Guest guest Posted May 4, 2009 Report Share Posted May 4, 2009 A Beautiful Poem sent in by our dear friend Ivan. Here's your Daily Poem from the Poetry Chaikhana -- The Heat of Midnight Tears By Mirabai(1498 - 1565?) English version by Robert Bly Listen, my friend, this road is the heart opening,Kissing his feet, resistance broken, tears all night.If we could reach the Lord through immersion in water,I would have asked to be born a fish in this life.If we could reach Him through nothing but berries and wild nuts,Then surely the saints would have been monkeys when they came from the womb!If we could reach him by munching lettuce and dry leaves,Then the goats would surely go to the Holy One before us!If the worship of stone statues could bring us all the way,I would have adored a granite mountain years ago.Mirabai says: The heat of midnight tears will bring you to God. -- from The Winged Energy of Delight, Translated by Robert Bly Amazon.com / Photo by Megyarsh / ============ Thought for the Day: The real youis ever new and aliveand much too big to be your own. ============ Here's your Daily Music selection -- Wah! Savasana Listen - Purchase More Music Selections Hi Alan -I want to start by looking at the middle section. Mirabai says that if we could reach God through bathing in sacred waters, fish would be the holiest creatures; if by subsisting only on nuts and berries, then monkeys would be better than saints. In other words, God is not limited to one thing or one place or one form of worship. God is not outside ourselves to be found elsewhere. And simple, mindless fixation on something we define as holy will not make us holy.But what really caught my attention is how similar these lines are to the Gnostic Christian teachings in the Gospel of Thomas, which was only rediscovered in the early 1900s:If those who lead you say, "Look, the kingdom is in the heavens," then the birds of heaven will get there before you. If they say, "It is in the sea," then the fish will be there first. Rather, the kingdom is within you and all around you. When you know yourself, you will be known, and you will know you are children of the living father...- The Gospel of ThomasNow, reread Mirabai's words. Pretty striking similarity, isn't it? It's so nearly identical that one suspects the Gospel of Thomas was circulating through India in Mirabai's time.Both the Gospel of Thomas and Mirabai's song are telling us that the Eternal One is not found some-where. No place or object embodies God to the exclusion of others. That Presence is, in truth, everywhere, but is always discovered within.Mirabai says: The heat of midnight tears will bring you to God.Midnight is the time of lovers and longing. The ego acts as the prim nurse standing guard to make certain secret tryst cannot occur. But lovers always find a way. The magnetic power of intense longing cannot be denied. Such midnight tears finally shame even the ego ("resistance broken"), who disappears into the shadows that the Beloved may emerge.The pathway is open, and that pathway is the heart.This is what Mirabai is telling us: God is already there, waiting, hidden, but we must clear the pathway of the heart. Only then can we finally recognize the smiling features of the Beloved that have always been there.Listen, my friend, this road is the heart opening...Ivan Share Your Thoughts on today's poem or my commentary... New on the Poetry Chaikhana BlogIn addition to the daily poem, other recent blog posts include: Website Updates - You can now search for anything anywhere on the Poetry Chaikhana site, from any page! Search for poets, words, phrases, themes, spiritual traditions... More Video: A Moment of Peace 2009 - A quiet video, and quietly inspiring. A meeting of Jewish and Arab peace activists commemorating the pain and loss on all sides of the Israeli / Palestinian conflict. More Found Haiku - Comments (6) Here's the idea: Take lines from a book or magazine, overheard snippets of conversation... and use them as found objects to construct a haiku. More Support the Poetry Chaikhana Donations to the Poetry Chaikhana in any amount are always welcome. Thank you! Click here You can also support the Poetry Chaikhana, as well as the authors and publishers of sacred poetry, by purchasing some of the recommended books through the links on this site. Thank you! Click here A small amount each month makes a big difference. Become a voluntary Subscriber for just $2/mo. Click here Help the Poetry Chaikhana reach more people. Become a Supporter for just $10/mo. Poetry Chaikhana HomeNew | Books | Music | Teahouse | About | ContactPoets by: Name| Tradition | Timeline Poetry by: Theme | CommentaryBlog | Forum | Facebook | Twitter www.Poetry-Chaikhana.com Poetry ChaikhanaP.O. Box 2320Boulder, CO 80306 Ivan M. Granger's original poetry, stories and commentaries are 2002 - 2008 by Ivan M. Granger.All other material is copyrighted by the respective authors, translators and/or publishers. ============ Plain Text: If you have any difficulty reading this HTML formatted email, please let me know and I can send you plain text emails instead. Cancelling: If you wish to stop receiving this Daily Poem email from the Poetry Chaikhana, simply reply to this email and change the Subject to "Cancel". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 6, 2009 Report Share Posted May 6, 2009 Dear Alan: Just the other day, I remembered that I had intended to post a few links to supplement your posting of Mirabai poems, but that I had not seen one lately...so here it is. Good timing:-) Some on the list may not know the history of Mirabai and it is helpful in appreciating her poems. I also included some links which explore the expression of viraha and bhakti marga. You had actually posted this poem before and it was the one which prompted me to search for the article I had seen in the past on viraha in the link below. As to Ivan's comments below, permit me to suggest that it was not the gnostic gospel which was circulating in India in Mirabai's time which led to the similarity of expressions but the similarity of experience which led to the similarity of expression :-) Bio of Mirabai... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirabai Viraha in Mira's poetry... http://www.ambahouse.org/meeratalk.html Jnana marga/bhakta marga... http://www.mantraonnet.com/krishna-lila/krishna-lover2.html In His Service, Radhe ========================================= A Beautiful Poem sent in by our dear friend Ivan. The Heat of Midnight Tears By Mirabai (1498 - 1565?) English version by Robert Bly Listen, my friend, this road is the heart opening, Kissing his feet, resistance broken, tears all night. If we could reach the Lord through immersion in water, I would have asked to be born a fish in this life. If we could reach Him through nothing but berries and wild nuts, Then surely the saints would have been monkeys when they came from the womb! If we could reach him by munching lettuce and dry leaves, Then the goats would surely go to the Holy One before us! If the worship of stone statues could bring us all the way, I would have adored a granite mountain years ago. Mirabai says: The heat of midnight tears will bring you to God. -- from The Winged Energy of Delight, Translated by Robert Bly Amazon.com Hi Alan - I want to start by looking at the middle section. Mirabai says that if we could reach God through bathing in sacred waters, fish would be the holiest creatures; if by subsisting only on nuts and berries, then monkeys would be better than saints. In other words, God is not limited to one thing or one place or one form of worship. God is not outside ourselves to be found elsewhere. And simple, mindless fixation on something we define as holy will not make us holy. But what really caught my attention is how similar these lines are to the Gnostic Christian teachings in the Gospel of Thomas, which was only rediscovered in the early 1900s: If those who lead you say, " Look, the kingdom is in the heavens, " then the birds of heaven will get there before you. If they say, " It is in the sea, " then the fish will be there first. Rather, the kingdom is within you and all around you. When you know yourself, you will be known, and you will know you are children of the living father... - The Gospel of Thomas Now, reread Mirabai's words. Pretty striking similarity, isn't it? It's so nearly identical that one suspects the Gospel of Thomas was circulating through India in Mirabai's time. Both the Gospel of Thomas and Mirabai's song are telling us that the Eternal One is not found some-where. No place or object embodies God to the exclusion of others. That Presence is, in truth, everywhere, but is always discovered within. Mirabai says: The heat of midnight tears will bring you to God. Midnight is the time of lovers and longing. The ego acts as the prim nurse standing guard to make certain secret tryst cannot occur. But lovers always find a way. The magnetic power of intense longing cannot be denied. Such midnight tears finally shame even the ego ( " resistance broken " ), who disappears into the shadows that the Beloved may emerge. The pathway is open, and that pathway is the heart. This is what Mirabai is telling us: God is already there, waiting, hidden, but we must clear the pathway of the heart. Only then can we finally recognize the smiling features of the Beloved that have always been there. Listen, my friend, this road is the heart opening... Ivan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 6, 2009 Report Share Posted May 6, 2009 Dear Rhadhe, Thanks for this valuable addition to our appreciation of Mirabai's wonderful Poetry. All love, Alan--- On Wed, 6/5/09, Radhe <shaantih wrote: Radhe <shaantihRe: Mirabai - The Heat of Midnight Tears Date: Wednesday, 6 May, 2009, 2:10 PM Dear Alan:Just the other day, I remembered that I had intended to post afew links to supplement your posting of Mirabai poems, butthat I had not seen one lately...so here it is. Good timing:-)Some on the list may not know the history of Mirabai andit is helpful in appreciating her poems. I also included somelinks which explore the expression of viraha and bhakti marga.You had actually posted this poem before and it was theone which prompted me to search for the article I hadseen in the past on viraha in the link below. As to Ivan'scomments below, permit me to suggest that it was not thegnostic gospel which was circulating in India in Mirabai's timewhich led to the similarity of expressions but the similarityof experience which led to the similarity of expression :-)Bio of Mirabai...http://en.wikipedia ..org/wiki/ MirabaiViraha in Mira's poetry...http://www.ambahous e.org/meeratalk. htmlJnana marga/bhakta marga...http://www.mantraon net.com/krishna- lila/krishna- lover2.htmlIn His Service,Radhe============ ========= ========= ========= ==A Beautiful Poem sent in by our dear friend Ivan.The Heat of Midnight TearsBy Mirabai(1498 - 1565?)English version by Robert BlyListen, my friend, this road is the heart opening,Kissing his feet, resistance broken, tears all night.If we could reach the Lord through immersion in water,I would have asked to be born a fish in this life.If we could reach Him through nothing but berries and wild nuts,Then surely the saints would have been monkeys when they came from the womb!If we could reach him by munching lettuce and dry leaves,Then the goats would surely go to the Holy One before us!If the worship of stone statues could bring us all the way,I would have adored a granite mountain years ago.Mirabai says: The heat of midnight tears will bring you to God.-- from The Winged Energy of Delight, Translated by Robert BlyAmazon.comHi Alan -I want to start by looking at the middle section. Mirabai says that if wecould reach God through bathing in sacred waters, fish would be the holiestcreatures; if by subsisting only on nuts and berries, then monkeys would bebetter than saints. In other words, God is not limited to one thing or oneplace or one form of worship. God is not outside ourselves to be foundelsewhere. And simple, mindless fixation on something we define as holy willnot make us holy.But what really caught my attention is how similar these lines are to theGnostic Christian teachings in the Gospel of Thomas, which was onlyrediscovered in the early 1900s:If those who lead you say, "Look, the kingdom is in the heavens," then thebirds of heaven will get there before you. If they say, "It is in the sea,"then the fish will be there first. Rather, the kingdom is within you and allaround you. When you know yourself, you will be known, and you will know youare children of the living father...- The Gospel of ThomasNow, reread Mirabai's words. Pretty striking similarity, isn't it? It's sonearly identical that one suspects the Gospel of Thomas was circulatingthrough India in Mirabai's time.Both the Gospel of Thomas and Mirabai's song are telling us that the EternalOne is not found some-where. No place or object embodies God to theexclusion of others. That Presence is, in truth, everywhere, but is alwaysdiscovered within.Mirabai says: The heat of midnight tears will bring you to God.Midnight is the time of lovers and longing.The ego acts as the prim nurse standing guard to make certain secret trystcannot occur. But lovers always find a way. The magnetic power of intenselonging cannot be denied. Such midnight tears finally shame even the ego("resistance broken"), who disappears into the shadows that the Beloved mayemerge.The pathway is open, and that pathway is the heart.This is what Mirabai is telling us: God is already there, waiting, hidden,but we must clear the pathway of the heart. Only then can we finallyrecognize the smiling features of the Beloved that have always been there.Listen, my friend, this road is the heart opening...Ivan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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