Flaming white sun Cast long gyrating cloud-shadows On limpid Nagavali waters Laid back and dusty Arasavilli village had hosted with pride Effulgent sun-god Through four dusty centuries The world's time-keeper stops by for a second Here at Arasavilli every day As time stands still and desires ebb.
Searing Surya Vaporizes fetid cesspools of desires And rains down crystals of divine love (Hanuman's ambitious monkey-face Reddened with eating this fire-ball) Here the present hangs heavily Salaried government priests chant Sonorous mantras, listlessly Ancient tortoises strut around Lazily on the graveled courtyard The Bilwa tree has sprouted Tender shoots in the hours of spring Tiny Bogada flowers fall to the ground Like multitudes of setting suns.
Crimson sun Life-quickening sun Orange sun Life-sustaining sun Blazing sun Life-exterminating sun Seven-horsed Surya Mustachioed Sun-god Sucking up the dirty opaque Waters of the temple-tank Beating down on the bare backs Of sweaty dark richshaw-pullers Giver of life, giver of hopes Of a few coins to emaciated beggars And to hawkers hoping for coconut-customers Dawn sun, dusk sun Shadow-casting afternoon sun Twilight godhuli sun Tamsoma Jyotirgamaya
