Poems to the Beloved

[adreamgodus]

Om Shanti...

 

As introduction to this blessed community of Divine Light, here is a poem from me:

 

The MOther's Womb

*****

 

Like clustered pearls, scattered we lay

Silently hoping for the day,

when Midnight madness comes our way...

A labor of birth to chart the way

 

Away from oyster's tenuous claim

of this body, of this name

Snugly caught in velvet Wombs

like silken pearls of rain we came

drop by drop into Maya's pain

nurtured by thoughts that ever bloom

deeper and deeper, seeking this doom

luminous pearls that lay hidden deep

in a dream, fast asleep

 

Yet, singing Om tat sat

in whispered thoughts

the sacred memory

of infinite love and, it's loss

 

The Divine Mother in labors of love

from the shadows of darkness

to the light above

birthing Her children

from pearls of "me"

from the oyster to the sea

no longer a prisoner of thoughts, you see

to the freedom of form, of "me"..

little clusters that dissolve to "We"

into the waves of light, we see

streaming from dreams, We

creeping from land to fly free

 

And in this flight we chant and sing

a sacred song for dreaming pearls

that lay for long, in sleepy songs

secretly hoping in a dream

one thought of freedom that will bring

midnight madness no matter that

pearly life will still unfurl

Maya in a swollen womb

in a barren oyster that like a tomb

swells with life again and again

in this world and out to bliss

infinite and joyous deliverance

liberation, away from sin

away from darkness

away from grief

moments in pain

brief joys and long refrains

wasted in vain

to the universe of loving light

to the land of peace held tight

to eternity in all it's might

in the cosmic space of our Mother's love

from dawn to twilight

we will dance in infinite grace

as luminous pearls of light

in the deepest darkest night

 

-shikha

 

Om Shanti

[adreamgodus]

Om Shanti...

 

Mirabai's immortal poems to our

Dark Lord are an inspiration for

all devotees-no matter the Path!

 

 

******************************************

 

My heart is filled with joy;

in an instant the dear one

appeared before me. I met

the beloved and through

His grace the Lord

revealed Himself to me.

 

The Master joined me

with the Shabd, my source,

and I am absorbed

in Its sweet Melody.

Mira's Lord is ever loving

and kind.

 

The bliss of union has stilled her mind.

 

The jewel of Naam I have found, a

precious wealth have I obtained.

 

A rare gift did my Master bestow;

in His mercy he has made me his own.

My original treasure I have regained,

and am rid of all I had in the world.

 

It can neither be stolen nor squandered.

It keeps increasing from day to day.

 

The boat of Truth I occupied, with the true

Master at the helm. With ease I was ferried

across the deadly ocean of the world.

 

Mira in her joyful ecstasy sings the glory

of her benign Lord.

 

-- Mira Bai, "Mira Bai

-- The Divine Lover," RS Books

[adreamgodus]

Om Shanti

 

*****************************************

 

I am thirsting for your love, my Beloved!

I shall make this body a lamp,

and my tender heart shall be its wick;

I shall fill it with the scented oil

of my young love and burn it

night and day at Your shrine, O Beloved!

For your love I shall sacrifice

all the wealth of my youth;

Your Name shall be the crown of my head.

I am longing for You, O my Lord:

for the season of the sowing has come;

but You are not beside me.

Clouds gather on my brows and my eyes shed heavy showers.

My parents gave me to You, I have become Yours for ever; who but You

can be my Lord?

This separation troubles my breast, make me Your own; make me perfect

like You, O Lord of Perfection.

 

-- "Mira - The Divine Lover,"

V. K. Sethi, RS Books

 

 

[adreamgodus]

Om Shanti

 

****************************************

 

I am struck with longing to meet the Lord,

To meet that dear One, and reach

my true Home.

Worldly entanglements and fear of slander,

I'll give up in pursuit of true Knowledge.

 

The door is unlocked, my soul

shines bright,

And longs for the mansion within the sky.

A dazzling flame appears before me,

Like a flash of lightening in days of rain.

 

Mira yearns now to behold her dear Lord

And sing His glory in blissful ecstasy.

 

 

Mira Bai, "The Oxford Book of Prayer," Oxford University Press

 

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the nice poems by Bhaktini par excellence Mira Bai.

 

Keep pouring this nectar for the fallen souls!

[adreamgodus]

Om Shanti

 

One with the Ocean

 

I raised my eyes for just one look

At Him, the bewitcher of all;

His radiant beauty pierced my being,

It lingers still within my heart.

 

The moment I lifted

the veil from my face,

My tiny spark merged

In the divine flame.

What use in repenting,

What avail brooding now

When I have being caught in His love's snare?

 

Mira's Beloved is almighty;

The drop is now one

With love's great ocean

 

The Beloved Comes Home

 

O friends, the Beloved has come home.

He whom this separated one awaited,

Whom day after day she longed to meet,

The same loved one, O friends, has come.

 

The word's rarest jewels

I'll lay at His feet,

I'll adore Him, adore Him,

With all my heart and soul;

I will even cherish the one

Who first brought the news of His coming.

 

My five friends have come together

To sing auspicious songs of joy;

They rejoice with me

For my bliss of union-

Bliss that I cannot contain

Within the depths of my heart.

 

I have become attached to Him

The ocean of tenderness;

My eyes remain spellbound

By the charm of His love,

And the courtyard of Mira's heart

Is drenched with the shower of bliss.

 

-- "Mira - The Divine Lover," V. K. Sethi, RS Books

[adreamgodus]

Om Shanti

 

"THE BLISS OF UNION WITH THE BELOVED

 

The one I longed for has come home,

The raging fire of separation is quenched;

Now I rejoice with Him, I sing in bliss.

 

The peacocks at the cloud's roar

Dance with unbound joy;

I rejoice in ecstasy

At the sight of my Beloved.

 

I am absorbed in His love;

My misery of wandering

In the world has ended.

The lily bursts into bloom

At the sight of the full moon;

Seeing Him my heart blossoms in joy.

Peace permeates this body of mine,

His arrival has filled my home with bliss.

 

That very Lord has become my own,

Who is ever the redeemer of His devotees.

Mira's heart, scorched by the blaze

Of separation,

Has become cool and refreshed;

The pain of duality has vanished."

 

--Mirabai

 

-- "Mira - The Divine Lover," V. K. Sethi, RS Books

Om

 

 

[adreamgodus]

Om Shanti

 

"The Diver

sank through

easeful

azure. Flower

creatures flashed and

shimmered

there--

lost images

fadingly remembered.

 

Swifly

descended

into a canyon of cold

nightgreen emptiness.

Free

falling, weightless

as in dreams of

wingless flight,

 

plunged through infra-

space and came to

the dead

ship,

carcass that swarmed with

vocarious Life

Anglefish,

their

lively blue and

yellow prised form

darkness by

the

flashlight's beam,

thronged her portholes

 

Moss of bryozoans

blurred, obsured her

metal. Snappers,

gold groupers, exlpored

her fearless of bubbling

manfish. I entered

the wreak, awed by silence,

feeling more keenly

the iron cold.

 

With flashlight probing

fogs of water

saw the sad slow

dance of the gilded

chairs, the extoplasmic

swril of garments,

drowned instruments

of buyancy,

druken shoes. Then

livid, gesterings,

eldriteh hide and

seek of laughing

faces I yearned to

find those hidden

ones, to fling aside

the mask and call them...

 

yield to raptures

 

Whisperings, have

done with self and

every diming

vain complexity

yet in languid

freezing stove, as

one freezing fights off

 

sleep desiring sleep;

cancelling arms that

suddenly surrounded

me, flew the numbing

kisses that I craved

 

reflex of life wish?

Resperator is brittle

belling? Swam from

the ship somehow began the

measured rise.".

 

--Robert Hayden

 

Om Shanti

 

 

 

 

[adreamgodus]

The Lady of Shalott by

Lord Alfred Tennyson

 

Part I

 

On either side the river lie

Long fields of barley and of rye,

That clothe the wold and meet the sky;

And through the field the road runs by

To many-towered Camelot;

 

And up and down the people go,

Gazing where the lilies blow

Round an island there below,

 

The island of Shalott.

 

Willows whiten, aspens quiver,

Little breezes dusk and shiver

 

Through the wave that runs for ever

By the island in the river

Flowing down to Camelot.

 

Four grey walls, and four grey towers,

Overlook a space of flowers,

And the silent isle imbowers

The Lady of Shalott.

 

By the margin, willow-veiled,

Slide the heavy barges trailed

By slow horses; and unhailed

The shallop flitteth silken-sailed

Skimming down to Camelot:

But who hath seen her wave her hand?

Or at the casement seen her stand?

Or is she known in all the land,

The Lady of Shalott?

 

Only reapers, reaping early

In among the bearded barley,

Hear a song that echoes cheerly

 

From the river winding clearly,

Down to towered Camelot:

 

And by the moon the reaper weary,

 

Piling sheaves in uplands airy,

Listening, whispers

 

"'Tis the fairy Lady of Shalott"

 

continued...

[adreamgodus]

The Lady of Shalott

by

Lord Alfred Tennyson

 

 

Part II

 

There she weaves by night and day

 

A magic web with colours gay.

She has heard a whisper say,

A curse is on her if she stay

 

To look down to Camelot.

She knows not what the curse may be,

And so she weaveth steadily,

And little other care hath she,

The Lady of Shalott.

 

And moving through a mirror clear

That hangs before her all the year,

Shadows of the world appear.

There she sees the highway near

 

Winding down to Camelot:

There the river eddy whirls,

And there the surly village-churls,

 

And the red cloaks of market girls,

Pass onward from Shalott.

 

Sometimes a troop of damsels glad,

An abbot on an ambling pad,

Sometimes a curly shepherd-lad,

 

 

Or long-haired page in crimson clad,

 

Goes by to towered Camelot;

And sometimes through the mirror blue

The knights come riding two and two:

She hath no loyal knight and true,

 

The Lady of Shalott.

 

But in her web she still delights

To weave the mirror's magic sights,

 

For often through the silent nights

A funeral, with plumes and lights

 

And music, went to Camelot:

Or when the moon was overhead,

Came two young lovers lately wed;

 

"I am half sick of shadows," said

 

The Lady of Shalott.

 

 

[adreamgodus]

Om Shanti

 

The Lady of Shalott

by

Lord Alfred Tennyson

 

Part III

 

A bow-shot from her bower-eaves,

He rode between the barley-sheaves,

The sun came dazzling through the leaves,

 

And flamed upon the brazen greaves

Of bold Sir Lancelot.

 

A red-cross knight for ever neeled

To a lady in his shield,

That sparkled on the yellow field,

Beside remote Shalott.

The gemmy bridle glittered free,

Like to some branch of stars we see

Hung in the golden Galaxy.

The bridle bells rang merrily

As he rode down to Camelot:

 

And from his blazoned baldric slung

A mighty silver bugle hung,

And as he rode his armour rung,

Beside remote Shalott.

All in the blue unclouded weather

Thick-jewelled shone the saddle-leather,

The helmet and the helmet-feather

Burned like one burning flame together,

 

As he rode down to Camelot.

As often through the purple night,

Below the starry clusters bright,

 

Some bearded meteor, trailing light,

Moves over still Shalott.

His broad clear brow in sunlight glowed;

 

On burnished hooves his war-horse trode;

From underneath his helmet flowed

His coal-black curls as on he rode,

As he rode down to Camelot.

 

From the bank and from the river

He flashed into the crystal mirror,

"Tirra lirra," by the river

Sang Sir Lancelot.

She left the web, she left the loom,

She made three paces through the room,

She saw the water-lily bloom,

She saw the helmet and the plume,

 

She looked down to Camelot.

Out flew the web and floated wide;

 

The mirror cracked from side to side;

"The curse is come upon me," cried

The Lady of Shalott.

 

Om Shanti

[Guest guest]

<center><big>Love and Worship</big>

 

 

Vo Namaz Bhi Kya Ada - That Namaz (Prayer) is what kind of Namaz

Jisape Na Ho Khuda Phida - Which is not heartening to God

Gar Khuda Hota Jo Phida - Had God been heartened

To Kyu Na Dikhata Apani Ada? - Why wouldn't he show his heartening look?

 

Dekhata Banda Jo Khuda Ki Ada - If the worshipper had seen that look

To Ho Jata Khuda Pe Phida - Worshiper would have been sold to God

Nahi Chahata Koi Aur Cheez Kada - And would not wish for anything else

Ishka Karata Khuda Se Sada - And would romance with God

 

Ishka Hota Hai Wohi Sachha - Only that love is true

Jis Me Hota Hai Vichar Pakka - In which there is firm decision that

Khush Hai Gar Khuda Mera - If My Lord is happy

To Khush Hai Ye Dil Mera - then only I am Happy

 

Mere Dil Me Jo Viraha Jale - When the fire burns in my heart

Oos Roshani Se Roshan Gar Khuda Hase - Lighted by that light if God smiles

To Vo Aag khabi Na Mite - Then that fire should never extinguish

Bhalehi Oos Me Ham Mar MIte - Even if I am destroyed in it

 

Jo Hoti hai Meri Barabadi - When I am completely ruined

Gar Khuda Dekhata Hai Oos Me Aabadi - And God sees all well in it

To Vo Rahe Hamesha Aabad - Be God always flourishing

Bhalehi Ham hamesha Rahe Barbad - Even if I remain always in shackles

 

Jo Mar Mitne Ko Rahata hai Taiyar - The one who ready to throw his life

Oose Milata Hai Khuda Dildar - He gets God as his Beloved

Bas Vo Mitana Ho Khuda Ke Pyar Me - Just that life must be thrown in love and to God

Na Is Sansar Ke Ladai Zagade Ya Pyar Me - And not in battles of hate and love of the material world

 

By Chandrashekhar Chiplunkar (shreeradha)

 

divinelove2/

[adreamgodus]

Part IV

 

In the stormy east-wind straining,

The pale yellow woods were waning,

The broad stream in his banks complaining,

Heavily the low sky raining

Over towered Camelot;

 

Down she came and found a boat

Beneath a willow left afloat,

And round about the prow she wrote

The Lady of Shalott.

And down the river's dim expanse,

Like some bold seër in a trance

Seeing all his own mischance--

With a glassy countenance

Did she look to Camelot.

And at the closing of the day

She loosed the chain, and down she lay;

The broad stream bore her far away,

The Lady of Shalott.

Lying, robed in snowy white

That loosely flew to left and right--

The leaves upon her falling light--

Through the noises of the night

She floated down to Camelot:

And as the boat-head wound along

 

The willowy hills and fields among,

They heard her singing her last song,

The Lady of Shalott.

Heard a carol, mournful, holy,

Chanted loudly, chanted lowly,

Till her blood was frozen slowly,

And her eyes were darkened wholly,

Turned to towered Camelot.

 

For ere she reached upon the tide

The first house by the water-side,

Singing in her song she died,

The Lady of Shalott.

Under tower and balcony,

By garden-wall and gallery,

A gleaming shape she floated by,

Dead-pale between the houses high,

Silent into Camelot.

 

Out upon the wharfs they came,

Knight and burgher, lord and dame,

And round the prow they read her name,

The Lady of Shalott.

 

Who is this? and what is here?

And in the lighted palace near

Died the sound of royal cheer;

And they crossed themselves for fear,

 

All the knights at Camelot:

But Lancelot mused a little space;

He said, "She has a lovely face;

God in his mercy lend her grace,

 

The Lady of Shalott."

 

 

[adreamgodus]

<font color="blue">

Om Shanti....

 

"He gave me a song of pearls,

 

each bead a majestic moment that

cascaded upon

 

this quivering heart...

 

and there, his very hand..

 

took that gift apart!

 

 

Leaving tears were joy had shown

 

a prayer of purity unadorned-

 

 

A barren and desolate shrine

 

of sweet melodies for the magic

 

of his methods in a tangle of stars

 

 

A space held in temples of electronic bars...

 

Speaking of love he quoted many it seems

 

but these words, not from his heart,

no, not even his dreams...

 

only words gathered as clouds

of the Mind's sky

 

pretty puffs of vanity that drift by...

 

 

How foolish to belive in a world long gone

 

a magical moment lost in song...

 

words not equal to this task so dear...

 

 

Only the lover that is sincere..

 

would know the riddle of this melody...

 

sung without words and thus,

unheard by many, it seems...

 

a song of Love as God

in brilliant majesty!"

 

-shikha, 2002-

 

for each of you, my dears

 

Om Shanti

 

</font color>

 

[adreamgodus]

Om Shanti

 

 

Here lies the ocean of peace,

Helmsman, launch the boat.

You will always be the comrade.

 

Take, O take him to your heart.

In the path of the Infinite

will shine the "Dhruba-tara". (North Star)

 

Giver of freedom, your forgiveness,

your mercy

will be wealth inexhaustible

in the eternal journey.

 

May the mortal bonds perish,

May the vast universe

take him in its arms,

 

And may he know in his fearless heart

The great unknown.

 

From Sesh Lekha,

translation: Amiya Chakravarty

 

Om Shanti

[vanamali]

I know how much you guys like Radharani, so I have written this poem. It is not written well, but then I am not a poet, but just a mad woman with words spilling from the mouth. I bow to the Lotus Feet of Lord Krishna, may he excuse me if I make any offense.

 

 

 

The effects of Separation

A thousand gopis wander

In utter bewilderment

Where has Krishna gone?

In His absence they imitate Him

Reinacting His heroic deeds

Standing in His tri-bhanga pose

Speaking like Him

Moving like Him

Becoming Him

Radha is angry with Krishna

He is utterly bewildered

Where has Radha gone?

In Her absence He imitates Her

Sobbing and sighing in frustration

Burning in the fire of Love

Speaking like Her

Moving like Her

Becoming Her

Krishna has gone to Mathura

Radha is sad and bewildered

Why has Krishna gone?

In His absence She imitates Him

Turning weeping into laughing

And mourning into dancing

Playing the flute He left behind

Speaking like Him

Moving like Him

Becoming Him

Krishna has gone to Mathura

But someone still wanders Vrindavan forest

Playing the flute

All the gopis gather round Her

Gazing at Her with tender smiles

Eyes filled with loving tears

Touching the arms that once held the Lord

For Them She is Him

For Her They are Him

They have all become Him