This Marathi poem came to me as a forward - I enjoyed it thoroughly and forwarded it to my daughter. Prompt came her request for a translation and this morning, I decided to sit down and do it. In the process, I read,re-read and felt so happy that I had to share it :)
।।जगावेगळे नाते।।
अशी कशी लेक
देवा
माझ्या पोटीं येते
नाव सुद्धा माझ्
ती
इथेच ठेऊन जाते।।
पहिला घास देवा
ती
माझ्या कडून खाते
माझाच हात धरुन्
ती
पहिल पाऊल टाकते।।
मझ्याकडूनच ती
पहिल अक्षर शिकते
तिच्या साठी सुद्धा
मी
रात्र रात्र जागते।।
कुशीत माझ्या झोपण्यासाठी
ती गाल फुगवुन
बसते
मी आणलेला फ्रॉक
घालून
घर भर नाचते।।
अशी कशी लेक
देवा
माझ्या पोटी येते
असे कसे वेगळे
हे
तिचे माझे नाते।।
एक दिवस अचानक
ती
मोठी होऊंन जाते
आई तू दमलिस
का ग?
हळूच मला विचरते।।
माझ्या साठी कपडे
चप्पल
खाऊ घेऊन येते
नव्या जगातील नविन
गोष्टी
मलाच ती शिकवते।।
तिच्या दूर जाण्याने
कातर मी होते
हळूच हसून मला
ती
कुशीत घेऊन बसते।।
कळत नाही मला
देवा
असे कसे होते
कधी जागा बदलून
ती
माझिच आई होते।।
देव
म्हणाला ऐक पोरी
तुझे तिचे नाते
विश्वाच्या ह्या सखळीची
एक कड़ी असते।।
तुझ्या दारी फुलण्यासाठी
हे रोप दिले
असते
सावली आणि सुगंधाशी
तर
तुझेच नाते असते।।
वाहत्या प्रवाहाला कोणी
मुठित कधी का
धरते
मार्ग आहे ज्याचा
त्याचा
पुढेच असते जायचे।।
तुझ्या अंगणातली धारा ही
"
जीवनदात्री"
होते
आणि वाहती राहण्यासाठीच
"
गंगा"'
सागराला "
मिळते।।
.................
वासंती
भावे
MY TRANSLATION
The different relation in the world
What kind of child is this O God
She is born of my womb
but even my name she leaves behind here
itself
and goes away.
She eats her first morsel
from my hand
holding my hand
she takes her first step
From me only
she learns the first letter
for her, alone do I
keep awake several nights
to sleep in my lap
she puffs her cheeks and sits
wearing the frock I have bought
she dances all around the house
What kind of child is this O God
born of my womb
how different are these
relations between me and her.
One day, all of a sudden
she grows up
Mother, are you tired ?
She asks me gently.
Clothes and slippers for me
and eatables too, she brings for me.
New stories of the new world
She comes and teaches me!
On her going far awayI tremble and am nervous
smiling gently,
she now takes me into her lap.
I cant understand o god
how did this happen.
when did she change places
and become my mother.?
God said, listen my child
your relations
are, of the universal chain
just one link.
To blossom at your door step
This sapling was given to you.
With the shade and fragrance atleast
you have a relationship.
Can someone hold the flowing river
in the palm of one's hand.
Each one has
his own way to go ahead
The little stream from your doorstep
is a life giver
And only to keep flowing
does the Ganga flow into the ocean.
................. Vasanti Bhave
