Hindu Religious Studies 19
Bangla Prayer Poems
in English Translation
(1)
Salute to Sharbani Eeshani Indrani
Ishwarai Ishwara-jaya.
Aparna fearless Annapurna Joya
Maheshwari Mahamaya.
... ... ...
O mother Parvati, I am very poor
Now I am in a great danger.
Always restless is the water on lotus-leaf
Afraid and scared bashful and hesitant
Lest I should not embarrass you in my danger
O Abhoya, the fearless, please be merciful
On me, so that I may cross this world-ocean.
(Krittivasi Ramayana)(2)
If I don't know
how to beg your mercy,
please accept me
at your feet.
What I build up
I forget at ease,
I make worship of happiness
with fruits and flowers.
Don't keep that dust
in the playhouse with hatred,
please wake it up
hurling the shell of fire.(Abridged from Geetanjali by Rabindranath Tagore)