Beyond Silences

On the fifth day of Navratri, we honor Skandamata, the goddess of wisdom and nourishment, while also aligning with the throat chakra (Vishuddha)—the center of communication and truth. Often, our words falter, and our thoughts remain clouded. Yet, beneath hesitation and uncertainty lies clarity and divine expression, revealed through devotion and prayer. This poem reflects the journey from doubt to spiritual eloquence, guided by the grace of the Goddess.

Words falter, 

hazy, blurred expressions, 

havering in our minds,

and underneath this veil, 

clarity and passion, with prayers. 

Jai Ma. Jai Jai Ma.

Welfare unto all 

Rab rakha 

Until we meet again

As the grand festival of Mandi Shivratri concludes, the heart holds a mix of gratitude and longing. This poem reflects the emotions of bidding farewell to the deities and celebrations, yet finding strength in the unwavering faith that Shiva remains with us beyond the festivities. Just as devotees depart, carrying His blessings, this poem serves as a prayer—trusting in His divine strength, knowing that today and tomorrow remain safe in His eternal embrace.

So long my dear friend. 

so long,

and until then, 

strong in Thy strength, 

safe in Thy hold.

in Thee do we trust, 

our todays and tomorrows.

Welfare unto all 

Rab rakha 

In the arms of Shiva

This devotional piece is a loose adaptation of the revered "Deh Shiva Bar Mohe Ih" composition, reimagined for the sacred celebrations of Mahashivratri. In this heartfelt invocation, the devotee passionately pleads for divine strength, courage, and unwavering commitment to righteousness, even in life's fiercest battles. Embracing the timeless spirit of Lord Shiva, the poem encourages a relentless pursuit of good deeds and an enduring bond with the divine, even as mortal life fades into dust.

Bless me, oh Supreme Master! 

Grant me this boon

that I may never sidestep

from doing good deeds.

That beyond all fears,

I may have the courage

to face every battle of my life

and I may have the faith too, 

that by Thy grace, I shall win them all.

That I may teach myself

to be hungry always, to be greedy, 

for singing Thy glories.

And that I may not forsake Thee

even in the eventide of my life. 

That when my mortal self turns to dust, 

I should still be fighting hard to hold on to Thee.

Welfare unto all 

Rab rakha 

The Cuckoo's Prayer

Just as the cuckoo waits patiently for the soothing kiss of rain to bring relief and salvation, so too does my spirit yearn for a divine embrace that offers spiritual solace. In this haiku, nature’s tender moment becomes a metaphor for inner longing—an appeal for renewal, hope, and transcendent comfort. It invites us to reflect on our own search for spiritual relief, finding inspiration in nature’s ephemeral yet profound, truly transformative, embrace.

The pied cuckoo thirsts,

waits for the kiss of raindrops.

And I wait for Thee.

Happy Kiss Day!!!

Welfare unto all 

Rab rakha 

The bliss

Come, let's sing Thy glories,

and rejoice in Thy name.

In Thy pious chant,

a heavenly bliss,

the ultimate pleasure.

Gradually, our sins are washed.

Slowly, our sorrows are erased.

Steadily, we are cleansed.

Definitely, we are favored.

Welfare unto all 

Rab rakha 

The Lighthouse

Gurupurab special thoughts :

Springs of your mercy.

But blinded by our follies, 

dark, dense, our pathways.

Thee be the lighthouse by sea, 

that guides tossing boats ashore.

Welfare unto all 

Rab rakha 

Hark! The rhythm

Hark! The rhythm.

The pellet drum rattles.

The dance begins.

The creation, the annihilation,

the fleeing in-betweens,

and beyond these apparents,

Shiv and Shakti locked

in divine eternal embrace,

completing, complementing.

Everywhere I look,

all this universe,

'tis but a cosmic divine dance.

Shiv and Shakti gracefully attuned,

to the rattling pellet drum.

Hark! The rhythm.

Welfare unto all 

Rab rakha 

Navratri Collection 2023 - Day 7

Thee knows our rights and wrongs.

Our ins, outs in Thy hand.

All bits, each grain of sand,

thrives by Thy grace.

Jai Ma. Jai Jai Ma.

Welfare unto all

Rab Rakha 

Navratri Collection 2023 - Day 2

Under the wings of faith,

we dwell on Thy hymns, songs.

Thee impairs all our wrongs.

Our brood rests safe.

Jai Ma. Jai Jai Ma.

Welfare unto all

Rab Rakha 

Unto Thee, my Lord

Thy will be my path. 

Let me be a sacrifice

Unto Thee, my Lord.

Ecstasy in Thy true name,

Thy glance of grace, I serve Thee.

Welfare unto all 

Rab rakha 

Japeyo Jin Arjan Dev Guru

A tiny dot, 

a speckle in this world, 

leading an unworthy life. 

Immense Thy grace, 

in Thy recall, 

I flourish and prosper. 

I come to Thy door, 

seeking a glimpse

of Thy magnificent form. 

For all those 

who serve You

with faith and belief, 

are ferried across. 

Jis neech kao ko-ee na jaanai

Naam japat uho chaho kunt maanai

Darshan maagao day-eh pi-aaray

Tumaree sayvaa kaun kaun na taaray

Welfare unto all 

Rab rakha 

Jithe jaye bahe Mera satguru

And wherever Thee chooses to reside,

wherever Thee halts and rests,

that place, that soil,

that piece of land

becomes sanctified,

blessed and piously beautiful.

And those who believe in Thy glory,

Thy faithful humble servants, 

seek out that place.

Devotedly, they touch the ground, 

and smear their foreheads with

the dust of Thy feet, 

reveling in Thy grace.

Welfare unto all 

Rab rakha 

Thy grace be

 In the burning cauldrons, 

through the humming saws, 

across the poles - 

wrapped in cotton and set aflame, 

and in the swift strike of tyrant's sword... 

Thy hymnical glories resonate.

For when Thy hallowed, 

and superlatively glorious name, 

seeps into our hearts, 

we are boundlessly blessed, 

abundantly enriched

with unparalleled contentment. 

And in Thy remembrance... 

Thy grace be...Thy merciful glance be...

we know no strife or suffering.

Raam naam ur mai gahio jaa kai sam nahee koi||

Jeh simrat sankat mitai daras tuhaaro hoi||

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

Jai Mata di

Grey and blues of skies. 

Constant rhythmic reminder, 

of Thy gracious glance. 

Jai Ma. Jai Jai Ma.

Welfare unto all 

Rab rakha 

Jai Jai Ma

Serene, clear blue skies, 

hidden behind swirling mists. 

Beauty of Thy plan.

Jai Ma. Jai Jai Ma. 

Welfare unto all 

Rab rakha 

Steer us home

The wandering souls... 

lost cows waiting for Thy flute

to steer us homewards.

Linking with Scripture and a Snapshot

Welfare unto all

Rab rakha 

Hallowed be thy name

 All that unfolds here

is by Thy orders. 

And all that happens here

tastes like sweetest nectar. 

And all that I seek, 

all that this humble servant desires, 

is the ability to dwell on Thy name. 

Thy pious, magnanimous, hallowed name. 

At all times. 

In all times. 

Linking with Scripture and a Snapshot 

Welfare unto all 

Rab rakha 

Prayer

Smattering, our word stock, dear!

Umpteen Thy names, we revere.

Immense Thy glories and grace. 

Jargons...sketchy for Thy praise.

Linking with Eugi's Weekly Prompt

Linking with Scripture and a Snapshot

Ganpati Bappa Morya

I tried to translate a bit of gurbani that I thought resonates with the pious occasion.

Heartiest greetings for Ganesha Chaturthi. 

Welfare unto all 

Rab rakha 🤗 🤗 🤗