The Many-splendoured Gift of Devotion.
A bangle-seller, old and grey/To a village small, did find his way./ He was thin, his face was lined./ The basket on his head was piled/ With glass bangles of all hues and size./ And as he walked he softly sang/ "O Mother show yourself to me but once/ Before I go into the eternal night." As he looked around he saw/A little girl, of seven or eight, no more./ In a red, gold-bordered sari she was clad/ And a crimson rose adorned her braid./ She sat on the steps beside the pond/ Her lovely face was lost in thought/ She seemed not t see him at all./ His heart was moved and he called to her,/ "My child, do come and some bangles choose."/ "Dear Sir", she softly replied,/ "I did not come, as I cannot buy."/ His heart was filled with love, and he said/ Come take your choice, not count the cost./ I only wish to adorn your arms/ With these coloured bangles and beaded charms."/ She ran to him, and looked amongst his wares/ And one by one, he put on her wrist,/ The best he had, emerald. ruby, gold and amethyst/ And when her arms could hold no more/ She got up and said to him,/ "Dear Sir, you are so very kind,/ May you be happy all your life."/ "What is your name, and where do you stay?"/ "My name is Durga and I live,/ In the temple by the hill./ The priest who lives there surely priest who lives there surely will/ For these bangles pay the bill./ In the western corner of the shrine/ A plate of straw with coins you'll find/ Enough for what I have bought."/ Saying this sh laughed and sang, and was so gay/ She quite stole his heart away,/ And then she merrily danced away/To the mango grove that behind them stretched. The old man slowly got to his feet/ And to the temple found his way./ There in answer to his call/ The priest came swiftly to the temple door./ "Why do you disturb me at this worship time?"/ "Dear Sir, I have come here to seek/ 687 Money for the bangles your daughter bought from me."/ The priest in anger replied/ "I have lived alone here all my life/ I have no daughter, wife, nor child."/ They went to the western corner of the shrine/ And as she'd said,/ There was a plate of straw with coins inside./ The sum was exactly the price/ For the bangles she had bought. The bangle-seller's gaze fell upon the shrine/ his eyes grew wide in great surprise/ For Mother Durga's image on the altar high/ Was clothed in gold bordered red,/ And a ple floor./ Weeping, weepingcrimson rose adorned her hair./ With And fell weeping on the tem reeling mind he saw it all/ all the while/ "O Mother what a fool am I./ You came to me and I could not see./ Had I but known, I would have held fast your feet, And never, never let you go." With wonder deep, the priest watched this/ And then suddenly the truth struck him./ He ran to the pond like a man gone mad/ Shouting, "Mother, Mother, where are you?/ You have never shown yourself to me/ Though I could hold no have served you always faithfully../ Worth less is my life, and now let it end/ And into these waters deep I'll descend/ My life surrendered at your feet."/ As he stepped forth to plunge into the pond,/ The air was stilled and there arose/ From the waters dark, two bright golden arms/ In a silent bene diction's pose./ And the wrists were most richly adorned/ With glass bangles of every hue./ As he, this vision beauteous saw,/ Hе prostrated there on the holy shore/ And his heart was filled with Love Divine. Every Ashwin since, when the Moon is full/ The temple celebrates this holy day./ Devotees from far and near/ Come there to worship and to pray./ And as a token of wishes complete/ Glass bangles are offered at Her holy feet.
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in the Article above are Kiran Dhar kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. The article belongs to its respective owner or owners and this site does not claim any right over it.
Courtesy: Kiran Dhar Speaking Tree,Times of India
The Many-splendoured Gift of Devotion.
A bangle-seller, old and grey/To a village small, did find his way./ He was thin, his face was lined./ The basket on his head was piled/ With glass bangles of all hues and size./ And as he walked he softly sang/ "O Mother show yourself to me but once/ Before I go into the eternal night." As he looked around he saw/A little girl, of seven or eight, no more./ In a red, gold-bordered sari she was clad/ And a crimson rose adorned her braid./ She sat on the steps beside the pond/ Her lovely face was lost in thought/ She seemed not t see him at all./ His heart was moved and he called to her,/ "My child, do come and some bangles choose."/ "Dear Sir", she softly replied,/ "I did not come, as I cannot buy."/ His heart was filled with love, and he said/ Come take your choice, not count the cost./ I only wish to adorn your arms/ With these coloured bangles and beaded charms."/ She ran to him, and looked amongst his wares/ And one by one, he put on her wrist,/ The best he had, emerald. ruby, gold and amethyst/ And when her arms could hold no more/ She got up and said to him,/ "Dear Sir, you are so very kind,/ May you be happy all your life."/ "What is your name, and where do you stay?"/ "My name is Durga and I live,/ In the temple by the hill./ The priest who lives there surely priest who lives there surely will/ For these bangles pay the bill./ In the western corner of the shrine/ A plate of straw with coins you'll find/ Enough for what I have bought."/ Saying this sh laughed and sang, and was so gay/ She quite stole his heart away,/ And then she merrily danced away/To the mango grove that behind them stretched. The old man slowly got to his feet/ And to the temple found his way./ There in answer to his call/ The priest came swiftly to the temple door./ "Why do you disturb me at this worship time?"/ "Dear Sir, I have come here to seek/ 687 Money for the bangles your daughter bought from me."/ The priest in anger replied/ "I have lived alone here all my life/ I have no daughter, wife, nor child."/ They went to the western corner of the shrine/ And as she'd said,/ There was a plate of straw with coins inside./ The sum was exactly the price/ For the bangles she had bought. The bangle-seller's gaze fell upon the shrine/ his eyes grew wide in great surprise/ For Mother Durga's image on the altar high/ Was clothed in gold bordered red,/ And a ple floor./ Weeping, weepingcrimson rose adorned her hair./ With And fell weeping on the tem reeling mind he saw it all/ all the while/ "O Mother what a fool am I./ You came to me and I could not see./ Had I but known, I would have held fast your feet, And never, never let you go." With wonder deep, the priest watched this/ And then suddenly the truth struck him./ He ran to the pond like a man gone mad/ Shouting, "Mother, Mother, where are you?/ You have never shown yourself to me/ Though I could hold no have served you always faithfully../ Worth less is my life, and now let it end/ And into these waters deep I'll descend/ My life surrendered at your feet."/ As he stepped forth to plunge into the pond,/ The air was stilled and there arose/ From the waters dark, two bright golden arms/ In a silent bene diction's pose./ And the wrists were most richly adorned/ With glass bangles of every hue./ As he, this vision beauteous saw,/ Hе prostrated there on the holy shore/ And his heart was filled with Love Divine. Every Ashwin since, when the Moon is full/ The temple celebrates this holy day./ Devotees from far and near/ Come there to worship and to pray./ And as a token of wishes complete/ Glass bangles are offered at Her holy feet.
DISCLAIMER:
The views expressed in the Article above are Kiran Dhar kashmiribhatta.in is not in any way responsible for the opinions expressed in the above article. The article belongs to its respective owner or owners and this site does not claim any right over it.
Courtesy: Kiran Dhar Speaking Tree,Times of India