Triveni Journal
1927 | 11,233,916 words
Triveni is a journal dedicated to ancient Indian culture, history, philosophy, art, spirituality, music and all sorts of literature. Triveni was founded at Madras in 1927 and since that time various authors have donated their creativity in the form of articles, covering many aspects of public life....
By UMASHANKAR JOSHI
(Translated by the author from the original poems in Gujerati)
FLYING OVER MOUNT BLANC
Below the piled up clouds,
And across the mad frenzy of the world,
Seated above, lofty in repose,
A Yogi,
Mont Blanc.
Brother of Himalaya, accept
The salutation of one
Nursed on Himalayan bounties,
Now a pilgrim of the sky.
SUGAR IN MILK
The Parsis, worshippers of the Sacred Fire,
Left Iran for religion’s sake.
They crossed the sea, and landed
On the Gujerat coast at Sanjan.
The wise king of Sanjan
Was approached by a messenger:
‘We are foreigners. Give us asylum.
Be kindly to men of religion.’
The king in silence thought.
There was not an inch of land to spare.
He asked for a glass full of milk:
‘Messenger, take this to your holy priest.’
He carried the glass to the holy priest,
The priest looked at it, and in silence thought.
Then he asked for sugar, and added to the milk
Spoonful after spoonful.
He sent the messenger ,
To return the milk-glass to the king.
Lo, the king tastes a drop, dripping from a straw.
Oh, it has sweetness added to it.
‘Go, messenger, tell the holy priest,
You can accommodate yourself with ease.
As sugar found place for itself in the milk-glass,
Mix as brethren with the populace here.’