Jibon kusum shukaiya jai
Jharibar age phire phire chaiAmito chinina se chine amai
Kato bhabe kato ganeSe je mor prane tane
Chali tar sathe na jani kothai ```The flower of life withers
Before it properly blossoms.I do not desire a similar life
But life knows me quite well.In various ways
Various songs, it calls me.It tries to draw me towards it.
Alas, finally I surrender.And now I do not know,
For I do not know where I am going. ```Dharte jare chahi
Se nahi dei dharaChharte jare chahi
Jai na take chhara ```I fail to capture Him
Whom I so eagerly want to capture.I fail to throw Him out of my life
Whom I so desperately try to throw out of my life.Alas.
```Alo lagi ratri jagi
Shir tuliche sabuj lataKaligulir akulata
Jagalona prane amarKono byakulata
Ami shudhu ghumiye roiNiye badhirata
```To see the light
A tiny blade of grass remains wide awake all night.To see the light
The buds offer their devoted eagerness.Alas, neither a blade of grass nor the buds
Can awaken my aspiration-flame.I sleep and sleep,
My ears tightly closed. ```Bishwa bidhata khule dao sei ankhi
Janibar jena kichu nahi thake bakiDekhini ja dekhibar
Shunini ja shunibarPhanki sathe sada thaki
Prabhakare nahi dakiKache ele mudi ankhi
```O Lord of the Universe
Do open up that eye of mineWhich sees everything,
The present, past and the future.I have not heard the things that I must hear.
I always take deception-night,I do not invoke the knowledge-sun.
And when the knowledge-sun approaches meI swiftly close my eyes.
```Tarur niche asle base
Chaya dei se bhalobeseSatya satya baro je jan
Phakir hoise parer karonAloy chere rishi Yogi
Tarur sathe thaken eseTarur mato basbo bhalo
Sabar prane alor deshe ```When we sit at the foot of the tree
It shelters us with love.He who is really great
Gives away all that he hasAnd is for others.
The Seers and the Yogis leave their homesAnd go and sit at the foot of the trees.
They find in the trees their true friends.We must try to love all human beings
In the world of LightAs the tree loves us.
```Dukha jadi ene dilo tar parichoy
Se dukha je nitya kamya chira madhumoyJadi sukh nahi dilo tar parichoy
Jene rekho sei sukh shudhu mahabhoy ```If suffering can tell me
Who my Beloved isAnd where my Beloved is,
Then I shall cheerfully welcome suffering.If happiness does not tell me
Who my Beloved isAnd where my Beloved is,
Rest assured that happinessCarries the message of all destruction.
```Dukhi bhabe tahar cheye
Dukhi ke ar acheDukher agun pran gabhire nache
Sukhi bhabe ke ar sukhi acheSukher plabon thake tahar kache
Dukher maya sukher mayaBhulbo ami jabe
Pabo ami parashantiAmar alor bhabe
```A man of sorrow thinks
That there can be nobodyWho will surpass him in suffering.
The fire of suffering dances inside his heart.A man of joy feels
That he alone is happy.There can be nobody else
Who can have even an iota of happiness;He alone is flooded with happiness.
In my abode of lightI shall receive boundless peace
The day I forget the attachment-bondageOf happiness and sorrow.
```Amar swapan ke jane
Rayeche kon khaneShudhu duto ashar katha
Tomai amar pran maneTomar kripa tomar hasi
Sakai kichu oi ane ```Who knows the dream-world,
Who knows where it is?Only a few words of hope
You tell me;Therefore I run towards You.
Behold, Your Compassion, Your SmileBrings everything
In the twinkling of an eye. ```Dheu dube dheu uthe
Phul jhare phul phuteNahi shesh dainya lesh
Sthayi kotha kotha sheshKar tare e rodan
Kare kari abhahonNaba rupe naba bhabe
Sakali je uthe phute ```The wave subsides and the wave rises.
The flower withers and the flower blossoms.There is no end to human wants
And human achievements.Nothing is permanent and nothing is fleeting.
Then for whom shall we cry,For what shall we cry?
Whom shall we invokeWith a new thought and new form?
Everything eventually blossoms. ```Sajiye dao mago nuton beshe
Tomar katha balbo desh bidasheHethai amar bhoi ghuchena
Bhoye bhoye berai deshe desheEbar abhoy charan buke rekhechi
Berabo ma hese hese ```Mother, adorn me with new form.
I shall tell the world about you.I shall no longer suffer from teeming fears.
I am placing on my heartYour Feet of boundless Light
And wonder everywhere. ```Bidai, bidai
Rahibona ar sukher ashaiRahibona ar moher mayai
Bidai, bidaiRahibona ar kamane chayai
```Farewell, farewell,
I shall no longer remain on earthWith the hope that my life
Will be a bed of roses.I shall no longer remain on earth
Allowing attachment to lord it over me.Farewell, farewell,
I shall no longer remainAt the feet of desire-tree.
```Britha din jai
At katodin thakbere pranAgyan nidrai
Britha din jaiNahi jani hai abasheshe mor
Habe ki upai ```In vain my earth-days pass by.
I do not know how long my lifeWill enjoy ignorance-sleep.
In vain my earth-days pass by.I do not know, alas, what will happen
At the end of my journey’s creation. ```Man ma ma jape
Pashan hriday jabe galePuma habe tomar sakal
Bhajan pujan bandanaEkti shudhu lakya jeno
Bishwa mayer archana ```O my mind,
Repeat the Mother’s name.Your stone-heart will melt away.
Everything of yours will be transformed.There is only one aim,
And that aim is to realise GodThrough aspiration, adoration and dedication.
```Nahi jani tomar pujai
Ki hoi prayojanRikta haste esechi aj
Shunya ayojanAshru amar shukiye geche
Ektu hasi acheRakhbo aji take ami
Prabhu tomar kache ```I do not know what I need
To worship You.I have come to You with an empty hand.
My tears are all dried up.There is a very small smile.
I shall keep that smile with You,For You to guide.
```Balogo kemane premamoy dhane
Hriday sagare paboShripad sebibo das haye rabo
Toma sathe sathe jaboJagater dhan hasi ananda
Lagibena mor kichuChutibona ar alik swapan
Maya hariner pichu ```O tell me how can I get
That loving gift of YoursInside my heart’s sea.
I shall worship Your Lotus-FeetAs a slave of Yours.
I do not care for worldly name and fame.I shall no longer run after
The temptation and illusion-deer. ```Chalena chalena
Toma bina din chalenaTumi chara jato apanar jan
Bhalo katha keha balenaTabo kripa bina premer agun jalena
Sadhaner phal phalenaShudha samba sabo kripa bal
Bina sei bal kichui je mora pabona ```My life does not proceed without You.
Nobody speaks to me kindly and soulfullySave You.
Without Your Compassion-LightI cannot kindle the flame of love.
I shall not receive the fruits of my meditation.Everything is possible only through Your
Compassion. ```Antaratama antare mamo
Tomar charan chahiTumi chara mor ei dharanite
Kotha keha ar nahiTumi mor asha
Tumi hiya bhashaJibaner bhore maraner sanje
Tomar bijoy gahiAntaratama antare mamo
Tomar karuna chahi ```O my Beloved,
I wish to see Your Lotus-FeetIn my heart of aspiration.
I do not want to see anybody else.You are my only hope,
You are my heart’s only voice.O my Beloved,
Do appear before me.I implore Your Compassion.
```Ei laho mor man pran
Ei laho mor dhan manEi laho mor bheda gyan
Jachi tabo amrita sandhan ```Oh take my mind and vital,
Oh take my name and fame.O take my sense of differentiation.
I soulfully long for Your Nectar-Delight. ```Kena eto kripa bidhatha amai
Kabe deha pran sangibo tomaiDaya kari kache ele katobar
Tabu je bandha hriday duarKena bhalobaso najani amai
Chira aparadhi ami tabo pai ```I do not know why so much Compassion-Light
You bestow upon me.I do not know when I shall offer You
My body, vital and mind.Many a time You have come to me
With affection-blessing,Yet my heart’s door is closed.
I do not know why You love me.I know I am the eternal culprit
At Your Forgiveness-Feet. ```Prabhu tumi acho tai achi
Jato pai tato jachiTumi ar ami majhe keha nai
Kono badha nai kono badha naiHriday tomare paina janite
Hridaye rayecho gopaneHatash ashai khunjitoma ami
Ashru nayan gahane ```Lord, You exist;
Therefore I exist.The more You give me,
The more I expect from You.Between You and me
Nothing exists, nobody exists.There is no obstruction.
Yet my heart has not realised You.It wants to hide from You.
With a broken heart I shall not tryTo realise You
Inside the depths of my tears. ```Jaha ache prane lukaye
Kere niye jao kandayeDhan man jan
Pape bhara manSakali tomare kari arpan
Dao janam bhariyaTabo preme mataye
```O strike me and take away the things
That hide from me.Name and fame and a life of evil deeds
Together go.I offer my mind to You.
Give me only one thing:Your Love-intoxicated Life-divine.
```Jaton bina ratan balo
Ke pai kothaiSahaje ki prem paoa jai
Hate premer adhikariSarbo tyagi hate pari
Prem prem bale sabePrem peyeche ke kabe
Asal prem je mile shudhuBishwa prabhur bishesh kripai
```Without effort
Has anyone achieved anything?Can one easily get love divine?
Never.If one wants to be flooded
With love divine,Then he has to become
The song of self-sacrifice.People talk about love, love.
But does anyone have love?Pure love is possible only from
The Blessing-gift of God’sSpecial and unconditional Compassion.
```Tomai bhalo basho bhagavan
Saral prane geye jayo ganSabar bhalobasar sathe
Tomar ashish parbe matheDure ashish parbo mathe
Dure jabe praner abhimanSakai byathar habe abasan
```My Lord, I shall love You
By singing Your Victory-song.I shall also love everyone
And everything that You have created.My head shall treasure Your Blessing-love.
When my sulking nature is totally transformed,I know my life of suffering
Will cease once and for all. ```Tomai ami kabe pabo
Tomar kaje rato raboAr sobjato bhulejabo
Kabe tomar priya haboKabe apan kare pabo
```When shall I receive You?
When shall I devote myself to You?I wish to think only of You
And forget the rest of the world.I wish to get You, only You,
My Lord Supreme,As my very own.
But I do not know how, alas. ```Deha lila ar katokal
Chere dao chere dao halKaribar jaha karo aje tware
SamadhanPuta homanale nijere karogo
Aji danChere dao jato abhiman
Dhele dao dehe man pranBhoi nai dake mahakal
Chere dao dao hal ```How long will this body last on earth?
Do whatever you have to do quickly and well.Throw yourself into the pure-sacrifice-flames.
Abandon the sulking breath.Fear not, the eternal Time
Is beckoning you. ```Britha chali eka eka
Chalina se pathe chalile je pathePete pari tabo dekha
Ghuri ami eka ekaPaibo ki kabhu e kripa sindhu
Amrita pada rekha ```In vain I roam all alone.
I do not walk along the roadThat has Your Footsteps.
Will I ever receive Compassion-Sea from You?And will I ever be able
To follow Your Footsteps? ```Ogo ananta mahan apar
Tomare khunjiche jiban asarChira kal khali hiyar adhar
Kande shishu samo eshana amar ```O infinite Reality,
O absolute Reality,My hopeless and useless life
Is looking for You.My heart’s receptivity-vessel
I always empty.It cries like a helpless child.
```Taru shakhe pakhi dake oi dake
Dake shudhu mor param pitareAmi hetha eka mor gara bhabe
Malin maner nishar andhare ```The bird sits on a branch
And beckons me.It also beckons my Father Supreme.
Here I am alone in my self-creationWhich is marred by ignorance-night.
```Kon pradipe alo jele
Shishu tumi dharai asaGhor bipade kon debatar
Hasi dekhe hasaBhabna chinta hatash hriday
Tomar kabhu naiKe je tomar ankhir sathi
Bhebe nahi paiMaran joyi haye tumi dipti nire bhasa
```O child divine,
Which flame do you kindleAnd then enter into the world arena?
Do tell me,When you are in danger stark,
Whose smile makes you smile?You do not suffer from worries and anxieties.
Who is the friend of your vision-eye?I think and think,
But I find no solution.When can I conquer death
And swim in the water of celestial light? ```Dao dao bale bhikharir beshe
Jabona tomar kacheAmije tomar sei abhiman
Ekhano amar acheAshanti sur hriday gabhire
Nirman seje nache ```I shall not come to You crying:
“Give me this, give me that,”Like a beggar.
I still claim myselfAs your true possession.
Alas, the melody of unrestRuthlessly dances in my heart.
```Pale pale pran je kariche dan
Tomar sebar lagiSe je taba chira apanar jan
Satyer anuragiHasiya nachiya rayechi jagiya
Tomarei bhalobasiyaTomar swapan tomar ketan
Tahare niyeche bariya ```He alone is Your best instrument,
He alone is Your dear oneWho gives himself away
At every moment.Needless to say,
He alone is the lover of truth.Smiling and dancing
I remain wide awakeAnd carry Your Dream and Banner,
Which I claim as my very own. ```Ogo deba shishu meri kole jishu
Kiba aparup murati mohanNache nache nache paramanande
Medini gagan taraka tapanGeye taba agamani
Swarge martye alo chaya praneShuni taba jaya dhwani
```O God-child, O Mary’s son,
Jesus, you are dancingSo soulfully and beautifully
In ecstasy supreme.Earth, sky, the stars
And the sunSing your advent’s victory-song.
In Heaven and on earth,In darkness-life and illumination-life,
I hear your victory-bell. ```Prabhu jishu chira mahiyan
Krushe kare pran danDite jibe paritran
Jani jishur sandhanNahi pabe dharanir akritagya pran
Ghor jiban pashan ```Lord Supreme,
Your son Christ has become eternally greatBy offering his life to the Cross.
He has become greatBy becoming humanity’s salvation-light.
I know that the ungrateful humanityWill never be able to realise
The real ChristFor what they have
Is a dark, stone-hearted life. ```Ke bale ma nirakara
Dekha nahi jaiBhakti chokhe dekhle tare
Hriday anginaiPabe dekha pabe dekha
Shuna bishwabasiModer lagi dibanishi
Bhagabatir hasi ```Who tells them that my Mother
Is formless?Who tells that She is invisible?
If you want to see HerWith your devotion-eye,
Inside the depth of your heartYou are bound to see Her.
O world-citizens,I tell you once and for all
That She is our eternal Smile. ```Jishu jishu nam
Jap abiranJishu chetanai
Pran dube jaiJishu sabakar
Pitar dharar ```We meditate on the Christ.
We repeat his name countless times.Without the Christ-consciousness
Our life is totally lost.Christ is for all.
He is our divinity’s SonAnd humanity’s Father.
```Janamila debashishu jishu dharatale
Debaloke jayagiti gahe dale daleMeri mata ankhi bhase kritagyata jale
Andhiyar guha bhabe lakka mani jwaleDharma niti aripriti
Jishu mahaprem bhatiDharanite prasaphutibe alo phule phale
```Christ takes human incarnation.
Countless souls sing his victory-song.Mother Mary’s eyes are flooded
With gratitude-pride.This world of darkness-cave
Enjoys the aspiration of diamond-light.We are all friends.
We see no foe,For Jesus is a flame of the Light-Supreme.
Lord Supreme is smilingInside the flower
And fruit garden of humanity. ```Bhakater kiba man
Kiba apamanTar kache ami tumi
Sabai samanBhakater paye kari
Sahasra pranamBhakat paran deha puta abhiram
```A true devotee can never be caught
By the snare of name and fame.To him all are equal.
I touch the very dust of his feet.Always his body and vital
Are purity’s life-breath. ```Prabhu prabhu bale
Jurai amar pranPrabhu sathe gahi sada
Dharar mukti gan ```I sing my Lord’s name.
I pray to Him.He grants me,
My vital life,Purity’s breath.
I celebrate the liberation-songOf the world.
```Kahar kapale ke jani ki habe
Sukh kiba dukh sthayi hoy kabeDudiner tare esechi e bhabe
Apan baliya kichu nahi rabeTabu bhebe man apan apan
Haibena jena deher maranDeha chale gele kijani ki habe
Britha asi jai ei micha bhabe ```Nobody knows
What fate has in store.Nobody knows
Whether joy and sorrowAre going to be a permanent reality.
Alone I came into this world.Nothing can I claim.
I shall be my very own.I shall no longer
Act like a lifeless reality.Yet I think the whole world
Is for me,There at my command.
When the body plays its roleAnd ceases functioning,
Everything that we do or becomeIs non-reality.
```Taba lila rasamoy chira madhumoy
Joy joy snehamoy joy dayamoyTaba hasi taba banshi mor chidakashe
Nashe jena amarati nashe jena nasheMor lagi dhara lagi jachi barabhoy
```Sweet and ambrosial is Your earthly life.
O Lord of Compassion,I sing Your Victory-Song,
I see Your Smile all around me.They destroy my darkness-night.
I implore only one thing:Your Compassion-flood
In this poor world of ours. ```Chahina jiban chahina maran
Kebal chahije abhoy charanTomar iccha hauk puran
Je bhabe jakhan rakhaAmar hridaye thaka
Pranpane kari tomar adesh palanPremras pane name gane habo magan
```I do not want life,
I do not want death.I want only Your omnipotent Feet.
May Thy Will be fulfilledNo matter where I am and what I do.
I shall fulfil Your CommandWith utmost sincerity.
By singing Your Victory-Song,I shall remain self-intoxicated.
```Tomar pujai tomar sebai
Amare harabo amiOgo sundara mor akutir
Alo swapaner swamiManer samire hriday gabhire
Tomar charan chahiJoy parajoy shudhu abhinoy
Gahi taba joya gahi ```By worshipping You
And by serving YouI shall totally forget the human in me.
O Beautiful One,You are the Lord Supreme of my dreams.
My mind which acts like a restless windMust surrender to You
And listen to Your Command.I know victory and defeat, success and failure
Are mere childish games.Knowing this perfectly well,
I shall all night and daySing Your Victory-Song.
```Anirban tapobahni jalo
Jalo jalo sunirmal aloMor hiya dale utha jagi
Bhikka ei shudhu ami magi ```O kindle my aspiration-flame.
Let it ceaselessly burn.O Lord, do dawn in my lotus-heart.
The beggar in me begsOnly this from You.
```Jeman kare gahe batas
Teman kare gaoJeman kare chahe akash
Teman kare chaoSindhu pane jeman kare
Nadi chale teman kare dhaoJeman kare shishu gahe
Teman kare hese tumi gao ```Oh sing for me
The way the wind sings.Oh look at me
The way the sky looks.Oh run towards me
The way the river runs towards the sea.Oh see, smile and sing for me
The way a child smiles and sings. ```Shunyo theke ese
Shunye sabe misheSristi sthiti shunya habe sheshe
Mora ghuri deshe desheShunya kebal aba eshe
Kare sabai alinganShunya shudhui param dhan
```Our source was Infinity’s zero.
In Infinity’s zero we abide.Creation and preservation
Will end in sad destruction.It is only Infinity’s zero
Which will try to proveIts matchless supremacy
And its unparalleled inner wealth. ```Amrita pan karibare chahi
Antare mamaKamana amar kario puran
Antara tamaHe kalpa taru basana amar
Akashe bataseChutiya chaleche sutibra bege
Amrita bina kichu nahi janiKarago amar amrita dani
```I wish to drink nectar-delight inside my heart.
This prayerful desire of mineI hope to be fulfilled.
O desire-granting tree,Without nectar-delight
My life will never be fulfilled.You grant to me my only choice
And this makes me feel thatYou are entirely mine.
```Ke ke jabi nadir opar
Ai go ebar aiBela baye jai
Ar deri noy nai je samoyTora habi abhoy ajoy
Andhar praner haibe je khoyBela baye jai
Aigo ebar ai ```Those who want to go
To the other side of the life-riverCome to me.
I am waiting for you.Delay not, for it is all ready too late.
Delay not.Our darkness-life must one day terminate.
Oh come to me running,Those who want to go
To the other side of the life-river. ```Asamaye dakle kena
Eman kareNai kona dhan nai ayojan
Nai abaran sadhan bhajanRikta ami ki phul diye diba bhare
Hate amar shunya daleKothai pabo phuler mala
Khudra bahu dharbe tomaiBahu dore
```I do not know why
You have called me untimely.I have no material wealth.
I have no spiritual wealth.My hand is empty,
My life is empty.I have nothing to offer You.
My little arms are pining to clasp You. ```Tomar haste ananda har
Amar bakke bedanar bharSahasa kahile eso go badal kari
Ki balibo hai lajjai jai moriTumi dile more ananda har
Ashar gagan karuna aparBedana amar gopane rakhinu
```Your Hand holds the garland of delight
And my hand holds the heavy weight of suffering.All of a sudden You say,
“Let us exchange our possessions.”Alas, what can I do?
I bury my head in sheer embarrassment.What I have is hope.
And what You have is Compassion.I do hope one day we shall fulfil each other
By becoming a oneness-heart. ```Tomai prabhu dekhte elam
Anek diner pareTomai chere chilam ami
Dure deshantareShunbo shudhu tomar bani
Dekhbo shudhu mukhti khaniTomai chara jabona ar
Kabhu deshantareNitya puja karbo tomar
Prafulla antare ```My Lord, I have come to see You
After a long time.I have been away,
Far away from You.Now that I am back
I shall listen to You only.I take a solemn oath.
I shall not go anywhere without You.I shall worship Your Silence.
I shall worship, watch, appreciate, admireAnd adore Your Face.
I shall worship You always,Your cheerful Heart.
```From:Sri Chinmoy,Illumination-Song and Liberation-Dance, part 5, Agni Press, 1976
Sourced from https://srichinmoylibrary.com/isl_5