Editor's Choice
Theme: Devotion

The Miser

You were passing in your golden chariot
When I went begging
Wandering along the village road
It was like a dream
You were so beautifully attired
How wonderful you looked!
I was thinking
Who is this great prince!
 
I also thought how auspicious was this morning
How lucky I was
From door to door
Today I won’t have to go begging.
As soon as I have come out
I have met the king
On either side of the road
He will cast his gifts in plenty
I will only pick them up as much as I want.
 
But coming to me suddenly your chariot stopped
You got down smiling and looked at my face.
Seeing your pleasant face I forgot everything
And when you stretched out your hands and told me,
‘Please give me something’,
I wondered why!
 
‘Give me something!’
What’s this I hear O king
You are begging from a beggar
What wants do you have?
Only to deny me some alms
It must be a joke
Just a small morsel I gave you from my bag.
 
Coming home when I overturned my begging bowl
What did I see!
Among my alms I found a small nugget of gold 
What I gave as alms to the princely beggar
Has come back to me as gold
With my eyes full of tears now I repent
Emptying my bag
Why didn’t I give you my all!
Translation of the devotional poem Kripon from the collection Kheya (The Ferry) by Rabindranath Tagore.
The original poem is at
http://www.rabindra-rachanabali.nltr.org/node/10664

10-Apr-2012

More By  :  Kumud Biswas

Views: 1442     Comments: 1

Comments on this Poem

Comment Very nice

Meera
18-Sep-2023 05:04 AM


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