In the skies and seas, in groves and dense forests,
In creepers and leaves, he remains hiding.
On autumn nights,
he pervades every draught
of the scent of shephálii* flowers.

He, in whose form is the form of the universe—
Сan he ever be forgotten?
He can’t be forgotten, can’t be forgotten
Сan’t, can’t.
He, by whose light exists the light of the universe—
How can one stay away from him?
One can’t stay away from him, can’t stay away,
Can’t, can’t,
One can’t stay away from him, can’t stay away,
One can never keep him distant, never
Never, never.

If I were to bloom with flower fragrance
upon some tree branch in a lonely grove
he’d become a tender shoot, and with his red glow
Surround me on four sides.
I desire this encircling.
I want this encircling.
I do not wish to go far.

In the skies and seas, in groves and dense forests,
In creepers and leaves, he remains hiding.
At daybreak and nightfall,
he pervades every perfume of all flowers.
He pervades every perfume.

*The shephálii flower blooms at night
and fades and falls at dawn, suffusing the breeze with its pollen
and fragrance. In PS, it becomes a symbol
of the sádhaka who stays up the nights
in longing for the Lord.

Translated from Bengali

SE JE ÁKÁSHE SÁGARE VANE KÁNTÁRE
LATÁY PÁTÁY LUKÁYE RAY,
SHÁRADA NISHIITHE SHEPHÁLII PHULETE
GANDHE GANDHE BHARIYÁ RAY.

VISHVERA RÚP JÁHÁRA RÚPETE
TÁKE KI KAKHANO BHOLÁ JÁY
(BHOLÁ) JÁY NÁ JÁY NÁ,
JÁY NÁ JÁY NÁ,
VISHVERA ÁLO JÁHÁRA ÁLOTE
TÁR THEKE DÚRE THÁKÁ KI JÁY
(THÁKÁ) JÁY NÁ JÁY NÁ
JÁY NÁ JÁY NÁ
TÁR THEKE DÚRE THÁKÁ JÁY NÁ JÁY NÁ
TÁKE KABHU DÚRE RÁKHÁ JÁY NÁ JÁY NÁ
JÁY NÁ JÁY NÁ.

YADI KUSUMASUVÁSA NIYE PHUT́I
KONA NIRJANA VANA-TARU-SHÁKHE
SE JE KISHALAY HAYE RAKTIMÁBHÁTE
CÁRI PÁSHE MOR GHIRE’ THÁKE,
EI GHIRE’ THÁKÁT́ÁI CÁI
(ÁMI EI) GHIRE’ THÁKÁT́ÁI CÁI
DÚRE NÁHI JETE CÁI.

SE JE ÁKÁSHE SÁGARE VANE KÁNTÁRE
LATÁY PÁTÁY LUKÁYE RAY,
PRABHÁTA NISHIITHE SAKALA PHULETE
GANDHE GANDHE BHARIYÁ RAY.
SE JE GANDHE GANDHE BHARIYÁ RAY.

25-11-1982