SRI AUROBINDO
Translations
from Sanskrit and Other Languages
II. From Bengali
Anilbaran Roy
In lotus-groves Thy spirit roves: where shall I find a seat for Thee?
To Thy feet’s tread – feet dawn-rose red – opening my heart Thy throne shall be.
All things unholy hurt Thy soul:
I would become a stainless whole:
O world’s delight, All-beauty’s might! unmoving house Thy grace in me.
An arid heart Thou canst not bear:
It is Thy will love’s bonds to wear:
Then by Thy sweetness’ magic completeness make me Thy love’s eternal sea.
Sri Aurobindo wrote in November 1935 of his translation (which he has apparently just completed):
Anilbaran’s song is best rendered by an Elizabethan simplicity and intensity with as little artifice of metre and diction as possible. I have tried to do it in that way.