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O one who gives the sun its glow
O one who makes the rivers flow
In whose praise the seas do roar
Come to form; O Formless!
With a mighty uproar

O one who flows in veins as life
O one who holds us through war and strife
The creator of smile on a warrior’s face
Come to form; O Formless!
And the world you do embrace

O one who is spread on the lands so vast
O one who flutters the flags on masts
On rhythms of whom life does flow
Come to form; O Formless!
With your majestic glow

O one who transforms the sweat into grains
O one who showers new life as rains
On whose arrival the earth does smile
Come to form; O Formless!
It has been a long while…

 

One of the biggest Indian festivals – Durga Puja (Navratri) – is knocking on the door. And this poem calls upon the omnipresent Goddess Durga to take form and reside in our hearts. Happy Navratri to all of you.

 

This poem was originally written in Hindi. I then translated it to English. I tried to keep the essence intact and not the exact meaning. Here is the original poem in Hindi.

सूरज बन धधक रही जिसकी ज्वाला 

नदियों की जो उज्जवल धारा 
भर रही जो सागर में हुंकार 
समाहित है जिसमें सारा संसार 
साकार रूप में अवतरित हो; हे माँ निराकार!
 
शरीर में बन रक्तिम धार 
कर रही जो नव-जीवन संचार 
मन में ले  ढाँढस का अवतार 
प्रसारित कर ज्योति अपरम्पार 
साकार रूप में अवतरित हो; हे माँ निराकार!
 
जिसके लय पर थिरके जीवन 
ताल पे जिसके नाचे सावन 
विस्तार है जिसका अनंत अपार 
उद्घोषित कर प्रचंड रण-हुंकार 
साकार रूप में अवतरित हो; हे माँ निराकार!
 
सुगन्धित कर दो वन-उपवन 
बरसाकर निज-आशीष पावन 
देखो भक्तों की भीड़ अपार 
प्रतीक्षा करता सारा संसार 
साकार रूप में अवतरित हो; हे माँ निराकार!
 
And here is its Anglicized version… (for those who can’t read the Hindi script) …
 

Suraj ban dhadhak rahi jiski jwala
Nadiyon ki jo ujjwal dhaaraa
Bhar rahi jo saagar mein hunkaar
Samaahit hai jismein samast sansaar
Saakaar roop mein awtarit ho; he ma nirakaar!

Sharir mein ban raktim dhaar
Kar rahi jo nav jeewan sanchaar
Man mein le dhaandhas ka awtaar
Prasarit kar jyoti aparampaar
Saakaar roop mein awtarit ho; he ma nirakaar!

Jiske laya par thirke jeewan
Taal pe jiske naache saawan
Vistaar hai jiska anant apaar
Udghoshit kar prachand ran hunkaar
Saakaar roop mein awtarit ho; he ma nirakaar!

Sugandhit kar har van upvan
Barsakar nij aashish paawan
Dekho ma bhakton ki bheed apaar
Prateeksha karta saara sansaar
Saakaar roop mein awtarit ho; he ma nirakaar!

Just in case you are curious: The verse (shloka) in the image is in Sanskrit which translates (roughly)to…
The one who is present in all forms; in all beings and has all the powers…
One who removes all fears; We bow to that Goddess Durga…