Saturday 6 November 2010

From Geethanjali of Tagore


 
L-50 page 31-32 0f the Macmillan edition 1988


I had gone a-begging from door to door in the village path, when thy golden chariot appeared in the distance like a gorgeous dream and I wondered who was this King of all kings.

My hopes rose high and methought my evil days were at end, and I stood waiting for alms to be given unasked and for the wealth  scattered on all sides in the dust.

Thy chariot stopped were I stood waiting for alms to be given unasked and for wealth  scattered on all sides in the dust.
Thy chariot stopped where I stood. Thy glance fell on me and thou  camest down and with a smile  I felt that luck of my lie had come at least. Then of a sudden thou didst hold out thy right hand and say What hast thou to give me?

Ah what a kingly jest was it to open thy palm to a beggar  to beg !  I was confused and stood undecided, and then from my wallet I slowly took out the least little grain of corn  and I gave it to thee.

But how great my surprise when at the day’s  end I emptied  my bag on the floor to find a least little grain of gold among the poor heap. I bitterly wept  and wished I have had a heart to give thee my all.

Lord give me courage to give everything into your hands

A thousand times you stand before me as a beggar, asking to give you all that, when I go around and around begging from others a thousand things, longing to be satiated in all that remains unsatiated. A beggar standing with a begging bowl, before the beggar who howl and scream running around with his begging bowl in the midst of the mad crowd, crowd that hurry and worry over a thousand things always craving and begging, with an unstaiated heart, begging and begging all around, in total helplessness.

O divine beggar when shall I have to courage to put into your palm all that I have and all that I am. I am afraid I will lose everything. So I hold fast and hold back, without having the courage to give all. O eternal beggar. Stop my eternal begging. I am here naked before you with my begging  bowl, Oh beggar of beggars

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