BACK

Editorial

SONGS OF THE GODAVARI

Dr Bhai Vir Singh

(The river Godavari feels a glorious joy as Guru Govind Singh, from the Punjab, wets his feet in her waters, and the river bursts out into the following ecstatic song):

The life-thrill of the lotus-touch of His feet has made me sweetly insane with joy!
The sacred touch has infused the trembling oceans of song, that have ravished and shaken all my waters with the life yet unknown to me!
In every wave of mine throbs the oceans of the celestial song,
And I tremble as a little reed shaken by the wind. It has kindled, suddenly, every ripple of mine with the glow of life,
And in my myriad waves, I quiver for ever, restless in love, like the lightning of the sky!
It has lifted me off my feet, and I float in sweetest confusion of love,
I rise out of myself, trembling every drop in this universe of song.
And I melt into a million ripples at His Feet!
O Sister! say what a strange and sweet gift is this That has made me free!
Many an adept came, I ran to touch his feet,
I laved the feet of hundreds of the Yogi-Saints, I bathed with devotion the feet of many more priests and pious men,
But my soul returned to me, finding no fountain of life where I had dreamt, still athirst with love!
But Sister! Who has been so kind to-day, like the shower of the Heavenly Grace?
Who makes me the least of His devotees, the queen of Heaven?
Who has me pierced to-day with the barb of his love-arrow?
Who overwhelms me thus with the Infinite?
And who transfixes me in wonderous love, quivering forever with song, shivering forever with the glow of His love?
Ah! Sisters! who has been so kind to-day!

(Rendered in English by Prof Puran Singh)

 

¤

BACK

©Copyright Institute of Sikh Studies, 2009, All rights reserved.