Don’t ignore me O’lord.

Undisputedly Purandara Dasa is one of the greatest poet born in this
land. It is said that he has authored over 5000 Bhajans (devotional
poems) in his life time – if true this is truly unparalleled to this
day. However, because his compositions were in Kannada not many have
been touched by him. Recently I was pursued by one of my students to
translate his Bhajans by essence. Below is the translation of one of
his Bhajan called ‘Kandu Kandu nee yenna‘.

Is this by ignoring me you seek pleasure,
O Krishna – the greatest of mankind’s treasure.

I’ve got no dependable relatives not peace in life,
I’ve been hurt by tortureous words – I am in strife.

You truly are my father and mother divine,
I shall ever seek blessings – thine.

From seconds to millenium, I have waited quiet long,
Feeling worthy less than a blade of grass – seeming forlon.

Slayer of demons and protector of sages,
I have been waiting for you since ages.

O protector of Orphans and mentor of devotee’s art,
Is there no place for me in thy immeasurable heart?

Purandara’s Vitthala, the guardian of path to salvation,
You are the only worthy of my worship, for you are source of perpetual
inspiration.

Originally by Purandara Dasa
Translation by U. Mahesh Prabhu

WE

We have lived to strive with passion,
We have urged to do our duties than to win,
We have  to live a life to its fullest session,
We must seek a challenge to pursue without sin.

We have loved to our heart than to the senses,
We have lived through a dream than expectations.
We have given up the urge to see fences,
and have sought to take only that which we shall win.

We may have worked and reached disaster,
We may have loved just to be betrayed.
We may have been bruised by a pitiless master,
That weak men call fate.

We will never give up our dream,
Never shall we seize to it follow
If not our love isn’t need by one person
There’s ain’t any time for us to sit an wallow

We all have short comings in times of life,
we all have to endure pain and pleasures.
We all have to live through a tumults strife,
And let not our spirits buckle under pressure.

We have a life to live all long,
If not with a companion alone.
We have to burry all our forlorn,
If not not for one – for all.

Life’s never a mournful time,
It’s certainly but a harvest season.
Life always has a wonderful rhyme,
for any heart’s mourning reason.

If not for one let’s live for all,
In all let us see our reflection,
Let us live for every ailing soul
and seek pleasure in it with utmost perfection.

U. Mahesh Prabhu

Why should I not fall in love with you… my sweetheart?

I just thought it over time and again from my heart,
There is not a reason why shouldn’t I fall in love with you my sweetheart.

My lonely soul wandered in rough seas of life
Over a boat which could anyways capsize,
An island was you, my angel, where I could unburden my blues with a cry,
To get my spirits high and then rise

You were a beckon of hope for my better tomorrow,
Being where I could dream nothing shallow.
You were a thought that would never make me wallow,

Yours was a hearty voice with a melodious grace,
That which mesmerized me with an ever steady and even pace
In that trance of which song my mind forgot all disgrace.

You were, shy, and so was I.
There was not a word of the heart I could convey thy,
Yet I found the compassion from your black gradient eyes.

If you just trust in me and lend me thy hand,
Or a promise to retain me at least as a friend,
I would love you so much like a person you will never find.

Just a thought engrosses, what if you were already mine – forever?
Deep senses promises me that I would render unto you no pain – never!
Yes, indeed, I would be the luckiest ever.

I just thought it over time and again said my heart,
There is not a reason why shouldn’t I fall in love with you… my sweetheart.

U. Mahesh Prabhu

Some thoughts on Dream

Dream is a precious thing. Even when men have zilch a dream is what they can certainly afford to have. No man can be so poor not to have a dream. Men bereft of them are little more than living corpse. They come in all hues and colours. To not dream is also to die each day. So we ought to dream. And not just dream but pursue it with all energy from within.

I have seen many people who dream and when fail to achieve it get disheartened and dive deep into depression. Considering this as a testimony to say “to dream isn’t wise” is lunacy. If you cannot dream what could you possibly care achieve? So dream and pursue it – candidly.

While pursing your dream there are bound to be several troubles coming your way. There are, also, sacrifices to be made and pains to endure. When your journey unto your dream has begun you could hardly foretell the date when you achieve it. Even fortune tellers fail most, if not all, the times.

Those tough times are when you realize the people upon whom you can vest your trust. Chasing dreams can be no less fascinating. With all those pain, you learn lesson which no university in the world could ever teach you.

Not many realize their dreams. This isn’t because they are “unlucky” but because they fail to ingrain that “die hard” attitude within. Men who have lived long to grow wise would say “Fortune favours the brave.” And it’s true.

Fighting luck is like fighting an audacious and all powerful foe. No matter how powerful an adversary he has got to have some short comings. All adventurous men, including the ones battling the giant anacondas in the wild, would tell you that giant creatures lack stamina. The Cheetah is the fastest animal on land, but many may not know the fact that its can maintain its speed only for few minutes. Even destiny, aka fate, has similar problems. It will give severe blows but if you can show that exemplary stamina it is bound to give up. If you want to take a bet, I am all for it.

Beauty of your dream cannot be understood by many until you have turned it into a reality. That is so because people doubt capacities of men little more than often. Their scepticism cannot just initiate but also demotivate you. This is, stay advised, a blow which you have to stand. When this situation pops up all that you have to do is to stay on your normal course and stay undeterred. If their scepticism makes you to doubt your capacities that would mean: Game over!

So, you see, this is what you need to achieve your dream – persistence. If you pursue anything with that level of persistence nothing is beyond your reach. And without persistence men have achieve nothing.

To conclude, always remember: “It’s easy to give up. It’s so easy to say ‘I can’t’. Losers are many and Winners – few. That’s why awards are given to achievers and winners – nothing is there for losers.”