'Translations' by Sri Aurobindo - Page 1 of 30 The Bhagavad Gita THE FIRST SIX CHAPTERS   Chapter I   DHRITARASHTRA In the holy Field, the Field of the Kurus, assembled for the fight, what did my children, O Sunjoy, what did Pandou's sons?   SUNJOY  Then the King, even Duryodhan, when he beheld the Pandav army marshalled in battle array, approached the Master and spoke this word. "Behold, O Master, this mighty host of the sons of Pandou marshalled by Drupad's son, thy disciple deep of brain. There are heroes and great bowmen equal unto Bheme and Urjoona in war, Yuyudhan and Virata and Drupad, the mighty car-warrior, Dhristaketou and Chekitana an

  Radha's Appeal (Imitated from the Bengali of Chundidas)   O love, what more shall I, shall Radha speak, Since mortal words are weak? In life, in death, In being and in breath No other lord but thee can Radha seek.   About thy feet the mighty net is wound Wherein my soul they bound; Myself resigned To servitude my mind; My heart than thine no sweeter slavery found.   I, Radha, thought; through the three worlds my gaze I sent in wild amaze; I was alone. None called me "Radha!", none; I saw no hand to clasp, no friendly face.   I sought my father's house; my father's sight Was empty of delight

'Translations' by Sri Aurobindo - Page 1 of 30   Section Four   Bhartrihari The Century of Life   The Nitishataka of Bhartrihari freely rendered into English verse I had at first entitled the translation "The Century of Morals", but the Sanskrit word Niti has a more complex sense. It includes also policy and worldly wisdom, the rule of successful as well as the law of ideal conduct and gives scope for observation of all the turns and forces determining the movement of human character and action.  The Shataka or "century" should normally comprise a hundred epigrams, but the number that has come down to us is considerably more. The excess is probably due to ac

  Farewell Flute   A flute of farewell calls and calls, Farewell to earthly things: But when shall I the message learn That high-voiced music sings? Earth's pleasures come like scented winds, Invite a mortal clasp: I seek to keep them in my clutch, Captives of a vain grasp! How shall thy nectar fill this cup, Brimming with passion's wine? Only when the turn of day is done Thy starry lamps can shine. Ever to the eager cry of hope Re-echoes the heart's lyre, Will it answer to thy Song of songs That climbs beyond desire? Arise now in my shadowy soul And let it sing farewell To the near glow, th

'Translations' by Sri Aurobindo - Page 1 of 30   Selected Poems of Nidhou   1   Eyes of the hind, you are my jailors, sweetest; My heart with the hind's frightened motion fleetest In terror strange would flee, But find no issue, sweet; for thy quick smiling, Thy tresses like a net with threads beguiling Detain it utterly.   I am afraid of thy great eyes and well-like, I am afraid of thy small ears and shell-like, And everything in thee. Comfort my fainting heart with soft assurance And soon it will grow tame and love its durance, Hearing such melody.     2   Line not with these dark rings thy bright eyes ever! Suc

  Faithful   Let leap, O Mother, Thy lightning-fire: The prisoned soul cries out for Thee. Let youth's blue dream in the Blue aspire To Thy crystal-song of eternity. The dungeon-walls that stifle the heart Throw down: oh, let Thy avalanche-dart Its thrill to our pilgrim life impart: Come with the voice of Thy hurtling sea. Open life's floodgates with Thy Fire: The soul, clay's hostage, cries for Thee.   Beloved, I know Thy summit-psalm — A fecund pledge of Deep to Deep: I know that Thy Beauty's beckoning calm Makes courage, answering, overleap Despond's abysmal gulf below, And stamp on its brow Thy golden

Ye Others   Ye others cannot conceive of the love that I bear to Krishna. And your warnings to me are vain like the pleadings of the deaf and mute. The Boy who left his mother's home and was reared by a different mother, — Oh, take me forth to his city of Mathura where He won the field without fighting the battle and leave me there.   Of no further avail is modesty. For all the neighbours have known of this fully. Would ye really heal me of this ailing and restore me to my pristine state? Then know ye this illness will go if I see Him, the maker of illusions, the youthful one who measured the world. Should you really wish to save me, then take me forth to his

  Opening of the Iliad   Sing to me, Muse, of the wrath of Achilles Pelidean, Murderous, bringing a million woes on the men of Achaea; Many the mighty souls whom it drove down headlong to Hades, Souls of heroes and made of their bodies booty for vultures, Dogs and all birds; so the will of Zeus was wholly accomplished Even from the moment when they two parted in strife and in anger, Peleus' glorious son and the monarch of men Agamemnon. Which of the gods was it set them to conflict and quarrel disastrous? Leto's son from the seed of Zeus; he wroth with their monarch Roused in the ranks an evil pest and the peoples perish

  A Beauty infinite   A Beauty infinite, an unborn Power On Time's vast forehead drew her mystic line, An unseen Radiance filled the primal hour, — First script, creation's early rapture-wine. Lightning in Night the eternal moment wrote. Her lone eyes bathed in hue of loveliness Saw on a flaming stream a single boat Follow through dawn some great Sun's orbit-trace. The Dawn-world flashed — torn was the heart of Night. Why came then Dawn here with her cloud and surge? Darkness erased the hint of new-born Light, — Till suddenly quivered above the pilgrim Urge, Its flower-car washed blood-red. Smile of the Moon,