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Re: Digest bhakti.v003.n030

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RSrin • August 10, 1998 


Dear Sahridayas,

Sri Sudarsan's exposition on Alwars' works as mystical poetry rather than some
scriptural statement came through so poignantly, to see the metaphor rather
than the literal, to savour the spirit rather than disect the word appealed to
me so much that I wrote another verse on it, I seek the indulgence of the
erudite scholars here to take teh spirit and forgive the inadequacy of the
expressed word!



                                                          Word

                                                   (S'abda Brhman)

Word- how utterly beautiful art Thou!

Lending flesh and body to my thought,

Creating mind pictures of my heart,

Blending sound and silence into art.

Word- how putrefied Thou canst be!

When sullied by my wicked thought.

Thou art a double-edged Kris indeed,

That canst cut or kill, hurt Or heal.

I see Thee now limp and lifeless,

"I love you, I hate you, I'm sorry, I "this" you!"

Powerless pretences of immediate impulses!

Has the Spirit in Thee, pray, never been true?

How now Thy beauty become so wry ?

God! help me search, open mine eye.

What's gone wrong with Thee, Oh  Word!

That thou dost look so deadly dry?

Said the Word, in quiet, calm repose,

"Why, ti's so clear to those that see,

The user must himself beautiful be,

So he lend beauty and meaning to me".

Thou art the Divine in sweet recline!

Unmindful of my applause or affront. 

Were I to respect Thee, I receive Thy protection.

Filth and foul are but mine own reflection.

Word! Who can tell Thy mysterious ways?

Who can fathom Thy divine grace?

Who can adorn the adorned phrase?

Who else but man dare pollute Thy face?..

Adiyen Daasi

Radhika