DP Daily Prompts: In Good Faith

Describe a memory or encounter in which you considered your faith, religion, spirituality–or lack of–for the first time.

My mom gave me a book of prayers , she checked off two she said was very helpful when I was in any kind of danger. I memorized both of them and felt confident these two would protect me.

I once told my uncle about them, he smiled and said, “here is another one, this one is short and will come in handy when you are nervous and forget the long ones.”

I am equipped with my three prayers to help me when I need them.

Once I was traveling to Dhaka (Bangladesh) in the middle of the night by train, there were other passengers, I was traveling alone, suddenly I saw a weird looking man showing his face on the window, I was so terrified I started saying the three prayers one at a time, when the train stopped at a station, he was told to get off from the train by the conductor. I was relieved I wouldn’t have to see his face again.

https://sabethville.wordpress.com/2015/01/09/dp-daily-prompts-3/

 

Birth Discussion by Tagore Translation by Ranu

This is another poem of Tagore,in this he talks to his mother about “Birth.”

The little boy calls his Mom and asks, ‘where did I come from

where did you pick me up from?

Hearing this Mom in a crying and laughing tone      hugged the boy in her chest_

‘you were a wish in my mind.’

You were in my imagination when I played with my doll, in my early morning prayer

I have taken you apart and put you together.

You were with my god    on my prayer throne,

I was thinking of you while I was praying to god.

‘In all my wish forever,in all of my love,

in my mother’s and grandmother’s heart,

in our old home    on my Devi’s lap

I don’t know how long you were hiding there.

In my youth when everything in me unfolded

you were mixed like a fragrance inside me,

you were present in my young body

giving away your gentle loveliness.

‘You are the precious love of all the gods    you are forever old,

you are as old as the morning light.

Your entry into the world is a dream that brings a flow of happiness

you have come to my heart as a new pleasure.

‘After seeing you suddenly    I didn’t understand your mystery___

you belonged to everyone, how did you become mine!

From that body to mine   you became Mom’s baby

with a beautiful smile you showed up on this earth.

‘I am afraid to lose you this is why  I want to hold on to you in my chest,

if you move away from me slightly I begin to cry____

I don’t know what kind of affection has trapped me, to me you are my worldly treasure I want to hold on to you

and  hide you in my fragile arms.’

Rabindranath Tagore with wife Mrinalini Devi from a Pirali Brahmin clan which some Tagores regularly married into (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Poetry of Tagore Translated by Ranu

English: This the picture of a collection of 108 temple of hindu god “Shiv” in Burdwan(Westbengal,India) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

English: This is the famous gate at the centre of Burdwan(West Bengal,India) town.This gate was made by Burdwan Maharaja to welcome Lord Curzon. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I have translated Tagore’s poem on mother.I am aiming to translate some more of his poems into English.The following is about the faithful servant.

“My Faithful servant”

His unattractive face and lack of consciousness– makes my wife believe that,

Whatever is lost in the house, she says,Keshto is the thief.

At every step of the way standing or sitting,he hears but pretends not to–

He gets more abuse than his wages, still he doesn’t learn.

I need him so much,I scream , “Keshta”—

However much I hurry,I cannot hear him,I look for him everywhere.

When he is given three things he keeps one,and is unaware where the rest are—-

If he is given one thing he brings three in seconds and doesn’t know where they came from.

He takes a nap in the  morning and afternoon—

In the middle of all the noise I call him ” stupid,naughty, idiot”

My anger gets worse when I see him standing by the door laughing;

Even then I find it hard to get rid of him ,he is with me for such a long time.

My spouse with a very angry face tells me,’I cannot bear this any more—

I am leaving all your possessions, you can stay with your Keshta;’

He doesn’t know how to take care of the things, my things have disappeared.

where are  they gone—I am continuously spending  money to replace them.

When he goes for shopping it is hard to trace him all day;( I think in my mind)

how  hard, can it be to get a servant to replace Keshta!

with this thought in my mind I run and hold his hair and bring him—;’

I tell him,You scoundrel you leave  today,I am getting rid of you;’

He leaves slowly, I think my responsibility is over; next day I wake up and see

he is standing with the ‘Hukka’ that silly man;

With a quiet face and devoid of sadness, a picture of a Simpleton

I try to let him go but I cannot,what can I do,he is my faithful servant.

That year I made some money from brokerage.

I decided to go to Brindabon for pilgrimage;

My wife wanted to go, I tried to make her understand—

A husbands good deed is considered a wife’s good deed also,otherwise it increases the expenditure.

I kept the expenses low, I collected my things and put them in a bag

My wife got everything ready,she cried and said,

‘in a strange land with Keshta you will suffer a lot.’

I said ,’Oh God Nibaron will go with us.’

We reached Burdwan by train, after getting off,

a very calm Krishnakanto brought my Hukka,where is Keshta?

Such audacity of his ,how much can I tolerate daily?

No matter how much I blame him I find him happy, my faithful servant.

I got off at Sridham; and found on the south,left,back and front all

the ruffians,within seconds caught my throat. They wanted to go with me,

Six or seven of us joined together like very good friends we

stayed in a home; It felt that with hope and comfort our days will be spent happily,then came the disease small pox,

where is Brojobala,Bonomala, Bonomali ,Hori I asked?

They all left when they heard small pox. I am dying of this disease.

I am alone in a room, the small pox has covered all of my body.

I call every day in my pathetic voice, Keshto come closer to me,

After all these days in a strange land,I am going to die.’

I look at his face my heart is filled with love,he is such a close friend—

Everyday he stood by me,my faithful servant Keshto,

English: This is the inside view of the palace of Burdwan Maharaja at Burdwan(West Bengal,India). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

He gave me water,asked me how I was,he put my hand on his forehead,

He stood quietly,without any sleep or food.

He told me repeatedly,master,do not worry,listen—

you will go back home,you will be able to see my,’Ma Mistress again.’

After I got better,he caught fever;

He took my terrible disease on his body.

He was unconscious for two days,his digestive system failed—

All the times I wanted to get rid of him,he wouldn’t go; and when I realized I wanted him to stay,he was gone.

I completed pilgrimage and came home after several days.

Today I no longer have my faithful servant —my loyal friend Keshta.

‘

English: Ink-on-paper painting by Rabindranath Tagore (undated). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Timeless Quotes from the Buddha

As a mother at the risk of her life

watches over her child,so let everyone

cultivate a boundlessly compassionate

mind towards all living beings.

It is a man’s own mind,

not his enemy or foe,

that lures him to evil ways.

To live a pure unselfish life,

one must count nothing as

one’s own in the midst of abundance.

Hatred does not cease by hatred,

but by love alone; this is an ancient

and eternal law.

It is better to conquer yourself,

than to win a thousand battles.

Then the victory is yours.

It cannot be taken from you,

not by angels or by demons,heaven or hell.

The secret of health for both

mind and body is not to mourn

for the past,worry about the future,

or anticipate troubles,but to live in

the present moment wisely and earnestly.

We are what we think.

All that we are arises with our thoughts.

With our thoughts we make the world.

All things appear and disappear

because of the concurrence of

causes and conditions.

Nothing ever exists entirely alone;

everything is  in relation to everything else.

Believe nothing no matter

where you read it,or who said it,

no matter if I have said it,

unless it agrees with your own reason

and your own common sense.

Even death is not to be feared

by one who has lived wisely.

There are two mistakes one

can make along the road to truth.

not going all the way,and not starting.

I loved the Timeless Quotes from the Buddha and decided to post it.

The spiritual World

Spiritual Tree, Solarisation (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This world is like a dream,but you,the sleeper,imagine it is real

Until suddenly death dawns and you will be released

from the night of opinion and falsehood.

You will laugh at the sorrows that beset your earthly

existence when you see your permanent dwelling place.

On waking you will become aware of everything you

did in your sleep in this earthbound existence.

Do not imagine that your deeds will be regarded

merely as evil actions committed while asleep,with

no consequences for you.

But in the hour of awakening your tears of grief and

walls of lamentation will turn to joy!

MASNAVI     1V