To float in the river is to merge in the sea

Sailen Routray

Remnant of one common earth ball fungus
https://commons.wikimedia.org/Dominicus Johannes Bergsma

My home is the wide, open sea. 
I am this clod of earth.
But I am more water than clay. 
My true home is the wide, open sea. 

All around me people roam
thinking that they are clods of earth.
Some have been told otherwise. 
Many of them don’t believe.

Some of them do.
But they sit on the banks of this river or that stream,
afraid of the sweet lilt of the waters. 
Some jump in;
some drown and float,
drown and then float again, for good,
trailing towards the wide, open sea;
some slow, some fast,
depending upon the flow of the stream
and the lightness of their beings.

I have toyed with this stream 
or that river, for ages.
Now I have jumped into one;
I float. 

The sea is far away.
And I am heavy.
But I know 
that this stream is fast.
Even if it takes aeons 
to reach the wide, open sea,
it’s fine.

There is a joy in this floating.
To float in the river is to merge in the sea.  

Note: This poem was first published in the blog "Chiragh Dilli" with the title "Talking Places," as part of a "poetic conversation" between Samprati Pani and I.

ଚିତ୍ତ ବର୍ଗ ୩-୪

ପାଲି 'ଧର୍ମପଦ'ର ଓଡ଼ିଆ ପଦ୍ୟାନୁବାଦ

ଅନୁବାଦକ - ଶୈଲେନ ରାଉତରାୟ

ଫଟୋ କ୍ରେଡ଼ିଟ୍ - ୱିକିମିଡ଼ିଆ କମନ୍ସ୍ 

ଓଡ଼ିଆ ପଦ୍ୟାନୁବାଦ

ଅତି କଷ୍ଟରେ ନିଗ୍ରହ ହେଉଥିବା ଚିତ୍ତ,

ଲଘୁଗାମୀ ହୋଇ ଯାହା ଇତସ୍ତ ପତିତ ।

ସେହିପରି ଚିତ୍ତର ଦମନ ହିଁ ଉଚିତ,

ସୁଖାବହ ଅଟଇ ଦଳିତ ସେହି ଚିତ୍ତ ।୩।

ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ କଷ୍ଟରେ ଯାହା ହୁଏ ଦୃଶ୍ୟମାନ 

ଇଚ୍ଛାନୁସାରେ ଗତିଶୀଳ ଓ ସୁନିପୁଣ

ମେଧାବୀ ସେହି ଚିତ୍ତକୁ ରକ୍ଷିବା ଉଚିତ  

ସୁଖାବହ ଅଟଇ ରକ୍ଷିତ ସେହି ଚିତ୍ତ ।୪।

ମୂଳ ପାଲି ପଦ

ଦୁନ୍ନିଗ୍ଗହସ୍ସ ଲହୁନୋ ଯତ୍ଥ କାମନିପାତିନୋ ।

ଚିତ୍ତସ୍ସ ଦମୋଥ ସାଧୁ  ଚିତ୍ତଂ ଦନ୍ତଂ ସୁଖାବହଂ ।୩।

ସୁଦୁଦ୍ଦଶଂ ସୁନିପୁଣଂ ଯତ୍ଥ କାମନିପାତିନଂ ।

ଚିିତ୍ତଂ ତକ୍ଖେଥ ମେଧାବୀ ଚିତ୍ତଂ ଗୁତ୍ତଂ ସୁଖାବହଂ ।୪।

ଅନୁବାଦକୀୟ ଟୀକା: ଏହି ଅଧମ ଅନୁବାଦକକୁ ପାଲି ଜଣା ନାହିଁ । ଏଣୁ ଏହି ପଦ୍ୟାନୁବାଦଟି ପାଇଁ ତାହାର ମୂଳ ସହାୟ ହେଲା  ପ୍ରଫେସର ପ୍ରହ୍ଲାଦ ପ୍ରଧାନଙ୍କ ଦ୍ୱାରା ସମ୍ପାଦିତ 'ପାଲି ଧର୍ମପଦ' ଗ୍ରନ୍ଥଟି, ଯେଉଁଥିରେ ସେ ସଂସ୍କୃତ ରୂପାନ୍ତର ସହ ଓଡ଼ିଆ ଗଦ୍ୟାନୁବାଦ କରିଯାଇଛନ୍ତି । ଗ୍ରନ୍ଥଟିର ପ୍ରଥମ ସଂସ୍କରଣ ୧୯୭୮ ମସିହାରେ ପ୍ରକାଶିତ । କିନ୍ତୁ ଏହି ଅନୁବାଦକ ୧୯୯୪ ମସିହାରେ କଟକସ୍ଥ ପ୍ରକାଶନ ସଂସ୍ଥା ଫ୍ରେଣ୍ଡ୍‌ସ୍‌ ପବ୍ଲିଶର୍ସ ଛାପିଥିବା ଦ୍ୱିତୀୟ ସଂସ୍କରଣଟି ବ୍ୟବହାର କରିଛି । ଏହା ଛଡ଼ା ଏହି ପଦ୍ୟାନୁବାଦ କରିବା ପାଇଁ 'ଦି ସେକ୍ରେଡ଼୍ ବୁକ୍ସ୍ ଅଫ୍ ଦି ଇଷ୍ଟ୍' ସିରିଜ୍‌ରେ ମାକ୍ସ୍ ମ୍ୟୁଲର୍‌ଙ୍କ ଦ୍ୱାରା ସମ୍ପାଦିତ 'ଦି ଧମ୍ମପଦ' ଇଂରାଜି ଗ୍ରନ୍ଥଟିର ୨୦୧୩ ମସିହାରେ ରୁଟ୍‌ଲେଜ୍ ଛାପିଥିବା ସଂସ୍କରଣଟିର ମଧ୍ୟ ବ୍ୟବହାର କରାଯାଇଛି । 

Something needs to be done 

Basudev Sunani

Translated by Sailen Routray

A digitally altered image of the UNEFA building in Caracas, Venezuela
https://commons.wikimedia.org/Wilfredor

Today,

something needs to be done.

The preparations have eaten into 

the biggest chunk of the time.

Today 

something needs to be done.

In the meanwhile,

the stones of quite a few curses 

have regained life, and thus mobility.

Many uncertain birds have lost their shells.

And hems of countless sarees have gotten torn.

But still,

all the sorrows 

could not be fed to the tigers.

And still,

all the disillusionment 

could not be buried under the beach. 

In this gloomy sultriness,

have I been able to get morsels

for the drowsing sparrows?

Have I been able to ride

the horse of my will?

Enough is enough!

It’s time to unravel

the smouldering secrets of the forest,

and it’s the time to dispel 

the dejection of the sky.

Whenever I feel like beginning,

that, is the auspicious moment.

and, that is the time to unshackle 

the old silences of indecisiveness.

Translator's Note: Basudev Sunani (b. 1962) is one of the foremost poetic voices of his generation in Odia literature. He has a body of prose in the form of novels, monographs and essays in the language as well.

ଖାଲି ତୁମେ ଯାହା ନାହଁ

ଶୈଲେନ ରାଉତରାୟ

ଆକାଶରୁ ଭୁବନେଶ୍ୱରର ଦୃଶ୍ୟ
ଫଟୋ କ୍ରେଡ଼ିଟ୍ - ୱିକିମିଡିଆ କମନ୍ସ୍/ଓଡ଼ିଶା ସରକାର

ପହିଲି କାର୍ତ୍ତିକ ମାସର ଉଷୁମ ସକାଳର ତୁଳାଭିଣା ସଫେଦ ବାଦଲ ଅଛି । ମେଘ ଚାରିପଟେ ଲୁସିର ଚିତ୍ରରୁ ଧାର ଅଣା ରଙ୍ଗରେ ତିଆରି ଆକାଶ ଅଛି । ଗଗନରେ ମୋର ପାଣିଚିଆ ପ୍ରେମ ପରି ଖରାର ଧାସ ବି ଅଛି । ହେଲେ ଖାଲି ତୁମେ ଯାହା ନାହଁ ।

ଖରାବେଳେ ବୁଦ୍ଧ ଜୟନ୍ତୀ ପାର୍କ ଆଗର ସେଇ କାଫେର ନିର୍ଜନତା ଅଛି । ପାର୍କ ଭିତରେ ଲୋକଙ୍କ ଗହଳି ଆଉ ବାହାରେ ଗାଡ଼ିମଟରର ହଇଚଇ ଅଛି । ପବନରେ ଶୀତର ଫ‌ୁସଫୁସିଆ ଛୁଆଁ ବି ଅଛି । ହେଲେ ଖାଲି ତୁମେ ଯାହା ନାହଁ ।

ଅପରାହ୍ଣର କାନନ ବିହାର ରାସ୍ତାକଡ଼ର କଦମ୍ବର ଛାଇର ପରଶ ଅଛି । ସେଠାର ଗଳିମୋଡ଼ର ବିଭ୍ରାନ୍ତି ଅଛି । ବୁଲା କୁକୁର ଛୁଆ ମାନଙ୍କର ଆକ୍ତି ବି ଅଛି । ହେଲେ ଖାଲି ତୁମେ ଯାହା ନାହଁ ।

ସନ୍ଧ୍ୟାର ନନ୍ଦନକାନନ ରାସ୍ତାର ଗହଳଚହଳ ଅଛି । ଚିକ୍‌ମିକ୍‌ ତାରା ଭଳି ଗାଡ଼ିମାନଙ୍କର ଆଲୁଅର ଚିକ୍କଣ ଝାଲର ଅଛି । ରୋଡ଼୍ ଦୁଇ ପାଖର ଦୋକାନଗୁଡ଼ିକର ନିରନ୍ତର ହାତଠରା ବି ଅଛି । ହେଲେ ଖାଲି ତୁମେ ଯାହା ନାହଁ ।

ତୁମେ ନାହଁ । ହେଲେ ମୁଁ ଅଛି । ଏ ସହର ଅଛି । ଏ ସହରର ସ୍ମୃତି ଅଛି । ସହରରେ ତୁମର ଛୁଆଁ ବି ଅଛି । ହେଲେ ଖାଲି ତୁମେ ଯାହା ନାହଁ । 

What it takes to stretch

Sailen Routray

 Sapta Chakra, from a Yoga manuscript in Braj Bhasa with 118 pages. 1899

                                                    Photo Credit: commons.wikimedia.org

Those of us who come to some form of spiritual practice and stick to it, often do so because we want to escape the madness and contradictions of the world, and have the need for certainties and clarity. However, anyone who has been following an adhyatmic tradition with some amount of seriousness for a while, soon comes to realize the hopelessness of this process.

Let me explain by taking the example of hatha yoga. Asanas are supposed to be about mastering movement. However, to be able to move the required parts of the body in a coordinated and effective way (which constitute asanas), you must be able to keep the ones not involved in the posture absolutely still. 

Hence, to perform the asana, you must keep some relevant body parts completely motionless. Say, you produce the necessary stillness of the relevant body parts. Then you start noticing the movement of the muscles, etc. in the form of a vibrating tautness. Some persistence and mindfulness of the practice will reveal it to you that this vibrating movement is a part of the maintenance of stillness. 

Therefore, movement and stillness are not opposites of each other. You can never completely resolve the supposed contradictions between the two in practice. Rather, they constitute a totality, which is made possible by an awareness of the process of letting this totality emerge by paying attention.

Some traditions make the claim that you need this attention itself to be total as well. However, therein lies another contradiction. This perhaps needs a separate post.