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Compassion an example!!

Discussion in 'Poetry' started by revathy45, Feb 6, 2008.

  1. revathy45

    revathy45 Bronze IL'ite

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    COMPASSION, AN EXAMPLE

    Upagupta, the disciple of Buddha, lay sleep in
    the dust by the city wall of Mathura.
    Lamps were all out, doors were all shut, and
    stars were all hidden by the murky sky of August.
    Whose feet were those tinkling with anklets,
    touching his breast of a sudden?
    He woke up startled, and a light from a woman's
    lamp fell on his forgiving eyes.
    It was dancing girl, starred with jewels,
    Wearing a pale blue mantle, drunk with the wine
    of her youth.
    She lowered her lamp and saw young face
    austerely beautiful.
    "Forgive me, young ascetic," said the woman,
    "Graciously come to my house. The dusty earth
    is not fit bed for you."
    The young ascetic answered, "Woman,
    go on your way;
    When the time is ripe I will come to you."
    Suddenly the black night showed its teeth
    in a flash of lightening.
    The storm growled from the corner of the sky, and
    The woman trembled in fear of some unknown danger.
    * . *
    A year has not yet passed.
    It was evening of a day in April,
    in spring season.
    The branches of the way side trees were full of blossom.
    Gay notes of a flute came floating in the
    warm spring air from a far.
    The citizens had gone to the woods for the
    festival of flowers.
    From the mid sky gazed the full moon on the
    shadows of the silent town.
    The young ascetic was walking along the lonely street,
    While overhead the love-sick koels uttered from the
    mango branches their sleepless plaint.
    Upagupta passed through the city gates, and
    stood at the base of the rampart.
    Was that a woman lying at his feet in the
    shadow of the mango grove?
    Stuck with black prestilence, her body
    spotted with sores of small-pox,
    She had been hurriedly removed from the town
    To avoid her poisonous contagion.
    The ascetic sat by her side, took her head
    on his knees,
    And moistened her lips with water, and
    smeared her body with sandal balm.
    "Who are you, merciful one?" asked the woman.
    "The time, at last, has come to visit you, and
    I am here," replied the young ascetic.
    Rabindranath Tagore
     
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  2. knbg

    knbg Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

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    Thanks for sharing this touchy poem.
    Compassion and balance comes with strenuous spiritual exercise.
     

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