SRI AUROBINDO

Translations

from Sanskrit and Other Languages

II. From Bengali

Chittaranjan Das

Songs of the Sea (Sagar Sangit)

XXXVII

O by long prayer, by hard attempt have bloomed two flowers, thy eyes!

Swimming with adoration they possess the skies,

And from thy love-intoxicated hymns there start

On tossing waves these new sonatas of the heart.

Heaven falters with the frequent, deep and solemn sound,

The world is gazing as when the great Dance went round.

A horn is blown and cymbals clash upon the Void:

So deep a tabor never to earth’s music was allied.

The free winged winds of dawn in their ecstatic dance

Are circling round my soul and seek it with their hands,

The cry of hymns of rapture in my soul’s abode

Has entered, flowers of longing bloom from me towards God.

My heart is mad for God today. Though my heart’s bliss

Find or not find, sink down or float,– this, only this!

O soul-fulfiller, O adorer, sing for ever

New chants! live still for God-love and divine endeavour.