Puma habe tomar sakal
Bhajan pujan bandana
Ekti shudhu lakya jeno
Bishwa mayer archana

Translation

O my mind,
Repeat the Mother’s name.
Your stone-heart will melt away.
Everything of yours will be transformed.
There is only one aim,
And that aim is to realise God
Through aspiration, adoration and dedication.

214

Nahi jani tomar pujai
Ki hoi prayojan
Rikta haste esechi aj
Shunya ayojan
Ashru amar shukiye geche
Ektu hasi ache
Rakhbo aji take ami
Prabhu tomar kache

Translation

I do not know what I need
To worship You.
I have come to You with an empty hand.
My tears are all dried up.
There is a very small smile.
I shall keep that smile with You,
For You to guide.

215

Balogo kemane premamoy dhane
Hriday sagare pabo
Shripad sebibo das haye rabo
Toma sathe sathe jabo
Jagater dhan hasi ananda
Lagibena mor kichu
Chutibona ar alik swapan
Maya hariner pichu

Translation

O tell me how can I get
That loving gift of Yours
Inside my heart’s sea.
I shall worship Your Lotus-Feet
As a slave of Yours.
I do not care for worldly name and fame.
I shall no longer run after
The temptation and illusion-deer.

216

Chalena chalena
Toma bina din chalena
Tumi chara jato apanar jan
Bhalo katha keha balena
Tabo kripa bina premer agun jalena
Sadhaner phal phalena
Shudha samba sabo kripa bal
Bina sei bal kichui je mora pabona

Translation

My life does not proceed without You.
Nobody speaks to me kindly and soulfully
Save You.
Without Your Compassion-Light
I cannot kindle the flame of love.
I shall not receive the fruits of my meditation.
Everything is possible only through Your
Compassion.

217

Antaratama antare mamo
Tomar charan chahi
Tumi chara mor ei dharanite
Kotha keha ar nahi
Tumi mor asha
Tumi hiya bhasha
Jibaner bhore maraner sanje
Tomar bijoy gahi
Antaratama antare mamo
Tomar karuna chahi

Translation

O my Beloved,
I wish to see Your Lotus-Feet
In my heart of aspiration.
I do not want to see anybody else.
You are my only hope,
You are my heart’s only voice.
O my Beloved,
Do appear before me.
I implore Your Compassion.

218

Ei laho mor man pran
Ei laho mor dhan man
Ei laho mor bheda gyan
Jachi tabo amrita sandhan

Translation

Oh take my mind and vital,
Oh take my name and fame.
O take my sense of differentiation.
I soulfully long for Your Nectar-Delight.

219

Kena eto kripa bidhatha amai
Kabe deha pran sangibo tomai
Daya kari kache ele katobar
Tabu je bandha hriday duar
Kena bhalobaso najani amai
Chira aparadhi ami tabo pai

Translation

I do not know why so much Compassion-Light
You bestow upon me.
I do not know when I shall offer You
My body, vital and mind.
Many a time You have come to me
With affection-blessing,
Yet my heart’s door is closed.
I do not know why You love me.
I know I am the eternal culprit
At Your Forgiveness-Feet.

220

Prabhu tumi acho tai achi
Jato pai tato jachi
Tumi ar ami majhe keha nai
Kono badha nai kono badha nai
Hriday tomare paina janite
Hridaye rayecho gopane
Hatash ashai khunjitoma ami
Ashru nayan gahane

Translation

Lord, You exist;
Therefore I exist.
The more You give me,
The more I expect from You.
Between You and me
Nothing exists, nobody exists.
There is no obstruction.
Yet my heart has not realised You.
It wants to hide from You.
With a broken heart I shall not try
To realise You
Inside the depths of my tears.

221

Jaha ache prane lukaye
Kere niye jao kandaye
Dhan man jan
Pape bhara man
Sakali tomare kari arpan
Dao janam bhariya
Tabo preme mataye

Translation

O strike me and take away the things
That hide from me.
Name and fame and a life of evil deeds
Together go.
I offer my mind to You.
Give me only one thing:
Your Love-intoxicated Life-divine.

222

Jaton bina ratan balo
Ke pai kothai
Sahaje ki prem paoa jai
Hate premer adhikari
Sarbo tyagi hate pari
Prem prem bale sabe
Prem peyeche ke kabe
Asal prem je mile shudhu
Bishwa prabhur bishesh kripai

Translation

Without effort
Has anyone achieved anything?
Can one easily get love divine?
Never.
If one wants to be flooded
With love divine,
Then he has to become
The song of self-sacrifice.
People talk about love, love.
But does anyone have love?
Pure love is possible only from
The Blessing-gift of God’s
Special and unconditional Compassion.

223

Tomai bhalo basho bhagavan
Saral prane geye jayo gan
Sabar bhalobasar sathe
Tomar ashish parbe mathe
Dure ashish parbo mathe
Dure jabe praner abhiman
Sakai byathar habe abasan

Translation

My Lord, I shall love You
By singing Your Victory-song.
I shall also love everyone
And everything that You have created.
My head shall treasure Your Blessing-love.
When my sulking nature is totally transformed,
I know my life of suffering
Will cease once and for all.

224

Tomai ami kabe pabo
Tomar kaje rato rabo
Ar sobjato bhulejabo
Kabe tomar priya habo
Kabe apan kare pabo

Translation

When shall I receive You?
When shall I devote myself to You?
I wish to think only of You
And forget the rest of the world.
I wish to get You, only You,
My Lord Supreme,
As my very own.
But I do not know how, alas.

225

Deha lila ar katokal
Chere dao chere dao hal
Karibar jaha karo aje tware
Samadhan
Puta homanale nijere karogo
Aji dan
Chere dao jato abhiman
Dhele dao dehe man pran
Bhoi nai dake mahakal
Chere dao dao hal

Translation

How long will this body last on earth?
Do whatever you have to do quickly and well.
Throw yourself into the pure-sacrifice-flames.
Abandon the sulking breath.
Fear not, the eternal Time
Is beckoning you.

226

Britha chali eka eka
Chalina se pathe chalile je pathe
Pete pari tabo dekha
Ghuri ami eka eka
Paibo ki kabhu e kripa sindhu
Amrita pada rekha

Translation

In vain I roam all alone.
I do not walk along the road
That has Your Footsteps.
Will I ever receive Compassion-Sea from You?
And will I ever be able
To follow Your Footsteps?

227

Ogo ananta mahan apar
Tomare khunjiche jiban asar
Chira kal khali hiyar adhar
Kande shishu samo eshana amar

Translation

O infinite Reality,
O absolute Reality,
My hopeless and useless life
Is looking for You.
My heart’s receptivity-vessel
I always empty.
It cries like a helpless child.

228

Taru shakhe pakhi dake oi dake
Dake shudhu mor param pitare
Ami hetha eka mor gara bhabe
Malin maner nishar andhare

Translation

The bird sits on a branch
And beckons me.
It also beckons my Father Supreme.
Here I am alone in my self-creation
Which is marred by ignorance-night.

229

Kon pradipe alo jele
Shishu tumi dharai asa
Ghor bipade kon debatar
Hasi dekhe hasa
Bhabna chinta hatash hriday
Tomar kabhu nai
Ke je tomar ankhir sathi
Bhebe nahi pai
Maran joyi haye tumi dipti nire bhasa

Translation

O child divine,
Which flame do you kindle
And then enter into the world arena?
Do tell me,
When you are in danger stark,
Whose smile makes you smile?
You do not suffer from worries and anxieties.
Who is the friend of your vision-eye?
I think and think,
But I find no solution.
When can I conquer death
And swim in the water of celestial light?

230

Dao dao bale bhikharir beshe
Jabona tomar kache
Amije tomar sei abhiman
Ekhano amar ache
Ashanti sur hriday gabhire
Nirman seje nache

Translation

I shall not come to You crying:
“Give me this, give me that,”
Like a beggar.
I still claim myself
As your true possession.
Alas, the melody of unrest
Ruthlessly dances in my heart.

231

Pale pale pran je kariche dan
Tomar sebar lagi
Se je taba chira apanar jan
Satyer anuragi
Hasiya nachiya rayechi jagiya
Tomarei bhalobasiya
Tomar swapan tomar ketan
Tahare niyeche bariya

Translation

He alone is Your best instrument,
He alone is Your dear one
Who gives himself away
At every moment.
Needless to say,
He alone is the lover of truth.
Smiling and dancing
I remain wide awake
And carry Your Dream and Banner,
Which I claim as my very own.

232

Ogo deba shishu meri kole jishu
Kiba aparup murati mohan
Nache nache nache paramanande
Medini gagan taraka tapan
Geye taba agamani
Swarge martye alo chaya prane
Shuni taba jaya dhwani

Translation

O God-child, O Mary’s son,
Jesus, you are dancing
So soulfully and beautifully
In ecstasy supreme.
Earth, sky, the stars
And the sun
Sing your advent’s victory-song.
In Heaven and on earth,
In darkness-life and illumination-life,
I hear your victory-bell.

233

Prabhu jishu chira mahiyan
Krushe kare pran dan
Dite jibe paritran
Jani jishur sandhan
Nahi pabe dharanir akritagya pran
Ghor jiban pashan

Translation

Lord Supreme,
Your son Christ has become eternally great
By offering his life to the Cross.
He has become great
By becoming humanity’s salvation-light.
I know that the ungrateful humanity
Will never be able to realise
The real Christ
For what they have
Is a dark, stone-hearted life.

234

Ke bale ma nirakara
Dekha nahi jai
Bhakti chokhe dekhle tare
Hriday anginai
Pabe dekha pabe dekha
Shuna bishwabasi
Moder lagi dibanishi
Bhagabatir hasi

Translation

Who tells them that my Mother
Is formless?
Who tells that She is invisible?
If you want to see Her
With your devotion-eye,
Inside the depth of your heart
You are bound to see Her.
O world-citizens,
I tell you once and for all
That She is our eternal Smile.

235

Jishu jishu nam
Jap abiran
Jishu chetanai
Pran dube jai
Jishu sabakar
Pitar dharar

Translation

We meditate on the Christ.
We repeat his name countless times.
Without the Christ-consciousness
Our life is totally lost.
Christ is for all.
He is our divinity’s Son
And humanity’s Father.

236

Janamila debashishu jishu dharatale
Debaloke jayagiti gahe dale dale
Meri mata ankhi bhase kritagyata jale
Andhiyar guha bhabe lakka mani jwale
Dharma niti aripriti
Jishu mahaprem bhati
Dharanite prasaphutibe alo phule phale

Translation

Christ takes human incarnation.
Countless souls sing his victory-song.
Mother Mary’s eyes are flooded
With gratitude-pride.
This world of darkness-cave
Enjoys the aspiration of diamond-light.
We are all friends.
We see no foe,
For Jesus is a flame of the Light-Supreme.
Lord Supreme is smiling
Inside the flower
And fruit garden of humanity.

237

Bhakater kiba man
Kiba apaman
Tar kache ami tumi
Sabai saman
Bhakater paye kari
Sahasra pranam
Bhakat paran deha puta abhiram

Translation

A true devotee can never be caught
By the snare of name and fame.
To him all are equal.
I touch the very dust of his feet.
Always his body and vital
Are purity’s life-breath.

238

Prabhu prabhu bale
Jurai amar pran
Prabhu sathe gahi sada
Dharar mukti gan

Translation

I sing my Lord’s name.
I pray to Him.
He grants me,
My vital life,
Purity’s breath.
I celebrate the liberation-song
Of the world.

239

Kahar kapale ke jani ki habe
Sukh kiba dukh sthayi hoy kabe
Dudiner tare esechi e bhabe
Apan baliya kichu nahi rabe
Tabu bhebe man apan apan
Haibena jena deher maran
Deha chale gele kijani ki habe
Britha asi jai ei micha bhabe

Translation

Nobody knows
What fate has in store.
Nobody knows
Whether joy and sorrow
Are going to be a permanent reality.
Alone I came into this world.
Nothing can I claim.
I shall be my very own.
I shall no longer
Act like a lifeless reality.
Yet I think the whole world
Is for me,
There at my command.
When the body plays its role
And ceases functioning,
Everything that we do or become
Is non-reality.

240

Taba lila rasamoy chira madhumoy
Joy joy snehamoy joy dayamoy
Taba hasi taba banshi mor chidakashe
Nashe jena amarati nashe jena nashe
Mor lagi dhara lagi jachi barabhoy

Translation

Sweet and ambrosial is Your earthly life.
O Lord of Compassion,
I sing Your Victory-Song,
I see Your Smile all around me.
They destroy my darkness-night.
I implore only one thing:
Your Compassion-flood
In this poor world of ours.

241

Chahina jiban chahina maran
Kebal chahije abhoy charan
Tomar iccha hauk puran
Je bhabe jakhan rakha
Amar hridaye thaka
Pranpane kari tomar adesh palan
Premras pane name gane habo magan

Translation

I do not want life,
I do not want death.
I want only Your omnipotent Feet.
May Thy Will be fulfilled
No matter where I am and what I do.
I shall fulfil Your Command
With utmost sincerity.
By singing Your Victory-Song,
I shall remain self-intoxicated.

242

Tomar pujai tomar sebai
Amare harabo ami
Ogo sundara mor akutir
Alo swapaner swami
Maner samire hriday gabhire
Tomar charan chahi
Joy parajoy shudhu abhinoy
Gahi taba joya gahi

Translation

By worshipping You
And by serving You
I shall totally forget the human in me.
O Beautiful One,
You are the Lord Supreme of my dreams.
My mind which acts like a restless wind
Must surrender to You
And listen to Your Command.
I know victory and defeat, success and failure
Are mere childish games.
Knowing this perfectly well,
I shall all night and day
Sing Your Victory-Song.

243

Anirban tapobahni jalo
Jalo jalo sunirmal alo
Mor hiya dale utha jagi
Bhikka ei shudhu ami magi

Translation

O kindle my aspiration-flame.
Let it ceaselessly burn.
O Lord, do dawn in my lotus-heart.
The beggar in me begs
Only this from You.

244

Jeman kare gahe batas
Teman kare gao
Jeman kare chahe akash
Teman kare chao
Sindhu pane jeman kare
Nadi chale teman kare dhao
Jeman kare shishu gahe
Teman kare hese tumi gao

Translation

Oh sing for me
The way the wind sings.
Oh look at me
The way the sky looks.
Oh run towards me
The way the river runs towards the sea.
Oh see, smile and sing for me
The way a child smiles and sings.

245

Shunyo theke ese
Shunye sabe mishe
Sristi sthiti shunya habe sheshe
Mora ghuri deshe deshe
Shunya kebal aba eshe
Kare sabai alingan
Shunya shudhui param dhan

Translation

Our source was Infinity’s zero.
In Infinity’s zero we abide.
Creation and preservation
Will end in sad destruction.
It is only Infinity’s zero
Which will try to prove
Its matchless supremacy
And its unparalleled inner wealth.

246

Amrita pan karibare chahi
Antare mama
Kamana amar kario puran
Antara tama
He kalpa taru basana amar
Akashe batase
Chutiya chaleche sutibra bege
Amrita bina kichu nahi jani
Karago amar amrita dani

Translation

I wish to drink nectar-delight inside my heart.
This prayerful desire of mine
I hope to be fulfilled.
O desire-granting tree,
Without nectar-delight
My life will never be fulfilled.
You grant to me my only choice
And this makes me feel that
You are entirely mine.

247

Ke ke jabi nadir opar
Ai go ebar ai
Bela baye jai
Ar deri noy nai je samoy
Tora habi abhoy ajoy
Andhar praner haibe je khoy
Bela baye jai
Aigo ebar ai

Translation

Those who want to go
To the other side of the life-river
Come to me.
I am waiting for you.
Delay not, for it is all ready too late.
Delay not.
Our darkness-life must one day terminate.
Oh come to me running,
Those who want to go
To the other side of the life-river.

248

Asamaye dakle kena
Eman kare
Nai kona dhan nai ayojan
Nai abaran sadhan bhajan
Rikta ami ki phul diye diba bhare
Hate amar shunya dale
Kothai pabo phuler mala
Khudra bahu dharbe tomai
Bahu dore

Translation

I do not know why
You have called me untimely.
I have no material wealth.
I have no spiritual wealth.
My hand is empty,
My life is empty.
I have nothing to offer You.
My little arms are pining to clasp You.

249

Tomar haste ananda har
Amar bakke bedanar bhar
Sahasa kahile eso go badal kari
Ki balibo hai lajjai jai mori
Tumi dile more ananda har
Ashar gagan karuna apar
Bedana amar gopane rakhinu

Translation

Your Hand holds the garland of delight
And my hand holds the heavy weight of suffering.
All of a sudden You say,
“Let us exchange our possessions.”
Alas, what can I do?
I bury my head in sheer embarrassment.
What I have is hope.
And what You have is Compassion.
I do hope one day we shall fulfil each other
By becoming a oneness-heart.

250

Tomai prabhu dekhte elam
Anek diner pare
Tomai chere chilam ami
Dure deshantare
Shunbo shudhu tomar bani
Dekhbo shudhu mukhti khani
Tomai chara jabona ar
Kabhu deshantare
Nitya puja karbo tomar
Prafulla antare

Translation

My Lord, I have come to see You
After a long time.
I have been away,
Far away from You.
Now that I am back
I shall listen to You only.
I take a solemn oath.
I shall not go anywhere without You.
I shall worship Your Silence.
I shall worship, watch, appreciate, admire
And adore Your Face.
I shall worship You always,
Your cheerful Heart.