O Krśńa, Mura’s* Foe, your flute
Roused matter into consciousness
Through sweet absorption in love’s intimacy,
Through your sweet smile
With sweet rhythm and sweet feet.

Since then, how many ages have passed!
The Yamuna** of the mind has dried up.
You did not appear. You did not play your flute.
You did not stir the cosmic skies with sonic vibrations.

In your memory alone, we shall complete
The work you left unfinished.

Translated from Bengali
* Murá (মুরা) was a general of King Narakasura,
who attacked Dvaraka, the capital of Krśńa's kingdom.
According to mythology, both Narakasura and Murá were demons
** The river Yamuna is closely associated
with the story of Krsna in his early life
Krsna and his childhood friends used
to play on the banks of the Jamuna.
Here figuratively is the river of remembrance of Krsna,
which irrigate the mind with a flow of sweetness, a flow of devotion

KRŚŃAMURÁRI BÁṊSHARII TOMÁRI
JAGÁIYÁ CHILO JAŔE CETANE,
MADHURA BHÁVETE MADHURA HÁSITE
MADHURA CHANDE MADHURA CARAŃE.

TÁRPAR KATA JUG CALE GECHE
MÁNASA JAMUNÁ SHUKÁIYÁ GECHE,
TUMI ÁSILE NÁ BÁṊSHII BÁJÁLE NÁ
DHVANI JÁGÁLE NÁ VISHVA GAGANE.

TOMÁR APÚRŃA KÁJKE PÚRŃA
KARIBA ÁMARÁ TOMÁRI SMARAŃE

21-01-1983