Song number 968
by Ayesha Irani
At this crucial moment, when human lives are being torn asunder by conflict in various parts of the world, Prabháta Samgiita is a powerful source of solace and inspiration to the weary of heart. In a world where various sentiments—religious and national—continue to fracture human beings and limit their potential, Neohumanism unfailingly reminds us of the importance of wrapping all of humanity, indeed, all life, in a cosmic embrace of love. Song 968, which I offer here in a new translation, invites us to discard such divisive ideologies and unite to vanquish the demons of exploitation and oppression. These demons come in all shapes and sizes, whether oppressive governments, expansionist regimes, the leaders of religious groups, terrorist organizations, or capitalists who exploit the resources of poor nations making them poorer.
Songs like this remind us not to succumb to exploitative ideologies but to stand united as children of one supreme being, whose love gracefully illuminates the earth like “the light of the moon.” Let us not let demons desecrate this divine light. Such songs urge us to preserve the delicate “pollen” of the heart, every noble human sentiment that inspires us to self-realization and service to the world. Let this pollen not be “mired in dirt.” The song galvanizes us to row the great ship of humankind with “steely arms” out of dangerous waters towards the promise of a just future that brings life’s basic requirements to all the world’s suffering peoples—every migrant, every refugee, and all those left behind by the state.
968: Tála: Dádrá
áj egiye calo sakal mánuś bhái
ámantrańa sabáre jánái
egiye calo
geche mánavatá dhuloy lut́iye
dánav táre dey je guṋŕiye
eso káṋdha miliye hát miliye
sumukh páne cái
geche phúler parág dhuloy mishiye
cáṋder álo dey je viśiye
eso shakta háte tarii beye
bádhá jújhe egiye jái
Madhumálaiṋca, Kalikátá, October 29, 1983
Let all human beings march onwards, today, as brothers and sisters.
I extend this invitation to all.
March onwards.
Humanity sprawls in the dust
ground down by demons.
Come, shoulder to shoulder, hand in hand,
to look upon what lies before us.
The pollen of flowers is mired in dirt,
the light of the moon desecrated.
Come with steely arms to row this boat
that we may battle every obstacle and move ahead.
Come learn this and other songs of Prabháta Samgiita, come to be inspired by its beautiful language, and come to translate it into your mother-tongues at the Humanities and Arts Faculty of the Neohumanist College of Asheville. Currently, we have two projects that are running: first, sessions on how to sing Prabhát Samgiit, with an explanation of proper pronunciation, grammar, and the literary value of the songs; second, translating Prabhát Samgiit into world languages. Anyone who would like to translate Prabhát Samgiit into their mother-tongue may join our team of translators.”
Contact:
Ayesha Irani is the Team Lead for the Humanities and Arts Faculty of the Neohumanist College of Asheville