SRI AUROBINDO

Translations

from Sanskrit and Other Languages

II. From Bengali

Chittaranjan Das

Songs of the Sea (Sagar Sangit)

XXX

What years, what clime, what dim and distant shore

Beheld our meeting first? What thundrous roar

Or low sweet plaint of music first had bound

In what eternal seats of what vast sound?

What heart of mighty singing devious-souled,

What mystery of beaten time controlled?

The spirit of what nameless tune could bring

Our births to oneness from their wandering?

From some huge soul’s beginningless infinity

Our waters side by side began their course, O sea.

How often our lives have parted been since then!

How often have our two hearts met again!

Thou float’s, O friend, for ever to that Vast;

I float on thy chant only to the last.