Glow of Grace

This senryu seeks the blessings of the radiant sun and the peaceful moon on this sacred occasion of Eid. Just as the moonlight brings serenity and the sunshine fills hearts with warmth, may this festival bring tranquility, joy, and divine grace to all. Eid is a time of reflection, gratitude, and renewal, and laughters this poem captures the essence of light, peace, and abundance that illuminate the hearts of believers on this joyous day.

Peace of moonshine, and, 

radiance of sun in hearts. 

Bountiful, Thy grace! 

Welfare unto all 

Rab rakha 

The rhythm of devotion

In Mandi, Himachal Pradesh, during Maha Shivratri, an awe-inspiring gathering of deities infuses the air with profound spiritual and celebratory energy. This annual international fair transforms the town into a vibrant stage of divine revelry. The poem captures this celestial spectacle, portraying gods descending, nature adorned in spring, and hills echoing with drumbeats, culminating in Shiva’s grand wedding. It invites us to experience the transcendent union of cosmic devotion and festive celebration with joyous fervor.

Welfare unto all 

Rab rakha 

The Saga of Sulakhni

A chapter from the life of Guru Nanak, The Light :

Part - 1

Reveling in conjugal bliss with the Light,
she walks on the path, wise and right.
Her life perfect, euphoric and joyous.
Meaningful too, not shallow nor pompous.
Oft she dwells on the Supreme absolute,
sits with laity and sings hymns to the lute.
Questions the blinding ritualistic grasps,
raises the parish beyond worldly clasps.
Serves the congregation with utmost love,
follows His Word from the heavens above.

 

Part - 2

And thus she lives as days pass by,
saintly, exalted figure, people doth deify.
Sulakhni, they call her, the virtuous one.
In the Light, she finds, her midnight sun.
Sincere and earnest, her faith is rewarded.
She says, it happens – this boon is awarded.


Part - 3
 
There are zealots there and scoffers too,
plenty of them, jeering at all that you do.
And so a bunch of cynics is waiting today,
to test her faith, to mock and downplay.
Skilled ascetics, with powers immense,
elements they control with practice intense.
Adept they are, they have mastered God,
they walk on waters as common men laud.
Flawed in their thinking, their vision is gone.
Long past the divinity, only body and brawn.


Part - 4
 
So they wait in hiding, as patrons sing
songs of glory, attuned to harp with string.
Mellow and tuned, their litanies enthrall.
In the kitchens, she cooks meals for all,
with dullops of faith and tempered with prayers.
In the hands of Light, they rest their affairs.


Part - 5

She does not count nor measures cups or scoops.
Every bite a delight, the food prompts some whoops.
With faith she fills the buckets and breadbaskets,
serving everyone fervently, without looking at caskets.
The parishioners are leaving, happy and content.
Relishing the time they have beautifully spent.
Some stay back to help her clean the place,
some help with utensils, some mop the space.
Soaked in the color of True Name, they all work hard,
selflessly they serve, with devotion and regard.


Part - 6
 
Unfriendly ones, lurking in shadows dense,
Mala fide their drift, they begin the pretence.
Forth to the shrine, to smear and malign,
Psalm songs echo, the beginning of design.
Chanting and praying, they reach the hermitage,
Servitors announce a total hundred and fifty sage.


Part - 7

Fickle these saints, and unfaithful their curtsy.
Yet the Light smiles, a brimming fountain of mercy.
All knowing, all pervading, the Light calls for supper.
Sardonic smiles of sages, while servants shudder.
They bow before the Light, with flustered minds,
And they reach Sulakhni to succour left behinds.
They sink into sadness, there's no way they can feed,
For the sages are ravenous, athirst with greed.
But Sulakhni smiles, these are orders of the Light,
And His shall ever prevail, boundless is His Might!


Part - 8

She prays and she chants, while she hands out plates,
no one has ever returned hungry from His gates.
Then she hands out the breadbasket to the steward chief.
Covers it with 'kerchief, and recites psalms with belief.
The steward looks askance at the meagre divide.
Just five flatbreads, for the savage lions and their pride.


Part - 9

Unwavered in resolve, Sulakhni tells him to begin,
not to remove the 'kerchief, but to pray deep within.
To add dullops of clarified butter to their meals,
to top it with sugar, to mark servings with faithful seals.
And the believers bow humbly and serve this faction,
Glory be to Thee, the hermits are dazed at this action.
There's bread on every plate and sugar in every scoop,
a rich meal on every platter, no one left in the troop.
And the men eat a hearty supper with relish and delight,
Defeated, yet sated, it is such a wonderful sight.


Part - 10

Finished with the meals, they thank and they rise,
accept their pettiness, do away with disguise.
But one of their men plays on, he asks for more,
portion after portion, he asks with a roar,
his powers help him to increase his hunger,
stupifies everyone, and makes them wonder.


Part - 11

Baffled and confounded they seek Her help.
How do we satiate him, they ask with a yelp.
She smiles and she thinks of Lord Almighty,
and she prepares the plate for the highty-tighty.
Glory be to Thee, one bread of Thy Name.
And the sage loses his powers, fails in his game.
The Light smiles and showers grace on His men,
The sages learn from Him and return to their den.
Thus ends the story, the saga of Sulakhni, the blessed.
Faith, belief and devotion, all glitches redressed. 

Welfare unto all

Rab Rakha

Janmashtami

 The cosmos dances,

to the flute-tune of cowherd, 

the rhythm, hypnotic. 

Love-enchanted, the pawns sway. 

Lost cattle, He steers us all.

Hare Krishna. Hare Krishna. 

Krishna Krishna Hare Hare. 

Welfare unto all 

Rab rakha 🤗 🤗 🤗 

Life in moments

Beyond the chaos,
someday we will start living,
and
we will celebrate.
Lavish candle light dinners
with
tables and timelines ,
both reserved.

Amidst this mayhem,
when the world is all topsy-turvy,
between the uncertainty of it all,
amongst the fleeting moments,
we will celebrate.
All of us, together,
A home cooked meal,
simple, yet sumptuous,
set out on that grandpa-table,
with extra dullops of love,
and extra-large servings.
Luxuries, only a few can afford.
Such moments of simplicity,
when
through the gossamer curtains of nonce,
that mesmerizing gander of life.

Love for those who matter,
when it matters.

Amen!

For PHOTO PROMPT © Dale Roger's

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Welfare unto all
Rab rakha 

The eventide

The eventide.
That return to the nest,
the dull ache of pendencies,
the weariness of struggles,
the paused turmoils,
the sweat, blood and tears,
all melting,
rather dissolving in
the rustle of fallen leaves in lawn,
the ricocheting laughters indoors,
 the pestering, the tantalizing tease,
the boomerang zealous zest.
The elixir of this life,
that embalming smile on your face.

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Welfare unto all 

Rab rakha 

Humble offerings

Some sacred scribblings,
humble offerings to Thee,
these hymns penned with faith.
Reflections on our blessings,
a blessed sanctified retreat.

Welfare unto all 

Hear our plea

On thy path, with faith.
Hear our plea, we come to Thee.
Be our hope and strength.
Our prayers, our pilgrimage,
our humble supplications.

Welfare unto all

We, Thy lambs

Thou art the shepherd.
We, Thy lambs, going astray.
Thee, our redemption.
Dark, the clouds; deep thy mercy.
By thy grace, eternal bliss.

Welfare unto all 

Thy pious name

In thy love, we rise,
relishing gracious blessings,
basking, in Thy gifts.
Thy pious name, breath of life,
the very chant, sustaining.

Welfare unto all 

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Resonant prayer

Cosmic primal sound,

Thy name’s embalming echo.

Sacred syllables,

resounding through universe.

resonant prayer of heart,

Welfare unto all 

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Thee delivers us

Our trust in thee, Lord!
O Thy name, our medicine;
healing our spirit.
Thee delivers from trespass.
In thy presence, we revel.

Welfare unto all

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Boundless Thy mercy

Boundless Thy mercy.
Trillions of hearts, lifeless forms,
all fit in Thy plan.
Revered, across galaxies,
all raise their eyes towards Thee. 

Welfare unto all 

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Our lone desire

Soul, thirsting for Thee,
mind, ever yearning for Lord,
this, our lone desire.
Sparrowhawks singing Thy praise,
melodic notes, day and night.

Welfare unto all 

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Thy sight, our lifeline

As we think of thee,
May we be completely blessed.
Thy sight, our lifeline.
Our mind focused on thy feet,
sustain us as Thy tadpoles.

Welfare unto all 

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Earnest prayers

Shadow of dark clouds,
but Thee illumines my path,
we rise regardless.
For Thee hears earnest prayers,
Thee is wind beneath our wings.

Welfare unto all

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Slivers of faith

The slivers of faith,
our prayers answered with grace.
Peace within thy nest,
safe in shadow of Thy wings,
hymns in our heart, we praise Thee,

Welfare unto all 

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Thee our salvation

Thee our salvation.
Surrendering all to you,
to walk besides Thee.
This heart, stubborn and sinful,
And yet thee never forsakes.

Welfare unto all

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With Thy grace

Watered by Thy grace,
this dry soul becomes lush green.
Words become prayers.
In Thy love, we abandon.
In thy embrace, we find us.

Welfare unto all 

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Forgive us O Lord!

Forgive us O Lord!
Pray! Keep us out of harm’s way,
sinners that we are,
our unsteady feet astray,
lead us not to temptations.

Welfare unto all 

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