Harivansh Rai Bachchan

Harivansh Rai Bachchan

 (Osho has referred Harivansh Rai Bachchan and used his poems in many of his discourses. 

Find below a few of his poems being translated in by ~ Rajiv Krishna Saxena)

Agneepath – English Translation

Even if there are mighty trees all around you,
Let them be shady, let them be huge,
But, even for the shade of a single leaf,
Beg not, beg never, ask never!
The path of fire you shall tread! The path of fire! Yes, That Path of Fire!

You shall never tire,
You shall never slow down,
You shall never turn back,
This oath you will take today!
This oath you will fulfill in your life!
Take this oath!
And walk the Path of Fire, every single day!
The oath of fire! Yes, That Path of Fire!

What greater spectacle,
Than to see such a man walk,
Who in tears, sweat and blood,
Is soaked, covered and coated;
And still walks on in the Path of fire!
Walks the path of fire! Yes, That Path of Fire!

Harivansh Rai Bachchan

There was a star in life
agreed, it was much loved
when it sank, it did sink.
Look at the sky’s vastness,
so many stars have broken away
so many loved ones it has lost
the lost ones, were they ever found?
But tell me, for the broken stars
does the sky ever grieve?
That which is past, is gone.

There was a flower in life
which, I doted everyday on
when it dried, it dried away.
Look at the garden’s breast,
dried, many of its saplings have
welted, many of its flowers have
that which welted, did it ever bloom?
But tell me, for dried flowers
does the garden create an uproar?
That which is past, is gone.

 

Harivansh Rai Bachchan

The boat that qualms the waves
Never gets across
The mind that dreads and dares
Has never been at loss
The tiny ant, when it carries the grain
Lays it up into the heights of the wall
Falls slipping a hundred times,
Just as it tries again
The faith in the mind
Stirs courage in the nerves
It soars and slips, then slips and soars again
Until its efforts have not been in vain

The diver who scrounges deep into the oceans
Comes bare in his fist a number of times
It is not so painless

Each time he delves to hit upon a pearl
Someday, when out of those deep seas he whirls
And in surprise, that his efforts have brought
Glad, for his fist is not empty everytime
And in him that seamless effort
herald a cheery chime

O’ accept the failures that cross your way
They are just the challenging mile-stones
And build from right here, where you fell
Until all the shortcomings cease,
And you soar in success
Burn restful sleeps in the sacrificial pyres
Until tireless struggles brought smiles of joy
Oh! Do not run away from the battlefields
For triumph always yields such joy
Just after relentless endeavors……….

Harivansh Rai Bachchan