Pray unceasingly

Bhima Bhoi

Translated by Sailen Routray

Photo credit: https://commons.wikimedia.org/Sebokvasnak

Pray unceasingly

and you will cross this ocean of the world.

The Name is flowing down

from the indestructible one. [0]

Forsake pleasure and enjoyment.

Take the earth as your seat.

Remove birth and death

from this body. [1]

Control lust, anger, greed, attachment,

deceit, competitiveness, violence and malice.

True knowledge will help you

keep these under subjection. [2]

Leave slander 

and speaking words that are untrue.

Stay firm

in unknowing.

Rising in service,

drink the nectar from His feet. [3]

That is the world's essence.

That is always in bloom, like a flower. 

It is that from which 

the ten avatars arise and subside. [4]

He who is free 

through the four ages,

now call out to Him.

You will surely be redeemed

with the master's grace. [5]

Kali is razing through.  

Righteousness has lost all honour.

All Bhima Bhoi asks

is to be saved from censure. [6] 

Note: Bhima Bhoi (1850-1895) was an 19th century Odia saint poet. His compositions were instrumental in the spread of Mahima religion in peninsular India, especially in the Odia speaking regions. His bhajans remain popular even today, and are performed widely. Although he was ignored by the literary establishment of his times, he is a major figure in the history of Odia literature now, with texts like "Stuti Chintamani" and "Bramha Nirupana Gita" considered as classics.